Strong Voices

Napier’s much-photographed Pania of the Reef was attracting attention from a group of people with cameras. But this time they weren’t tourists.

The scrutiny of the bronze statue of Pania on Marine Parade was from participants in a six-week photography workshop run by Hastings photographer Shayne Jeffares.

Shayne runs Foto iwi, a not-for-profit organisation that encourages creativity through digital media, photography and video. For six weeks in the run-up to Christmas a group of people we support in IDEA Services from Hastings and Napier were learning about angles, light and composition.

They focused on popular Hawke’s Bay attractions like Marine Parade in Napier and Cornwall Park, Rush Munro’s and the historic St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Hastings.

“Each week we have been talking about angles and light,” Shayne says. “With Pania, we were talking about composition.” The stained-glass windows and timber architectural features of St Matthew’s were an opportunity to talk about ‘leading lines’ – drawing the eye to a destination. The shop fronts and businesses of both cities were a chance to notice signage and reflections.

IDEA Services Area Manager James Leigh says the photography workshop, funded by Hastings District Council and Napier City Council through Creative Communities grants, paid for eight participants and was part of an IDEA Services community action engagement plan.

At the final workshop, held just before Christmas, the photographers displayed their best work to families, friends and IDEA Services staff. Shayne chose a stand-out image from their portfolios to present to each of the participants.

Shayne says the photography competition, Capture the Moment, launched by IHC last year has given the photographers a goal to work towards and he is keen to offer a more advanced course next year.

One of the workshop participants, Eddie Stalker from Napier, was a finalist in Capture the Moment with his photograph Lonely Plane.

Capture the Moment grew out of the success of the IHC Art Awards, as an opportunity for disabled New Zealanders to create in a photographic medium.

Caption 1: (from left) Foto iwi Facilitator Shayne Jeffares, Pat Donnelly, Johnny Andrews, Eddie Stalker, Desiree Osgood (behind) Zoe Thrussell, Doug Brough and Alisa Lythgoe examine Pania’s statue on Marine Parade.

Caption 2: Eddie Stalker and Desiree Osgood were drawn to photograph the striking flowers of the Bird of Paradise plant on Marine Parade.