Green turning to the typical gold of autumn. Note the softness. In camera, which gives a sharper look in this case, of segments of background – bit like pieces of a jigsawSoft, out of camera, and then applied again in software
High key filter, post processing
Not every moment of Easter weekend 2021 was spent in the woods…
An unseasonal nor-wester on Lake Wanaka. But every dog has it’s dayA moody prelude to the official autumn season on Lake Wanaka
Hand stand in the wind – gusts of 120 km/hr!
Two images combinedLichen with claret!
Perhaps more dead than an “alive autumn lookBe prepared to get wet in the quest for soft light
Source image for the mandala style one below
Non distracting background known as bokeh. More easily achieved if the background is someway behind the subject. Plus lens wide openRoses in certain light are not always as they seem
And lastly some odds and ends for the week
University of Otago Campus. Post processing involved some playing with infra redOnce was a peonei
Nothing to do with autumn, but seen in Cromwell town
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!
Silver Peaks range behind Dunedin on a day tramp in the damp, which helps engender a sense of mysteryOn various days I’d help an old friend Wayne survey road upgrades in Southland, and so I got to see lots more of rural NZ than I knew existed, as usually the surfaces that needed to be marked out for upgrades were on anything but main roads.
These were long days with lots of water needed to keep hydrated.An evening on Cook Strait heading to Wellington on a roadie with an old and dear friend. This is looking back at the South Island
Wellington harbour
A relocated railway station in Central Otago now serving as a musterer’s farming hut. Bordering the Oteake Conservation AreaLan Yuan, Dunedin Chinese Garden, in Dunedin. The garden commemorates the contribution of Chinese people to the history and culture of the city.
I met my cousin and husband down there so it was a delightful family outing looking at some strong history, with them both and my sonA side trip and camp out in my Land Cruiser camper, to altitude on the Rock and Pillar Range – the last of the block mountains between the Cardrona Valley, Wanaka and Dunedin. A very windy area.Luxury with a cold beer out of the vehicle fridge, on the Rock and Pillar Range watching the sunset.
It got very windy in the wee hours though, and despite turning the truck around so it faced into the wind, to get a good sleep I drove a few km and parked up in a gully out of it, and woke to heavy rain.And when needing a bathroomAnother evening camp out – this time at old gold diggings on the Hawkdun Range, Oteake Conservation Area.
I’d climbed up to here in very cold winds to get some photos, and then descended in the dark back to my welcome little mountain hut on wheels, aka Cafe Toyota.
Mt Aspiring in the backgroundLower Rock and Pillar Range – Butterfly country once experienced and now imaginedMy new awning on the camper – should have made one years ago for the simple reason that in rain the end of the bed would get wet.
Note no poles and my 100 year old industrial sewing machine got an airingSunset from the Hawkduns.
Just myself, my three legged tripod and some nearby cattle to enjoy a perfect evening while on my way to DunedinThe now empty Cadburys chocolate factory in Dunedin.
Site of a new hospital coming up.During the year I finished off a new tire related web site in Wanaka, and so was delighted one day to spot this beauty outside the new buildingBest image from a sunset photoshoot at Glendhu Bay, WanakaUniversity of Otago where my son has studied for several years. A truly beautiful campusI had to visit Christchurch a few times during the year and since I’d never seen the city post earthquake I predictably ended up visiting the Cathedral ruins in the SquareChristchurch public toilets near the Square at nightChristchurch Public Art GalleryHistoric gold reserve at Macraes OtagoLuna Light Festival fairies – midwinter, Queenstown
The smog of winter in the Manuherikia River Valley, Central Otago
Mt Tutoko, Fiordland National Park – photo from the jet service into Queenstown from CHCWintery tarn and Hawkdun Mountains, Oteake Conservation Park, on the edge of the ManiototoThe front runners at the annual World Loppet Merino Muster race, the Snow Farm, Cardrona Valley, Wanaka.
These world class athletes on cross country skis are well into their 42 km race, and typically average speeds of up to 22kph over that distanceDuring the year I was appointed onto the Otago Conservation Board where we represent the public and advise the Dept of Conservation on select matters and strategic decision making.
As such I get to do field trips, and here is a native kaka at Orokonui Sanctuary near Dunedin.My son and girlfriend near the mouth of the Catlins River, Coastal Otago.
I had a large print done for him of this image as a Christmas present, and it was well received.
Yet another visit to a certain tree in the Nevis Valley – it’s my photo nemesis I think: satisfaction eludes me capturing the cold emotion of this old historic gold dredging pond, but I’m getting closer.
This visit represented the coldest I’d been in 2019.
Nevis Valley gold miners cottageLake Hawea from a day trip up Isthmus PeakOtago Conservation Board field trip Matukituki Valley – me on the rightProposed conservation land on Glenaray Station Otago/Southland. An inspection visit by helicopter pre submission.
One huge area – one hour flying only covered a fifth of the farm.Lake Wanaka flood Dec 2019.
Last event 1999, and thankfully this one stopped short of the shops, just!My favourite capture for the year – there I was all set up at Glendhu Bay for a more sedate shot and a jet ski came by causing some ripples I did not think I’d benefit from, however they made for something much better.Wishing you all the very best for you and yours for 2020 – may you always have time to smell the roses
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.
NZ tomtit
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 me
It’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 trackMts Castor and Pollux from near the top of Isthmus PeakLake Hawea on the left, Wanaka on the right, from near the top of Isthmus PeakLake Hawea on the left, Wanaka on the rightNear the topLooking 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 view
On 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 one
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.
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
