Moments, Raumati Summer 2023/24

Arwen, Anton in the front, Kurt in the back and Becca on the right are all siblings – my four wild and feral kids. This was when they were about seven, nine, twelve and eleven. We spent many hours at Pukatea Whites Bay – one of the few sandy beaches in Marlborough – in all seasons, but it was most fun in the summer months. In the relatively calm water of the bay, the kids loved making channels for the sea water to funnel itself up and playing with old boards and inner tubes they would beg the local tractor repair shops to gift us. I will always love the way kids can amuse themselves for hours and hours with their surroundings and a few simple items.

Niki Boon is a documentary photographer based in Te Tai o Aorere Tasman District. This is Niki’s third instalment in a year-long collaboration with Shepherdess, in which she shares photos and memories from her collection of evocative family portraits.