Mary Livingston

Mary says she always carried a camera around as a child, dabbled in film and dark rooms later and then after many years, when digital photography came on the scene, she took up her love of light with a vengeance and has not stopped since. She describes herself as an eclectic photographer, with many projects on the go. But let’s hand over to Mary now to tell us a little more of her story.

‘Even as a child growing up in the UK, I always noticed light. The warm glow at the end of a summers day. The crack of light from the hallway at the base of my bedroom door. Torches swinging across the campground. Bees flying upside down, confused in bright snow. Eclectic night lights in London. The mesmerising romance of a glittering sea surrounding an island nation. 

The coast was always my place of dreams and I knew it would become a big part of my life. It did. I moved to New Zealand 50 years ago to pursue a career in marine science. I was so lucky. Tides, cliffs, ports, shipping, fishing, offshore islands, storms and even Antarctica all became part of my norm. Since retirement, and fewer family demands, I have turned to capturing my love of the sea on camera. I am utterly in the grip of its power and beauty, its bounty and mood, the colour of it and how it catches the light, its restless yet soothing behaviour all at the same time!

I was inspired by an English seascape photographer but quickly had to change and adapt my approach to New Zealand waters. They are unbelivably different. Initially it was all about getting crisp clear waves, but now I mix it up with lots of creative techniques both in camera and in post processing. Focus is secondary to mood these days and I am still learning, thanks to Bricolage!’

Mary lives in Wellington and can be found on the coast most days. We invite you to take some time to enjoy Mary’s stunning work as she shares her coastal dreams with you.