New Zealand

Longing for Paradise

Untouched nature, isolated beaches, a distinctive culture with fascinating myths – New Zealand represents many wishes and desires. Where else, if not there, should you find paradise on Earth? Many have an image of these South Pacific islands in their heads, a notion of paradise on Earth: But, is this also it? In order to find out, Tobias Hauser set off on a journey to the other end of the world. At first he tried to do the best thing a photographer can: First of all forget everything, suppress pictures and stories, and make room for new, unsuspected, for an encounter with this attractive country, free from expectations and wishes. New Zealand offers exactly that: Go there and let yourself fall into the nature, the people and their culture.

What Hauser saw and experienced there, which images replaced his old expectations, and which stories were confirmed are all told in his new lecture.

Legendary Variety in Kiwi Wonderland

New Zealand is unbelievably diverse, enchanted with ever-green, fairytale-like rain forests, whose ancient Kauri trees and southern bays are embedded in succulent mosses. The nearly deserted wilderness of the fjordlands radiates an overwhelming attraction with its mighty mountains, roaring waterfalls, and countless streams. Smoke and fire signs indicate the wonder of nature. Misfortune- and sulfur spewing volcanoes, explosive geysers, and hot springs bear witness to the restless Earth below. The beauty of the Southern Alps, which is often veiled by billowing fog and heavy cloud cover, makes the hearts of mountain climbers beat faster. The colossal glaciers advance in all directions down the valleys and touch the forests with their cleaved tongues before flowing into icy streams or transforming into a lake. All this and many other landscape forms of the kiwi wonderland are captured by Tobias Hauser’s camera.

Encounters in the Land of the Barefoot Kings

Far beyond the well-trodden tourist paths Tobias Hauser became familiar with the ”Land of the Barefoot Kings”, as the New Zealand author Lloyd Jones calls his country folk. There, he once again displayed his unbelievable talent of portraying people, which has already impressed thousands of viewers through his successful slide show presentation ”Cuba Real, the Pearl of the Caribbean.” With sensitively conceived photographs he shows the people of New Zealand and reports of living styles and stories, which are often everything but ordinary.

Opossum Hunters and Golddiggers

Exciting encounters often occur, for example, with the opossum hunter Phil, whom the photographer accompanied several nights through the thick bush. In Auckland, Tobias Hauser met Sir Edmund Hillary, the famous, first person to climb Mt. Everest, and spoke with him about mountain climbing in New Zealand. In the springtime he met fishermen, who were out to catch a very particular school of fish. He visited a German woman, who married one of largest sheep ranchers of New Zealand. He reported about the enormous milk industry of the country, which brought not only financial success but also ecological problems along with it. He met a farmer who recognized the dire situation of the yellow-eyed penguin and set up a preserve for them. And he spent several days with a fisherman on the high seas learning the hard work of catching fish for a living.

Deep Insights

After 5 years of preparation, several journeys, and exacting research a lecture was created, which allows deep insights into the country and the way of life of its people. Enchanting music, impressive pictures, interesting stories, and solid information comprise this entertaining and naturally live-commented lecture.

Tobias Hauser’s presentation is a personal declaration of love to New Zealand. He combines idyllic music, impressive photographs, and interesting stories based on solid information to create a symphony of the senses: An extraordinary experience! – Sir Edmund Hillary, first person to climb Mt. Everest

Photography Book

In his pictures, which speak from a deep understanding, Tobias Hauser was able to capture the many secrets and legends, as well as the stories of modern New Zealand, its people, landscapes, and cultures. So sensitive, in fact, that the best known contemporary New Zealander, Sir Edmund Hillary, dedicated a few words. Janine Böhm narrates the text, which conveys the myths behind these impressive pictures.

The Poster from the Lecture

The poster from the New Zealand Lecture is available in the following formats: A1, A2, and A3.

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