Auckland-based photographer Helen Bankers has always been attracted to the natural world. Bankers lives with her husband and daughter in Auckland’s Eastern suburbs. Outside of her magazine and commercial projects, she can be found in her home studio studying flora and fauna:

“I’m inspired by the paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe, and Australian florists such as Saskia Havekes at Grandiflora. I enjoy looking at the fine form and intricacy of flowers and plants”

For the Ahead of the Curve exhibition, Bankers has created a series of dark studies of flowers and foliage which also reference the Dutch Old Masters of the 17th century. She focuses on subtle variations in colour, form and texture in intimate and exquisite detail.