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A close-up of "Lake Matheson 2026" by John Freeman: an ultra-high-resolution VAST photo.
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1,599 megapixels! A very high resolution, gigapixel panorama photo of a beautiful lake with trees on the banks in the foreground and a snowy mountain range in the background; landscape photograph created by John Freeman at Lake Matheson on South Island, New Zealand.
1,599 megapixels! A very high resolution, gigapixel panorama photo of a beautiful lake with trees on the banks in the foreground and a snowy mountain range in the background; landscape photograph created by John Freeman at Lake Matheson on South Island, New Zealand.
1,599 megapixels! A very high resolution, gigapixel panorama photo of a beautiful lake with trees on the banks in the foreground and a snowy mountain range in the background; landscape photograph created by John Freeman at Lake Matheson on South Island, New Zealand.
1,599 megapixels! A very high resolution, gigapixel panorama photo of a beautiful lake with trees on the banks in the foreground and a snowy mountain range in the background; landscape photograph created by John Freeman at Lake Matheson on South Island, New Zealand.
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John Freeman

Lake Matheson 2026

1,599 MEGAPIXELS

1,599 megapixels! A very high resolution, gigapixel panorama photo of a beautiful lake with trees on the banks in the foreground and a snowy mountain range in the background; landscape photograph created by John Freeman at Lake Matheson on South Island, New Zealand.

This photo is 7,510% higher resolution than a typical photo.

Scroll to learn more.

Lake Matheson 2026

1,599 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO

This photo is
7,510% higher resolution
than a typical photo.

Scroll to learn more.

Nestled within the lush temperate rainforest near Fox Glacier on New Zealand's South Island, Lake Matheson is renowned for its magnificent reflections of the Southern Alps. On calm mornings, the lake's dark, still waters can create nearly perfect mirror images of the surrounding mountains, including Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. The combination of ancient rainforest, peaceful water, and towering snow-covered peaks makes this one of New Zealand's most celebrated landscape photography locations.

We first photographed Lake Matheson during our 2019 trip to New Zealand, and it was one of the locations I especially wanted to revisit when we returned in April 2026. My earlier photograph remains one of my highest-earning images, but I had always been dissatisfied with one technical aspect of that composition. The trees on the left side were slightly out of focus. On this return visit, I was determined to capture the entire landscape with exceptional sharpness, from the foreground reeds and forest vegetation to the distant mountain peaks.

Our first attempt was interrupted by clouds and rain that obscured the mountains. Fortunately, when we returned the following morning, conditions were much more favorable. We arrived at the lake before sunrise and waited for the light to illuminate the surrounding landscape. The still water reflected the trees and mountains, while the contrasting greens of the rainforest, golden sunlight on the distant vegetation, and snow-covered alpine summits created a wonderfully balanced composition.

Producing this photograph required an extensive combination of panoramic photography and focus stacking. Using a Canon EOS R5 Mark II with a Canon RF 100-400mm zoom lens set to 300mm, I captured 1,790 individual focus-bracketed exposures at f/11, 1/125 second, and ISO 100. These were processed into 124 focus-stacked images and assembled into a panorama of four rows and 31 columns. The original photograph contains approximately 2.84 billion pixels. The version presented here measures 86,525 x 18,476 pixels, providing approximately 1.60 billion pixels of remarkable natural detail.

This extraordinary resolution allows viewers to explore the intricate details of the forest, individual reeds along the shoreline, subtle reflections in the water, and the rugged textures of the distant mountains. The photograph can be reproduced at architectural dimensions while retaining remarkable natural detail without artificial enlargement. For me, Lake Matheson represents both the extraordinary beauty of New Zealand's West Coast and the satisfaction of returning to a familiar location with the experience and photographic techniques needed to capture it more completely.

Date & TimeApril 25, 2026:  10:14am - 10:29am
LocationLake Matheson, South Island, New Zealand
Coordinates-43.437855, 169.963020
Focal Length300mm
Aperturef/11
Shutter1/125 second
ISO100
Num of Exposures1789

This is not an ordinary photograph.

Its resolution is 7,510% greater than a typical photo. Click on the boxes below to zoom in.

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Canvas print

Our ready-to-hang canvas prints are created using a specialty printer that carefully lays pigment inks down onto archival-quality fine art canvas material. The canvas is then stretched around a 1.5-inch-deep wood support structure to provide depth and elegance. Our canvas material has a delightfully matte finish that looks spectacular in any lighting conditions while retaining maximum vibrancy and contrast. Click here to learn more.

Produced using a specialty, large-format fine art printer operating at 300ppi resolution—the gold standard for sharpness

Printed onto heavyweight, 100% acid-free fine art canvas to preserve color-accuracy and longevity

Created using materials and methods that exceed the rigorous technical standards required to achieve the prized "giclée" industry rating

Designed to meet the most demanding standards for color-permanence set by leading museums

Handmade by award-winning master printmakers with over 4 decades of experience

Optionally accompanied by your choice of elegant floater frame available in a variety of trims

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VAST Print™

A VAST Print™ represents the pinnacle of the photographic medium. Each print is a true photograph created specifically for you using light-sensitive paper exposed in a darkroom with the industry's highest precision exposure technique. Your print is then sealed with a shine-enhancing protective glossy coating*, adhered to a sturdy aluminum composite backing, and finished in one of two ready-to-hang formats:

  • Frameless floating display: A hidden mounting brace on the rear gracefully "floats" the print off the wall for a sleek, modern look.
  • Framed display: The print is mounted inside one of our handcrafted 100% wood frames with a decorative separation between the print and the frame so that the print appears to be floating within the frame, providing depth and elegance to the finished photo.

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*Note: a non-glossy, satin matte coating is alternatively available on request.

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Certificate of authenticity  
with artist signature
affixed to the back

Mounting brace floats the display
off the wall by 3/4 inch
Metal back
1,599 megapixels! A very high resolution, gigapixel panorama photo of a beautiful lake with trees on the banks in the foreground and a snowy mountain range in the background; landscape photograph created by John Freeman at Lake Matheson on South Island, New Zealand.
Paper print
Shine-enhancing
protective coating

Laser-exposed at a truly unprecedented 610ppi resolution

Created using fine art paper with a specialty emulsion enabling unsurpassed micro-contrast, ultra-bright whites, and deep blacks

Printed with a chromogenic process that produces "continuous tones" of silky smooth color (other printers use noticeable dots of ink)

Sealed between an extra-thick, shine-enhancing protective coating and a sturdy aluminum composite backing for a sleek look

Award-winning product quality recognized industry-wide

Designed to meet the most demanding standards for color-permanence set by leading museums

Handmade by certified master printmakers with over 4 decades of experience

Hand-signed by the artist and accompanied by our digitally-enhanced, holographic certificate of authenticity

Optionally accompanied by your choice of elegant floater frame available in a variety of trims

Photo id: 12467