Bronze

New Zealand

It’s spring in New Zealand, though it was difficult to believe as we hiked through Karangahake Gorge shrouded in cloud and soaked with rain. The weather did little to dampen spirits, however—a purposely off-tune rendition of the school song could be heard ringing out of the valley for the duration of the six-hour hike, with intermittent breaks for “Sweet Caroline” and “Ants Go Marching”. One by one we marched, taking pauses every twenty-minutes or so to gather around a map and eat trail mix. In this shot, we confirm our route back to camp as we begin our long-winded descent through dense bush and mud. I kept my camera tucked in my rain jacket for most of the journey, taking it out every so often for a quick click before returning it to safety. This was one of the few opportunities I had to properly compose and review my shots before moving on. I love the texture of cloth and rain drops highlighted by the desaturation, which removes the noise of tangled leaves and uneven lighting one finds in the bush.

Participant