South Island New Zealand: Heli, Drone & Ground

Meet in Queenstown, New Zealand

Over the past decade, I’ve spent countless hours exploring New Zealand’s South Island, both from the air and on the ground. It’s a place that never stops surprising me, and one that has become one of my favourite places on Earth to photograph. After running this workshop and refining it over the years, we’ve been able to shape an experience that showcases the very best of what the South Island has to offer.

Joining me is my good friend, colleague and fellow professional landscape photographer Paul Hoelen, who will be leading this adventure with me. Born and raised in New Zealand, Paul’s local knowledge is second to none, and when combined with my passion for aerial photography and guiding, it creates a workshop that is both incredibly rewarding and genuinely fun.

Unlike many photography workshops that focus on a single style of shooting, this journey has been designed to experience New Zealand from every possible perspective. We’ll photograph from helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, drones and the ground, while exploring some of the most spectacular landscapes anywhere in the world.

Everything throughout the workshop is operated alongside experienced local operators and guides, ensuring we work safely, responsibly and within New Zealand’s aviation and conservation regulations.

Who is Scott?

Want to know more about me before joining the workshop? Watch this short video where I share a bit about my journey, my passion for photography, and what drives my creative process.

How the trip works

This itinerary is intentionally flexible, and that’s by design.

Paul and I run our workshops dynamically, allowing us to adapt around New Zealand’s famously unpredictable weather. Sometimes that means avoiding poor flying conditions, other times it means chasing dramatic storms, moody cloud and beautiful light that can transform an ordinary location into something truly special.

Having multiple flight operators, locations and backup plans allows us to be incredibly flexible throughout the journey, giving us the best possible chance of capturing New Zealand at its absolute finest.

While aerial photography is a major focus of this workshop, it’s important to understand that this is far more than simply an aerial photography trip. The South Island offers some of the most incredible landscape photography anywhere in the world, and many of our favourite images each year are actually captured with a tripod firmly planted on the ground.

Towering alpine peaks, glacial rivers, waterfalls, ancient forests, turquoise lakes and winding mountain passes mean photographic opportunities appear around almost every corner. Expect plenty of roadside stops, spontaneous shoots and short walks as we make our way across this remarkable island.

In the air

Across the workshop you’ll spend approximately 120 to 180 minutes in the air, depending on weather conditions.

Every flight has been selected for a different reason, providing a complete aerial experience rather than simply repeating similar scenery.

Air Safaris, Lake Tekapo

One of our aerial experiences takes place with the legendary Air Safaris team out of Lake Tekapo aboard their turbine Caravan.

This flight serves as the perfect introduction to the South Island from above, offering an incredible overview of braided rivers, glaciers, alpine lakes and New Zealand’s highest mountain ranges. It provides a fantastic appreciation of the immense scale of the Southern Alps.

Doors Off Hughes 500 Helicopter

The true highlight of the aerial component takes place over Fox or Franz Josef Glacier, or both, aboard doors off Hughes 500 helicopters.

New Zealand’s aviation regulations have tightened over recent years and only one door may now be removed from the helicopter at a time. Rather than seeing this as a limitation, we’ve built the experience around it.

Midway through the flight we’ll land high on one of the spectacular glaciers within the Southern Alps, giving everyone the opportunity to experience standing amongst this incredible alpine environment while also swapping seating positions between the front and rear of the helicopter before continuing the flight.

This means everyone enjoys both photographic perspectives while also experiencing a glacier landing that has become one of the unexpected highlights of the workshop.

These helicopter flights generally last between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on conditions, and are scheduled during either beautiful evening light or early morning when the landscape is at its most spectacular.

Drone Photography

New Zealand has some of the strictest drone regulations anywhere in the world, and that’s something we fully respect.

Over many years Paul and I have developed relationships with local operators and identified a number of fantastic locations where flying is both legal and worthwhile.

While this isn’t a drone workshop in the same way as my Western Australian workshops, we strongly recommend bringing one if you own one. Between carefully selected legal flying locations, private properties and some wonderful remote areas, there will be excellent opportunities to create imagery from the air that perfectly complements everything you’ll capture from the aircraft and on the ground.

Beyond Photography

This workshop isn’t just about creating beautiful photographs, it’s about experiencing New Zealand.

One of the highlights between our photography sessions is an exhilarating ride with Wilkin River Jets, just outside Wanaka. It’s one of those uniquely New Zealand experiences that simply has to be part of the journey.

Expect crystal clear braided rivers, incredible alpine scenery and plenty of laughs. Cameras can stay safely packed away for this one… just hold on and enjoy the ride.

These moments away from the camera often become some of the most memorable parts of the entire adventure.

Ground Photography

While aerial photography attracts many people to this workshop, the South Island itself quickly becomes the real star of the show.

We’ll spend just as much time photographing from the ground as we do in the air, exploring glacial lakes, waterfalls, mountain passes, forests and alpine valleys that rank amongst the finest landscape photography locations anywhere in the world.

Be prepared with your tripod, camera and hiking boots. Some of our best images each year come from spontaneous roadside stops, beautiful light and locations that simply can’t be appreciated from the air alone.

This journey is about absorbing New Zealand from every vantage point.

You’ll return home with an incredible collection of aerial photographs, landscapes and drone imagery, but more importantly you’ll leave with a genuine feeling of adventure and an appreciation for one of the world’s great photographic destinations.

Physical Requirements

This workshop isn’t physically extreme, however it also isn’t a sightseeing bus tour.

To reach many of New Zealand’s best photographic locations we’ll regularly complete short walks and hikes, typically up to 3 to 4 kilometres return, across uneven, rocky and occasionally slippery terrain.

Good balance, reasonable mobility and confidence walking on natural surfaces are important.

If you’d prefer to skip one of the walks, our fantastic driver and my assistant Christian will always be available, allowing you to relax in the comfort of the Mercedes Sprinter until the group returns.

We simply ask that all participants honestly assess their mobility before booking and let us know of any concerns. We’d much rather discuss it beforehand and ensure this adventure is the right fit for you.

Accommodation and Travel Style

We’ll be travelling in a comfortable Mercedes Sprinter van, offering plenty of room for luggage, camera gear and drones, while remaining compact enough to comfortably access many of the South Island’s more remote locations.

Our driver has over 15 years of experience navigating New Zealand’s roads and, together with Paul’s extensive local knowledge, you’ll be able to simply relax, enjoy the scenery and focus on creating images.

Accommodation throughout the workshop will be a mix of hotels and motels along our route, mid to high tier wherever possible, with some more rustic lodgings when we’re high up in Arthur’s Pass. Everyone has their own room.

One thing we’ve learnt from guiding New Zealand over many years is that flexibility is everything. Weather dictates almost every major decision we make, particularly when helicopters are involved.

Because of this, while the itinerary shown below provides an excellent overview of the journey, don’t be surprised if sections are reversed, locations are shuffled or Plan A becomes Plan B or even Plan C.

Every decision we make has one purpose… putting you in the right place, at the right time, under the best possible conditions.

Meals and Group Vibe

Meals aren’t included in the workshop price, however we’ll generally eat together throughout the journey, whether that’s at local pubs, restaurants or cafés.

Breakfasts are typically quick affairs before sunrise shoots, while lunches often become bakery stops, roadside cafés or country pubs as we travel between locations.

This workshop has the feel of an authentic South Island road trip. Small group numbers, flexibility, plenty of laughs and a shared passion for photography create an atmosphere that’s relaxed, adventurous and incredibly rewarding.

Day by day

This is a rough guide to how the eight days usually run. We adapt every day to the weather and the light.

01 Arrive in Queenstown, drive to Wanaka

Meet the group before making our way over the spectacular Crown Range towards Wanaka. We’ll ease into the adventure with lakeside photography before finishing with sunset around the famous Wanaka Tree.

02 Haast Pass to Glacier Country

Travel through the spectacular Haast Pass, stopping at waterfalls, rivers and rainforest before arriving in Fox or Franz Josef for our first taste of New Zealand’s incredible glacier country.

03 Glacier Helicopters and Lake Matheson

Weather permitting, today is dedicated to our spectacular doors off Hughes 500 helicopter flights over Fox or Franz Josef Glacier, or both, including our glacier landing.

Later we’ll photograph the iconic reflections of Lake Matheson before chasing evening light throughout glacier country.

04 Arthur’s Pass National Park

We continue north before turning inland through Arthur’s Pass, photographing alpine rivers, mountain valleys, waterfalls and some of the South Island’s most dramatic scenery.

05 Castle Hill and Lake Tekapo

Castle Hill’s extraordinary limestone formations provide endless creative opportunities before continuing to beautiful Lake Tekapo, where we’ll also experience our scenic Air Safaris fixed wing flight over the Southern Alps.

06 Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park

An unforgettable day exploring New Zealand’s highest mountains, glacial lakes and spectacular alpine landscapes from both the ground and the air.

07 Mount Cook to Queenstown

Sunrise amongst the Southern Alps before travelling through Lindis Pass, Omarama and Central Otago as we gradually make our way back towards Queenstown, photographing along the way whenever the light demands it.

08 Queenstown and Glenorchy

Our final day remains flexible. Depending on weather we may head towards Glenorchy, Moke Lake or enjoy one final sunrise or sunset session before wrapping up an unforgettable adventure together.

Ready to Join Us?

If you’d like to secure your place, simply fill in the short form below. I’ll be in touch, normally within 24 hours, to answer any questions you may have and organise your booking confirmation and deposit.

Places are intentionally limited to keep the workshop personal and ensure everyone receives plenty of one on one guidance throughout the journey.

If exploring New Zealand’s South Island from helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, drones and the ground sounds like your kind of adventure, we’d absolutely love to have you along.

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