Ep. 65: Wayne Boardman on Finding Unique Compositions, Preparation, and Photographing New Zealand’s Disappearing Dairies
On a rainy morning at Murrays Bay, host Rajeev talks with New Zealand landscape photographer Wayne Boardman about his path from early Instagram community meets and mobile photography to long-exposure seascapes and a Fujifilm GFX medium-format system chosen for larger, sharper prints. Wayne reflects on how Instagram shifted from a tight community to a marketing platform, and explains his focus on shooting beyond iconic viewpoints by seeking unique compositions, arriving early, scouting without a camera, and experimenting rather than placing a tripod where everyone else does. He discusses the success of his best-selling Te Anau jetty image, the importance of preparation using weather, tide, and sun-position tools, and how photography provides a mental reset from a stressful career. Wayne also describes a long-term project documenting New Zealand’s disappearing corner dairies and their community stories, and shares advice on perseverance and honest editing.
00:00 Shoot Iconic Spots Differently
00:37 Rainy Bay Introduction
02:53 Early Instagram Community
05:45 Finding Landscape Style
06:57 Te Anau Breakthrough Shot
08:08 Beyond the Iconic Locations
09:31 Compositions Without the Herd
11:22 Gear Choices and Lenses
13:51 Switching to Medium Format
16:29 Planning Apps and Preparation
17:37 Photography for Mental Health
21:54 Dairies and Community Stories
24:48 Advice Editing and Integrity
27:06 Wrap Up and Takeaways
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