Shutterbug goes online to raise cash for venture

Photographer Mead Norton is swapping the Redwoods forest for the Thai jungle for his next big project. Photo/Ben Fraser

A Rotorua photographer has turned to crowdfunding - online fundraising - to give his next project the best chance of success and give people the chance to benefit.

Mead Norton wants to photograph the inaugural Thailand Ultramarathon in October and turn it into a photo book. He has grand designs to one day follow the world ultramarathon circuit and produce a yearbook.

He has turned to crowdfunding, which is the 21st century method of fundraising where people set up campaigns online and donors get rewards depending on amount pledged. He is using the website Indiegogo, which is for creative projects.

Mr Norton has run the Tarawera Ultramarathon twice - last year he carried his DSLR camera for 20km capturing the event as he ran - and has been an official event photographer at the Rotorua Bike Festival. He has previously won the Banff Mountain Photography Contest and has travelled the world with his camera.

"I was looking around for other projects and I found out about this one," he said.

"It's in such a remote part of Thailand that not a lot of tourists get to it."

The race is in two parts with the 100km one weekend and the 50km race the next. Mr Norton said this meant he could concentrate on each race as it happened and capture as many of the 200 runners as possible.

His speciality is snapping people enjoying their hobby such as running, mountain biking and adventure racing.

As well as his Indiegogo crowdfunding offers he's offering limited, one-hour photo shoots of the buyer's choice, whether a sitting portrait or action session for $75.

"This is a unique way to document a hobby that is very hard to capture. I did the XTERRA world championships in 2009 and I got three average photos from that race. I've always had the idea of doing something a bit more specialised.

"I've committed to go to the race but the more money I raise the nicer the book will be."

The races are based in the Thai village of Ban Tham and the 50km loop goes through three hill tribe villages. Before he heads to Thailand, however, he will first photograph the Half Ironman in Samoa.

To find out more about the crowdfunding project go to www.indiegogo.com/projects/photo-documentary-of-the-1st-thailand-ultra-marathon or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Mead.Norton.Photography.