Ko Wai Au

He uri ahau nō Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Maniapoto me Ngāti Raukawa.

I’m a communications consultant and photographer based in the Taupō District, Aotearoa New Zealand.

Since 2014, I’ve worked alongside iwi, government, community organisations and businesses, helping them communicate clearly and build trust with the people they serve. My mahi covers communications strategy, stakeholder engagement, organisational change, executive communications and digital content.

In 2025, a life-changing accident forced me to slow down and rethink where I was heading. Photography gave me somewhere to put my creativity when I needed it most. It also reminded me why stories matter, and gave me another way to help people hold onto theirs.

Now I do both. Words help people make sense of complex ideas, and images hold onto the moments. Most of my projects use a bit of each, and all of them start with getting to know the people behind the kaupapa.

I work throughout Aotearoa and I’m open to opportunities further afield.

Have a story to tell?