New Zealand: The most beautiful country on Earth

New Zealand is one of the most spectacular places on the planet, offering endless riches for any nature lover. Over the course of my life I’ve visited this place nearly 20 times, spending over 2 years in total exploring and photographing this amazing country. The photos here represent some of the beautiful moments I’ve witnessed during that time.

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All Photos Fiordland Southern Alps Wild Coasts

Tranquil moments in Wanaka as the Belt of Venus drops toward the snowcapped mountains above the lake

Dark rocks, nearly indistinguishable from one another, jump to life when outlined by water

Barely visible through the fog, beech trees loom in layers in Doubtful Sound

Sunk deep into the lake bed, the roots of the famous Wanaka Willow are seen here as metaphorical representations

Dangling from a fern, these fronds become suspended in sunlight, at least for a moment

A luxuriously calm evening unfolds in Nelson Lakes National Park

Where Clouds Are Born

Moisture-soaked air collides with the cool temperatures of icy peaks in Doubtful Sound, creating a cloud factory

Like a ship pushing through the sea, Miter Peak juts its striking prow through the clouds

Punakaiki Power

Pounding waves burst through the blowholes at Punakaiki

Rushing waves and a break in the clouds lure us out to sea

Mighty Mt Sefton rears out of the clouds at the end of the day

A helicopter flies above crevasses that could swallow it whole in the heights of the Fox Glacier

An unusual and elegant lenticular cloud, more like a wisp, catches the afternoon sunlight above Mt Tasman

The silty Hooker River takes on a silky smooth feel in this long exposure looking up at Aoraki Mt Cook

A Place of Giants

Snowcapped mountains rise majestically 4000 feet straight out of the deep waters of Doubtful Sound

Reflected in the still waters of Lake Wanaka, a leafless Wanaka Willow resembles the pathways of the lungs

Call and Answer

Trees and mountains in conversation as their shapes echo one another

A seemingly impenetrable wall of mountains guards the entrance to Milford Sound

Wanaka Dreaming

Golden leaves and a 60-second exposure create a dreamlike scene of the Wanaka Willow

Rain and light are forever tied together in Milford Sound

The Fiordland beech forest is so lush, green plants cover every available surface, from the ground to the bark of the trees themselves

It All Comes Down To This

Endless cascades, such as Thunder Creek Falls, tumble down the massive walls of the Haast River gorge before flowing out to sea

Seen from a small airplane at sunset, a calm Doubtful Sound reflects the end of day light

Dragons Backbone

As seen from a helicopter, the main divide of the Southern Alps juts out of the clouds in an evocative spine

Miter Peak receives the first pink kiss of morning light

A beautiful portal of blue springs into view over an atmospheric Milford Sound

Fern leaves form a tight plate of armor in the Fiordland rainforest

As the sun moves through the sky, the storms come and go. Every so often this dance results in a perfect moment

Sunlight bursts through the clouds in a dramatic display at Tasman Lake

A break in the clouds and calm waters beckons in the reaches of Doubtful Sound

A Breath of Fresh Air

A new day begins over the reflective sands of Wharariki

Open for Business

Neon blues and pinks fill the sky above Tasman Lake, indicating that the day is open

A lone seastar clings to a rock in a serene tidal pool at Motukiekie

A Burst of Inspiration

An electric sunset bursts into being over the marvelously reflective sands of Wharariki Beach

A perfect mirror on a perfect day in one of the most beautiful places in the world, Milford Sound

Early morning light skips across the landscape in Kaikoura

Motukiekie Galaxies

Clusters of seastars cling to the rocks at Motukiekie

During a tempest in Doubtful Sound, many spectacular waterfalls spring into life

A glorious sunrise breaks over the ancient boulders at Moeraki

Long after the landscape has fallen into shadow, Aoraki Mt Cook catches the very last light of day, creating a stunning contrast to the blue icebergs of Hooker Lake

Mesmerizing patterns radiate out from the base of Stirling Falls like an electric shock

A tiny window in the clouds allows a single spark of light to ignite a snowcapped peak deep in Fiordland

Diamond Plating

Fascinating patterns emerge in the silky smooth sand at Wharariki Beach in the northern tip of the South Island.

Light and cloud fight a constant battle in Fiordland. Here, for a moment, light prevailed

Lake Browne, source of one of the tallest waterfalls in the world, is hidden to all but those who take to the skies above Fiordland

Seemingly infinite layers of fjords fade into the distance above Fiordland

Low shadows form an inviting pathway across the soft sands of Wharariki

The Purple Portal

Beech trees highlight the distant walls and magical morning atmosphere of the Cleddau Valley

Matheson Mirror

A perfect morning dawns at Lake Matheson, where Mounts Tasman and Cook are reflected in the waters

As clouds break, crepuscular rays fill the valleys of Doubtful Sound

A single beam of light breaks through the clouds and rain to illuminate massive waterfalls tumbling down the cliffs in the Cleddau Valley

Checkerboard Cascade

An ephemeral falls in the Cleddau Valley bounces off a checkerboard of plants and rocks

Ripples in the braided waters of the Tasman River point to the towering Aoraki Mt Cook

Moments That Matter

A rare moment comes to Nancy Sound, illuminating trees with welcome sunlight

Mists billow out of the mountains on a perfectly still morning in Doubtful Sound

Polished Pukaki

Lenticular clouds of all shapes and sizes form in the skies above a mirror smooth Lake Pukaki

Marian Cascades

Warm afternoon light illuminates the lush beech forest, providing a warm counterpoint to the blue water of Marian Creek

As Above So Below

Clouds, so common in the skies above Fiordland, sit low and fill the valleys, leaving the peaks to jut above them

Times and Tides

Low tide exposes endless beach and reflecting pools at Motukiekie

A beautiful sunrise fills the skies and waters of Lake Wanaka

A still pool formed in the heart of a cracked boulder at Moeraki

Fascinating patterns in the sand at Wharariki

Guardians of Light

Light breaks through the clouds and streaks past the massive mountains in Milford Sound

The mighty peaks of Hall Arm in Doubtful Sound stand like sentinels, protecting the landscape of Fiordland

Weather the Storm

Aoraki Mt Cook standing like an unmovable object in the face of oncoming weather

Tasman Splendor

The calm green waters of Tasman Lake reflect a fan of sparkling clouds

Heaven's Mirror

A perfect mirror, snowcapped mountains, bright white clouds, and an azure sky: heaven for the nature lover

Lenticular clouds of all shapes and sizes form in the skies above a mirror smooth Lake Pukaki

Ultimately stronger than the rocks influencing its course, Falls Creek cuts its own passageway through the stone

It pours, as Fiordland knows so well. The moisture is so thick it simultaneously falls from the sky and rises from the forest

Guardian of the Valley

Massive Aoraki Mt Cook dominates the view up the Hooker Valley

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