Lightyears, Te Aho o te Rā Solar Farm: Construction Start Event Photography, Lake Taupō Region
Client: Lightyears
Location: Kuratau, near Tūrangi, Lake Taupō region
Date: 24 September 2026
Service: Event and project photography
The brief
Lightyears was marking the start of construction on Te Aho o te Rā Solar Farm, a 15 MW development in partnership with eight local Māori land trusts, incorporations and related investment entities. The ceremony brought together landowners, investors and project partners, and the client needed images that reflected the significance of the occasion for both the community and the company.
The challenge
A blessing and sod turning is a one-time event with no retakes. The photography needed to respect the cultural setting, capture a large and varied group of people, and produce images that would work across media, investor communications and the project's own channels.
The approach
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Scouted the site and planned around the ceremony running order
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Worked discreetly during the blessing, following the lead of the hosts
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Covered a mix of wide scene-setting images, portraits of key people and candid moments
The result
The very next morning the client received a gallery covering the full ceremony, from the blessing through to the sod turning, ready for use in press, stakeholder updates and future project marketing.
About the project
When complete, the solar farm will comprise approximately 24,000 modules across 32 hectares, with an expected output of about 23.5 GWh a year, equivalent to the needs of around 3,300 homes. Completion is targeted for July 2027.
