Every last hostel in Auckland was booked one random Friday night, so I reserved a room for the weekend at a house on Airbnb. Harvey Benge hosted me in his Ponsonby bungalow and after re-acclimating to luxuries such as not sharing a bathroom with 30 other people, I stretched the weekend into a week and half in his quiet and colorful home.
After retiring from running a major ad agency in Auckland, Harvey turned his creativity to photography and has published over forty art photo books. Over bowls of breakfast muesli, I was delighted to hear about his photography process and how he splits his time between Auckland and Paris.
His immaculate house was filled with books, art and all the inspiring details that hint at a full and creative life.
If you'd like to see more, Harvey's website features his observational photographs revolving around the anthropology of city life. In particular, his photos of 1970's Auckland suburbia are mighty cool well as his blog. Definitely take a peek and stay a his place if you ever find yourself in Auckland. His company is even better than the fresh figs from the backyard.