Mons Royale SS25
Digital Imaging Ambassador
Recently I had the opportunity to work with Mons Royale on their SS25 campaign, spending two days shooting around Lake Hawea nearby Wanaka. As a commercial outdoor photographer, it’s always exciting to work with a New Zealand brand that has such a strong identity and a genuine connection to the places it calls home.
For those who haven’t come across them before, Mons Royale is a Wanaka-based merino apparel brand creating technical clothing for mountain biking, skiing, hiking and everyday adventure. Their focus has always been on getting people outside, and that mindset carried right through this campaign.
With the station as our base, we were able to explore a variety of landscapes throughout the region, from towering ridgelines overlooking expansive valleys to alpine tarns, waterfalls and remote creek beds. Each location brought something different, creating a collection of imagery that captured the freedom and adventure at the heart of the Outdoor Research campaign.
The brief was all about summer. Bike packing, camping, lakeside afternoons and saying yes to whatever adventure came next. Rather than chasing polished hero shots, the focus was on capturing the moments in between. The laughs, the downtime, the little interactions that make a day outdoors feel real.
We photographed around the shores of Lake Hawea and the surrounding area, using the incredible landscape as the backdrop. The talent brought so much energy to the shoot, making it easy to create natural, playful imagery that never felt forced.
One thing I really appreciated was how well thought out Mons Royale’s creative direction was. Their photography guide wasn’t about ticking boxes, but about capturing emotion, energy and the personality of the brand. Having that level of direction made it easy to create imagery that felt authentic while still giving plenty of room for creativity.
It’s always rewarding to see a project come to life after the shoot, and it’s been great spotting these images across the Mons Royale website, online campaigns and in-store displays.
A huge thanks to everyone involved. It was a fun couple of days, and one I’ll definitely look back on with a smile.
