Richard Robinson

Photographer of the Year 2010

2400 images were entered in this year’s competition, from nearly 1000 different photographers. Yet, the ingredients of a winning image were immediately apparent to the judges. These were frames which relied on the vision of the photographer rather than the power of the software used to process them. 

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Sir Edmund Hillary’s body is carried into the Holy Trinity Cathedral to lie in state the day before his formal funeral. On a day where New Zealand literally came to a stop I knew I needed to get a different angle, and found it in the choir.
Under close inspection there is so much beauty that photography brings to life that otherwise goes unnoticed, like dew resting on moss at Rainbow Falls.
At sunset on New Plymouth’s Back Beach, I stumbled upon a receding tide pattern making me stop in my tracks to shoot this beautiful scene.
At sunset on New Plymouth’s Back Beach, I stumbled upon a receding tide pattern making me stop in my tracks to shoot this beautiful scene.
Little is known about false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) which predominantly live offshore, so I knew every frame had to count in this chance encounter.
Little is known about false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) which predominantly live offshore, so I knew every frame had to count in this chance encounter.
There’s nothing more kiwi than a bonfire on the beach at Conway Flats.
There’s nothing more kiwi than a bonfire on the beach at Conway Flats.

And from all of these entries, there emerged one clear winner. New Zealand Geographic would like to congratulate Richard Robinson, supreme winner at the 2010 Photographer of the Year awards.

“Every image that Richard submitted had almost perfect composition, an evident understanding of the subject before the lens, and attention to the way light was playing on the surfaces. These are the metrics of fine photography.” — James Frankham, Editor and Convenor of Judges.

Katrina Elton, who won the Young Photographer category, demonstrated skills across the range of subjects she submitted, in all categories, and in particular an attention to detail that is the hallmark of photographers with a good deal more experience.

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2010: RICHARD ROBINSON

ALL AWARDS: