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Online photography magazine F-Stop has included two of the Hadzabe series in its June issue - Hadzabe Boy and Hadzabe Kudu. < Back Hadzabe Kudu in F-Stop magazin 2 Jun 2020 Online photography magazine F-Stop has included two of the Hadzabe series in its June issue - Hadzabe Boy and Hadzabe Kudu. The magazine features contemporary photography from established and emerging photographers from around the world with each issue's theme uniting photographs to create a dynamic dialogue among the artists. < Previous Next >

“Is this the square?” “Si.” The couple sitting next to me were taking in Piazza San Giovanni, picturing James Bond in his DB5, machine guns blazing as his steely blue resolve and bullet-proof glass got him out of another sticky situation... < Back From Shame to Bond New Zealand Herald 20 Jun 2026 “Is this the square?” “Si.” The couple sitting next to me were taking in Piazza San Giovanni, picturing James Bond in his DB5, machine guns blazing as his steely blue resolve and bullet-proof glass got him out of another sticky situation... Being a location for the most recent Bond movie has brought a new fandom to Matera, but long before then this southern Italian town had a very different and somewhat embarrassing past. Considered the oldest inhabited settlement in Europe, Matera’s history dates back to cave dwellers 7,500 years ago. After being constantly attacked, the troglodytes shifted across the valley to take up defensive positions on the stassi (stone mountains). It is here where they carved their homes into rock, dotting caves along the cliff faces. Their descendants lived the same way for thousands of years until la vergogna nazionale d'Italia. “We were called the shame of Italy,” rued my guide, Renato Favilli. He explained that in 1952 the Prime Minister of Italy visited Matera and was shocked by what he saw – extreme poverty, widespread disease, no electricity, human waste in the streets, and animals living with people in caves. Passing a law that forcibly evacuated the 17,000 residents to the adjacent ‘new town’, the stassi were left abandoned and decaying. Things began to change in 1993 when Matera was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, and tourists started coming to this ancient town in the arch of Italy’s boot. “When we were named European Capital of Culture in 2019,” Renato continued, “we became even more popular!” That popularity was now heading our way, as multiple tour groups jostled for shade from the 30degree heat on the narrow cobblestone streets. Unlike the day-trippers from nearby Bari, I had made Matera casa mia for the next few nights. “ Ciao! ” bounced the effervescent Domenica, manager of Il Casale di Maria, a boutique hotel cut into the limestone of Stasso Barisano. Before she even showed me my room, she was scribbling on a tear-off map pad. “Your Google maps will not work well here. Too many streets close together’. She circled restaurants. Underlined churches. Arrowed piazzas. “ Prego! ” First up was what Matera is known for, its chiese rupestri or rock churches. Santa Maria de Idris is the most prominent, carved into a rocky outcrop overlooking the gravina far below. I put €4.50 into the ticket machine, took two steps to the right and before me was a faded fresco of Christ Pantocrator painted 900 years ago. The fact that these delicate works even exist today is astounding. Not content with one rock church I made my way to Convento di Sant'Agostino, built by Augustine monks in 1592. Domenica had underlined a church that lay hidden beneath the convent – but I needed to seek permission to see it. Poking my sweaty head into the sacrestia , I surprised a priest who kindly directed me to the left of the altar. Unlocking an unassuming door, he waved me through a carved-out tunnel, and I stepped into the small subterranean 15th-century crypt of San Guglielmo da Vercelli. Sitting in a niche was a fresco of the Holy Trinity; beside it was Madonna col Bambino (Madonna with Child), dating to 1603. Back outside my squinting eyes slowly adjusted to the low Basilicata sun, only to gaze upon what is arguably the best view in Matera. If I had prompted ChatGPT to create an ancient mountain town, with cliff-hugging roads, stone alleyways, twinkling lights at dusk, jigsaw-like houses, and topped with a cathedral, it would have created the view from Belvedere Emilio Colombo. As the moon slowly rose, I found myself on Vico Santa Cesarea in front of one of Domenica’s circled restaurants. Carved into rock with a patio out front, Ristorante Baccus offers more traditional fare than its counterparts in Stassi Caveoso. Conjuring up my best Italian I ordered Polpo alla griglia con crema di patate al profumo di rosmarino. The octopus was stunning. After mopping up the sauce with the unique and strangely shaped Pane di Matera bread, I looked longingly at the dessert menu… but settled on an espresso. The next morning I didn’t have to go far to find a local artisan at work. Concentrating hard outside his workshop-cum-shop, Pasquale was chipping away at a small block of limestone tuff. Everything inside he had carved himself and he told me he preferred to sell it directly. After browsing the uneven shelves, I purchased a small carved figurine of two cats together (who seemed to get on better than mine do). Cats are a common sight in Matera. Throughout the streets are signs announcing, ‘Here lives a Protected Feral Cat Colony’ and it is forbidden to mistreat them . For the most part the felines were just lying on the road in the sun, oblivious to any passers-by. The streets of Matera also host a surprising number of artworks, including Salvador Dali’s original bronze “Dalinian Dancer” sculpture – its blue hues matching the Materan sky – and the more contemporary The Drop, which I spent far too much time questioning if it really belonged in Matera. There was one more arrow on Domenica’s map to visit: Palombaro Lungo (long deep well). A man-made cavity dating back to the 1500s, it was one of five cisterns that was used to collect rainwater for the town. I crossed the boardwalks suspended over the colourfully lit water, in awe at a cave that had once held 5million litres of water. Making my way back to the hotel I ticked off the items on Domenica’s map, taking care not to obstruct the wheezing three-wheeled Piaggios full of tourists opting for wheels over heels. Much as they were handy for navigating the stassi, something tells me they wouldn’t have been 007’s first choice of vehicle for the ancient streets of Matera. Tips & tricks Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be doing a lot of walking on uneven, and slippery at times, cobblestones Get a printed map to supplement your phone map – it simply won’t work at times Carry water with you, even though it is freely available Plan ahead: https://www.materawelcome.it/en/ Original publication: New Zealand Herald < Previous Next >

Last night saw the opening of The Huli of Papua New Guineaas part of the Auckland Festival of Photography. < Back Opening Night for The Huli 4 Jun 2014 Last night saw the opening of The Huli of Papua New Guineaas part of the Auckland Festival of Photography. Over 80 people attended the opening night to hear about the Huli tribe - their way of life, traditions, culture and history. The exhibition continues on until Saturday 14 June at Allpress Gallery, 8 Drake St, Freemans Bay, Auckland. < Previous Next >

Members of Culinary Local 226 blocked traffic on the Strip in front of the Cosmopolitan hotel to protest stalled contract negotiations with management. At least 104 people were cited for obstructing the roadway during the protest, which closed parts of Las Vegas Boulevard for 50 minutes, Las Vegas police said. PHOTOJOURNALISM Protests Las Vegas, United States Members of Culinary Local 226 blocked traffic on the Strip in front of the Cosmopolitan hotel to protest stalled contract negotiations with management. At least 104 people were cited for obstructing the roadway during the protest, which closed parts of Las Vegas Boulevard for 50 minutes, Las Vegas police said.

"All the fun of the fiesta in Latin America" is captured on the cover of the latest New Zealand Herald travel magazine. < Back Colours of Colombia 16 Jan 2018 "All the fun of the fiesta in Latin America" is captured on the cover of the latest New Zealand Herald travel magazine. From the arm-grabbing La Lloranda to getting shot on the streets of Pasto, Guy Needham's latest adventure in Colombia takes you to the most colourful Festival of the Blacks and the Whites on earth. < Previous Next >

Melbourne's Ladder Art Space will be showing the Vatwa exhibition as part of their 2026 programme, bringing to Australia one of Angola's most intriguing tribes. < Back The Vatwa go to Melbourne 6 Oct 2025 Melbourne's Ladder Art Space will be showing the Vatwa exhibition as part of their 2026 programme, bringing to Australia one of Angola's most intriguing tribes. Regarded as the first indigenous inhabitants of the Angola's Onconcua region, no-one knows exactly where they originally came from, not even their chief. In May next year a curated selection of captivating portraits will be on show in Melbourne accompanied by texts sharing the lifestyle, history and social structures of this semi-nomadic tribe. The Vatwa are the ninth in Guy Needham's Tribal series, which to date has included indigenous peoples in Africa, Asia, the Pacific and South America. < Previous Next >

Guy Needham has been selected as LACP's Member of the Month for his Tribal series. < Back LA Center of Photography Member of the Month 4 Dec 2019 Guy Needham has been selected as LACP's Member of the Month for his Tribal series. Featuring imagery ranging from gritty monochrome to vivid colours, his multi-year project has so far included indigenous peoples in the Pacific, Africa, Asia and South America. This month he returns to the Amazon to once again spend time in the world's biggest rainforest. < Previous Next >

Want to know the best way to sell maple syrup in Vermont? Or where to go for the annual pumpkin' chuckin' contest? < Back Falling for New England 24 Oct 2023 Want to know the best way to sell maple syrup in Vermont? Or where to go for the annual pumpkin' chuckin' contest? Check out this week's New Zealand Herald Travel story here about Fall in England. A time when the leaves turn orange, red and golden yellow, the 'leaf peepers' come out to play, and when every New England town seems like something out of a movie set. < Previous Next >

My guide turned to me. “I’m lonely,” he said. Oh OK, this is going to be an interesting trip. “No, no, that is my name. My Bantu name is Uliwa which means Lonely. I have no idea why my mother called me that, I have seven brothers and sisters!” And so began a weeklong friendship of Angolan stories and Afropop beats in the cabin of a Hilux. < Back Opening up Angola The Post 15 Jun 2025 My guide turned to me. “I’m lonely,” he said. Oh OK, this is going to be an interesting trip. “No, no, that is my name. My Bantu name is Uliwa which means Lonely. I have no idea why my mother called me that, I have seven brothers and sisters!” And so began a weeklong friendship of Angolan stories and Afropop beats in the cabin of a Hilux. One of the least visited countries in the world, Angola is a former Portuguese colony on the Atlantic coast of south-west Africa. More associated with danger than tourism, the country is now on a mission to change that perception, introducing visa-free entry to 90+ nations (including New Zealand) and opening a second international airport in the capital Luanda. As one wit put it, it doesn’t help having a machete on your flag. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as the reviews weren’t exactly enticing: “The most expensive, obstructionist, bureaucratic, and most difficult place for travel in Africa.” Part of that is explained by Angola’s recent history. The country has endured massive crop failures, yellow fever outbreaks, failed coups, and a brutal 27-year civil war that became a Cold War proxy: thousands of Cubans and Russians on one side, with the United States and the apartheid-South Africa backing the other. World attention was drawn to Angola in 1997 when Princess Diana wore body armour walking through one of Angola’s minefields. Today, there are still millions of unexploded devices throughout the countryside slowly being de-mined by NGOs. Despite Uliwa being personally affected by the war – he left the country as a child refugee and lost family in the fighting – he was positive about the future of Angola and eager to show it off. “We’re nearly there!” he unconvincingly tried to tell me as we were into our fifth hour of rutty off-roading and dry riverbeds. ‘There’ was the municipality of Oncocua, a village in the remote south western province of Cunene and our home for the next week. We were here to spend time with the indigenous Vatwa, one of the lesser-known tribes who imitate the dress and language of another tribe: the Himba. Upon arrival the chief, Mutjila, invited us to join him under a mupane tree, a shady respite from the punishing 35 degree heat. “The Vatwa”, Mutjila explained in Herero, “were the original inhabitants of this area thousands of years ago. No one really knows where we came from.” Sipping a drink that one of his two wives brought over to him, he continued. “We have crops over there, we have these goats, we live off the land.” A few years ago the Government built houses for them in the village but they soon reverted back to their traditional huts and semi-nomic lifestyle. The most striking thing about the Vatwa are the women, covered in a red paste of ochre clay, animal fats and lotion that makes their skin shine in the unrelenting sun. Young, newly married women wear a three-pronged ekori goatskin on top of their platted dreadlocks. I asked about the beads, shells, anklets and leathers worn by the women. “Oh that’s just personal style,” replied Mutija, as I purchased one of the necklaces from a woman feeding her baby. On the morning of our last day we were farewelled with traditional singing and dancing (‘ Also try to take milk from the goats ’ was a favourite) before tackling the uneven road back to the nearest city, Lubango. A clean, modern, metropolitan centre of one million people, Lubango is considered the most beautiful city in Angola. With its Rio-inspired version of Christo Rei looking down from the hill above it, and a nearby large Hollywood-type sign proclaiming the town’s name, there is no shortage of civic pride. Like much of Angola, the informal market economy is hard at work here: roadside touts offer everything from windscreen wiper blades to sim cards to grilled fish heads; women balance sacks of wheat and loaves of bread on their heads; and children try to poke bananas through any open car windows for a quick sale. A few Kwanza, the local currency, can go a long way; while accommodation can be expensive, generally food and transport is very affordable. “I need to show you something,” Uliwa announced. Not far from Lubango was one of Angola’s natural wonders, Fenda da Tundavala, a stunning gorge between two steep-walled cliffs with a 1km drop straight down to the valley below. “My pastor came here,” Uliwa said. “He came with everyone and they closed their eyes to pray. When they opened their eyes he was gone. Just gone. Do not get too close to the edge.” He did not have to tell me twice. Once back in Angola’s capital, I decided to explore the city and its surrounds. In contrast to the sparse countryside, skyscrapers tower over Luanda Bay and G-class Mercedes rule the road – a nod to the vast wealth generated by Angola’s oil, gas, diamonds and gold. Not far from the Luanda’s rich centre lies a more sober reminder of the country’s past, the National Museum of Slavery. During the 400 years of Portuguese rule, over 5.6 million people were taken as slaves from Angola, most heading to another Portuguese outpost, Brazil. Located in a former church where the captives would be baptised, the modest museum houses chains, shackles, and whips next to tally boards listing the ports slaves were traded to. Rather than being a depressing reminder of humankind’s cruelty, it is an authentic collection that aims to educate and preserve a major part of Angola’s history. “Boa tarde!” the guard cheerfully waved as I exited the museum, taking the steps down to Benfica craft market strategically located below. There sat men chiselling away at wood carvings, traditional masks and hand-made bowls, each inviting a closer inspection of their handiwork. I settled on a wooden carving, small and portable, something to go with the necklace I was purchased in the village, so it wouldn’t be lonely for the long trip home. Original publication: The Post < Previous Next >

Guy Needham's People of The Balkans exhibition is having its second showing, this time at the Dalmatian Cultural Society's Open Day in September 2014. < Back Dalmatian Cultural Society's Open Day 1 Jul 2014 Guy Needham's People of The Balkans exhibition is having its second showing, this time at the Dalmatian Cultural Society's Open Day in September 2014. The collection documents a two month journey and the resulting portraits are of a proud people who have gone through much in the last 20 years. < Previous Next >

Pick up a copy of the New Zealand Herald's Travel magazine for my latest story on Bluff. The town known for those fat juicy you-know-whats, and the place where every New Zealand fundraising ride / walk / tour seems to end, is having a modern-day renaissance... < Back Not the Bluff you think you know 4 Mar 2024 Pick up a copy of the New Zealand Herald's Travel magazine for my latest story on Bluff. The town known for those fat juicy you-know-whats, and the place where every New Zealand fundraising ride / walk / tour seems to end, is having a modern-day renaissance... Bluff is one of the oldest settlements in New Zealand but rather than resting on its oyster laurels it's quickly becoming a destination of its own. From kai with a twist to the country's newest gin brewery to 'Rotten Row' to a unique pāua farm tour, Bluff isn't the small township you think you know. You can read all about it here . < Previous Next >

Although thousands of years old, the Dani were unknown to the rest of the world until 1938. Today they they still hunt with bows and arrows in the Papua region of Indonesia, and dress traditionally for celebrations, including wearing a horim or penis gourd. TRIBES The Dani Papua Province, Indonesia Although thousands of years old, the Dani were unknown to the rest of the world until 1938. Today they they still hunt with bows and arrows in the Papua region of Indonesia, and dress traditionally for celebrations, including wearing a horim or penis gourd. < Previous Next >