Kevin Scott Banks

(Click on the image above to view it at full screen)

This is the gorgeous view of Tauranga Harbour with Mount Maunganui looming in the background and a little rowboat lying idly in the foreground. I won’t tell you how much time I spent stitching this image together! The photo is a combination of 2 different photo techniques I’ve been working with lately: HDR(High Dynamic Range) and Panoramic Stitching. The result is an incredibly vivid and slightly dramatic image meant to wow viewers and give them an appreciation for the beauty in the shot.

I’d like to ask for your feedback:

Would you hang an image like this on your wall?

How much would you be willing to pay for a stretched canvas print or framed photograph like this one? Click here to leave a comment.

One of the main reasons I chose to travel to New Zealand was to photograph all of its majestic beauty. It truly is a photographer’s paradise, and I’ve been blown away at some of the images I’ve captured over the last couple of months. Before I left, I debated for months over which bag to bring my camera in. To some of you, that may seem like a trivial decision. But it was actually one of the most important decisions I had to make. I needed a bag that could hold my Nikon digital SLR camera and two interchangeable lenses. However, the only bags I had were a full-sized backpack and a small hand-held bag. Neither of these were going to work.

Thankfully, I stumbled across the Lowepro Slingshot bag at Wolf Camera a few weeks before I left. I knew right away that this was the right bag for me. The design crew at Lowepro are clearly all geniuses. This bag has been the perfect travel companion. The beauty of the Slingshot bag is that you can wear it on your back, then sling it around to change lenses or put the camera away, without having to take the bag off. BRILLIANT! So many times, I’ve found myself outside trying to take pictures, but frustrated that I had to stop, take my bag off and set it down on the ground every time I wanted to change lenses or put the camera away. But when I’m climbing up a steep hillside trying to get a photo like this:

I can’t stop and mess with the hassles of a normal bag. I’m so glad I found the Slingshot bag, because it’s helped me capture some amazing photos that I never would have been able to otherwise.

The other major perk of the Slingshot is that it’s very portable. When I used to keep my camera in huge backpack, I wasn’t very motivated to bring it with me anywhere. But now I bring my camera with me almost everywhere I go. As a photographer, I just never know when a priceless photo-op is going to surprise me, and I’d rather play it safe and have my camera ready. I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing my photographs from New Zealand. I owe them in part to the Lowepro Slingshot bag. I won’t travel without it ever again.

Do you have a favorite bag or piece of luggage that you wouldn’t be caught traveling without?

The bright side of waking up way too early in the morning is enjoying a beautiful sunrise.

Last week I volunteered at the World Christian Gathering on Indigenous People. One morning, my group had to wake up at 5:50 a.m. to drive to another meeting site. I was exhausted from spending the week before at a kids camp, and to be honest, I really didn’t feel like getting up that early. It took everything I had to drag myself out of my sleeping bag. However, as soon as I sat up, I was greeted by an absolutely stunning sunrise outside. While the rest of the group was slowly getting ready for our road trip, I grabbed my camera and ran outside, suddenly feeling wide awake! I captured two incredible images of the beautiful sky that morning.

I’m still not a fan of waking up early in the morning. But on this morning, I was thankful for the reward of a picture perfect sunrise.

I am blessed to have an incredible view from my room here in Tauranga. I could sit and watch all day as the weather constantly changes, the tide rolls in and out, and floods of people walk by. My friend Jono is a videographer by trait, and he taught me how to use a feature on my camera that I didn’t even know I had! I set my camera on a tripod on my balcony overlooking the Tauranga Harbour, and set it to take one picture every 7 seconds. Then I made this awesome time-lapse video. This will give you and idea of how ever-changing and awesome the view is from my room! I recommend watching it full screen.

I’ve been on the road for the last 5 weeks, traveling all over the North Island of New Zealand. I thought you’d enjoy seeing some of the shots I’ve captured along the way.

It’s nights like these that make me wish I always carried my camera with me. I took an alternate route home from work this night and when I drove past this scene, I knew I HAD to go get my camera and come back.

I’m glad I did. I love the mist that seems to rise up from the background and the mysterious woods that hide behind the barn. What a pleasant surprise this spontaneous photograph was.