My time in lockdown has been broken up with various walks and strolls through close to empty streets. Occasionally the odd car passes me accompanied with an angry stare from the occupants, people cross the street when they see me coming and my friendly “hello” or “good morning” are met with general indifference. Despite having the feeling that I’m being shunned by society, one of the great advantages is that there are now plenty of vantage points to get photos.
It would usually be impossible to get a photograph from this vantage point on the over bridge on a Saturday afternoon with no traffic or pedestrians. I must have waited for a total of 1 minute for cars to pass before I could get the empty shot I wanted.
I’m not sure about you, but recently I’ve been suffering from an overwhelming feeling that I’ve done all this before. This inkling of having previously experienced the present situation began last Wednesday when New Zealand’s Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield appeared on TV at 1pm and announced the latest Covid 19 figures. Since then, my deja vu has only escalated. Prime Minister Jacdina Arden appears on TV with Dr Bloomfield most days at 1pm, former All Black John Kirwan is interviewed reminding us to look after our mental health, I have to queue to go to the supermarket (which I’m still banned from doing), I’m now in need of a haircut having missed my last appointment, I find myself checking the supply of toilet more than usual, my cookbooks have been dusted off, I’ve reacquainted myself with Zoom and people cross the street when they see me coming. This abrupt change in direction from my fellow walkers is by far the most unsettling of my deja vu symptoms.
The latest occurrence of this automatic person swerve happened this morning while out walking in my local neighbourhood. Having gotten several blocks into my walk, I looked up the footpath and around a slight bend to see a lady powering towards me. She automatically stepped into the middle of the road, gave me a look that said something along the lines of ‘I don’t know if you have the plague but I’m gonna assume you do’. Then, moments later we exchanged a friendly hello that suggested we had known each other for many years before disappearing down the empty street. However, the strangest thing about this interaction is the fact that it is especially common.
Later on, as my walk was reaching its termination and I had successfully slalomed around the dog poo on the footpaths, I began to wonder if I should be keeping a pointless lockdown diary to monitor my daily movements for moments of symptoms of deja vu. Take today for example, my diary entry world read as follows;
Diary Entry:Wednesday, 25th August. Walked around the neighborhood and avoided dog poo. Weather mild.
Of all the things I’ve learnt from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in the last 24 hours, by far the most interesting and useful is that the Coromandel has a Bead Shop. Taras Beads to be precise. After the PM suddenly announced that we were going into lockdown for three days, and while the rest of the country dashed out the front door to restock the booze cabinet and beer fridge before grabbing a takeaway, I raced for my keyboard. You see, I have a very bad track record of buying dud Christmas presents for my wife and a Bead shop voucher would just be the item needed to avoid a 2021 disaster. After a quick search online, I found the Ministry of Health locations of interest list, leading me to Taras Beads, Arts and Crafts. Unfortunately, I discovered that Taras Beads didn’t have a website. This raised a further question; why was a 58 year old man in a Bead shop in the first place? I could only assume that he was wandering with his wife in the hope that they would soon give up lingering around, comparing prices, discussing and haggling and go for a drink. It was 3:00pm after all.
I’ve been thinking about this scene for a while and quite deliberately I didn’t finish it until I was completely sure and satisfied with it. The composition came quite quick, what took me so long to workout was if the image was about the house or the letterbox and hedge. Then, suddenly I realised over the weekend when I went back and visited the image that it was really about the driveway and powerline. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
A bit of a change today from my usual creative adventures on the Esplanade. This is St Paul’s Anglican Church in Arrowtown, which is inland from Dunedin in Central Otago. It’s been awhile since I’ve done a road trip so I might need to organise one once the weekends become free. St Paul’s in Arrowtown was built at the time of the Otago gold rush in September 1871 which makes it 150 years old. Before it was the built many of the miners wanted a dedicated Anglican Community and once they had raised the necessary funds and found a piece of land, the church was built. It has been holding services in the same place ever since. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
It seems lots of people had the same idea around 4pm today, head to the beach. While it’s still winter and the temperatures is sitting in the low range, there’s a just a fraction more light at the end of the day. It’s almost as if mother nature is hinting at spring!! @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
I caught this little bit of light hitting the corner of the Majestic Mansion this evening on my visit to the Esplanade. The more I think about light the more I’m astonished with how it can change. Kinda mind boggling. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
This is an image from my series titled ‘from the Esplanade – 30 images in 30 days’. It wasn’t included in the initial series of images, however it’s an image that I wanted to give life too. This spot is at the Long Dog Cafe which is at the end of the Esplanade also the entrance to the Salt Water Pool which is currently closed for the winter. It’s also an amazingly stunning spot to start the day at. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
On the Corner of High and Princess Streets in Dunedin’s chilly morning in air. Taking some time to listen to the rhythm of the traffic in city and lingering for a moment as the lights cast their glow. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
When the whether changes and drops in Dunedin, it really changes. A few days ago the weather was warm and pleasant. Then, all of sudden a southwesterly change hit, the temperature dropped and the outlook for the rest of the week is left looking average. Not to be downhearted, today is number 30 of 30. My goal was to photograph and publish the Esplanade each day for 30 days. In real time it was probably more like 35 to 40 days however as they were my rules, I decided they were some what flexible. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
Todays images from the Esplanade stretch over four days from last Friday through to this afternoon. Over those four days I was there early in the morning, around midday and late afternoon enjoying all the sights and sounds. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
Happy Thursday all. OK, so day 25 of 30 has been a bit overdue, by 6 days actually. I was covering rugby all weekend and then a few very long working days earlier in the week meant I didn’t get anywhere near the Esplanade or my blog. Fortunately, today was a little less manic and I was able to end the day watching the light disappear over the hills of Andersons Bay before the coast was cast into shadows. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
The sun is shining, the temperatures going to hit the teens, the surfs good and the day is as still as it’s clear. What more could you ask for? Maybe a cold beer or a glass of wine this evening? It is Friday after all! Get out there and enjoy it! @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
I tried to time today’s images so I wasn’t shooting in the rain. However, the forecast for the next 3 days in Dunedin is outstanding for July! If the metservice is correct the temperature is going to soar to a whopping 13 degrees. Remembering at the beginning of the month it was 3 degrees in the middle of the day, 13 and fine sounds terrific to me. Hopefully the surf conditions pick up for a few aqua images as well. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
The school holidays and high tide on the Esplanade mean one thing. Lots of wet kids! The sea spray that’s created from the waves hitting the sea wall is very impressive and it soaks the footpath and anything near by. Kids have great fun standing and waiting for the waves to it and then try and run out of the way (unsuccessfully) without getting wet. Lots of holiday fun. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
I was on the Esplanade at 8:00am today just before sunrise, as a wonderful glow was developing in the sky. It’s an interesting place in the mornings as somedays lots of people out walking in the chilly morning air. Then, there are days when the place is almost empty. Today seemed to be filled with dog walkers out and about as the morning sunrise bounced off the windows of the Esplanade Restaurant. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
This is part of an old boat ramp at one end of the Esplanade. It runs from the back of the St Clair Surf Life Saving Club and at one time use to run underneath the Esplanade and out into the ocean. In 2013, when sink holes appeared on the Esplanade the hold concrete ramp was deemed unsafe and so demolished. An alternative ramp was built at the northern end of the ocean wall near the poles. @johncaswellnz#lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
Today’s a double post filled with lots of random bits and pieces. Firstly, it’s a double post day as I didn’t get yesterday’s photo published. This was due to fact that I was covering some Grassroots rugby which you can see here if you’re interested https://tapebootsandbeer.com/.
Secondly, today’s image (Pastel Coloured Clouds, Day 19 of 30) I managed to get during a short period when all the low cloud lifted and a touch of colour appeared in the sky.
Thirdly, I was listening to Rage Against The Machine while out shooting on the beach this afternoon, which inspired today’s blog post title Just Another Bombtrack.
Fourthly, I hope everyone on the West Coast is ok. About 1000 have been evacuated and are unable to return to their homes in Westport after a weekend of heavy rain and rising river levels caused widespread flooding over there.
It’s Day 17 of my 30 day project which I’m calling from the Esplanade … 30 images in 30 days. The objective is really simple, take and publish a photography everyday from The Esplanade in St Clair, Dunedin for 30 days. Currently I’m on day 17 and what I’ve found over the first 17 days is that a central theme and idea I keep coming back to is space. I find myself looking at the space created between objects and how objects interplay with each other. In today’s image the shape and size of the clouds as they drift overhead drastically alter the whole image, as do the breaking waves.
On the Esplanade it’s self, Friday must be moving day as there were lots of bags and suitcases being taken from the surrounding hotels out to cars and vans. Hopefully there’s lots of new guests arriving to enjoy the sunshine. #lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
I’m guessing Thursday must be power walking day on the Esplanade. This morning I saw two large groups of ladies power walking their way along the Esplanade and down the beach. One group even had their own music blasting away for inspiration. Just as they passed me Lady Gaga was telling them to “Walk, walk, fashion, baby, Work it, move that bitch crazy.” Then, as quickly as they had arrived, they disappeared off down the beach, into the sun, striding confidently and with purpose on the wet sand. #lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
The Dunedin Salt Water Pool is closed at the moment for the winter season. Currently it’s been invaded by sand and seaweed from the winter storms that have been hitting the coast recently, however come October when it reopens, it’ll be sparkling at a wonderful 28 degrees Celsius.
This morning I was following the light beyond point as the waves broke near the pool walls. Access to most of the pool area is blocked off however fortunately the owner and top dog at the Long Dog Cafe allowed me access beyond the barriers. #lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
It’s a stunning morning for walk along the sea wall today. A little chilly in the shade, but it is winter after all. I was doing just that this morning, only the tide was still going out so I was having to do some wave dodging to get the angle I wanted on this photo. The tide wasn’t out enough to safely stand on the rocks or beach so I was having to scramble back up the steps whenever a sizeable wave broke! #lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
What else can I do on a day when Italy won the European Championship for the second time by beating England 3 – 2 on penalties at Wembley this morning (Sunday UK time) but include something Italian. Why not celebrate with your favourite pasta recipe and bottle of Peroni tonight for tea! #lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
My current project I’m calling From The Esplanade – 30 Images In 30 Days. The goal I’ve set myself is to photograph St Clair’s Esplanade every day for a month. Today’s photo is day 12 of 30. Although I’m only aiming for 1 photo a day, often I end up with extra images and so today I’ve posted a few extra images from the first 12 days that didn’t get published. Enjoy.
Black and grey is a popular colour to be wearing on the Esplanade today. With the All Blacks in town to play Fiji tonight at Forsyth Barr Stadium, even the bitterly cold southerly wasn’t keeping groups away from the Esplanade to get a pretest meal. Personally, I was there to get a shot of what is left of the poles. There’s only four or five of them left these days however every time I see a photo of them it seems to be taken a dawn or dusk with a long exposure. I wanted to get a photo that was something a bit different and capture an alternative view of them. #lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
The best way to sum things up today is messy. However, if you like a good synonym other words to describe the weather hitting the Esplanade could be chaotic or disheveled. The gales have been hitting the city all day, the rain got heavy this afternoon and there’s snow in the forecast tonight. It reminds me of the William Blake quote; “In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.” #lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
There was definitely ice and snow somewhere this evening if the wind coming off the Esplanade is anything to go by. The wind had that bitter, ice cold feeling it that seems to cut right through you. The sun had just disappeared down below the hill, throwing the whole Esplanade into shade and with it a temperature drop down to around 6 or 7 degrees. Best stay somewhere warm I think! #lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
A touch of very light drizzle started to fall as I was wandering around the Esplanade this evening. The smell of wood burning from a log fire somewhere near by filled the air, a few businesses shut for the day as the lights flicked out while a steady stream of people casually came and went from Salt Restaurant. All the while traffic headed home at the end of Tuesday. #lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
There was a strange, funky light on the Esplanade this evening. At the same time last week it was 3.7 degrees, tonight it was a massive 18 degrees. That’s unheard of Dunedin in July and a whopping 15 degrees temperature shift. Venturing along the footpath there was a very ominous feeling in the air, almost as if something catastrophic was going to happen. I really wouldn’t have been surprised if the sky had opened up and a UFO had appeared. Maybe it was the calm before the storm? Strange days in indeed! #lovindunners#majesticdunedin#johncaswellnz
… from a Small City. My daily musings from Ōtepoti to get you inspired. Read the blog, view the photos, embrace the creativity.
error: This content is protected by copyright. If you wish to use an image you are required to make a purchase through the galleries.
Quiet Streets
