Creative Exposure - Photography exhibitions and events 2nd week - Image by Roger Slater - Frano Botica leads a haka for the ill-fated Americas Cup team in 2003 - on show in A Bit of A Do.

A Bit of A Do (12 June to 20 June) is one of 11 exhibitions and events that make up Creative Exposure.

A Bit of A Do's location, Avondale Racecourse, and the exhibition's images of private and public celebrations held within Auckland, reflect Creative Exposure's objective to build new audiences for photography.

Lindy Hickman illustrates her case that Aucklanders can readily interact with different cultures without leaving the city with her photo of a dancer at this year's Chinese New Year's Day celebrations. This image is complemented by Edwina Hopwood's photograph of 2004's Lantern Festival, with beautiful shapes and colours caught alongside Auckland's iconic Sky Tower.

London-born John Hamilton Booth, whose Pearly Kings and Queens shows an English group attending a Mount Eden-based cultural festival, says this photograph shows his culture harmoniously with a backdrop of symbols of his new home, native New Zealand trees. Another 'motherland' cultural connection is evident in Tanmoy Das's shot of a Punjabi Sikh wedding, showing two newly weds undertaking a ritual designed to test their wisdom as they seek to retrieve a wedding ring hidden in a pot of warm milk.

Rounding out the exhibition are other images of diverse communities. Vicky Thomas's portrait diptych features character shots taken at a Halloween party by Spectrum, an organisation that supports people with intellectual disabilities. Sporting moments also feature with Ben Campbell's photograph of a celebratory moment for a victorious Silver Fern, Temepara Clark, during a parade in Aotea Square, and Roger Slater's sobering contribution of Frano Botica performing a haka for Team New Zealand during its ill-fated America's Cup Challenge. Dale Rio shows the Samoan tatoo ritual in his photograph.

Aucklanders get a chance to capture their city photographically on June 12 in an innovative Auckland City Photo Day competition event.

Auckland City Photo Day is described by Auckland City event organizer Amanda Gilchrist as "an opportunity to capture the city you live in and reflect its uniqueness by taking photographs". The exact number of people who will participate is difficult to predict but there are hopes that, with the involvement of camera clubs, students and families, there could be a large group of people taking up this unique opportunity to capture Auckland city and its inhabitants.

For complete information on how to participate, check out the attached pages or http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/whatson/events/

Other "must see" exhibitions: The Great Escape by John McDermott

John McDermott's ethereal photographs of AK03 performers feature in The Great Escape exhibition (Aotea Centre's Gallery, June 7-27).

McDermott has chosen images that deliberately escape the normal conventions of photography so viewers can embark upon more speculative journey of the imagination.

The images reflect McDermott's desire to build something on top of the necessary commercial imperatives of photography. This is how the images of The Great Escape came to be chosen from amongst hundreds he produced for AK03's archive.

"My initial purpose was to document and establish an archive for AK03," the 47-year-old explains. "In amongst all that photography was something more ethereal, it's hard to describe exactly what. I guess it's the difference between a highly detailed, photo-journalistic, image and more abstract, impressionistic renderings."

Desire (Ardor, June 19-July 1) Showcasing Rebecca Swan's studies of gender and sexuality.
Dislocated (George Fraser Gallery, June 8-26) Elam Photographers' explore their environment.
Landscape & Memory (Waiheke Art Gallery, June 4-24) Landscape and images of Auckland.
NZ Idle (BNZ, Foyer June 20-27) Artists' take on cosmopolitan society and photography.
PhotoForum (www.photoforum-nz.org) An online exhibition of aspects of city life.
Winter Exhibition (FhE, June-July) Includes works by iconic photographer Marti Friedlander.
Wonder (Artstation, 22 June-3 July) Five photographers' responses to the idea of wonder.

Creative Exposure - Photography exhibitions and events 2nd week - Image by Roger Slater - Frano Botica leads a haka for the ill-fated Americas Cup team in 2003 - on show in A Bit of A Do.

A Bit of A Do (12 June to 20 June) is one of 11 exhibitions and events that make up Creative Exposure.

A Bit of A Do's location, Avondale Racecourse, and the exhibition's images of private and public celebrations held within Auckland, reflect Creative Exposure's objective to build new audiences for photography.

Lindy Hickman illustrates her case that Aucklanders can readily interact with different cultures without leaving the city with her photo of a dancer at this year's Chinese New Year's Day celebrations. This image is complemented by Edwina Hopwood's photograph of 2004's Lantern Festival, with beautiful shapes and colours caught alongside Auckland's iconic Sky Tower.

London-born John Hamilton Booth, whose Pearly Kings and Queens shows an English group attending a Mount Eden-based cultural festival, says this photograph shows his culture harmoniously with a backdrop of symbols of his new home, native New Zealand trees. Another 'motherland' cultural connection is evident in Tanmoy Das's shot of a Punjabi Sikh wedding, showing two newly weds undertaking a ritual designed to test their wisdom as they seek to retrieve a wedding ring hidden in a pot of warm milk.

Rounding out the exhibition are other images of diverse communities. Vicky Thomas's portrait diptych features character shots taken at a Halloween party by Spectrum, an organisation that supports people with intellectual disabilities. Sporting moments also feature with Ben Campbell's photograph of a celebratory moment for a victorious Silver Fern, Temepara Clark, during a parade in Aotea Square, and Roger Slater's sobering contribution of Frano Botica performing a haka for Team New Zealand during its ill-fated America's Cup Challenge. Dale Rio shows the Samoan tatoo ritual in his photograph.

Aucklanders get a chance to capture their city photographically on June 12 in an innovative Auckland City Photo Day competition event.

Auckland City Photo Day is described by Auckland City event organizer Amanda Gilchrist as "an opportunity to capture the city you live in and reflect its uniqueness by taking photographs". The exact number of people who will participate is difficult to predict but there are hopes that, with the involvement of camera clubs, students and families, there could be a large group of people taking up this unique opportunity to capture Auckland city and its inhabitants.

For complete information on how to participate, check out the attached pages or http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/whatson/events/

Other "must see" exhibitions: The Great Escape by John McDermott

John McDermott's ethereal photographs of AK03 performers feature in The Great Escape exhibition (Aotea Centre's Gallery, June 7-27).

McDermott has chosen images that deliberately escape the normal conventions of photography so viewers can embark upon more speculative journey of the imagination.

The images reflect McDermott's desire to build something on top of the necessary commercial imperatives of photography. This is how the images of The Great Escape came to be chosen from amongst hundreds he produced for AK03's archive.

"My initial purpose was to document and establish an archive for AK03," the 47-year-old explains. "In amongst all that photography was something more ethereal, it's hard to describe exactly what. I guess it's the difference between a highly detailed, photo-journalistic, image and more abstract, impressionistic renderings."

Desire (Ardor, June 19-July 1) Showcasing Rebecca Swan's studies of gender and sexuality.
Dislocated (George Fraser Gallery, June 8-26) Elam Photographers' explore their environment.
Landscape & Memory (Waiheke Art Gallery, June 4-24) Landscape and images of Auckland.
NZ Idle (BNZ, Foyer June 20-27) Artists' take on cosmopolitan society and photography.
PhotoForum (www.photoforum-nz.org) An online exhibition of aspects of city life.
Winter Exhibition (FhE, June-July) Includes works by iconic photographer Marti Friedlander.
Wonder (Artstation, 22 June-3 July) Five photographers' responses to the idea of wonder.