New Zealand’s South Island is a place of raw, cinematic beauty. Towering mountains, ancient forests, and glass-still lakes create a world that feels timeless and untouched.

Tonight, I’m photographing Megan Gale deep in one of those forests. We trekked in before dark, the crew hauling generators, HMI lights, and, of course, the ever-present fog machine. This is the same forest Peter Jackson used to bring The Lord of the Rings to life — and it's easy to see why. It doesn’t just look magical. It is magic.