Thomas Busby(New Zealand)
Thomas Busby is a landscape photographer, born and raised in the shadow of Mt Taranaki, New Zealand.
His passion for adventure required a smaller, more lightweight system, than what was offered by traditional camera gear.
Initially, unconvinced he would be able to find a smaller option with the same quality, he sought a camera to use along side his larger system.
After six months of owning his first Fuji (the X-M1), the larger DSLR gear had hardly been touched; compact meant more convenient, and yet it retained the professional quality. As a result, his photographic passion was only growing, which in turn fuelled the photographic business.
In 2014, the DSLR gear was sold, and an X-T1 (35mm & 10-24mm) was purchased. Thomas said goodbye to the day job, and since, has been fully absorbed in his photography.
In 2016 Thomas was awarded Landscape photographer of the year but the New Zealand Institute of Professional photographers.
The image of Mt Taranaki, forming a heart in the lake, was a real turning point for me.
Last year, one of my closest friends was diagnosed with depression. In an effort to better understand what he was going through, and to help keep my friend going, we decided to hike up to this lake for sunrise. This wasn’t intentionally a photographic trip, but as it was small and convenient, I brought my Fuji with me just in case. We arrived at the lake, we talked, we watched the sunrise and I got a few shots. It wasn’t until I got home to edit, that I noticed the heart, formed by the mountain’s reflection. After sharing the image on Facebook, it became the most commercially successful photo I had ever taken. The combination of the striking image, and the meaningful journey behind it, had struck a chord with me. I had finally found something I wanted to do for my entire life, and it would have been a moment that had passed me by, if I hadn’t owned such an easily portable camera.
