World Sports Photography Awards

My sunrise photo from the 2025 New Zealand Open was selected as a finalist for this year’s World Sports Photography Awards. It’s the most prestigious international competition and came as a total surprise - I am extremely grateful.

Wednesday morning. The final day for players to get familiar with the course, and for me to play freely before competition starts. Waking up before the sun is one of the harder parts of the job, but almost every time, it’s rewarding. This day was special; I knew about the hot air balloon and hoped I might get lucky seeing it if the winds were right. Driving around the course, I spotted the perfect moment. A player and caddie getting a yardage before hitting a shot, with the balloon setting in front of the mountain, and a rising sun.