Eventually I arrived at Tomahawk Lagoon where a number of families were happily enjoying their day. They were playing fun games like, try and stop the kids from getting in the pond and let the McDonalds wrappers blow everywhere and hope someone else picks them up. I left the lagoon and headed for the suburban streets. It wasn’t long before my attention was drawn to an old community hall. I walked through the carpark and discovered out the back an area of serene tranquility. The day had cleared to be warm, sunny and still. Here I found myself, not more than 1500m from home, facing a lagoon with mirror-like reflections, my only company being some swans and a few ducks. The place seemed altogether very untroubled, and that made me smile.
The whole reason for the crop on this image of Kapiti Island is to get that wee patch of orange/red cloud and it’s reflection in. Initially I cropped it with a 12:5 ratio (or close to it) but the more I looked at it, the more I realised that I really liked what that wee patch of cloud added to the final image.
One of the fantastic aspects of summer in New Zealand is that no matter where you are, you are never to far away from a lake or the beach. Summer means all the surfers can leave the hoodies, boots and gloves at home and enjoy some warmer conditions. The average sea temperature for December and January in Dunedin is around 16degC however Niwa are predicting a marine heatwave for the coming months with sea temperatures possibly reaching into the 20’s degC.
When I was visiting family who live in Lindenow, Australia I went walking and found this awesome windmill and water tank. It even had that old creaking sound as it gentle turned every so often. I took heaps of photos at a range of angles looking for a way to give the feeling of an absent human presences.
This is a section of the Glenorchy Board Walk which leads all around a lagoon. There are also loads of viewing platforms that pass over part of the Glenorchy lagoon, providing views up to the Paradise Valley.
Taking photos in the water is really fun but really challenging at the same time. I have so much respect for those photographers who capture the amazing surfing shots you see on social media. Not only do they have great camera knowledge but they are also fit enough to last for hours in the water. Add to that they need to be able to read the surf conditions and it becomes even more difficult.
Paraparaumu Beach on the Kapiti Coast is an awesome place to get some wicked sunsets. The fact that Kapiti Island is directly off shore means that there is a different element to play with in the composition if nothing is very interesting on the beach. However, don’t you love these tyre tracks!
If photography isn’t your thing, it’s also a great walking beach and goes on for miles meaning you can have an evening stroll while watching the sunset and the sand between your toes.
I came across this lady who does the most colourful designs with vinyl records. I watched and chatted to her for about 10 minutes as she created new designs. The cool thing was she was doing them right there on the spot so you could see it evolve right before your eyes. How neat is that!
I found this scene while heading through the Hakataramea Valley. It was spectacular to have the morning clouds loom over the Kirkliston range as the light hit. If you’re not sure, the Haka Valley is tucked away in the Waimate District and it sits at the foot Kirkliston range in the South Island of New Zealand.
Osteria Epoca can be found on Orontes Road, Yeronga in Brisbane. They are an amazing Cafe, Bar & Restaurant that does serious good Italian food. When I was there they let me set my camera up to take a few shots, the one I like best is this one of the front window. It’s definitely worth visit if your in Brisbane or the area . Oh, and the Porchetta, Crab linguni or Gamberi come highly recommended.
Bungy jumping is so much fun, I’ve done it twice. Once in Skippers Canyon and once off the Kawarau Bridge. When I jumped off the Kawarau bridge I went backwards which involved leaning back and being suspended there until they they let you go. It was actually rather comfortable until they said “bye” and let me go. I knew it was coming yet it was still a surprise! This photo was taken from the Skyline Bungy or Ledge Bungy located in Queenstown at the top of the Gondola at Bob’s Peak. Queenstown, the perfect place to fling yourself off perfectly good platforms. It sounds slightly crazy, but then AJ Hackett does crazy very well.
This is the most intriguing shop window, I can’t help but look at it every time I go past. I think it’s at it’s best during winter when it’s dark in the morning and evening and it’s all lit up. There’s something magical and curious about it or maybe it’s the fact that it looks really interesting.
The walk up (and up and up) Tobins Track in Arrowtown is an extremely worthwhile walk that rewards you with outstanding views of the Wakatipu Basin. I did it with friends one hot, January evening in summer but half way up we got a little side tracked with a path leading to the crumbling remains of this hidden hut deep in the bush.
It seems typically kiwi that a fence with bra’s on it can become iconic. This fence, which is found in Cardona near Wanaka was actually renamed ‘Bradrona’ some years ago and is now a spot where people can make donations towards the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation. The original story goes that It began around 1999, when four bras mysteriously appeared overnight on a fence along the Cardrona Valley Road.
This is the Hokitika Gorge in calm and fine conditions. A week before I took this photo there were reports that the water flow was nearly up to that bridge you can see in the distance. When it’s settled it’s a place of beauty.
This a one of many wonderful East Otago sunrises I’ve caught over the years however I don’t always get to this location in the morning. It’s called Shag Point and it’s home to a large Fur Seal colony and also penguins if you’re lucky enough to spot them. Once you finish at Shag Point you can then call into the Moeraki Boulders which is just up the road.
This is the Purakanui river which flows through a native bush consisting of Podocarp and Silver Beech trees before reaching the Purakanui Falls in the Catlins.
It really is a stunning part of the world around Lake Wakatipu and if you can survive the early morning sting of an alarm clock then you’ll be treated to some spectacular sights at sunrise. I took this from the Glenorchy Pier looking back towards Queenstown. Don’t you just love that light!
There are so many places, spots and locations to visit to enjoy the landscapes around Wanaka. Of course there are the usual spots of Roys Peak and ‘That Wanaka Tree’ however there are so many other spots and scenes around the area it’s sometimes hard to know where to start when choosing a location to shoot from. The thing I like about this photo is that there was a good twelve to fifteen people around me and every single person was focused on photographing ‘That Wanaka Tree’ while no-one noticed how wonderful the lake or the surrounding hills had been light in colours and silhouettes.
While I was staying in Lake Tekapo I took a helicopter ride up over the Southern Alps to view all the surrounding mountains, valley’s and glaciers that can be viewed and explored. This is one we flew over called the Jollie Valley.
Old, weathered buildings are great subject matter for photos. They contain so many creative possibilities, both inside the building and out. This particular building I found at sunset one day, just outside a town called Waikouaiti here in the South Island of New Zealand.
I had this whole beach to myself and it was quite an airy feeling to be strolling along the beach in the darkness. I hadn’t seen another person or vehicle since I left the camp site and once reaching the beach, there certainly wasn’t a shortage of location options to see the sun coming up.
At one stage this tunnel was a vital link in the Tokomairiro-Lawrence Railway line. The tunnel it’s self is 442 metres in length and runs through Mount Stuart. There a lovely bush walk on the way to the tunnel and and once there, glow worms can be seen if you’re lucky enough.
There’s a stunning view from the top of Puketapu Hill which gives you a 360 degree view over the Palmerston township, rolling farmland down the Shag Valley and out to sea. It’s also a spectacular place to be if a view storm clouds start to roll in.
This is early morning on Tautuku Beach in Tautuku Bay. At one end of the beach is the Tautuku Peninsula where a whaling station was located from 1839 to 1846, a port was developed for the fishing, flax and timber industries and these also a long local history of numerous shipwrecks.
This is the Sugerloaf Stream that flows through the Routeburn Track in Mount Aspiring National Park. The park was established in 1964 and covers 3,562 square kilometres. Not only is the Routeburn Track part of the National Park but there’s also tramping and hiking options that include the Rees-Dart circuit, Gillespie Pass circuit and The Mātukituki Valley.
The peak of Home Hill and the Greenstone Valley are lit up by a break in the clouds as a weather front of wind and rain passes over the head of Lake Wakatipu in the Queenstown Lakes District, Otago.
Here’s another sculpture, this one’s by artist Russell Beck and was made in 2002. It marks the entrance to Rakiura National Park on Stewart Island. This chain link sculpture symbolises the mythological link between the waka (canoe) of Maui and the anchor stone. According to the legend, Maui fished up Te Wai Pounamu (the South Island) and anchored it with Rakiura (Stewart Island). I also believe they’ve made a matching chain link sculpture on the mainland at Bluff.
The pond in the Queenstown Gardens is marvellous when it’s covered in leaves. When I went there it had all sorts of colours surrounding it and reflecting off the water. It’s a great place to have a stroll at lunchtime being only a few minutes walk from central Queenstown. It even has an 18 hole disc golf course.
… from a Small City. My daily musings from Ōtepoti to get you inspired. Read the blog, view the photos, embrace the creativity.
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Surfing Walk at Blackhead 
