Creative Images by Paul C Schrader

02/05/2026

A new addition to my gallery

A new addition to the gallery — and one with a bit of attitude.
This 450 × 450 mm wrap‑around canvas was captured at Huka Falls, just on the outskirts of Lake Taupō, during a sunrise shoot back in late 2021. I worked with a slow shutter to soften the power of the water and bring out that silky, atmospheric flow Huka is famous for.

The twist — literally — is the frame. The idea to rotate the piece 45 degrees came from my mate Mike, after I spotted a photo at his place displayed the same way. That simple shift completely changes how the energy of the water moves through the composition. Cheers for the inspiration, mate.

The result is a bold, contemporary piece that feels both familiar and unexpected — a landscape with a dynamic edge that makes it stand out on any wall.

24/04/2026

It was a truly moving ANZAC Dawn Service at the Pauanui Surf Club this morning. A big acknowledgement to Cridone Tony and the entire team for delivering a thoughtful, well‑run commemoration that brought our community together in the best possible way.

The turnout, the silence, the surf in the background — it all reminded us why this tradition matters and why we continue to gather each year to honour those who served and those who never returned.

Lest We Forget.

31/03/2026

“Twilight Silhouettes”

Soft twilight, bold silhouettes, and the final glow of the day. This image is all about simplicity and contrast — nature reduced to shape and colour, letting the sky do the storytelling. Another addition to the Clique Gallery collection.

Shot on the 21st of September 2021 at 7.49pm

1.6sec, f/7.1, iso100, 24mmf/l, Canon EOS R

25/03/2026

'Waving back at yah"

This shot started as a single wave image I captured back in 2019. I flipped that original frame and blended it onto the right-hand side to create the illusion of one continuous, rolling wave.
The base image was taken at a slow shutter speed — around 1/15 sec — with a gentle pan. That combination gave the water a completely different texture: softer, more fluid, almost painterly. The motion blur adds a sense of energy without losing the structure of the wave, and the mirrored extension turns it into something more abstract and rhythmic.
It’s one of those experiments where a simple technical choice — slow shutter, slight pan — opens the door to a whole new visual feel.

Shot on the 7th of September 2019 at 2.34pm

1/15thsec, f/29, iso125,f/l300, Canon EOS R

17/03/2026

**Back in 2020 I captured this shot of both Magellanic Clouds glowing in the Pauanui sky 🌌✨**

The **Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)** is our closest dwarf galaxy neighbour, just 163,000 light-years away—visible as a big hazy patch in Dorado/Mensa from NZ. It's packed with stars, clusters, and the incredible Tarantula Nebula, a massive star-forming hotspot astronomers love for studying galaxy evolution.

Its smaller sibling, the **Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC)**, sits ~200,000 light-years out as a fainter, compact glow. It's been key to big discoveries—like using its Cepheid stars to measure cosmic distances.

For Māori and other southern cultures, these "clouds" have long held stories: misty ancestors, celestial campsites, or watery pools in the sky river. A beautiful reminder we're looking at living galaxies right overhead on clear nights.

15/03/2026

Managed to squeeze in a quick shoot before opening the Gallery for the Mercury Bay Art Escape. With the girls’ surf comp on this weekend, I’m a bit jealous I couldn’t stay longer to capture more of it.

13/03/2026

A creative collaboration between Rustic Soul and Clique Gallery – Photography by Paul C Schrader. This project combines handcrafted outdoor gates and screens with framed photographic imagery, where sculpture and landscape photography come together as one.

See a promotional sample this weekend at the Pauanui Hub, opposite the Pauanui Shops, during the Mercury Bay Art Escape, from 10am to 4pm. This Saturday to Monday.

The photographic print is produced on durable outdoor vinyl, designed to withstand the elements and retain its vibrancy for years outdoors.

We would love to see you there.

04/03/2026

'The Red Awakening'
Here is another take on the Blood Moon from the other night.

With the Mercury Bay Art Escape on this weekend, I’ll have my gallery, Clique Gallery open from 10am to 4pm, Saturday through to Monday.

I’d love to see you there at 68B Vista Paku, Pauanui.

Don’t forget there are three other talented artists here in Pauanui, and around 50 more exhibiting across Pauanui and Whangapoua.

Here is the Artist Guide.
https://www.mercurybay-artescape.com/_files/ugd/6f2390_08d6b42d69e447e18768aef22e9316be.pdf

03/03/2026

Feeling privileged after last night. The age thing definitely kicked in — I tapped out at 1am — but if I’d stayed any longer, I would’ve watched the entire eclipse unfold. A blood moon is rare, and even with an early finish, I’m grateful I walked away with a shot of it. Worth every minute. Coromandel's CFM

02/03/2026

Great news guys! Be in to win