
Award-winning teen photographer captures worlds the eye can't see
Kia ora neighbours,
When D’Artagnan Sprengel was just nine, he had a go with a little blue Canon point-and-shoot camera, getting up close with nearby fungi.
Nearly six years later, he’s an internationally-recognised photographer, whose accolades include a commendation from the global Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards.
The 15-year-old Bombay resident’s work was recently shown alongside photographers from all over the world at an exhibition in Hamilton.
His highly-commended photograph was of a daisy, weighed down by frost and barely keeping its head up.
Sprengel says he has always loved nature. Now that he’s capturing it from behind a powerful DSLR lens – a gift for his 11th birthday – he can see things the eye cannot.
“It shows a difference perspective. Like a spider, which people don’t like, it can show that they’re awesome, they’re fluffy and cute sometimes. They are a lovely and beautiful creature.”

Poll: Have you felt the impact of electricity price increases?
Last year, the Commerce Commission announced it had agreed to increase revenue limits to facilitate the maintenance and improvement of the electricity network.
Consumer NZ have revealed their latest annual energy survey, and found that 11% of consumers have had to cut back on their heating, and 20% of people have been struggling to pay their power bill in the past year.
How does your region compare? You can view and compare how the average monthly household use, charges, and bills vary regionally here.
We want to know: Is your household paying more for electricity this year?
Do you have any advice for your community on what changes you have found most effective in keeping costs down in your home or office? Share below!

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80.3% Yes! The increase has hit hard
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15.2% I am managing - we have found some solutions
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4.5% No - have not noticed much change

Poll: Is AI rewiring our minds?
Artificial intelligence programs such as ChatGPT are here to stay - the question now is, how will they shape the future? Will the use of AI to complete daily tasks, particularly school work, impact cognitive abilities and creativity?
Recent work out of a MIT Media Lab suggests that people who used ChatGPT have lower brain engagement than those who did not when writing their essays. While the MIT Media Lab work has driven headlines recently, others have been quick to remind us that the fear of technology is nothing new.
We want to know: Is AI an addition to the technological toolbox, or should we be having bigger conversations about the impact of AI technology?

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19.9% AI is making us lazy
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50.4% Ai is great, BUT only if used as a tool and not a substitute for thinking
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5.5% AI is great! People have a history of fearing new technology
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22.2% Too early to tell
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2% Have a different perspective? Share it below!

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