Photography's been my obsession since I was a kid, though life had other plans for a while. I spent 20 years running our family farm before a spinal tumor made hard physical work not fun. It was a good excuse to pivot to photography as work, I spent the next 20 years creating images for rural businesses from my base in Methven, a small rural town in the middle of the South Island, New Zealand.

In 2022 we moved to Christchurch, embracing semi-retirement. Photography's become my playground again - no commercial pressure, just fun. Themes I like include landscapes, documentary, and portraits. I'm fascinated by people - every single individual has something special. I love taking the time to get to know someone. The South Island landscape is my other happy place.

Making prints is still my favorite part of the process. From those early days in the darkroom to today's amazing digital pigment printing, creating a beautiful final print is where the magic happens for me.

Website: www.billirwin.nz