Testimonials

Below are some testimonials from past clients who have attended our workshops:

I have recently been very fortunate to have taken part in ‘ A Winter Wonderland’ photography workshop with Pure Photo Adventures.
The whole experience from first contact through to our farewell was exceptional!
The tour was well planned and executed offering fantastic locations and helpful informative support.
Dan, Lee and Rach were incredibly friendly and inclusive while remaining professional at all times.
I certainly hope I have the opportunity to take part in another tour.

Chrissy Lawrence, Winter 6 Day Tour 2022

Had the best experience with Pure Photo Adventures NZ on their Winter Wonderland 2021 Tour. I learned more about landscape photography in these 5 days then I have in the last 10 years. The immersive in-the-field learning experience coupled with their low tutor/student ratio allowed me to really practice my learnings with continuous support. The team went above and beyond to adapt to the changing conditions ensuring we got the most out of each day. I have been on other photography workshops and there’s no comparison. Looking forward to attending future tours with them!

Heather Marston, Winter 5 Day Tour 2021

Rach, Daniel and Lee guided our crew of ten across terrain of all sorts chasing light and beauty. They showed spirit and experience and never faltered when nature delivered conditions that at first appeared less than ideal. Our three amazing tour guides delivered us safely to locations efficiently and without drama and at each new place they treated each of us with so much respect and care, knowing just what was required to bring the best out of us and the scene they presented. Chasing beautiful colours each morning and night we found moody and unsettled weather instead, and we took full advantage of what some might turn away from. This perseverance was rewarded with some sensational images and experiences at every location.

In looking back I think my biggest gain on this tour was actually the opportunity for new friendship with a crew of hilarious, warm travelers and photographers. I never really expected to connect so well with the entire party when I signed up. Magic appeared before us through our lenses and in our banter every moment of every day.

Thirteen of us gathered at the final destination in Queenstown for brunch and I think thirteen of us felt we could continue for far longer and share so much more. My hope is that we will continue to share more. I’ve only just started to go through my images, but I’m finding more gold than I expected, and I’m also loving the challenge now of bringing the memories back to life on screen and beyond.

Special thanks to Rach, Daniel and Lee for an experience like no other, and special thanks to my ten “tour buddies” for your openness, respect and hilarity. I look forward to sharing photos and remembering our time together on our Pure Photo Adventures NZ Autumn Colours Tour of 2021.

Sheldon, Autumn 5 Day Winter Tour 2021

I had the absolute pleasure of taking part in the Lakes and Lupins 2020 spring workshop. This is my second workshop with Pure Photo Adventures so it’s safe to say I got so much from the first workshop I was keen for more.
Daniel, Lee and Rach really made me feel at ease - initially as an absolute beginner through to where I am today (confidently using my camera in manual mode).
The workshop content was spot on visiting stunning locations supported with expert knowledge and hands-on assistance with camera settings and accessories. The @purephotoadventures team cover the photographers ‘holy trinity’ of landscape, long exposure and astro photography. There was always someone to help with questions or queries and the advice received truly was helpful (and sometimes mind blowing)!
@purephotoadventures give expert photography advice tailored to your experience level by a great team of photographers. Highly recommended.

Kim Heighway , Spring 4 Day Tour 2020

So, first things first, the Pure Photo Adventures team is just awesome and this will be the experience of a lifetime that you will be so glad that you decided to do!!! Dan, Lee and Rach are so knowledgeable, encouraging and supportive. They were always more than happy to provide guidance, answer any questions that we had and pass on their seemingly infinite wisdom! The Winter Wonderland Tour was jam packed with beautiful scenery, amazing experiences and boundless learning opportunities. I started the tour having little idea about the settings on my camera and would shoot in auto and now, I am so much more confident with finding the right settings for whichever shot I am taking and it's manual all the way! Thank you so much to Dan, Lee and Rach, firstly for being such awesome people and secondly for being there to guide me through the start of my journey into the world of photography. I hope to see you all again really soon! (:

Bree Adam, Winter 4 Day Tour 2019

I attended the Winter Tour course in July 2018 starting from the position of only being able to use automatic function on the camera. I was the least skilled photographer on the course with the cheapest camera, but it did not matter, the course had a range of photographers with different experience levels. By the end of the course I was using the camera on manual mode and my knowledge of the technical aspects of the camera and photography went well beyond my expectations. I was blown away by the quality of the landscape photographs I was managing to produce on a basic Nikon D5200 DSLR with a standard 18-55m lens by the end of the course. This was all due to the ability of the tutors skills to impart their knowledge in a friendly, patient and passionate way. It was also backed up by the superb locations we visited around Mt Cook National Park and Mackenzie Basin and these places will be etched on my mind forever. The Astro photography night trips, the clarity of the night sky around this region is unbelievable and this is a great opportunity to see the night sky like you have never seen before. I thoroughly enjoyed the course, meeting like minded people and it has invigorated a passion for photography. I highly recommend the courses run by Pure Photo Adventure NZ. Thanks a million to Rachael, Daniel and Lee for such a great time. I would love to do the other seasonal trips some time in the near future.

Ross Whalley, Winter 4 Day Tour 2018

The pure photo adventures tour was one of the best trips I've ever been on. Right from the start; the people I met were awesome and we all got along like a house on fire. I went on the winter tour and within four days I had grown and learnt so much more than I had in probably the last year. Lee, Rach and Dan showed us the most beautiful spots around Mt Cook and shared with us all their knowledge and experience. They were so helpful and supportive with what we were capturing in our photos and even after the tour, their honest support remained. I would do one of these tours again in a heartbeat and highly recommend this to any photographer, even if landscapes aren't your thing. Thank you all for everything and I hope to be back again one day soon!

Bri Woolnough, Winter 4 Day Tour 2018

I have to be honest. I had only operated my camera on automatic mode and was scared that this workshop might be too advanced for me. Any fears I had were immediately washed away under the patient, expert guidance of Rach, Daniel and Lee, who were incredibly and genuinely passionate about making us all better photographers. The 4 day workshop I did with Pure Photo Adventures was just amazing. Yes, I may have been the least experienced photographer in our small group but that was no deterrent to my learnings with three incredibly experienced photographers by our side, there was no such thing as a dumb question. The days and nights were action packed with so many different photographic opportunities in the most stunning locations in New Zealand. The photo I took at 4 am of the milky way seemingly climbing its way up That Wanaka Tree was one of the most exciting and most satisfying moments I have ever experienced. Thank you guys, loved every minute and such a pleasure to meet you all, thank you for your continued support and guidance!

Carol Comer, Autumn 4 Day Tour 2018

Rach, Dan, and Lee,

I just wanted to drop a quick note and thank you again for everything you've done this past week. I appreciate all of the individual time you spent with me and I'm certain your guidance and feedback will help me improve my work. Most importantly, I came home with some new friendships and fantastic images. This entire week was such a blast.

Francis Tran, Autumn 7 Day Tour 2018

Have just finished the Pure Photo Adventures NZ 4 Day Autumn Tour and what an incredible experience! Gained so much more knowledge about all aspects of photography including now being able to confidently use my camera in manual mode. The opportunity to trial Nisi filters and Nikon gear was a major bonus too. Had so much fun learning from Dan, Lee and Rach. Their combined knowledge and passion for photography alone made this workshop so worth it. On top of that we got to explore the most stunning locations (including some hidden gems - thanks to the experienced tutors), made amazing memories and came away with exceptional photos. It definitely made for an unforgettable time. Thanks so much again to the team for all your help and making this workshop the most epic adventure.

Emma Stannard, Autumn 4 Day Tour 2018

Hi Dan, Lee and Rach

I wanted to let you know that I had the most amazing week at your workshop and I am so glad I was a participant!
I went in wanting to learn new things, grow my knowledge and see new exciting places and I got exactly that and more.
You all were so friendly and eager to share your passion and skills with me and I am so grateful. I have come away with heaps of cool footage and it was also a great place to meet like minded people.
Thank you all so much for your ongoing support, I really appreciate it.

Hannah Mills, Autumn 7 Day Tour 2018

From the minute we stepped out on the shores of Lake Wanaka to photograph the Wanaka tree, I knew that this trip would be awesome, and I was right!!

With the combined photography skills of Rach Stewart, Dan Murray and Lee Cook the four day Autumn South Island photography workshop was an eye opening, whirlwind of sunrises, sunsets, astrophotography, cracking banter, learning and sharing experience.

Read more of this awesome review here

Chris McKeown, Autumn 4 Day Tour 2018

If you want to take your photography to the next level this is the tour for you. Four great days with outstanding scenery!

I am a progressing photographer with many questions, sometimes it just works having someone there to guide you through often basic steps, and clarify confusion.

The team at Purephotoadventures are a trio of awesomeness.

Each team member brings their special skill set and passion to share with you. Having a low number ratio, means you have many opportunities to talk through, learn and practice skills.

It is a powerful package of knowledge for every level of photographer. Having available filters to use is an added compliment to the tour.

Sit back, soak up the talent, enjoy the fun and outstanding views with like minded people.

Fully recommend to anyone who shares the passion.

Louise Winterbottom, Autumn 4 Day Tour 2018

The Autumn 4 day tour with Pure Photo Adventures was a whirlwind of which I am still trying to recover! Dan, Rachel and Lee tailor their tuition to meet your individual needs as a learner. Their knowledge of Photography is extensive and they are always approachable for help and more than happy to share their tips. I had the best four days, learning loads about photography and my camera, visiting some epic locations and had a heap of fun too.

Amy Galloway, Autumn 4 Day Tour 2018

I was one of the lucky ones who got in early enough to attend the inaugural tour of Purephotoadventures, based in Mt Cook and Mackenzie Basin in December 2017. I cant speak highly enough of our tutors, Rach Stewart, Daniel Murray and Lee Cook. They were very hands-on in showing, teaching and discussing their passion and knowledge with us and the ratio of 3 tutors to 10 participants enabled a lot of on-one-one time for each of us over the 4 days.

Rach, Daniel and Lee know the area intimately, and took us to the best places at the best times for us to get the best out of our photography. Even though I am from Christchurch and have visited some of these places before, it was fantastic to dedicate 4 days purely to photography and to spend this time with other like-minded people.

There was a lot of gear available for us to borrow if we wished, from (VERY) expensive cameras and lenses, to filters and tripods. Rach, Daniel and Lee were so encouraging, and nothing we asked of them was too much trouble. They were genuinely keen to see us grow our photography skills and while the environment was fantastic (especially the plane flight and glacier landing), it was the tutors that made the trip so fantastic. I enjoyed it so much I have just signed up for the autumn tour for April 2018!

Jo Stilwell, Spring Tour 2017

Lee, Rach and Dan - thank you so much for all the passion that you guys poured into the trip for us to have the best trip ever. You guys were awesome hosts. Location was spectacular, the logistic was flawless, accommodation was fabulous. Loved the goodie bag and prizes (very nice touch). Absolutely fantastic experience, definitely two thumbs up. Will be so jealous of the next lot.
All the best guys!!!

Beatrix Argoseputro, Spring Tour 2017

I attended the first spring work shop help in November. What an experience that was! I am a local to the Mackenzie area but the way Lee, Rach and Dan made me look at the country through a photographers eye was awesome. Some of this country I see on a daily basis but now I have a real appreciation for it. The course took my photography skills back to basics and taught me all I wanted to know to capture great landscapes. They catered for all skill levels throughout the work shop. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to get better or even just learn a few tips with their landscape photography. You'll see some stunning country along the way too!

Khan Adam, Spring Tour 2017

Having just finished the Spring tour with Purephotoadventures NZ, I can say hands down it was EPIC. Our small crew got to experience some of NZ's most magical scenery and were completely looked after by 3 consummate professionals while we gleaned from their knowledge over some banter and beers. I would give this tour/workshop a 10/10

Julie Holbrook, Spring Tour 2017

Booked in for the 1st Pure Photo Adventure Spring Tour expecting to visit a few locations around Mt Cook including a scenic flight and some group guidance on photography.

In 4 days I understood the main manual settings while using filters. All shooting landscape which I had previously only operated on auto.

Fully packed itinerary and couldn’t have asked for anything more.

Plenty of one on one advice from composition of shots to Lightroom including social media.

Learnt in 4 days what would have taking months!

A great group of instructors, with a solid understanding being all self taught.

Highly recommended for all abilities.

S Apperley, Spring Tour 2017