Dunedin Coastline At Dusk – Buy
Dunedin has some magical spots on the coast to catch the sunset. There’s an endless supply of locations to catch the suns last rays of the day. This spot is not far from my house where on a night like this you can see the sunset along the coast with the city lights in the distance.
Ravensbourne Overbridge – Buy
The Ravensbourne overbridge is a wonderful piece of subject matter. I’ve seen it in many works of art. There’s a form and structure to it that makes it work artistically.
Long grass in summer– Buy
Here in Aotearoa as we close in on the end of the winter months, the sunlight hours are getting slightly longer, and there’s a definite shift towards spring appearing around the city. Of course, with spring approaching, that means summer is only just around the corner!
The Pai Lou archway – Buy
The intricate and elaborate Pai Lou archway that stands out front of the Lan Yuan Gardens in Dunedin is quite a beautiful thing. The other week, after having a very tranquil walk around the gardens, upon leaving I took a moment to view and appreciate the Pai Lou archway. From a distance, it looks quite impressive, however up close it’s absolutely magnificent. I left having a whole new appreciation for it.
Bethunes Gully with texture – Buy
When Edinburgh butcher David Bethune came to Dunedin he went in search of land and eventually bought the area now known as Bethunes Gully in 1878. On the large property he set up a sawmill, brick kiln and slaughter yard where he lived and worked for a number of years, until he moved his family further into the city and was declared bankrupt in 1889. The gully then became overgrown and disused until one John Begg Thompson purchased it in 1916. Thompson then leased the property to the City Council until his death in 1955 when it became city property.
Esplanade at dusk – Buy
For reasons I don’t know and I can’t explain, it had been some time since I’d been to the Esplanade at St Clair. I used to stop off quite regularly however, recently I realised it had been a good month or two since my last visit. So, I decided to stop off on my way home last night. It was dusk, and the early Friday evening foot traffic was starting to populate the local bars and restaurants as dusk took hold.
Alleyway On Musselburgh – Buy
This is the last image in a series I completed based on a section of the Dunedin street, Musselburgh Rise. Recently, I’ve been thinking more about images in series. I like the idea of creating artwork in series as it allows me to explore a particular theme or subject matter in greater detail. In this case I wanted to focus on an ordinary, suburban street and photograph it at night for a different feel.
Morning light on Dowling Street – Buy
My wander around Dunedin city brought me to Dowling Street. The bright sunlight was already making its presence felt, creating silhouettes of the buildings as the morning took hold.
Sunset over The Pacific Ocean – Buy
It occurred to me the day that it had never occurred to me how the Pacific Ocean was named. In 1520, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan set out on a little expedition to find the “Spice Islands” in eastern Indonesia. After making his way through some rather rough waters in Chile, he came upon the calm and peaceful waters of the Pacific Ocean. Mare Pacificum, meaning “peaceful sea.”
Toitū, Otago Motors – Buy
The weather could best be described as awful. It could also be referred to as dire, atrocious or ghastly. The day had started out with rain, then the wind hit, the rain got harder, then it turned to hail and the temperature hadn’t reached more then five or six degrees. So, it seemed logical to go indoors and visit a local museum.
Night at the Steamer Basin – Buy
I found my way back to the Steamer Basin which is part of the wharfs on Otago Harbour. A short walk over the railway tracks, it’s relatively close to the nearby Queens Gardens, The Exchange and a range of eating establishments. Unfortunately, to get there from the city, you have to walk over an overbridge which you have to share with traffic that also wants to cross the railway lines. Why on earth previous city councils haven’t thought to build a pedestrian only walkway from the Queens Gardens to the Steamer Basin I really can’t say!
Switzerland vs New Zealand at Dunedin Stadium – Buy
What a wonderful night it was last night at Dunedin Stadium for the Football Ferns Fifa World Cup pool match against Switzerland. Heading to the ground on what had been a lovely Dunedin day, it dawned on me that I didn’t really know much of the Ferns history. I couldn’t tell you how they qualified for the World Cup or who any of the players were. Yet, somehow it didn’t seem to matter. I wasn’t going along with expectations of performance from certain players. I was simply heading along for pure enjoyment.
So, for 90 minutes (plus injury time) we cheered, we yelled, we screamed, we roared, we clapped our hands and we stomped our feet. Willing the Ferns to find the back of the net. Yes, there was a lack of goals (0-0), but what the match lacked in goals it made up for with share enjoyment. Long may it continue.
Sunset at Vauxhall – Buy
I made my way to the Vauxhall Yacht Club which is located on the shoreline of the Otago Peninsula. The previous two evenings I’d visited the same location, only to find the sun had already disappeared from sight. Being a tad late on the preceding days hadn’t been the end of the world, I was there to get a specific shot that had been monopolising my thoughts. Upon arriving at the Yacht Club, I was delighted to find the sun seemingly suspended just above the Dunedin skyline. It created a brilliant glow of light stretching out across the harbour. I stood and watched the sun slowly disappear from sight. Then, once it had gone, I returned to my car and headed for home.
Dawn at the beach – Buy
It was a quarter to 7 in the morning and my head was throbbing. The previous evening I’d decided it would be a good idea to get up early and capture the sunrise at the beach. The idea had been sound in theory, however now in the early morning dawn I was starting to have my doubts. My temples had a pulsating sensation which told me I either had an intense hangover or a head cold was coming on. Since I hadn’t been drinking the night before, I deduced it must be a cold.
After ten to fifteen minutes of taking photos of the sunrise as the dawn broke, I made the decision to go in search of another coffee, hoping it would help.
Dunedin Railway Station – Buy
The other day, I found myself carefully and conscientiously navigating the Dunedin one way system. It was raining, and having left the Otago University area and heading south in my car, it was as I passed the Dunedin Railway Station that I began to ponder. You see, the Dunedin Railway Station is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar upgrade and has been surrounded by scaffolding and covered in white plastic wrap to allow workmen to complete the restoration without being impeded by the weather. So, as I drove past the railway station, I took a moment to look at the covered building and tried to figure out what it used to look like without all the white wrapping paper. Not being able to remember, I went in search of a photo to remind myself.
Nightmoves in the Exchange– Buy
City streets seem so empty when it’s dark and there’s no-one around. I guess that’s what makes them interesting. Street lights like these are great just after it’s rained because the all the surfaces have a shine to them and the light reflect really well. When the streets are empty at night you get all sorts of options for where to shoot from without having to worry to much about being in the way. Then, if you can get something large like a bus streaking through the image the effect is awesome.
St Clair Sunrise – Buy
I arrived at St Clair Beach just in time to see the morning light change into a brilliant orange glow that filled the sky. I parked my car and headed along the Esplanade, past the Pier 24 Hotel, The Longdog Cafe and The Saltwater Pool heading for a high bank of ground that looked out to sea and the point of Lawyers Head in the distance. It seemed strange to have the place to myself. Usually, at this time in the morning there were people running and walking before work, but today the only other person I had seen was a dog taking his owner for a walk. I watched them for a few minutes with interest. The dog owner, a man with an extreme lack of enthusiasm, was only matched by the dog’s extreme overexcitement. It was a battle of wills which the dog was winning and impossible to imagine any scenario that would result in the dog calmly returning to the man’s car anytime soon.
The light continued to change and the day was creeping in. It was that time in the morning when the earth seemed to wake and the streets became busy. It was also time for me to leave.
The tranquillity of Lan Yuan – Buy
With a bit of unexpected time on my hands, I went for a walk in the Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese Gardens. The garden was quiet and tranquil with the only other people there being two gentlemen who were deep in concentration over a chessboard.
Rain clouds over Second Beach – Buy
It had been raining since early the previous morning. I had hoped it would clear but with every passing minute, it was becoming obvious that the weather had settled in for a long stay. The rain seemed to be passing over in patches that varied between light drizzle and heavy rain. Summing up the situation, I decided that I was going to get wet no matter what I did and with that, I went for a walk on the beach.
Queens Gardens – Buy
I left the Chinese Gardens and headed across the road into Queens Gardens, a triangular garden filled with lawn and surrounded by trees and statues. Sitting close to the city’s Warehouse Precinct, Queens Gardens is a popular place due to its close proximity to the Railway Station, the NZR Bus Depot, The Early Settlers Museum and the wharf. Originally known as The Triangle, at the time of the 1860’s Otago Gold Rush, the many notable buildings that overlook Queens Gardens give an indication of just how wealthy the Otago province was while the rush was in full swing.
Lan Yuan Lily Pond – Buy
One lunchtime I went for a walk through the Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese Gardens. The gardens were quiet with the only other visitors being two men playing chess by the tearooms. It really is a tranquil, peaceful and serene place near the Dunedin Railway Station, Queens Gardens and Toitu Otago Early Settlers Museum. The garden is an authentic Chinese Garden that was created with the support of the Shanghai Municipal Government. It is New Zealand’s only authentic Chinese Garden and when it was opened, one of only three outside China.
Dunedin sunset with textures – Buy
There have been some wonderful sunrises in Dunedin lately and even better sunsets. At the moment, here in Dunedin, as we move through autumn and slowly approach winter, the sun has been setting at 5:30pm. Meaning, the long summer evenings are definitely gone and the chilly winter nights aren’t far away. However, recently the evenings here have been still and warm, resulting in some lovely sunsets.
The Beautiful Colours Of Blackhead Beach – Buy
Given the nature of what a stunning autumn day it was, and with the winter months looming on the horizon, I wasn’t sure how many more I would see. So, I ended up on the south coast of Dunedin at Blackhead Beach. The day was still, full of colour and the beach was filled with people making the most of the warm, summer-like afternoon.
Twilight On John Wilson Drive – Buy
It’d been one of those summer days that started off fine and only gets warmer as the day unfolds. Then, once the sun goes down the heat from the day stretches into the evening, lasting long after the sun has set. The wonderful thing about summer evenings like this is that you can walk late into the twilight as the light hangs round.
The Cliffs – Buy
I drove to Cargills Castle on the cliffs above St Clair. Well, to be precise, I drove to the area that Cargills Castle is located in and walked around the neighbourhood looking for a good view of the historic building. That’s because the house is now completely surrounded by suburban homes. To get to the building you need to trespass across multiple driveways and properties, something the neighbourhood is clearly sick of as the whole suburb is filled with signs like ‘Private Driveway’, ‘No Trespassing – Private Property’ and ‘Private Property – Keep out!’ The Castle is actually nothing like a castle, is more of a stately home that has fallen into ruin through years of neglect. In the mid 1990’s the building was so derelict that the ballroom was demolished and the rest would have followed suit if the Cargill’s Castle Trust had not been formed and bought the building for $180,000.
Stormwater outlet at Second Beach – Buy
Second Beach was covered with the usual accompaniment of small boulders, countless amounts of seaweed and washed up driftwood. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t enjoy a visit there. Made up completely of rock, the beach is nearly impossible to walk on since your feet sink with each step as years of consistent wave movement have created great drifts of raggedly oval stones worn to a polished smoothness. At the same time, the sea crashes into the shore creating a seemingly endless musical score of stones clattering on the shoreline while the air is filled with the smell of seaweed and spray from saltwater. It has tidal rock pools, unstable cliffs, disused quarry structures that are nearly eighty years old and occasionally you’ll see Sea Lions or Fur Seals basking on the shoreline. It’s one of the most glorious places in Dunedin.
Fenceline at Karetai – Buy
One of my favourite places on the Otago Peninsula (and there are many of them), is the Karetai Track. Once a short 2 kilometre dirt road that links Smails Beach to Karetai Road, it’s now a walking track that provides outstanding views along the Otago coastline. It has old stone walls, wildlife, farm machinery, sheer cliffs and great photo opportunities that all combine for a wonderful outing. One that I enjoyed immensely.
St Paul’s Cathedral – Buy
Standing on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral, looking out over the Octagon several thoughts occurred to me in a very random, scattered sort of way.
I stood facing the main entrance, my thoughts marveling at how Cathedral’s such as the one in front of me were built. If the task was left to me (despite that being a mass mistake) I wouldn’t know where to begin, let alone successfully designing and constructing a grand vaulted ceiling made of stone.
Turning to see the city, standing on the steps of the Cathedral looking out towards the harbour, it occurred to me what a glorious outlook it once would have been. Not that it’s a bad view now, but with a few less buildings and tall trees the view would have been superb.
My thoughts then focused on the stone steps that lead up to the main entrance and how many famous people and events had walked the same path. It’s no wonder Cathedrals were often considered the heart of a city I thought to myself.
Dunedin Public Library – Buy
At first glance the low cloud that was covering the city in the morning looked like it could clear. However, several hours later it was apparent that the gray rain clouds weren’t going to move anywhere soon, so with that, I decided a trip to the library was in order. Also, just like the large pile of books by the front door, somewhat overdue!
When I got to the library car park it was hard not to notice a 2017 Suzki Swift that seemed to be having a little trouble with steering, reversing, braking, finding the accelerator, doing three point turns and generally not blocking traffic! Parking with caution, I took some time to admire one of the many scaffolding features that seem to be a permanent feature of the inner city before heading for the depth of the library.
Sunrise At Blueskin Bay – Buy
Recently, on one of the pages in my notebook I found a scrawled and scrambled note that read “don’t forget the stones – 01.06.18”. Just what that meant, I didn’t have the faintest idea! The fact it was written in one of my notebooks led me to believe that it must have something to do with a photo location but what, I couldn’t imagine.
Upon further investigation into my digital archives, I discovered that the only place I visited that day was Blueskin Bay at sunrise. However, just what “don’t forget the stones” meant, I hadn’t the foggiest idea! Maybe, that morning I’d drank too much coffee and wired on caffeine I’d been listening to The Rolling Stones. Or, it could have been a warning to myself to stay away from dangerous boulders on the shoreline. Either way, somehow it linked to this photo, however I haven’t a clue why!
