Milford Sound, Fiordland National Park, Southland – New Zealand

When you’re a photographer the journey and the story behind a particular shot are just as important as the finished product. In fact, they’re an inseparable part of it, without which it would never be quite the same thing. The path one takes in order to reach a particular location is a part of that process, as is the meditative act of patiently waiting for exactly the right moment to present itself.

This is New Zealand’s ever-popular Milford Sound, one of many breathtaking locations to be found at Fiordland National Park. The journey to this particular spot was unusually beautiful and cathartic. Craggy, knowing mountains punctuated the horizon and low, lush trees perfumed the late winter air with a verdant, living scent that was positively intoxicating. Once I arrived at my destination, I waited for sunrise – one of the best times of day during which to shoot such locations.

It took hours for the sun to reach just the right spot in the sky… and then it happened, just like that. The morning light poured suddenly and exuberantly in through the mountain peaks at just the right angle, drenching the entire scene with honeyed warmth. The mountains seemed as if they were wearing their Sunday best – proof positive that the best things really do come to those who wait.