Cromwell resident John Wekking’s award winning photography perfectly captures the splendour of Central Otago.

His iconic landscape photos of Cromwell, and wider Central Otago, feature in the calendar he produces and his photo-posts to Facebook page, Through the Lens, are firm favourites on the site.

He won first prize in the Natural Category at the 2021 Winterstellar competition, held in Alexandra, with his photo “Arrowtown by night”.

“I’d walked up German Hill one day and it’s got a lovely view of Arrowtown and Gibbston Valley, so I thought wow, I’m coming back here at night to take a shot. It worked out well.”

Arrowtown by night

Now more or less retired, John owned and ran his own electrical business in Cromwell for many years.  The calendar business began when he produced 50 to send out to his top customers.

They were so successful, and he had so many requests, he now produces over a thousand each year.  

John’s love of photography began at high school in Dunedin, when he found the ‘All in one camera book’ in the school library.

“It was an excellent book for learning all the technical stuff, but it didn’t tell you anything about composition,” he said.

“But then I saw the movie This is New Zealand, I must have seen it a dozen times, and the way they divided the screen into three sections enchanted me.”

John waited for the car lights to illuminate the road for this Lindis Pass shot

John left Dunedin for Twizel, where he and his family lived for 25 years.  

They returned to Dunedin for their children’s schooling, but once that was complete, John and wife Helen moved to the better weather in Cromwell.

He is a keen mountain biker and walker and it’s on these expeditions he often finds the perfect shot. 

Astro sky

Future plans include possibly running tutorials for aspiring photographers. 

He’s keen to pass on his technical knowledge, but also to teach the importance of envisioning what you want to capture.

He has about half a dozen locations in mind for his next works.

“I can visualise the images I want to take. I go out and I wait.”

His three adult children still receive a pic from John most days.  

Nite nite from Lily white

“Rebecca lives in Spain and Neil and Alison are in Dunedin.  I usually send something with a ‘night night’ message”, he said.