Oscar Maltby
Design MDes
Massey University College of Creative Arts
Specialisms: Photography
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Oscar Maltby
First Name: Oscar
Last Name: Maltby
Specialisms: Photography
Sectors:
My Location: Auckland, New Zealand
University / College: Massey University College of Creative Arts
Course / Program Title: Design MDes
About
My photographic practice is centred around analogue processes and a fascination with the everyday. Growing up and working in New Zealand has shaped my interest in place, landscape, and the spaces that often go unnoticed. Through photography, I explore atmosphere, memory, and the quiet details of everyday life.
Working primarily with film, I am drawn to the slower, more considered nature of analogue photography. I enjoy the imperfections and unpredictability of the process, and the character they bring to an image.
My work focuses on the environments around me, from streets and architecture to overlooked spaces and fleeting moments. Photography allows me to slow down, observe my surroundings, and find beauty in the familiar.
The Weight of Concrete explores cycles of construction and decay across Wellington’s urban spaces, focusing on sites caught between use and neglect. Using large format film, the project embraces a slower process of observation, allowing time to understand each location before making an image. Darkroom printing further connects the physical process to the individuality of each site, producing one-of-a-kind handmade prints. Rather than documenting ruins, the photographs reflect on what remains and the systems that shape the city through demolition, vacancy, speculation, and redevelopment. The work invites a slower way of looking, drawing attention to overlooked spaces and the potential within them.