Medium shot portrait of young girl wearing denim jacket with hands on chest and yellow nail polish.
medium close portrait of young girl wearing winter coat with long golden pony tail over her shoulder.
Medium shot portrait of young girl with blond pony tail over right shoulder wearing denim jacket with hands on white scarf.
Medium close fine art portrait of young man wearing yellow rain coat and blue beanie, looking into the distance.
Fine art portrait of medium shot of young boy with dark blond hair wearing green winter coat.
Portrait of a young boy wearing a brown corduroy jacket with a fur collar against a brown background.
Wide portrait of two boys wearing blue suits standing in front of light brown back drop.
“In a portrait, I’m looking for the silence in somebody”
— Henri Cartier-Bresson

Portrait Photography

Studio D is a creative photography studio that offers a one stop shop where we aim for portraits to end up in a frame on your wall.

Everything is created in my home based studio at Jacks Point Queenstown. This is a modest and relaxed space that helps make people feel at ease.

After your studio session, I edit and print your photos of choice using archival ink and fine art papers. I can then picture-frame them in a fully setup picture framing workshop using archival materials with limitless possibilities. This means that we can create anything that works within your budget and/or space while most likely at the same time exceeding your expectations.

I believe a portrait really comes to life when you frame it. That’s why all the portrait packages include at least one framed portrait.

Have a look at the session and packages page to learn more.

Gallery

In colour

In colour
In black&white

In black&white

photo

Black and white photography studio scene with a photographer capturing a seated person under a round hanging light.
Close-up of a person wearing a beige winter coat with a fur-trimmed hood and a braided hairstyle.

print

Framed portrait of a person in a parka with a fur-lined hood and braided hair, on a wall above a wooden sideboard with ceramic decor items.

frame

testimonials

  • "Dethmer is a genius behind the camera. We loved the process of shooting in his home studio - he made it fun and interactive and the photos are incredible. He captured the boy's qualities and their inner, genuine personalities through his photos. We loved the final prints and frames that Dethmer chose too".

    Lauren

  • "My experience with Dethmer was super calm and relaxing. He guided me very well, and I had so much fun. I was a bit nervous, but Dethmer has a super kind way to making it special. My best picture I have is when he only asked me this simple question: 'Please show me the real Sergio!' Just like that, my best picture comes out! Thank you for the amazing experience!"

    Sergio

  • "Meeting Dethmer in New Zealand was a stroke of luck. Him taking my portrait resulted in the most professional and unique photos I've ever had. For the first time in four years, I've updated my profile picture. Highly recommended!"

    Harmen

  • "Right from the start Dethmer was very professional and made us feel very comfortable. My girlfriend and I did go with Dethmer's ideas and it exceeded all of our expectations! Dethmer is very passioned and a true artist - I would highly recommend working with Dethmer to anyone who is looking for someone who can capture everything with his camera and tools. Thank you for your exceptional work."

    Hendrik

  • "I had seen some of Dethmer’s previous work and was impressed. His artistic portrait photography stood apart from the typically family portraits. It was more natural and less contrived. Dethmer was able to accurately capture each of our children in their natural everyday state which has created a series of timeless memories for us to enjoy. His turn key solution meant that I had a set of framed portraits ready to be opened for Christmas."

    James

Man with hand on chin, contemplative expression, dark background, wearing a T-shirt.

Capturing moments to frame and keep forever

Hi, I'm Dethmer Leemborg. People call me ‘D’.

I'm always looking to capture the true spirit of a person. I ask my subjects to drift off in thought or simply stare into the distance. This approach creates a portrait that is honest, with depth and a touch of mystery that keeps the viewer engaged and inspired. Especially after photographing children it’s often that the parents see their children true self captured in a moment off guard.

I enjoy working with soft lighting and playing with shadows and warm colours to add drama to the scene.