It’s a pleasure to meet you!

I’m a photographer, tour guide and most importantly, an outdoor enthusiast based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand.

Passionate about finding the perfect moment in the great outdoors.

I hold over 8 years of experience in photography, inspired as a teenager by the Aberdeenshire landscape. Starting my career officially in 2017 at North East Scotland College in Aberdeen, studying a Photography HNC. Followed by a degree in Marine and Natural History at Falmouth University, graduating in 2021.

2021 started in North-East Scotland, where I was a Paddlesport Assistant, teaching photography weekly to 5-7-year-olds, and running landscape photography workshops. I spent Christmas as Santa’s Lapland Ranger & Tour Guide in Northern Finland.

From 2022 to 2023, I had the pleasure of working and living at Glenmore Lodge on the Instructor Development Scheme (also known as Nightwatch).

Jumping across the ocean in 2023, I found myself as a Mountain Dispatch at Treble Cone, then became a Nature Guide in Fiordland National Park.

Now I am permanently based in Christchurch, working as a tour guide and chasing a career in outdoor photography.

jess charlesworth arthurs pass advemture photographer

Marine and Natural History Photography BA (Hons)
Falmouth University
Outdoor First Aid - BASP UK
Summer Mountain Leader - Mountain Training
Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport
Sport Scotland
Tutor Award Course
National Navigation Award Scheme
Velotech Bronze - Velotech Cycling
United Kingdom Driving License
Class 1 NZ Driving License & P- Endorsement
Nature Guide - RealNZ, Fiordland
Mountain Dispatch - Treble Cone, Wanaka
Nightwatch - Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore
Lapland Ranger - Saariselkä, Finland
Photography Teacher - Cullen, Aberdeenshire
Paddlesports Assistant - Cullen Sea School, Aberdeenshire
Head Elf - Cotswolds, UK
“Jess Charlesworth: A photographer who’s mastered the art of making things look cooler than they actually are. Whether it’s a mountain or a random dog, Jess somehow makes it look like a masterpiece. No fancy jargon, no pretentious poses—just good photos and a healthy dose of ‘I can’t believe this worked’,“

Instagram

It took some late-evening scanvenging... however I just about managed to find some small clusters of glowworms in Franz Josef! Hiding underneath damp, fallen logs and inside tree hollows.

#westisbest #franzjosefglacier #newzealandwithme #gonz #back

Aoraki / Mount Cook 3,724 metres
The Footstool (left) 2,762 metres
Mount Kinsey (right) 2,083 metres
Where we stood 1,800 metres

A rather jazzy, mid-summer sunrise sprinkling across the mountains, glaciers and just glimpsing Hooker Lake.

In the

5 whole days on St James Walkway!
One of the best digital detoxes a girl could ask for ⛰️🌳

Starting in Lewis Pass.
Dawdling our way inbetween some beeaaautiful mountain ranges, making four huts feel like home and drinking just a lil' bit of whisk

I suppose photography hasn't been priority numerous uno these past of couple weeks... just about managed to snap a moment or two here, in the backgarden.

A bloody glorious bike ride across the Coastal Pathway to Sumner, stopping for @utopiaice half-

No snow to be seen up @mthuttnz so we decided to have a wee tramp on the Rakaia Gorge Walkway instead 🏞

A cruisy 10km walk (out and back), up and down the banks of the Rakaia River, sitting just below the Mt Hutt Range.

#rakaiagorge #canterbury #n

Watching the first light hit Mount Cook from Mueller Hut 🤌

For lack of full transparency, I initially didn't plan to see the sunrise. My body was aching, I had a mild dose of sunstroke and didn't believe it would be worth it
However, I was delight

Last week, I was working over in Arthur's Pass with a grand team, setting up glamping tents for the athletes and support crews in the Coast to Coast race ⛰️

Even managed a visit to the Devils Punchbowl Falls inbetween.

#arthurspassnationalpark #ne

While on my way to Arthur's Pass, I received an email saying this image from the Kepler Track had been Highly Commended in Wilderness Photographer of the Year!

Delighted to have been a part of it and a big congratulations to the folks who won 👏

#k

On our way to Mueller Hut, after 500 meters of ascending... we were surprised to still be able to see the car ☀️

Not pictured: The ache in our legs and the beginnings of mild heatstroke.

#aorakimountcook #newzealandwithme #gonz #backyourbackyard #

Overlooking Ōtautahi Christchurch from the Rāpaki track with north-westerlies cruising through and bringing some clouds along with them 🌤

Swipe 👈

#christchurchnz #newzealandwithme #gonz #backyourbackyard #metservice #newzealandguide #travelingao

Waking up at White Horse Hill Campground to warm temperatures and blue skies. Throughout the night, hearing echoes of rockfall and avalanches from the glaciers around us.

#mountcooknationalpark #travelnewzealandwithme #gonz #backyourbackyard #metser

A quick stop at the glacially fed (ridiculously blue) Lake Pukaki while on our way to the mountains 🏔

First post from our Mount Cook adventure last week... In addition to the first post embracing the new 4:5 grid ratio!

#mountcooknationalpark #tr

The original plan was to head up Mount Grey...
However, with the fords across the access road too high to drive through, we decided Mount Richardson was the next best. ⛰️

Ascending 900 meters, walking amongst trees covered in wasps, through waterlog

Catching the early morning light over Otamahua / Quail Island 🌤

#christchurchnz #travelnewzealandwithme #gonz #backyourbackyard #metservice #newzealandguide
#landscape_captures #landscapelovers

2024 was filled with grand people who always made the day brighter, even with a bittersweet goodbye from @pgpq 🇳🇿

Always fortunate and extremely grateful to receive a postcard from Laura T, popping up throughout the year, at every new address 📫

We didn't make it to the top, but we got pretty close.
Never been more grateful for the magic of hiking poles.

📍Looking across to Castle Peak, Torlesse Range.

#christchurchnz #travelnewzealandwithme #gonz #backyourbackyard #metservice #newzealand

Milford Sound recieves just shy of 1 million visitors annually. Hence why I'm feeling fortunate to have found a quiet moment to capture @yerlildogalfonso with Mitre Peak standing in the background.

#milfordsound #travelnewzealandwithme #gonz #backy

Having photographed and worked around active police dogs, retired bomb dogs and
search and rescue dogs...

I may have met my new favourite variety of working canine.

This is Albie, a dolphin detection dog who works onboard with the @akaroadolphins

Cruising into December with skies like these and temperatures above 22°C...

Still feels exceptionally odd.
Maybe even a little smug.

This post is dedicated to the 71.5% of the people who follow me, based in the Northern Hemisphere. Who may or m

Half-way through the Mt Isthmus Traverse
2023 Mountain Marathon. — Half-way through the Mt Isthmus Traverse 2023 Mountain Marathon.

Assistant Leader for the Women's End2End Relay 2022.

The final stretch of the End2End started hiking from Crask Inn and finished 140km later at John o' Groats.

Ski touring on Cairngorm Mountain. 2023.

Litter Picking Event with Cullen Sea School. 2021.

On a (not-so-successful) mission to find the Cairngorm Reindeer. 2021.

Photographing reindeer in Cornwall, South-West England. 2020.

Book submission for my final year at Falmouth University studying Marine and Natural History Photography.

Salomon Loch Eilde Mòr Trail Race 10km 2022.

A white Christmas as Santa's Lapland Ranger's in Saariselkä, Findland.

Running kids activities as a Paddlesport Instructor. 2021.