If I had to choose one photograph that defined my childhood, it would be Mel Allen’s “Ullswater.” An image of a boardwalk framed by mountains, quietly hanging on the wall of my family home. I saw it every day, never realising it would be the spark that lit my passion for photography.

For years, I chased that feeling. No matter how many landscapes I captured, something always felt... unfinished. Like I hadn’t yet created the image my younger self was dreaming of.

Until this moment.

Lake Rotoiti wasn’t just a planned shoot, it was love at first sight. The symmetry, the softness in the water, the drama lingering in the peaks... everything aligned. It’s still hard to describe the stillness I felt standing at the edge of that jetty.

This image is more than just a photograph, it’s a goal quietly achieved, a memory fulfilled, and a tribute to the moment that started it all.

Photo by: Bradley Basten