Historic Wall On Otago Peninsula – Buy
One of the terrific things about walking on the Otago Peninsula is finding unexpected things. What’s even more terrific is rediscovering things you remember you forgot. These historic stone walls that separate farm fields definitely fit that criteria.
Fenceline In Fog – Buy
Fog is such a wonderful element in photographs, it adds a very mystic feeling that leaves questions unanswered. While I was driving on the high road on the Otago Peninsula, I came across a fast moving cloud of fog that was hiding and revealing the surrounding countryside. Including this fenceline.
One morning I was out walking near Dowling Street in Dunedin as the sun was rising in the distance. It was creating all sorts of shadows and silhouettes with the architecture on the nearby buildings. As I moved along and down the street, I started to follow the position and angle that the sun appeared between buildings.
Horses In The Dunedin Hills – Buy
I was out among the hills around Dunedin, exploring the remains of some buildings that weren’t really standing yet hadn’t completely collapsed. After a bit, I came along a disused path which ran up along a fenceline that eventually opened out to overlook a small valley. It was while taking in the view, that I completely forgot I was standing right next to a paddock of horses. That was, until one came up behind me, nudged me in the back and scared me half to death!
Allans Beach towards Mt Charles– Buy
My destination was Lovers Leap and the Chasm. Both places I hadn’t been to in some years. I was looking forward to a nice walk with my reward being a pleasant peninsula view at the end of it. At one point I did notice that the track signs seemed to have changed, however, confident I knew where I was going I ignored these and set off under the watchful eye of the local sheep population.
Several Spotify songs later, I arrived at the spot where the viewing platform should be, only to find it wasn’t there. Replaced, with an unstable land warning. Confused, I backtracked and headed to the other viewing platform, which I quickly learnt had also disappeared.
Deciding it would now be prudent to follow the signs, I discovered a new track and viewing platform had been built and placed looking northeast over Allans Beach, Hoopers Inlet, Mt Charles and inland to Harbour Cone. Offloading my pack, I had to admit that this was probably a better view. I also realised that I was being watched by a very smug group of sheep that seemed to be saying “told ya so!”.
Epilogue
In 2019 The Department of Conservation removed the viewing platforms overlooking Lover’s Leap and the Chasm due to concerns over unstable land.
The Northern Royal Albatross – Buy
Spend some time thinking about the Albatross for a moment. These wonderful creatures have a lifespan of at least 50 years, spend up to 85% of it at sea and can go up to six years without touching land. They live off a diet of fish, squids, and crustaceans and once they find a mate they pair-up for life, producing one egg every two years. One fully grown, they weigh around 12 kilograms, have a wingspan of 3.5 meters, can fly up to 40km per hour and can travel up to 15,000 kilometers. In fact, the Northern Royal Albatross has been known to fly 190,000 kilometers a year.
If that’s not enough, there is only one place in the world where the Northern Royal Albatross breeds on the mainland and that is Taiaroa Head, on the Otago Peninsula in Dunedin. A place that is home to more than 250 albatrosses. Isn’t that remarkable and just a little bit special.
Twilight on the peninsula. – Buy
It was one of those lovely autumn evenings where the weather was kind and the warmth of the day lingered into the evening. Deciding to enjoy the twilight, I ventured up to the Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial on the Otago Peninsula. Once there, I was able to watch the sunset while enjoying an almost 360 degree view of Dunedin.
Tomahawk Beach – Buy
If there’s one thing I like about golf, it’s seeing someone play who is worse than me. Which, to be fair, isn’t many people. Thus the reason I don’t spend much time playing the game however, golf courses are a great place to walk. As long as you can avoid flying golf balls and grumpy 70+ year old men in tweed trousers who resent the fact you’re walking on their course! The other great thing about golf courses is that they are often located in very picturesque locations and give you wonderful views.
St Clair Esplanade and Sea Wall – Buy
Let’s think about the St Clair Esplanade and Sea Wall for a moment. It was first built in the 1860’s, redesigned twice in the 1880’s, then again in 2004 and once more in 2021. It’s had multiple beach access points added to it and changed over the years. There have been ramps, stairs and pathways built into it. Nearby, there’s a surf club, a surf lifesaving club, cafe’s, bars, restaurants, hotels, a surf shop, a salt water pool, hair and beauty salons and parks. Along the Esplanade there have been grand hotels, corner shops and a public pavilion that was replaced by a band rotunda. It’s been hit by storms, suffered from erosion and even had sinkholes in it. Yet, despite all this, consistently every twelve hours the tide changes from low to high then back again.
Sunrise on the Esplanade – Buy
I had a look around the Esplanade and soon realised that apart from a lone delivery truck, I had the place to myself. In the distance, the sun was rising as the beach sat at low tide and somewhere down the street, the smell of fresh coffee started to fill the air.
Dunedin from Dowling Street – Buy
I found my way up a side street that led to a parking lot that has one of my favorite views of Dunedin. Looking out over streets, buildings and car parks it’s not the most stunning of views, yet there’s something rather wonderful about it.
The Regent – Buy
I spent a good part of the day aimlessly wandering around Dunedin’s city streets in the area of Moray Place, the Octagon and a number of alleyways. I wasn’t looking for anything specific, simply interesting vantage points that I hadn’t seen before, or views I had forgotten about.
Dunedin Cityscape (ii) – Buy
While walking the city in search of interesting vantage points, I found my way into a car parking building. The good thing about parking buildings is that they usually have roof access, and roofs are a wonderful position to photograph from. I’d photograph from my roofs if I could, however annoyingly we have trespassing laws in New Zealand, which means that you either need to find a different view, or take a photo worth the $1,000 fine/three months in prison.
Dunedin Cityscape – Buy
When I started, I planned to stroll through the city and see what I could find. There’s something very delightful about wandering with no set purpose. In the end, I ended up completing a large 5 kilometer loop of the city. I walked up hills, sheltered from rain, found vantage points of the city that I’d forgotten about, and eventually found my car where I had left it. Which is always a bonus.
Sunlight In The Exchange – Buy
Having parked not more than a minute or two’s walk from the square, I enjoyed the stroll along the street, watching sunlight find its way into the shadowy corners in between buildings. It seemed busier than usual for this early time of day. A motley mix of people hurried their way into the various buildings that surrounded the square, clearly there were more pressing matters to attend to than watching sunlight reflect off windows.
Philip Lang House – Buy
Having purchased a cup of coffee from a nearby cafe, I spent some time enjoying the early morning light as I wandered the city streets.
Long grass on the Otago Peninsula – Buy
Having been walking for some time, I reached a point where the track split in two. The first path looked to be a gentle stroll along a well worn track that led off through a field before looping back to the carpark. The second path, which wasn’t really a path at all, headed up the hill through long grass and ended at a stone wall that sat cresting the hill. Curious to see the stone wall and the view from the top of the hill, I pushed off through the long grass.
Dunedin Railway Station – Buy
I found my way through the streets of Dunedin to the Railway Station which is located at the end of Lower Street, only two blocks from the central Octagon. The Railway Station really is a magnificent building and is one that has been looked after most wonderfully.
St Kilda Beach Sunset – Buy
The day had been all together pleasant and I was finishing it with a walk along the beach. Having parked my car outside a collection of restaurants and bars on the St Clair Esplanade, I had set off along the beach. Now having reached its terminus, I enjoyed the sunset before starting the walk back. A distance of around 3.5 kilometers in the fading light.
Peninsula Glow – Buy
As I wander thro’ each charter’d street, near where the Toitu quietly does flow.
And mark the clock with seven chimes, The day-light peeks, the day-light grows.
(Words adapted from William Blake’s poem London)
NZ Loan and Mercantile Agency Co Ltd – Buy
Reed’s Building – Buy
Speight’s Brewery – Buy
The Hocken Building – Buy
Bethunes Gully – Buy
As it turns out, it’s possible to hurt yourself while walking, which is a rather silly thing to do, given all my walking experience! Having been exploring some bush tracks, I was about to finish my downhill descent, when I decided that it would be a good idea to step on a smallish rock that as it turns out wasn’t altogether stable. This resulted in my left leg moving involuntarily forward, my right leg stayed where it was while my right knee traveled in a completely different direction. Spending the next week complaining about the pain coming from my knee, I had the good sense to listen to my wife (and for her sanity) and seek treatment.
Dunedin Railway Station – Buy
After a short walk I stopped and looked. A small army of tourists seemed to be gathering in front of the Dunedin Railway Station. As far as the eye could see, the party of several hundred had broken up into groups of twos and threes and were carefully studying maps of their planned invasion of the city. This is what I love about seeing cruise ship passengers around New Zealand cities once again, they organise their time with military precision.
Then I Always Asked Why?
Hampden Crossing, Hampden (2017).
The Expereince of Seeing (2021)
I began becoming more aware of the space and shape between objects in a photograph some time ago. It was born out of a desire to think about my photographs in a new way, partially out of questions I had about what I was seeing and partially out of wanting to view something differently.
I had been looking at the vernacular uses of photography from the 1960’s and 1970’s and there was something in what I saw that simply made sense. I’ve found that by thinking and looking in terms of snapshots capturing everyday life and subjects that I’ve become much more conscious about the experience of seeing.
Christmas In The Octagon – Buy
It took me a week to get this photo. Originally, I was going to take it last Thursday or Friday however, low, misty clouds rolled in and with it all the lovely blue sky disappeared. Unfortunately it then hung around for a week and as I wanted the image to be bright, full of colour with a wonderful blue sky I decided to wait. I was about to give up on the whole idea as it was beginning to feel like the dull, overcast sky would never leave when suddenly yesterday morning the clouds broke and the world was filled with colour once again! In the end, I’m happy I waited as the final image is really pleasing, however, it did test my patience.
Back in January, I set myself the goal of publishing a different photo everyday on my photoblog until the 23rd December. At the time, I didn’t have any idea how I would do it and even if I could be consistent or dedicated enough to keep it up for that length of time. It definitely felt like I had bitten off more than I could chew. However, 340 days later I’m really chuffed to be able to say ….. mission accomplished! In fact, I can say that I’ve really enjoyed myself, it’s been my little bit of escapism everyday as I photograph and write about the places I’ve been both in my own backyard and beyond it.
The only problem is, I’ve got lots of images I still haven’t shared on my photoblog so I’ve decided to keep it running. While I take a break over summer, I’ve got a load of content set to go that’s going to be posted everyday at 6am until mid January when I get back online.
So, thank you to everyone who takes a second in their day to check out my blog and the social media streams. Thank you for the lovely messages and comments that are left, they really do help, support and inspire.
Have a great Christmas and New Years,
John
PS. If you want to see all the images posted this year (excluding the one above) checkout the video below.
Dunedin Art Gallery – Buy
I emerged from the Cathedral and looked out at what once must have been a commanding view of the harbour and distant peninsula. As I was standing on the Cathedral steps, the neighbouring Art Gallery caught my eye. I strolled over and went from gallery to gallery enjoying all the exhibitions on display. It included two, large scale site-specific exhibits by Australia artist Rebecca Baumann called Light Interference (Refracted Field). I stood in the atrium and looked out across the gallery, happy to be in a world of colour.
St Paul’s Cathedral – Buy
Leaving the mall, I made my way down George Street to St Paul’s Cathedral. Having been recently redeveloped due to a fire in the Cathedral’s roof, I recalled reading that the scaffolding had been taken down and the Cathedral was fully open once more. With a bit of time to spare, I thought I’d take a look.
The Grand Casino – Buy
Not being brave enough to venture into any of the shops on my own, I settled for enjoying the colours that were streaming through one of the nearby exits.
Filleul Street Alley Way – Buy
I came across an empty alleyway with a ramp for cars that traversed two buildings. I’d been past it thousands of times before and never thought much of it, however on this occasion it caught my eye. It was filled with shapes and lines that went in all sorts of directions. On one side a singular brick wall created a tessellating pattern while on the other wall it appeared to be the exact opposite. Everywhere I looked there appeared lines and shapes. It was even free of pointless graffiti and rubbish. The mathematician in me was delighted!
The Otago Peninsula – Buy
When I awoke, the first thing I did was to listen. I couldn’t hear any wind, nor rain. The next thing I noticed was a lack of morning sunshine streaming in through the windows. It was another, still day in Dunedin with low clouds blanketing the city. The surrounding hillsides were partially obscured by a silent haze and the city itself appeared to have been taken away in the night. There was nothing but dead sea and a kind of tumbling fog that ships in the Bermuda Triangle disappear into. It had been like this for four days and it was starting to feel like groundhog day. It was then that I made a brave and bold decision. I would headout on foot in search of colour!
Fine – Buy
It was a summer’s day that had started off still and warm which had continued into the late afternoon. Since the calendar had ticked over to the start of summer, the weather so far had been somewhat fickle. A fine day with temperatures reaching into the 20’s would be followed with scattered showers and wind. Suspecting that this pattern might continue, I decided it would be a shame to not visit the beach on the way home.
Light on Dowling Street 