Rakahanga

Rakahanga

Project 2012-08-21 02:24:44 +1200

In the middle of the Pacific Ocean is an island: its population is dwindling, the ocean is rising, and we're going to tell its story before it’s too late.

Rakahanga is a tiny island in the Cook Islands 1200K's north of Rarotonga and the birthplace of my brother-in-law.  Ever since hearing about Rakahanga and becoming transfixed with the photograph above, I've known we needed to share its beauty with the world.

With over 500 inhabitants in the 1600s, there are now only 70 people on the island.

As the sea level rises, their homeland shrinks and we want to document the island’s last gasp for breath before it has to hold it for a very, very long time.

Hello, we are Joe and Tim and we run theshutterpirates.com - an award winning photography blog based in Auckland, New Zealand.

 Help us get to Rakahanga and we will reward you with a beautiful photograph to call your own!

The Facts: 

What: A photography project based on one of the world’s most isolated islands. 

Where: Rakahanga - 1200 odd K's north of Rarotonga. 

When: January 2013 - just in time for the island's annual tuna fishing competition. 

Who: Tim Lambourne & Joe Dowling aka The Shutter Pirates 

Why: With a dramatically decreasing population (the island went from 140 to 70 people in the space of a year) and rising sea levels, Rakahanga needs to be explored and documented. And you get a sweet sweet photo.

Help us tell this island’s story, by helping yourself to a beautiful photograph. 

Here are some examples of our previous work...

More photographs at http://theshutterpirates.com and http://facebook.com/theshutterpirates

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