Guardian of the Lagoon, Ōkārito's Tranquil Embrace
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Free worldwide shipping
Secure specialty packaging, tracked
Damage guarantee
Replaced free or refunded
Genuine ILFORD photo paper
Under acrylic glass or on Alu-Dibond
Open Edition Classic. Stephen's black and white work at an accessible price, printed to order without an edition limit.
Made to order and hand finished, then shipped tracked and free worldwide. If your order arrives damaged or defective, it is replaced at no extra cost or fully refunded.
Every piece is made to order, printed on genuine ILFORD black and white photographic paper and hand framed to order at a specialist fine art lab. Allow 5 to 7 days preparation time, then tracked delivery: Europe within a few days, the UK and nearby Europe about one week, the USA and Canada about one to two weeks, and Australia and New Zealand about two to three weeks in total. Each piece is checked by hand and sent in art secure specialty packaging built for maximum protection. Shipping is free worldwide. Full details, including customs and taxes for your country, are in the shipping policy.
Every piece arrives ready to hang with its mounting system already fitted: the Basel frame has hanging hardware on the reverse, the Slimline case has pre installed aluminium rails, and the ArtBox has an integrated wall mount. You add two screws or hooks to suit your wall. Dust with a soft, dry, lint free cloth and avoid glass cleaners or pressure on the surface. See Hanging Instructions and Care & Handling.
Limited edition pieces are released in a fixed edition: when it sells through, it closes and the piece is retired. Open Edition Classics stay available at an accessible price. A certificate of authenticity is available with every limited edition print. More in The Editions.
If your order arrives damaged, defective or misprinted, contact us within 30 days and it is replaced at no extra cost or fully refunded. Because every piece is made to order for you, change of mind returns are not offered, and orders can be cancelled within 12 hours of purchase.
Ōkārito Lagoon, on the West Coast of the South Island, is New Zealand's largest unmodified coastal wetland — a maze of tidal water and reed beds backed by the snow-capped Southern Alps. It is the country's only breeding ground for the rare kōtuku, the white heron.
Stephen Milner photographed the lagoon at its stillest, a small bird-watching hut at the water's edge and the Alps rising clear in the distance.
Printed to order at a specialist fine art lab, in two archival finishes:
Available in three panoramic sizes from 107cm to 196cm wide. Custom sizes on request.
Part of Stephen Milner's New Zealand fine art landscape collection.
Ready to hang
Every piece arrives ready to hang with its mounting system already fitted. All you add are two screws or hooks to suit your wall.
Basel
Hanging hardware on the reverse.
Slimline
Pre installed aluminium rails.
ArtBox
Integrated wall mount.
The craft
Every piece begins as a true photographic print on genuine ILFORD black and white paper, the material professional darkrooms have trusted for a century, exposed by laser and developed in the classic wet process. From there, choose the finish that suits your space. Both are archival, made to order and built to outlive us.
The finish
Your photograph is face mounted behind gallery acrylic glass on a rigid Alu-Dibond backing, then sealed for life with gallery silicone. The glass draws the eye into the image and gives the blacks remarkable depth.
✓ Luminous highlights and deep, true blacks
✓ Matte for a glare free gallery surface, or high gloss for maximum presence
✓ The acrylic shields your print from UV, moisture and dust
✓ Finished in a Basel floater or a Slimline case
The finish
The same ILFORD photographic print, bonded to a lightweight aluminium composite panel and sealed with a fine matte protective film. No glass and no visible frame required, for a clean and contemporary presence on the wall.
✓ A refined matte surface that stays reflection free in any light
✓ Rigid yet light, so even the largest pieces hang flat and true
✓ Sealed against UV and moisture, made to last for generations
✓ Finished in a Basel floater or an Aluminium ArtBox
The frames
Basel
Hardwood floater frame, black or white. The photograph floats inside the timber with a fine shadow gap.
Slimline
Slim aluminium case, black or silver. Just 5mm deep, with concealed hanging rails.
ArtBox
Aluminium box frame, black or white. Lifts the image off the wall.
Collectors
In their own words, from collectors living with Stephen's original artwork.
This artwork offers a unique capture of one of the greatest landscapes presented on earth. Milner is more than equal to the task, presenting an image that is both memorable and uplifting. Immeasurable visual pleasure.
This artwork captivated us the moment we laid eyes on it. Mystery, almost abstract like, we could feel the force of nature displayed dramatically in all its glory. It invited us into its magic.
When I walked into The Welcome Swallow Gallery, I was instantly impacted by Stephen Milner's artwork of Ruapehu... It now hangs proudly in my lounge and has already had many admirers. Thank you Stephen Milner for sharing your talent.
Why collect from Stephen Milner
✓ Third Prize, Fine Art Photography Awards 2024, Landscape (Professional)
✓ Second Place, New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year 2022
✓ Printed and hand framed by specialist fine art labs, including WhiteWall, a multiple TIPA World Awards Best Photo Lab
✓ Collected across New Zealand, the UK, Europe and North America
✓ Free tracked worldwide shipping on all artwork
More answers on the FAQ page.
A certificate of authenticity is available with every limited edition print. Email stephen@stephen-milner.com with your order number and one will be arranged.
No. The prints themselves are not hand signed; authenticity is covered by the certificate available with limited edition pieces.
Yes. Additional sizes and mounting formats can be arranged on request, including oversized and very large formats. It is a collaborative process: we agree exactly what you need, then you receive a quotation from your nearest suitable printer, framer and installer. Email stephen@stephen-milner.com to start.
Yes. Bespoke commissions are quoted individually. Email stephen@stephen-milner.com to arrange an online conversation about the scope.
Every artwork is photographed on location and hand edited in New Zealand. Printing and framing are then carried out at a specialist fine art lab: WhiteWall in Germany for Europe, the United Kingdom and North America, and PCL Imaging in Auckland for New Zealand and Australia, and your finished piece ships direct to your door.
