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Limited Edition Print - 150
Captured in a moment of quiet restraint, when expectation gives way to acceptance and the landscape offers something more subtle than planned. Sunlight spilled down Thunder Creek Falls, carving a stark divide between bright exposure and brooding shadow. As the light crept lower along the cascade, it became impossible to hold the entire scene in a single frame.
Rather than resist, the composition narrowed. Only part of the falls remained, the rest dissolving into the glare of harsh sunlight. The shadowed section held the emotion, a gentle, steady flow, its movement softened by a measured exposure into fine, silken strands, contrasted with the darker drama of the river below. What was left unseen became as important as what remained in view. In that restraint, the image found its quiet tension, a balance between light, what is seen, and what is absent, where subtlety replaced spectacle and the landscape revealed its strength through understatement
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Anything on the far end of the South Island demands commitment. Distance, weather, timing, none of it bends for convenience. Thunder Creek Falls was no exception. Tucked near Haast Pass, it’s a place that only really makes sense in winter: early morning, heavy cloud, rain hanging in the air. Anything else feels like a compromise.
The excuse arrived neatly, a mate’s birthday in Ophir in early August. Perfect. I packed the car, left Nelson, overnighted in Franz Josef, then set the alarm for an unholy hour to make the three-hour drive before first light. The forecast promised gloom and rain. Exactly what I wanted.
But as I closed in on Thunder Creek, the clouds began to lift. Winter sun spilled across the valley, clean and bright. Beautiful, yes, but completely wrong. I set up anyway. Framed the shot. Waited. Hoped. The rain never came.
With sunlight cutting halfway down the waterfall, I made a call. I shifted the composition and photographed only what the conditions allowed, half the waterfall. It felt like settling. Disappointed, I packed up and drove on toward Ophir.
Later, back at the screen, one image stopped me cold. Not the whole scene, just a fragment. And suddenly it made sense. There was more tension there. More mystery. Turns out, half a waterfall had more to say than the whole thing ever could.
Location
Thunder Creek Falls drops 96 metres through a forested valley in Mount Aspiring National Park, spilling into the Haast River below. Set along the Haast Pass, it is one of the region’s most accessible waterfalls, reached by a short walk from the road. Framed by dense bush and constant motion, the falls combine raw alpine water with the quiet presence of the surrounding landscape, a powerful reminder of scale and flow in the Southern Alps.
Printed on Hahnemühle Photo Rag®
Each limited edition print is produced on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® 308gsm, one of the world's most renowned fine art papers. Made from 100% cotton with a softly textured surface, it delivers rich depth, exceptional colour, deep blacks, and striking contrast. This museum-grade paper is acid- and lignin-free, ISO 9706 certified, and crafted for true archival quality — ensuring your print will last for generations.
Pigment-based inks provide exceptional longevity, delivering archival quality for up to 100 years when paired with UV70 glass framing.
read moreHandcrafted in Nelson by Nelson City Framers, each frame is made from kiln-dried pine for strength and longevity. Finished in timeless grained black, with dimensions of 26mm wide × 40mm deep, offering a refined balance of depth and elegance.
Your print is mounted on acid-free, neutral pH foam board to ensure archival quality and long-term preservation.
read moreYour limited addition print is protected with UV70 non-reflective glass, each photograph is shielded from 70% of UV light to prevent fading. The anti-reflective finish allows for clear, uninterrupted viewing even in bright or high-glare environments.