About the Whims of Winter

With winter having cast its icy cloak over Central Otago, we wanted to present our winter collection to you, starring some new shots like Mount Cook Sunlight.  

Explore what other pictures are part of the collection by following the link below or visit us at the gallery.

About Cold Winters and Ancient Traditions

Besides being thrilled about the new arrivals for winter, we wanted to take the time to tell you a little more about a photo in Neville Porter’s collection that represents this season like no other.

The picture Too Early to Skate was taken in the Maniototo region, a sweeping elevated plain in Central Otago famed for its striking landscapes, rich gold-mining history and long-standing ice sports traditions.

Maniototo is the home of curling in New Zealand. The ancient sport established itself in the region where the long cold winters provided the perfect conditions for a sport that must be played on natural ice. Unfortunately, bonspiels have become few and far between in recent years. The last Baxter Cup, possibly New Zealand’s oldest sporting cup, was held in 2024 after a break of seven years during which the conditions were never quite right.

Too Early to Skate reflects this change in Maniototo’s milder winters while also upholding the everlasting hope that the ice will once more allow curling enthusiasts to partake in a friendly bonspiel on the dam. The piece is reminiscent of colder, possibly simpler times. The near monochrome palette and the reflective surface of the water evoke a slowness and a sense of things having settled. The picture reminds us that some things cannot be rushed or controlled; they take their time as nature wills it.

Andrea Lehmann