New Zealand Bird Photography Prints (Limited Edition)

Title: "Two Years for One Moment" - Patience

This photo represents more than just a bird in early morning light, it’s a story of patience, persistence, and a deep connection to nature. The spoonbill (kōtuku ngutupapa) is a curious and elegant bird, both awkward and graceful, prehistoric and poetic. But capturing that elegance in the right light, with the right posture, against a clean background, is rare. 

This backlit Spoonbill photo took countless early mornings, and many evenings spent waiting, watching, and learning.

The idea for this photograph was imagined long before I even pressed the shutter button. Nature doesn’t work to our timelines so over two years I returned again and again to this same location in Napier observing the light, watching patterns, learning the behaviours of these majestic birds and gaining knowledge of where they would perch, where I needed to be at a certain time of day and year to capture this image.

Most days, I came away with nothing, there were many failed attempts, days where the birds didn’t show up, the light fell flat, or the bird landed in the right spot but never struck that elegant pose.

Then one quiet morning in late October of 2024, everything aligned. A Spoonbill swept in and landed exactly where I’d hoped, the sunrise in perfect position, and then for a moment the wild offered something extraordinary.

The Spoonbill paused and posed in full breeding plumage, framed in backlight, feathers lit like filaments. I had only seconds, a few clicks, but in those seconds two years of waiting turned into something tangible.

This photograph is more than a visual, its nature at its best etched in light. It speaks to the power of returning, of waiting, of seeing the ordinary transformed by timing, light and patience.
Sometimes, the wild gives back. And when it does, it’s always worth the wait. 

1/6400th F6.3 ISO800
Canon R5 600mm F4 lens

Limited Edition 10 ONLY (100cmx100cm) 

Photographed by John Parker, Maddox Photography NZ

Acrylic Wall Art

Make a bold statement with our Gallery-Quality Acrylic Prints. Your image is printed beneath 4.5mm of crystal-clear acrylic for an ultra-glossy, high-impact presentation. The result is a luxurious, vibrant piece that adds depth, shine, and elegance to any room.

READY TO HANG STRAIGHT FROM THE BOX comes with Certificate of Authenticity.

Card stock: