Bob Campbell is one of only 264 Masters of Wine in the world. An international wine judge, Bob judges wine professionally in ten countries and contributes regularly to publications around the world. His specialty is New Zealand wine which he reviews from an international perspective.
Joining Kevin Judd on a photoshoot
I’m a keen but very amateur photographer who seldon takes anything other than wine-related subjects. I’m immensely impressed by the very professional work of Kevin Judd, wine photography specialist. When Kevin invited me to join him on a photoshoot during a recent trip to Marlborough I jumped at the chance. He’s already found the spot to photograph – a high point on Yealand Estate’s Awatere vineyard that looks east out toward the sea and the rising sun. We had to be there just before sunrise – around 6pm. Upon arrival we drove rapidly up and down the vineyard looking for the perfect spot to set up. Having found the spot and set up the gear it was just a matter of waiting. Of course it helps if you’ve got a high-end roll-film camera, a stout tripod and a four-wheel-drive with a ladder giving roof access. I on the other hand had my trusty Canon D20 SLR, a borrowed tripod and thin jersey which didn’t really keep out the cold. As the sun rose Kevin began to press the shutter, framing each shot with different shutter speeds to get the perfect shot. In around 30 minutes he filled three rolls of film – for one photograph!! I on the other hand took 150 very different shots – most of Kevin. To tell you the truth I didn’t want to compare my effort of the sunrise shot against Kevin’s. I might never have clicked a shutter again.
Yealands vineyard and coast
According to Kevin taking good photos is easy. All you need is good gear, you must know how to use it and you have to be prepared to get up before sunrise.