I consider myself very lucky that I can get out most days taking photographs, but for about a month over summer, my motivation deserted me, and I wasn't sure why.

Maybe I was rebelling against a nagging feeling that I owed my local community groups (on social media) regular posts of what I see through my lenses and what's going on around Mangawhai. Or maybe that was me done with photography (I go through a lot of phases!)

Turns out these were all self-imposed and self-defeating thoughts. I don't owe anyone anything in that sense, and I don't get paid to do it unless I sell my prints.

The reason I feel compelled to post regularly in our community groups is that, on more than one occasion, people have told me that seeing my photos makes a big difference in their lives.

These are mainly people who are elderly or housebound who can't get down to the estuary or the beach, so I feel a duty to bring a bit of extra light and joy into their lives in this way.

Anyway, I digress. So on 7th December (just before I lost my mojo) Anton, a local spearfisherman (who does awesome aerial and underwater photography) messaged me saying there were a LOT of fish and a few bronze whalers on the Mangawhai bar.

Thanks to Anton, I got one of my most popular images that day, which I call the fingerprint of life. A huge baitball of kahawai formed into a beautiful circular shape due to the sharks 🦈

Shortly after, my motivation left me. My photography tank was empty. Don't get me wrong, I was still working with my biz - Elevated Media, doing commercial photography/videography, but my desire to get out in nature, barefoot and taking photos had left me.

During this time, I was in hermit mode, spending a lot of time in solitude, working on myself spiritually. My biggest breakthrough during this time was fully tapping into my intuition, my gut feeling - surrendering to it and allowing it to drive every aspect of my life.

So often we override our built-in compass with our ego, thoughts of fear and anxiety, as well as social pressures (to name a few), but I was learning to let it take the wheel.

And I'm so glad it did, as it knows best!

Anyhoo, the morning I got the shark shots, I woke up with an undeniable intuitive calling to get down to the beach and put the drone up.

I heeded the call, and let's just say that the results were pretty special 👌

On reflection, the first time I managed to photograph the orca back in 2021 was down to intuition as well. I was aware that the pod was on the East Coast for about a week beforehand.

I had turned on all my notifications for the relevant Facebook groups, and my gear was all charged and ready in the car.

I was dropping my daughter off at school one morning, and I'd left my phone at home (which I NEVER do!)

On the way home, I had a thought to stop by the estuary just on the off chance.....and what do you know, there they were - seven orca cruising the estuary!

Maybe being a water sign (Scorpio) has something to do with it, but I definitely feel a connection to the ocean.

So tune into your intuition, follow your gut and watch the magic happen 🙌

See ya out there! 😍