'I am a sucker for colour': Derek Smith on ROADSCAPES

For four decades, photographer Derek Smith has explored the way New Zealanders travel, work, and express themselves through the vehicles they drive. Roadscapes is his compelling photographic journey through the heartland of New Zealand capturing our unique car cultures and the social landscapes they inhabit across Aotearoa.

Kete is delighted to share this interview and images from Roadscapes.

Kia ora Derek. Congratulations on your new book! Where did the title Roadscapes come from?

The title Roadscapes was initiated by the Batemans designer. I really liked it. Simple, graphic and to the point.

You’ve called it social landscape photography, and it certainly is a social history, looking at the West Coast Jaguars image. Did you collect car photos throughout your career?

Yes, all of my photography deals with the social landscape. There seemed to be a purpose to it. Hopefully for future generations to enjoy from a different perspective. Motor vehicles are a major ingredient in the social landscape and I have a personal interest in them. All of my working life was outside and involved driving. I have many thousands of pictures that include vehicles. 

Are there individual character cars that you are particularly fond of in this collection?

Ooooh tricky. Bit like a favourite song. I really like the Ford Escort Estate on page 90, but that is mainly because I owned it and had a relationship with it. I loved it's simplicity and utilitarianism. And it was pretty cute. The 1950's was my favourite era in car design. I really enjoy the visceral quality of  motorcycles so the the bikes on page 158 really appealed. (must confess here, also mine)

Were there any that you thought the environment was of more interest than the car? Or the use of the car in the environment?

I've always viewed our place in time as relatively transient so I photographed many street scenes because they presented me with a composition that I felt represented that era in time. Cars fix time in an image so I included cars as much as possible.  The colours we used to paint our homes was also a strong indicator of a certain era. Occasionally, I just liked the car but as a photographer it needed to form part of a broader composition that spoke of the era and my experience of Kiwiness generally. I am a sucker for colour so if I see colours that I respond to, I will try and compose an image with it.

What is your favourite New Zealand book?

No real surprises here. I am a picture guy and it starts with Robin Morrisons "The South Island of New Zealand From The Road" Hugely influential to me. Glenn Busch's "Working Men"  Amazing work. And anything by Ans Westra. A true national treasure. Most of PhotoForums publications.

Do you have any plans for further photography books?

I have a substantial body of work on this and other different themes that I would love to see published.

I loved the urban landscape of Wellington City when I lived there in the early nineties and took many images there before gentrification. I would very much like to publish a book of these pictures.

My work took me right through rural and small town New Zealand and I have many pictures with that theme also.

The West Coast of the South Island has a distinct social landscape and I have many images from this region that I would like to see in a specific publication.

Dunedin City has a stunning urban landscape and I would love to publish a book of the images I took while living there 25 years ago

I would love to publish a book of purely visual imagery. Colour, form, light, composition

I have many more images on the vehicle theme that I would like to see out there (Roadscapes II maybe?)

Roadscapes is available in all good bookstores now.