Grant Sheehan


Grant Sheehan is a New Zealand photographer, writer, and publisher, raised in Nelson and now based in Wellington.
Sheehan’s photographs have featured in magazines and newspapers such as Condé Nast Traveler and the New York Times, and in over 30 books, including The Time Traveller's Guide to the Hamilton Gardens, In Memory of Travel, The Night Watchers: New Zealand Landscapes, Eye in the Sky: A Drone Above New Zealand, Landmarks – Historic Buildings of New Zealand; Cafés of the World, the internationally successful series A Place to Stay – Hotels of the World, Planet Penguin and New Zealand Landscapes from Northland to Antarctica.
He has twice won the New Zealand Travel Photographer of the Year Award, with images from international assignments. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums.
In 2023, Sheehan was the subject of the documentary film by Robin Greenberg, Grant Sheehan: Light, Ghosts & Dreams which featured in the 2023 New Zealand International Film Festival.
Sheehan’s son Rhian Sheehan is a New Zealand composer and producer.

Awards

  • 2024 Diamond Award – Best Documentary Feature, 18th Annual SoCal Film Awards
  • 2024 Gold Award – Documentary Feature, Spotlight Documentary Film Awards
  • 2023 Pride in Print, Gold Medal Award In Memory of Travel
  • 2023 Resene Total Colour Residential Exterior Award
  • 2013 Pride in Print, Gold Medal award in Publishing Category, Process Category and Gold award overall winner, Ghosts in the landscape
  • 2011 Winner, Travcom Pictorial Travel Book of the year award New Zealand Landscapes, Northland to Antarctica
  • 2009 Runner-up, Cathay Pacific Travel Photographer of the Year Award
  • 2009 Runner-up, Highly Commended Jucy Rentals Award for the Best Travel Image Taken In New Zealand and Pacific Islands
  • 2008 Winner, Cathay Pacific Travel Photographer of the Year Award
  • 2008 Runner-up, The Leica Award for the Best Travel Image Taken Outside New Zealand
  • 2008 Highly Commended, The Air Vanuatu and Le Meridian Port Vila Resort & Casino Award for the Best Series of Travel Images
  • 2004 Third place, Avis Award for Best New Zealand Image
  • 2002 Winner, Cathay Pacific Travel Photographer of the Year Award
  • 1998 Runner-up, Travcom Maui Travel Photographer of the Year with the Sheraton Auckland Hotel and Towers
  • 1997 Runner-up, American Express and Sheraton Auckland Hotel and Towers Award Photographic Award

Notable exhibitions

Selected publications

  • 2024 The Time Traveller's Guide to the Hamilton Gardens, text by Peter Sergel, photography by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books,
  • 2022 In Memory of Travel, by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books,
  • 2020 The Making of Does Ava Dream by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books,
  • 2020 Does Ava Dream aluminium pages with rotating hinge system, by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books
  • 2017 The Night Watchers: New Zealand Landscapes, text and photography by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books,
  • 2017 Lucy goes to the Lighthouse, text by Grant Sheehan, illustration by Rosalind Clark, Phantom House Books,
  • 2016 Coffee U Feel: The Havana Coffee Works Story, Text Geoff Marsland with Tom Scott, Principal Photography by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books,
  • 2016 Ivan And the Lighthouse, text by Grant Sheehan, illustration by Rosalind Clark, Phantom House Books,
  • 2015 Eye in the Sky: A Drone Above New Zealand, text and photography by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books,
  • 2013 Lights in the Landscape: New Zealand Lighthouses, text and photography by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books,
  • 2012 The Second Black Dog Cottage Cookbook, text Adie McClelland, principal Photography by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books,
  • 2011 Ghosts in the Landscape, text and photography by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books,
  • 2010 Morning Noon & Night - Floriditas Café, Restaurant & Bakery, text Julie Clark and Marc Weir, photography by Grant Sheehan, Phantom House Books,