
Borrow a camera,
Be an Environmentalist
Oct 2023 - April 2024 Cohort
These students are part of our current cohort:
Indie Ford (10), Dityaa Jaisimha (10), Tobias Casper Novak (9), Hillary Ho (9), Emily Tait (10), Lucy Smith (9), Rose Smith (8), Finn Blackshah (11), Samuel Zhou (9)
Follow their work on our social media channels, or see it printed in the next issue of our magazine!



Be an Environmentalist!
This is a free program for student photographers wanting to tell a story about Nature in New Zealand. Selected students will be provided a digital SLR camera and embark on a 6-month learning program working with our mentors to tell the digital photographic stories of their favourite nature reserve(s) from their eyes.
Learn how to use a digital SLR camera in auto and advanced modes and skill up on image editing in Adobe Lightroom to create photographic art and capture stories about nature. Compelling photography can bring joy and change community attitudes!
IMAgEN8 will loan a digital SLR camera, conduct workshops and webinars, give assignments and provide photography mentors for this 6-month program. Learn about auto, aperture priority, shutter priority modes on the camera, learn how to shoot in low light, learn about composition (subject choice, framing, rule of thirds), aperture, depth of field, quality of light and what makes images stand out. Learn how to select your best images, use presets, vignette, cropping and advanced Lightroom sliders.
We will publish the students' work in our magazines and books, and select students will participate in our annual exhibition. They will also have the chance to connect with community members working to conserve our nature reserve and bring back the biodiversity.
There are so many stories to tell, such as:
-
Capture the biodiversity of plant, bird and animal life in your adopted nature reserve
-
Find examples of your community benefitting from the nature reserve
-
Show us the problems affecting our nature reserves - development, weeds, pest animals, trash, pollution
This program is open to students ages 8+, and the cost to participate in $100 per student.
If you are inspired to adopt a nature reserve (or two), apply or get in touch with us if you have any questions!






