Capture the moment

Showcase your talent in our photography competition.

What is Capture the moment?

Capture the moment is our photography competition for New Zealanders who have an intellectual disability or an intellectual disability and autism.

Building on the success of the IHC Art Awards, we wanted to showcase the talent of New Zealanders through a different medium.

The theme of this year’s competition will be “your Aotearoa, New Zealand".

We would love to see your photos of your Aotearoa. This could be a photo of the city or town you live in, the farm, the beach, sunset or sunrise, your favourite trees or flowers, animals, or even the way things look after a big storm, flood, or earthquake. This is a chance to share your Aotearoa!

How to enter

Entries will open Thursday 1 June 2023.

Entries will close 5pm on Friday 30 June 2023.

Entries will be submitted online using the Capture the moment online entry form.

Only one photograph per photographer may be entered. The photograph must have been completed in the last 12 (twelve) months with minimal help from others to be eligible.

Your photograph must come under the theme “your Aotearoa, New Zealand”.  

Read the competition terms and conditions

Enter here

Who can enter

Photographers must have an intellectual disability or an intellectual disability and autism and must be a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident of New Zealand aged 13 years or older at the time of entry.

Photographers DO NOT have to be using IHC / IDEA Services or Choices NZ. The photograph must have been taken by the photographer listed on the entry form, with minimal help from others.  

Photographers aged between 13 to 17 will automatically fall in the Youth Award category.'

Prizes

FOTO FEST in Hastings City

Our judges will select 30 finalists which will be exhibited at FOTO FEST in Hastings City.

If your artwork is selected as a finalist, your photograph must be then printed and framed and / or mounted and sent to us ready for exhibiting.

The photographs will be for sale with 100% of the sale proceeds going to the photographer.

FOTO FEST is a city-wide visual art and cultural event to take place within Hastings City including local galleries, community spaces, inside and out, local businesses and retailers from 15 to 25 September 2023.

FOTO FEST is managed by FOTO IWI, a creative charitable trust.

Guide for taking good photographs

How to take a good photo with your phone.pdf

Read the competition terms and conditions

Judging panel

Dame Denise L’Estrange-Corbet

“I am absolutely delighted to be a Judge for the IHC Capture the Moment 2023 photographic exhibition.

Having worked with the IHC Art Awards for many years I am always so astounded by the calibre of work achieved by the artists, regardless of what medium it is in."

Dame Denise is the CEO of the fashion house WORLD, which was established in 1989.  She is also the IHC Art Awards Ambassador and Patron of IHC New Zealand.

She is a great lover of the arts and wishes every business and house/dwelling in the country had a piece of art in it by people with disabilities as it would make the world a better place, because art makes people happy.

Anna Briggs

Anna Briggs is a freelance commercial photographer based in Wellington. After studying a diploma of photography at Massey University Anna decided to stay in Wellington and has since worked in the photography industry there for the past 7 years. Anna specialises in portraiture, interiors and food photography often using natural light to showcase her subject matter.

Anna photographs for a range of local businesses including restaurants, artists, artisan food producers, interior designers, magazines and more.

Shayne Jeffares

Shayne is a Hawke’s Bay based “people photographer”, his experience is in photographing families, weddings, and events. With a passion for supporting the community his relationship with IHC goes back 10 years when his gallery, owned by himself and his wife Cath, hosted the Regional Art Awards and “Take a moment Exhibition”.

Shayne manages a creative trust, Foto iwi, which provides programmes and workshops around photography and digital media, one of these is a career pathway programme for youth, where a newspaper is produced for the community to enjoy. Over the last three years Shayne has worked alongside IHC in offering photography workshops in a group environment where new skills are developed, and friendships formed for those involved.

Shayne approached IHC to see if they would consider launching a photography competition and suggested having this exhibited at the first photography festival in Hawke’s Bay, which he had established in September last year. This was the start of “Capture the moment photography competition” which Shayne is proud to be a judge for this year.

Shayne looks forward to seeing the entries for this year's theme, “My Aotearoa” and continuing to encourage people to enjoy all photography has to offer.

Image credit: Callum Flett, 'Dunedin Railway Station', Capture the moment winner, 2022

Two people waiting at the platform at Dunedin Railway station under a Dunedin sign and metal roof

Get involved with IHC