Chris McKeown is an avid astrophotographer who spends long nights around Wellington, Taranaki, Queenstown, and Lake Tekapo chasing the stillness of the night sky. By day, he’s a seasoned energy executive and leadership mentor, with a long-standing meditation practice and a deep belief in compassionate leadership.
In his talk Widening the Aperture, Chris shares how learning to look up – within ourselves, and through the camera – can shift how we feel, how we think, and how we lead, supported by neuroscience, lived experience, and dozens of conversations with CEOs.
You’ll learn:
- Why awe matters more than ever
- What stillness can teach us — about others, ourselves, and how we lead
- How astrophotography works (and how to start)
- See many examples of Chris’s beautiful photography along the way!
Dr Chris McKeown moved from Scotland to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2002 and immediately fell in love with photographing the landscape. Over the past decade, he’s captured the earth, the sea, the stars and the people who live beneath them. His images have been nominated for awards, published in magazines, featured in hospital murals, and sold as fine art prints and canvases. His annual calendar sells out each year and has raised thousands of dollars for charity.
Chris will also offer a separate and more technical night photography workshop starting on 1 June for those who want to learn how to capture the stars. More details and bookings here: Awesome Astro: An Introduction to Night Sky Photography – Scene