Creativity, Dunedin, Ōtepoti

Carnegie Courtyard

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Carnegie Courtyard – Buy 

I was going for an aimless stroll, drifting from place to place in central Dunedin with no real purpose when I came across the Carnegie Centre on Moray Place. Noticing a door was open, I wandered inside for a look before spotting an arrow on the floor pointing down the stairs that seemed to be made of masking tape. Taking it as a beacon of light that needed to be followed, I headed down the stairs before finding my way into a sunlit courtyard. Not knowing if I was now officially trespassing or not, I decided it was probably best that I retraced my steps and beg forgiveness if questioned.

Creativity, Dunedin, Observation, Ōtepoti

Of Light & Lines

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Of Light and Lines – Buy 

Eventually I made my way to a nearby car parking building.  Which, I must admit, are really interesting places if you’re looking for some creative inspiration or mental stimulation. They provide all sorts of views across the tops of buildings, from all kinds of angles. You can also find some fun textures and lines if that’s what you’re looking for.   

Creativity, Dunedin, Observation, Ōtepoti

The Wanderer

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Escalator in centre Dunedin – Buy 

I went wandering through centre Dunedin not looking for anything in particular. While I was in the process of looking for some mental stimulation I came across an escalator close to the central Library. I spent the next few minutes riding it in both directions trying to decide where to go next when the escalator itself became of interest.

Creativity, Dunedin, Observation, Ōtepoti

Dunedin’s St Paul’s Cathedral

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St Paul’s Cathedral in central Dunedin – Buy 

I called in to St Paul’s Cathedral in central Dunedin for a bit of a look around and a little creative inspiration. It so happened that the next day they were holding a concert in the Cathedral and while I was there they were holding an open practice. One lady who was playing the piano was very good while the man that followed her seemed to need a little more practice. Having said that, if you consider the fact that I can’t play the piano at all, they were both actually very delightful to listen to.   

Creativity, Dunedin, Ōtepoti

Hey DJ

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A DJ playing a set at Forsyth Barr Stadium – Buy 

Yesterday I spent just on 7 hours at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. I was covering the WXV 1 matches that were being played in Dunedin this weekend as part of the women’s international rugby calendar. On Friday night, England beat Canada 45 to 12 while on Saturday afternoon New Zealand scored a 70 to 7 win over Wales before the weekend finished with Australia winning 29 – 20 over France. On Saturday, they had all sorts of  entertainment playing both before, during and after the matches including this DJ who played an extended set before each match. It was kinda cool as it was something different from the usual Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond or Welcome To The Jungle by Guns and Roses which tend to get over played a bit.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel

Spring At St Clair Beach

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Spring at the beach – Buy 

One of the things you come to expect during Spring in New Zealand, particularly in the lower half of the South Island, is that the weather can be somewhat changeable. Take the last seven days for example. There was heavy rain, then several days of overcast conditions before a few cloudless days with temperatures reaching into the 20’s before the week ends with snow in a few days time.

Dunedin, Ōtepoti, The Art of John Caswell

The Tucker Box

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Here’s a quick selection of images I’ve taken at the beach over the years.

Daily Photo

The Tucker Box– Buy 

It occurred to me the other day that I might have drifted off topic a bit on my blog. My intention had been to photograph, write and blog my way around my own backyard and beyond, by chronicling my trips through words and pictures. To get back on track, I  began to make plans for all the trips I could take in the upcoming weeks and months but it became too big and complicated. Then, a voice in my head said, ‘heck John, go for a walk on the Wharf!’ So that’s what I did.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Outram, Taieri

The Taieri River at Outram Glen

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The Taieri River at Outram Glen – Buy 

The Taieri River at Outram Glen is one of the popular spots in the Dunedin area. About 23 kilometres from Dunedin, Outram Glen is a popular picnic and swimming area following the Taieri River. It also has numerous walking tracks, one of which leads all the way to Lee Stream, a distance of around 8.5 kilometres. The track is made up of an easy walking track and then a more difficult tramping track.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Spring, Travel

St Paul’s Cathedral In Spring

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St Paul’s Catherdral In Spring – Buy 

Since there was more than just a touch of spring in the air, I went in search of signs of new blossoms in the central city. So, with a mind for fresh, bright, clean and warm colours I walked along Moray Place, turned onto Stuart Street and arrived in the Octagon. It was there that I spied the fresh bright colours of the flower beds that surrounded the streets, framed by the lovely pink undertones coming from the nearby Cherry Blossom Trees.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Spring

Spring On The Leith

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Spring on the Leith – Buy 

I’m not completely sure how my thought process brought me to this point on the Leith but I believe it went something like this…. I started by wandering around the University of Otago looking for signs of spring. This took me down Castle Street (which was littered in glass and had a strange flight club style gathering happening outside one flat) where I came across the Leith River at the Botanical Gardens. Following the Leith which was rather full due to the recent heavy rain, I became interested in the graffiti and the surrounding colours from the gardens.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Otago Harbour, Ōtepoti, Travel

Harbour Mouth Molars

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Wisdom Glow – Buy 

I often wander past this line of sculptors by Regan Gentry called ‘Harbour mouth molars’. Installed in 2010 on the shoreline of Dunedin’s Kitchener Street park, they were inspired by the University of Otago’s dental school and Otago Peninsula’s volcanic origins. The sculptures combine the ideas of painfully emerging teeth and new landforms thrust up by volcanoes. Personally, I think they’re wonderful, however I know others who feel differently. I like to think of them representing wisdom, but that’s just me.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel

The Regent Theatre Dunedin

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Regent Theatre Dunedin – Buy 

If there’s one thing to be discovered about a theatre it’s that they have all sorts of interesting doors, stairwells, passageways and nooks and crannies. They really are fascinating places to explore. Eventually, when you think you’ve got the whole place worked out you’ll discover a mysterious new corridor that leads to a section of the theatre that you never knew existed. I can’t understate how compelling an empty 1600 seat theatre is when you’re exploring it for the first time.

Dunedin, Otago Peninsula, Ōtepoti

The Portobello Hotel & Bar

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The Local – Buy 

I’ve had this building sitting in the back of my mind as a subject I’d like to do something with for a while. However, every time I’ve been past the light has been wrong or the outside has been blocked by cars, buses, trucks and utes. Fortunately, recently I discovered the whole area all but empty which gave me lots of time to work out exactly what I wanted to do. 

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel

The Corner Of Water and Vogel Street.

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Vogel House – Buy 

The corner of Water and Vogel Street is set in heart of Dunedin’s Warehouse Precinct. There you’ll find Vogel House which during the 1980s and 1990’s was used as a music venue for bands that were part of the Dunedin Sound. It was a popular rehearsal venue for musicians that included the popular group, The Chills who recorded their single Doledrums there in 1984.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel

Stained Glass Window At St Paul’s Cathedral

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Stained glass window at St Paul’s Cathedral – Buy 

On Sunday evening I was planning to walk to the beach in the early evening. I had a spot on the rocks all picked out and I was in the middle of getting my gear ready, when the weather turned. A southerly blew in from the south bringing with it thunder, lightning, heavy rain and strong wind gusts. It really was an intense front of weather and I was really glad I was caught in the middle of it. Instead, I processed this image of the lovely stained glass window at St Paul’s Cathedral here in Dunedin.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel

St Joseph’s Cathedral On A Spring Morning

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St Joseph’s Cathedral on a spring morning – Buy 

It’s that wonderful time of year when the morning sun is starting to have a tiny bit more heat in it as it rises over the Dunedin Hills along the Peninsula. With the changing of seasons from Winter to Spring, the early morning sun when accompanied by clear, cloudless mornings creates a lovely dawn glow as it strikes the front of the various buildings around the city centre. 

The other morning I managed to catch the last of the early morning sun hitting St Joseph’s Cathedral before it disappeared behind a large bank of cloud.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel

The Pai Lou Archway

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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.