Adventure Seeking with Ally Moore

Ally is a photographer based in the beautiful Queenstown, having made the move down South from Auckland in recent years. An avid adventurer, Ally has shared some of her best spots around NZ and how she found her way into traveling around the South and taking photos as a living. 

You moved down to Queenstown from Auckland - what have been some highlights for anyone else looking to make the move South? 

I have never felt more alive than what I do living in Queenstown! Majority of the people who live there value life/family/hobbies higher than the corporate grind that I experienced in Auckland which means you have much more flexibility to do things outside of work. There also aren't huge commutes or traffic into work which again means there is more time in the day to do fun things. 

We love the beautiful photos you take - tell us a bit about your photography and how you got into this. 

I fell into photography after going on a camping trip with one of my friends who is a photographer and being inspired by his work. I already owned a camera but had only ever shot on auto. I got into a habit of taking it with me whenever I was doing something fun with friends and discovered my love for it. I have a naturally emotive eye so love capturing the candid moments of emotion and telling a story through my images. 

What are your must have items for every adventure? 

An absolute must for me is a cooling drink bottle. I take my Dawny drink bottle with me on every adventure to ensure I always have chilled water no matter where I stay. The South Island can get extremely dry and hot and the places I stay are often out in the middle of nowhere so pre-chilled water is an essential. 

What's your top 3 spots around NZ for adventure seekers?

There are some incredible spots along the West Coast of the South Island, throughout Mackenzie District and far South along the coast. 

Best spot for a Dawny mission in NZ? 

The far North of the North Island is always a favourite during summer when I am up those ways. The beaches are stunning and on a sunny day can be some of the clearest blue water you will ever see!