Jetties make fantastic landscape photography subjects as they tick so many composition boxes. But first, let's talk terminology since jetties can also be known as docks, piers or wharfs. Even after Googling the differences, I'm really none the wiser as there's a lot of overlap, so let's just assume that this post covers any structure that goes out into water on a lake, river or by the sea, and we'll just call them all jetties for ease!
Jetties naturally provide leading lines that draw your eye from the closest edge of the jetty where it is widest and takes you in as it narrows further into the scene, ultimately leading your eye towards the horizon or another distant focal point. A very long jetty can also create a vanishing point too, where the jetty seems to disappear altogether, allowing your eye to linger on that part of the image.
Jetties usually have a fairly symmetrical design and a repeating pattern with horizontal planks, and vertical railings or posts. This adds balance to your scene. And if you are lucky enough to capture a jetty with a still body of water surrounding it, symmetry with reflections of the sky, clouds and landscape adds to the overall scene.
Engaging landscape photography images have strong foregrounds which ground the image and give a place for the viewers eye to start at the front/blottom of the scene, letting their eye gradually drift through further into the scene. Foregrounds add depth and dimension, anchoring the composition and allowing the viewer to feel like the really are in that spot looking out on the scene. Combining a strong foreground with other distant elements like mountains, clouds or the sun also helps with the sense of depth too.
Jetties are a really versatile subject, suiting all kinds of conditions and time of day. Here are some:
You can't go wrong with just a jetty and water. It really simplifies a scene, enhancing negative space and allowing you to hone in on other things like textures, light and colour. This is especially true if also capture the scene with a long exposure as the fluidity of clouds and smooth water add to the sense of calm and simplicity. The image below was 50 seconds long.
Jetties are inherently connected to water, it's the reason they exist. But they also make a strong contrast against the water surrounding them. Bodies of water, whether they are lakes, rivers or the ocean have a sense of fluidity and movement, whereas a jetty is a very solid structure that is juxtaposed with the water motion.
Jetties do make the perfect place to sit an contemplate life, so adding a person to your jetty images enables a connection between humans and nature. It invokes a sense of quiet contemplative thought, and reinforces the wonder of nature and the spectacular conditions it often delivers.
Here is a list of some of NZ's most photogenic jetties for you to put on your must-visit and photograph list. It's not exhaustive by any means, but these are some of the jetty locations where I have been wowed by the surroundings and conditions.
The Matarangi jetty has changed over time, personally I preferred it before they built the newer structure beside it, as it is somewhat hard to avoid in shots unless you move much further down the jetty. What's unique about this jetty is the curve at the end of the jetty, and the view to the distant Coromandel hills including the unusually shaped Castle Rock. As it is tidal in the harbour, the jetty is best captured at sunset on a high tide.
This is a great example of an old wharf in disrepair making a great photograph and it's easy to get to, right in the middle of Thames township. As it faces west, it's best for sunset and again being tidal, shooting at high tide.
This is a personal favourite location of mine as it's only a 40 minute drive from home, and I've lost count of how many times I've been here over the years. Even though it faces west I prefer it at sunrise, this is because the lake will often have atmospheric mist in the morning, particularly in autumn and winter. It's actually part of the Waikato River on Lake Arapuni, and as the river is quite narrow here with Arapuni dam not far downstream, I find it is calm most of the time, and much calmer than other locations further downstream. It's a popular freedom camping spot though, so there will usually be a few people staying here which is another reason why early mornings are more peaceful. As well as shooting side on towards the cliffs, the unusual tree formation out in the lake adds an extra element of interest in the other direction as well.
It is also a fantastic location for astrophotography and it is relatively dark here, with just a little bit of light coming from Te Awamutu, which was enhanced on this evening by the cloud on the horizon.
This jetty has been rebuilt in the past few years, and it lacks the rustic appeal that some other jetties have. What it does have going for it though is the symmetry of the T-shape design, I enjoy shooting here both at sunrise and sunset, the angle works for both times of day, though sunrise is likely to be calmer.
Back in 2022 when we had the Tonga eruption, there were a few months with incredible (and almost unbelievable!) colours in the sky on clear sky mornings and evenings. This was one such evening at the jetty. You can also see just how much the lake levels can fluctuate over different years, in the shot above the jetty is fully submerged, while in the shot below it is almost half out of the water.
For the best bang for buck in the North Island, you can't beat Lake Tarawera. It has more jetties than you can possibly count dotted along the various bays of the lake. My personal favourites can be found at Rangiuru Bay, Cliff Road and the small bay along from Kariri Point. The jetty at The Landing in Kotukutuku Bay used to be amazing, but the Council pulled the existing jetty out to make better access for fishermen and when replacing it they changed the angle so it faces directly at the hill, and not out into the lake (face palm!), totally ruining the composition!
Cliff Road makes a great sunrise location as the sun generally rises off to the side of the frame, making the light less harsh, and I like this jetty, it has character!
Lake Tarawera is also a fantastic astrophotography location with very little light pollution (other than from Kawerau), and many different compositions to choose from. It can be incredibly calm on the right night too, particularly on a cold winter evening. I will often jetty hop, starting at Cliff Road before moving further around the bay as the Milky Way angle changes and rises throughout the evening. There are even jetties along from Kariri Point that face directly south to capture star trails too.
This jetty image (also sed above) is a great example of a vanishing point used well in composition. You can no longer walk out on the wharf as it is starting to disintegrate and there is a fence up to prevent access now, but a great shot can still be had standing up against the fence. Facing north, it works at either sunrise or sunset, and also benefits from a long exposure to simplify the scene.
Other scenic jetties I've been to that are worth visiting in the North Island: Omapere Wharf (Hokianga), Tolaga Bay (Gisborne), Murrays Bay Wharf (Auckland).
This is technically a pier rather than a jetty, but it is a grand structure that I'm quite captivated by - having photographed it on many different mornings. The east coast of the South Island often delivers some pretty incredible sunrise colour, and this is a fantastic location to witness it from, only 20 minutes from the centre of Christchurch. It is a versatile location composition wise, as you can shoot from both the northern and southern side of the pier, and at any tide height.
It's also a fantastic place to capture the full moon rising, though I haven't been here for a moon rise yet, I've seen many a great image of this phenomenon by other photographers.
This one takes a wee bit of effort to get to, it's a 2 hour hike from Marble Hill campsite in Lewis Pass, so I recommend staying the night at the hut to take advantage of sunset and sunrise times. You can see the lake from the hut so it is an easy 2-minute roll out of bed and walk down to the lake to get this shot.
Just a few minutes north of Franz Josef Glacier, Lake Mapourika is well known for its misty, atmospheric mornings when the fog rolls in after sunrise and then lifts again a few hours later. I've been fortunate enough to take trips out on the lake with Franz Josef Wilderness Tours (that's their boat parked here) which I highly recommend, but even from shore the jetty makes an interesting backdrop to the lake.
The southern end of Lake Alexandrina is like the place time forgot, with cute rustic cabins and little coloured boats pulled up on shore. There are lots of miniature jetties dotted along the shoreline and when combined with an autumn afternoon and golden light, it makes for a lovely scene.
If Rotorua is the gem of the North for jetty locations, then Queenstown is the gem of the South. Lake Wakatipu is a very large S-shaped lake that takes over an hour and a half to travel from end to end, and you will find more jetties along the lake than you could possibly point a camera at. There are many within the surrounds of Queenstown township itself, but my favourites are found north of town on the Queenstown-Glenorchy stretch of road.
This is about a 15-20 minute walk from the carpark, and you can be forgiven for thinking the water can't possibly be the colour it appears, because it really does defy belief! The view back towards the hills isn't perhaps as inspiring as some other locations, but the colour of the water makes up for it. This jetty is the kind of place where you just want to sit and quietly watch the water for a while in total awe!
There's not much left of this jetty, just a few weathered posts sticking out, and they can be almost under water when the lake is high, but they do make for an interesting foreground, and I have enjoyed a couple of astrophotography sessions here at different times too!
The wharf and historic shed here make for a really great shot, the wharf itself is quite wide so you have to choose your composition wisely, but it is worth including the interesting lamp post over the wharf. You can also shoot a good composition from the end of the wharf looking up the lake towards Mt Earnslaw as well. Right beside the wharf is an interesting row of trees in the water which also make a great shot!
The jetty on Lake Te Anau points directly at the Kepler mountains, and is lovely captured at both sunrise and sunset - the jetty is more side lit at sunrise and it's likely to be calmer but that's not to say sunset isn't worth it, particularly if you can get a super interesting mood like on this evening.
Other jetties with interesting backdrops in locations worth mentioning: Elaine Bay (Marlborough), Lake Rotoiti (Nelson Lakes), Governors Bay (Christchurch), Akaroa Wharf (Banks Peninsula), Lake Kaniere (West Coast), and Lake Hauroko (Fiordland).
I'd love to know if you have a favourite jetty in New Zealand that you also think should be included on this list!
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