Photos of the South Island of New Zealand – the quest being a landscape re-imagined and then re-imaged
The Cardrona, Hawea, Makarora and Matukituki rivers all feed into the Clutha Mata-Au (formerly Molyneaux). The longest river in the South Island of New Zealand. Wanaka airport is to the left, and Wanaka township, out of sight to the right.
Tangential winter lighting reveals the ancient fluvial processes associated with rivers and streams. And now overlaid by relentless Europeanisation in the name of agriculture.
A springtime morning view of Lake Wanaka.
The Buchanan Mountains from Roys Bay, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand.
A similar view in black and white.
Black Peak in the center is often mistaken for Mt Aspiring.
Lake Wanaka’s Roys Bay in the evening. With Black Peak in the distance.
Beacon Point is simply a very large and shallow area on Lake Wanaka’s shore. There is a permanent red light hundreds of meters from the point to warn boaties.
Glendhu Bay is a short drive west from Wānaka, Otago, New Zealand. It is on the road to Treble Cone ski field and Mount Aspiring National Park. The bay has a motor camp that is popular with New Zealand locals over the New Year holiday period. Patronage numbers in the many thousands.
Not every moment of Easter weekend 2021 was spent in the woods…
And lastly some odds and ends for the week
None of these blog page images are listed in our shop. Nor are they likely to be. But if you’re interested in purchasing, please note which image and email Donald so I can advise you with a price and options.
There were various reasons for lots of local NZ travel in 2019, and fortunately I had the time often to not rush trips across the likes of Central Otago, e.g. Wanaka to Dunedin and return.
The images below are very roughly in chronological order, but being lots of them I’ve uploaded with speed in mind – life in 2020 is nice and full, and sitting at a keyboard is best kept to a minimum. Enjoy!
One of the goals of Photo Quest NZ is draw attention to our unique New Zealand landscape in such a way as to do something tangible towards not only protecting it, but ensuring people grasp the need for habitat restoration for our native species.
Along the way though we leave footprints – not so much in the way of the obvious nasty chemicals used to make images pre digital, but in more subtle and insidious ways such as the need for electronics (with planned obsolescence, not to mention packaging), batteries and data storage.
With these thoughts in mind, and already being off the grid (all Photo Quest studio work is done via solar power) with equipment chosen for it’s potential longevity (can you believe a ten year old iPhone) thoughts recently have gravitated towards travel – the simple act of getting to remote locations and back again.
At least I have accomodation with meIt’s been a habit in the past to go to a new locations, take a few images and then retreat back to the office where they’re evaluated pending another trip to said location. The thought being to be there for sunsets and sunrises, or a snow storm or two.
However recently good friends invited me to have a day trip up Isthmus Peak – a viewpoint popular with young back packers, which gives great panorama views of both Lakes Wanaka and Hawea.
View from the lower section of the Isthmus Peak track
Mts Castor and Pollux from near the top of Isthmus Peak
Lake Hawea on the left, Wanaka on the right, from near the top of Isthmus Peak
Lake Hawea on the left, Wanaka on the right
Near the top
Looking across Lake Wanaka we could see the Wilken Valley peaks such as Mount Aeolus, but unfortunately the noon light did not make for a photo equal to the majesty of this viewOn seeing the panoramas offered by this walk, it can come to mind to return for the golden hour after the sun has set, or better yet in this case, be there for dawn. Which actually means burning more fuel.
So one way to improve the light photographically is to use post production software, thus getting a competent image on one visit which goes someway towards sustainable photography. The dull image immediately above was the basis for this oneNone of these blog page images are listed in our shop. Nor are they likely to be. But if you’re interested in purchasing, please note which image and email Donald so I can advise you with a price and options.
I’ve been around this now famous tree in more ways than one, e.g. swimming, and simply took it for granted for a few decades.
In snow, flood, or times of drought this tree that used to be a fence post earlier than 1939, endures with a determination to not just live, but to be a rock star of the Internet
However before it became famous a few of us had been there with cameras in sunshine and storm, simply because it was nice subject matter for landscape photographers.
But even then we had no idea how social media would change all that – now days getting an image of it with no people is the ultimate challenge.
And so the photographers came! With tripods, umbrellas, children and iPhones!
And often the sun sets on a perfect day, which finds the lake levels either up or down or somewhere in between
But what intrigues me of late is the tree seems to sense the attention it gets and becomes alive in another universe
Then again it is not always the centre of attention
None of these blog page images are listed in our shop yet, but if you happen to be interested please note which image and email Donald so he can process the various options, and advise you with a link when completed
Last night a friend of mine from Oamaru [and ex Wanaka], Eion Shanks opened an exhibition of his paintings at Rippon Vineyard last night.
As well as owning a couple of his earlier works, which I really enjoy, I saw a few of the below at the Forester Galley in Oamaru back in March and thought it’d be nice to share them here.
One of the delights of a visit to the vineyard is the stunning view of Lake Wanaka, the rows of vines, and Ruby Island…
The entry door to Rippon Vineyard’s tasting building, which is also a popular venue for numerous events…
The tasting room main area…
Some of Eion’s work…
There are also some landscape style works at the exhibition, but due to lighting and composition being compromised by people enjoying them, they’re not featured here.
Last week I attended the annual Wanaka Autumn Art School held at Mt Aspiring College, during the NZ Secondary School holiday period.
It was the 29th annual school and offered 16 classes taught by highly talented tutors from New Zealand and Australia.
I choose the Fine Art Photography course, and here are a few pictures of the five days worth of intense and enjoyable work often using PhotoShop, or similar to bring together various elements into one picture.
On Friday, the last day of the course we eagerly gathered around the printer, while our tutor Kaye Davis [centre] downloaded our images and printed them for us on the best paper I’ve ever seen or touched…
Cold press bright paper kindly given to us by Epson who make high quality photo printers, and they also donated the ink – thank you Epson!
Below are selections of our work for the week – some of us did three or four prints, while others put all their efforts into just one..
I for one, was really inspired by the creative and varied answers emanating from my class-mates, to our brief to bring together various elements to tell a story…
Here are my four efforts – each involving the honing of various skills, both in camera and in post production.
The first was almost my undoing until Kaye made one vital suggestion to change the centre element edges/blending/bleeding wise, and to go pure black and white to match the walls…
During the first four days we made joint or individual trips around town to gather information in our camera’s. One option was to take advantage of a visit to Wanaka by the gypsy fair house-bus people. Although I’m pretty sure what they offered was not used, it was a colourful event held in the Wanaka Show Grounds…
Many thanks to Kaye, and to five of my good friends who attended – I enjoyed your company immensely 🙂
If any of you would like to add your effort[s] for the week please email me a copy – no smaller than 1024 pixels wide please ~ don@southernlight.co.nz
After a noisy few days in Wanaka over Easter weekend with vintage aircraft from the Warbirds over Wanaka Airshow filling the sky, I took a peaceful walk downtown in the early night.
The iconic White House Restaurant…
Many older cars were in town – many on display at the Airshow…
The town centre with my back to Lake Wanaka…
The town centre night life from the banks of Bullock Creek…
Wanaka by night – Looking along Tenby or Upton St from the war memorial…
Entry way to the iconic White House Restaurant near the New World supermarket
Wanaka by night – the Fire Station and full moon
For the last few weekends in Wanaka it has rained. Since this is not the usual state affairs it can pose a few challenges when visitors come visiting.
I’ve long promoted Puzzling World as a fun place to go, but never thought of the National Transport and Toy Museum at the airport, and in this later case Brian led the charge – neither of us having any idea how much it has grown.
Brian found a car the same as his first back in his youth…
Vladimir, originally from Russia enjoyed seeing a Gaz from his home country…
I found an Austin, same model as my parent’s first car. It was more of indigo colour. Like this car it had very thoughtful footrests for passengers in the rear…
Then we adjourned to Puzzling World, where we were content to not be puzzled, favouring a more passive role playing with puzzles over a coffee…
I went out a couple of evenings ago to capitalise on the beautiful evening light we’ve been getting lately, and the cool airs, after another scorcher in Wanaka – I even had a swim 🙂
I was not disappointed with the burnt off grass tones, and the reflective nature of the water surface mimicking the clouds was a bonus …
As tourists when we tick the boxes on the must-visit places it can be a bit of a rush. Then it’s easy to overlook other rushes accommodated by the past.
Close to Wanaka and on the very busy road beside Lake Hawea that goes to Haast and South Westland it’s easy to rush by a little creek on the left called Craigburn, and it’s accompanying Dept of Conservation interpretation board, which alerts us to some history of gold mining endeavours upstream back around 1880, mainly in a tributary called Long Gully.
Now days called the Matatiaho Conservation Area it once sported 200 miners, three stores and a butchery, but this development was not long lived as the hope of finding the source of the gold in the very rugged and deeply incised headwaters upstream came to nought. Sadly little evidence of this has survived.
Flowering kanuka and lupins as seen from the DOC track, with a backdrop of Lake Hawea…
About an hour in, the track comes to an end as it drops into seclusion down by the river at some signage, and a small gate in a deer fence…
Hunters [permit required] usually frequent the rugged country further to the west [through above mentioned small gate], and to the much steeper southern areas including Mt Burke…
Lupins by the carpark…
How do you assimilate such immense, ancient, stately, mysterious and powerful redwood trees into language?
It seems to be as much of a challenge as capturing their essence in a photo!
Their existence is their very presence or vice versa – no “soft” wood here, but the voice of patience and endurance.
They come from a humble seed no bigger than one from an apple to achieve prodigious ages and dimensions of up to 120 meters tall, with a width of several at the base. And they continue to flourish in a history of up to 160 million years in the making, and going back 20 million years in their present range.
They probably had dinosaurs scratching their trunks!
California’s North Coast is the most well known location in the world that provides an environment they like – one underscored by cool, moist air created by the Pacific Ocean keeping the trees continually damp, even during summer droughts. And yet here they are in New Zealand, and in Wanaka we don’t have a lot of damp moist air!
Theories continue to develop as to why they grow so old and tall, but proof remains elusive. The trees can reach ages of 2000 years and regularly reach 600 years.
Powered by the leaves’ diffusion of water, water-to-water molecular bonds in the trees’ sapwood drags the moisture upwards – and to move thousands of litres maybe even in a day to such a height is quite a feat. During the summer, this transpiration apparently causes redwood stems to shrink and swell with the cycles of day and night.
Here a recent picture of one of the entry way to a magical place hosting some redwoods, Wanaka Station Park…
Wanaka Station was a large sheep station In the late 19th century covering land from the head of Lake Wanaka to the nearby Cardrona Valley.
The foundations remain of original homestead which it seems burned down twice, and these and the land has been preserved as a park, which includes beautiful mature fruit trees and giant redwoods. More latterly many other species such as rhododendron have become established…
Wanaka just on dark, as the weather cleared a few days ago. Lucky to get it sharp as it was made on the fly sans tripod.
I’ve had this site for a while – it languished perhaps because of timing. After all timing is everything in all things!
Having got my eco site Southern Light to where I wanted it yesterday, I turned my attention to this one.
It needed a look consistent with the aims, so setting it up came well before populating it with good visual content.
Which was just as well as I had no idea FaceBook would be tracking it every time I posted an article or image. The intention was to upload content then release it in the wild in a few weeks.
Consequently the project is launched!
Serendipitously at the same time [today] I’ve just been interviewed by a skilled journalist with the Central Otago News[paper], so along with my back ground pertaining to conservation and the environment I slipped in a mention of Wanaka Images…
… and so its open for business!
It’s a WordPress Multi-site which means any interested person can have their own web site within it, e.g. wanakaimages.com/mysite
Start your own journal blog site, or web site to promote the area, your photography, or business for the introductory offer of $NZ 5.00/month +GST payable in advance. Set up is free.
Also author/photographers, who don’t want a site and the work of maintaining same, are welcome to publish relevant articles/photos for free within wanakaimages.com/my_article_whatever_its_name. These will be moderated to ensure content is appropriate.
Mail me Donald don@southernlight.co.nz to get started
The “tree” today…
A couple of evenings ago a soft cold rain seemed set in, but then a few light patches appeared to support a rainbow in the north, so I rushed off to face that direction.
Meanwhile the clearance continued and looking west; well I followed my eyes.
On arrival near the famous Wanaka lake tree another excited photographer, who was rushing about, shouted out as he pointed, “is that the lonely tree?’
I gave him a thumbs up and off we scurried.
After getting this image on the fly, I lent him my tripod which seemed to surprise him – maybe they don’t do that sort of thing in Hong Kong!
Hi There
This blog is under reconstruction as of late Oct 2017
Here are two recent pictures of the entry ways to a magical place, Wanaka Station Park.
Wanaka Station was a large sheep station In the late 19th century covering land from the head of Lake Wanaka to the nearby Cardrona Valley.
The foundations remain of original homestead which it seems burned down twice, and these and the land has been preserved as a park, which includes beautiful mature fruit trees and giant redwoods. More latterly many other species such as rhododendron have become established.
