Aotearoa, Colour Film, Dunedin, Ōtepoti

Dunedin’s Octagon In 1942 Kodacolor

1 Comment

Dunedin’s Octagon In 1942 Kodacolor Film

I awoke to rain. Not light misty rain that you can stand in for an hour and never really get wet, nor was it isolated showers that would invariably clear within the half hour. This was hard, heavy rain. The kind of rain that leaves you drenched from head to toe from a mere five metre dash to the letter box. I opened the curtains hoping that I was wrong and that I’d find to my surprise the rain clearing and the sun breaking through. It wasn’t! If anything, it seemed to be getting worse. From my lounge window I could see dark storm clouds engulfing the Dunedin coastline south from St Clair. I had planned to trek over one of the many Otago Peninsula walking tracks and usually rain doesn’t bother me, however on this occasion it did. I decided I wasn’t really in the mood to walk in the rain. I think it was the addition of the strong wind gusts that was the deciding factor.  

I could see that it was going to be an inside day. But, being in a creative frame of mind I decided to see what magical inspiration I could find in some of my photographic programmes. Recently, I had been reading about the early development of colour photography. The Kodak company revolutionised the colour photography industry in 1935/1936 with the release of a film called Kodachrome. Since then, and particularly after World War II, Kodachrome became the world standard in colour film – the one against which all others were judged. With this in my mind, I went in search of some photographic presets within some of my software. I was interested in two things. Firstly, did I have anything that would replicate the early colour film look. Secondly, what would modern day Dunedin look like in replicated colour film? 

So, to start things off, this is Dunedin’s Robbie Burns Statue, Cathedral, Clocktower and Municipal Chambers in Kodacolor, the first colour negative film introduced by Kodak.

Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Silent Observations

Rally To Support Palestine

1 Comment

Demonstrators calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza 

It was a bright, clear, sunny day. Since I had no particular plans, I decided to walk to the Botanical Gardens in North Dunedin. A distance of around 7.5 kilometres (4.6 miles). The harbour looked radiantly still and flat, I decided to stick as close to it as I could. Others clearly had the same idea as I passed all manner of people who were enjoying the stunning Dunedin day. After some time, I reached a spot called Steamer Basin where I decided to detour. I left my seaside stroll and head through the centre of town for a different vista. After crossing the railway tracks and passing the Railway Station, the Early Settlers Museum and the High and District Court, I ventured up to the Octagon where I visited the statue of Scottish poet Robbie Burns. Once there, I rested for a bit and contemplated a number of questions like why people find it so hard to use rubbish bins? a question I often find myself asking and one that I’m yet to answer. 

After saying hello to the famous bard, I headed off towards the Otago Museum and the Botanic Gardens that are located in the north end of town. It was once I was nearing the museum that I came across a sight I wasn’t expecting, a protest rally. The crowd of several hundred were matching in silence which was strangely frightening and very effective. They carried signs that read “Cease Fire Now!” “Liberation for Palestine,” and other such signs and banners that called for a ceasefire to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. I stood and watched them as they slowly and silently matched down the street. Unlike other rally’s I’ve watched that seem a little disorganised and disjointed, this one clearly had a point that everyone believed in. I stood and watched as they rounded a corner and suddenly broke into one loud voice. Later, I read that the rally for Palestine group planned to hold similar rallies unless a ceasefire deal was reached. As they disappeared down the street, I wished them well. Then I turned, and headed for the Botanic Gardens.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Otago Peninsula, Ōtepoti, Travel

Otago Peninsula Honesty Box

1 Comment

Harington Point Road  Honesty Box

With caution, I’d spent the afternoon negotiating the Otago Peninsula Road. I say with caution as there were lots of tourists in campervans and rental cars who always make the summer roads a bit of a lottery. The peninsula road begins at Andersons Bay Inlet at the head of Otago Harbour and winds its way for 26 kilometres to Taiaroa Head where there’s an albatross colony. As a drive it’s quite spectacular. The coastal road passes through small settlements, past beaches, boat moorings, marinas, boat ramps, and jetties by the dozen. Along the way there’s also places where you can see fur seals, sea lions, penguins and all manner of bird life. There’s art galleries you can visit, cafes and restaurants to pass the time at and of course the classic honesty box sitting by the odd farm gate or fence.

I must confess, there aren’t many honesty boxes that I don’t pull over at. In fact, I’ve been known to put money in the box without actually buying anything. I think it’s the element of surprise I love best. On this occasion, not only were there fresh eggs and tomatoes, but decorative paua shells and other assorted items for sale. Looking over the display, I decided that there wasn’t anything I really needed, however it didn’t seem right to leave without making some type of contribution. So, I found $4 in the car and popped it into the payment tin. I figured it was payment for the photo.

Aotearoa, architecture, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel

First Church In Dunedin

1 Comment

First Church in Dunedin 

I sit down on a shady piece of grass where the shadows of two trees meet. I’m wearing shorts, a t-shirt and jandals. On my head is a faded bucket hat and over my shoulder is a camera with a 10-22mm lens. Usually, I carry a backpack with other lenses and camera bodies, however today is different. Today I wanted to travel light. Having only one lens means I have less decisions to make. It means I become more focused on how I’m going to show the idea I have in my head. Some days it’s good to have more equipment and more options to shoot with, however today isn’t one of those days. 

The patch of grass where I now sit has been carefully chosen, it’s the spot where I have the view of the church that I want. It’s the spot that I find the most interesting, the spot that generates the most questions in my mind. Earlier, I walked around the grounds at the church at least three times to make sure I found the spot I wanted. Now, as I settle on the grass I look at the trees I’m sure I have. As the sun moves between the branches I look to a nearby park bench, then more trees. Beyond the trees is a flower bed that is filled with summer colours and past that a driveway. I turn to my right and observe a spacious grass lawn that has other church buildings sitting on the boundary line in the distance. In between all those, sits the old gothic church.

It’s not so much the church that I’m interested in, nor is it the trees, the park bench or grass but how all the objects interplay with each other. In this spot, I have questions. I have questions about the shapes, textures and spaces I see in front of me as I sit on this shady piece of grass. 

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel

Summer Dusk At Second Beach

1 Comment

Stormwater Outlet at Second Beach – Buy 

I spent the evening exploring the beauty of Second Beach at St Clair. Along this stretch of beach, years of consistent wave movement have created great drifts of raggedly oval stones worn to a polished smoothness. They are nearly impossible to walk on since your feet sink with each step while at the same time having to navigate piles of driftwood that have washed up. The coast path above the beach is much easier and doesn’t require clambering up and down a bank to reach it. At any one time you’ll meet anyone and everyone from the young to old, those getting their daily fitness quota, surfers and people just enjoying a tranquil escape for 5 minutes. No matter which option you take, if it’s the beach or the path you’ll hear the sea, crashing into the shore creating a seemingly endless musical score of stones clattering on the water’s edge. It’s one of the most glorious places in Dunedin.

Dunedin, Orokonui, Ōtepoti

Railway Bridge At Orokonui

1 Comment

Railway Bridge at Orokonui – Buy 

With a bit of time to spare I spent a lazy afternoon casually wandering around the boardwalk at Orokonui Lagoon. At one point, while walking over the road bridge that leads to Doctors Point I became distracted by this railway bridge. While crossing the road bridge, I came across a family who were fishing. The children were having a wonderful time, even if they hadn’t caught anything.

Creativity, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, The Art of John Caswell

The Regent Theatre

1 Comment

The Regent Theatre – Buy 

This is the view from the stage at Dunedin’s Regent Theatre. It must be a surreal feeling to walk out on stage when the place is full with its 1600 seat capacity. In fact, the theatre’s stage was the largest in New Zealand until the Aotea Centre in Auckland opened in 1990.

Dating back to 1928, The Regent Theatre was registered as a Category 1 historic building in 1987 meaning it is a national place of outstanding historical and cultural significance and value. It’s also reported to be haunted with ghost stories including tales of “the lady in the dressing rooms.”

Creativity, Dunedin, Ōtepoti

The corner of Cannongate and Serpentine Avenue

1 Comment

The corner of Cannongate and Serpentine Avenue – Buy 

When I had last walked around this area of Dunedin it was the middle of winter and the area had a bit of a drab feel to it. Now that the trees (and bush) are full of summer colour and life it looks completely different. Actually, this image is more of a test run to see how the composition sits. I like the curved shapes, it’s something a bit different. I think I’ll revisit it at some point as I have a few other ideas I want to try out.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti

Orokonui Ecosanctuary

1 Comment

Orokonui Ecosantuary Fenceline – Buy 

This main sound awfully stupid, but for the first time it dawned on me in a profound way just how big a fence needs to be to keep predators out of an enclosed wildlife area. In this case, I found myself confronted with an impassable fence that was 9 kilometres in length, that protected 307 hectares of coastal forest from pests. Thus, ensuring native wildlife could thrive. It was at this point in my thinking that I became glad we have such visionaries living among us. 

Creativity, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, The Art of John Caswell

And I Must Seek For Mine,

1 Comment

Fairley Street – Buy 

Lies of life step forth, 
Like lost faces in the night.
Forgotten memories with musketeers, 
In the dawn I would rewrite.
Silent voices echo, 
Void in space and time.
Absent beliefs of innocence,
Hidden and doubtful, sometimes.

Light in darkened shadows,
Guard the empty road ahead.
Before the places nothing moved, 
In the moment that I fed.
Thoughts bring forth confusion,
Voices echo within a technicolor dream, 
And I must seek for mine,
Hidden and doubtful, It would seem.

Dunedin, East Otago, Ōtepoti, Waikouaiti

All Around The World

1 Comment

Sunrise in Merton – Buy 

This morning for some weird and strange reason I was thinking about world time zones as I published this image. For example, at the time of publishing it was 6:00am, on Wednesday 6th December in New Zealand. However, if you are San Francisco it would have been 9:00 am on Tuesday 5th December. How do I know this? Well, I looked it up on a World Clock! In New York it was 12:00 noon on Tuesday, in Dublin it was 5:00pm and in Moscow it was 8:00pm. In Beijing, China it was 1:00 am on Wednesday 6th December, in Tokyo it was 2:00 am, in Port Moresby it was 3:00 am and in Melbourne it was 4:00am.

So, hello, good morning, good afternoon, good evening or good night depending on where you are.

Aotearoa, Ōtepoti, Patterson Inlet, Stewart Island, Travel, Ulva Island

Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara

1 Comment

Boulder Beach, Ulva Island – Buy 

Ulva Island is one of only a few open, pest-free sanctuaries in New Zealand. Located in Patterson Inlet on Stewart Island, it has been pest-free since 1997 which has enabled native bird species to flourish.

The first visitors to Ulva Island were members of the Ngāi Tahu tribe who often visited the area as part of their food gathering trips. They also used to strip bark from Totara Trees for use in storing harvested muttonbirds. In fact, some sites where tōtara trees are stripped are dated to be nearly 200 years old.

Aotearoa, Creativity, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel

Ross Creek Waterfall

1 Comment
Ross Creek Waterfall

Daily Photo

Ross Creek Waterfall – Buy 

It feels a long time since I spent time going walkabout in the bush. I’m not sure why that is. Having no real photographic home, or location to stick to, I think at some point I simply arrived in town and started wandering the city streets from place to place and never stopped. So, the other day, feeling the need for a change in surroundings I headed into the bush.

Creativity, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, The Art of John Caswell

Watching The Immortal Beach

1 Comment

Watching The Immortal Beach – Buy 

Well, it’s fair to say that on this occasion I hadn’t really been staying in one spot for very long until the sun dropped below the horizon. Not being able to settle in one spot, the scene of a low skyline with the silhouette of the hills in the distance formed in front of me. It was then that I found a place to stop for a moment.

Creativity, Dunedin, Ōtepoti

Carnegie Courtyard

1 Comment

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.