NZ Herald images vie for honour at New Zealand Geographic Magazine Photographer of the Year

Tim Cuff's night photograph of firefighting in Pigeon Valley, near Nelson in February.

A photo capturing the raging wildfires near Nelson early this year is among finalists in New Zealand's most popular photo competition.

The Herald's Michael Craig, Alan Gibson and contributing photographer Tim Cuff — who captured the Pigeon Valley fires in February — feature among the finalists in the New Zealand Geographic Magazine Photographer of the Year.

Michael Craig photographed kauri dieback at Piha.

With entries from thousands of photographers around the country, the final 51 have been selected with the winners announced at an awards evening in Auckland in November.

Alan Gibson captured an exhausted Strathmore rugby player.

All the images can be viewed along the Auckland waterfront with big prints stuck to the footpath, stretching 375m from Silo Park to the Team New Zealand base at the Viaduct Basin. The pictures can also be viewed online at nzgeo.com where people can vote for their favourite image for the People's Choice award.