I spent a couple of days in Queenstown, for work. Lucky me. Much of the trip was inside but I was able to get out for a wander about. Fortunately you don’t have to walk far in Queenstown and surrounds to see the awesomeness. Herewith, a couple of snaps while I had a moment to take them. This can be a travel blog thing. For people who like to travel and read about travelling. I think it qualifies as a travel blog because I took photos of a tourist destination.
The obligatory wing shot on the way into Queenstown.The mountain range is called ‘The Remarkables’. Can’t imagine why.Same mountains, different day. Those awesome clouds go by the name of ‘Lenticular’.Sunset over Lake Wakatipu. Looking South if you are interested in that sort of thingSame view, slightly different spot, different time of day.On the hills above Arrowtown. I thought the colours and textures of the trees were cool enough to Photograph. It’s my camera, I get to choose that sort of thing.That’s a New Zealand Falcon, not the Swamp Harrier. The Falcon is pretty rare and even harder to photograph. This was a good day.Because who doesn’t like a photo of an old derelict cottage?Chinese Gold Miners huts in Arrowtown. Small.I liked the juxtaposition of Spring blossoms and snowy peaks. Arty and all that.There’s a famous tree in Lake Wanaka which everyone with a camera feels compelled to photograph. This isn’t it. This is a small Willow tree beside Lake Wakatipu which I’ve decided can be ‘That Queenstown Tree’. It looks striking early in the morning with the sun on it. Which is superfluous explanation really.
Queenstown, probably New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination. It’s nice there.
I’m going to try to create at least one blog post a month. I’ve been slack, well only in writing blog posts. I’ve been out and about an awful lot and taking a lot of photos. But have been neglecting this bit.
The big news is that I finally have my dream gear. Anyone who takes photography reasonably seriously will know that the right gear is important, they also like to have a lot of gear. The ability to ‘see’Â a photograph is actually more important, all important. But you need the good gear to be as awesome as possible.
So camera gear is really important to keen Photographers. I actually don’t have much though. My thing as you should know by now is ‘minimum gear, maximum impact’. I still need a tripod. As an observation, the WordPress Blog Website sucks a bit of the awesomeness out of the shots, you really do need to click on each photo to see the best quality.
Back to the gear. My needs/wants were quite specific. I needed the ultimate multi-purpose but best quality lens for the landscape and shooting on the move stuff. I also wanted a good quality telephoto lens for wildlife and sports. Finally I really wanted a Full Frame camera. I now have all three. I should still get a tripod though, I have my eye on one. The details on the Camera and lenses if you are interested are:
Camera – Canon 6D
Telephoto Lens –Â Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM
General Purpose lens –Â Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS
So…What can one do with the good gear? Let’s have a look.
That’s a Kaka. A New Zealand Parrot. It’s a cool characterful bird less well known than our most famous Parrot, the Kea. But look at the clarity and colour.Saint Gerards Monastery above Oriental Bay in Wellington. I don’t think there are any monks there anymore.The Blue bow of a boat. The boat is a cafe, Wellington has a lot of cafe’s.Looking across the sea to the Kaikoura Ranges in the South Island from Island Bay in Wellington. About 230 kilometres away. You’re supposed to also notice the calm reflective rock pools in the foreground.Derelict Piers at Miramar in Wellington. Mostly used by Seagulls.State Highway One approaching Waiouru at 8:00am on a Sunday Morning. I was just passing through. That’s frost on the ground, not snow.Barn, Wairarapa. Needs work.I don’t think the Railway Escarpment Nature Reserve is out there. I could be wrong. I might have been standing on it.Mt Ruapehu, reflected in a puddle to add a little something to a hard mountain to photograph.That’s a Saddleback foraging, shot in quite dark woodland. fast moving bird, in the dark forest. Looks like daytime.I didn’t really want the pink polar fleece clad local in the shot, but it’s her shed. Boat Sheds at Titahi Bay.That’s what the classic Nor’Wester looks like. Just like that.Handheld shot of Wellington from the Interislander Ferry. Taken in the dark, without a tripod. Tripods are useless on the ferry.You should have seen what happened about 5 minutes before I took this photo. Put it this way, this was almost a news story rather than a photograph.Bridge. That’s all you need.That building on the left is a Cafe, in Nelson. This is Tahunanui.Early in Marlborough. There are 5 Alpaca’s just out of shot to the right. They are cute, they are not locals as a general rule so I excluded them as they made the simple photo require too much description. Alpaca’s would not have enhanced this photo.Wellington waterfront. from the ferry. I like lights on the water.This is a boat called Click in Nelson. With snowy mountains over there.The Royal Spoonbill. You don’t see a lot of those about.This is from the top of my street at night. Well early evening to be precise. Had I mentioned I have moved to Wellington?Finally, I did mention sport, this is my nephew, scoring a goal for his soccer team.
I’m in love with my new camera gear. I still need a tripod though
One of the great things about New Zealand is all the awesomeness, everywhere. In many countries you have to travel to see cool stuff. Get in a vehicle and make a special trip. We have that awesomeness everywhere. Right there beside the road. Part of my photographic ‘thing’, is that none of the photographs I take require any special equipment or even robust footwear. All the photos on this blog were taken near the side of the road except the one where I went for a bit of a walk. Theoretically you could take any of these photos with your phone camera while wearing a pair of jandals. All I did for each one of these shots, is pull over as I was driving past. We see this stuff on the way to the shop.
Charolais Cattle first thing in the morning. I do like a nice cow. You may have more photos of cows to follow. Manawatu.Old cottage and Macrocarpa trees, we have a lot of derelict cottages about the place. Horowhenua.Clean green New Zealand, get’s a bit dry in the summer sometimes. This is Hawkes Bay. Looking South from Te Mata Peak. You can drive up there.Almost good enough to eat, but I think they make beer with this lot. Manawatu.The Clydesdale War Memorial Hall, Manawatu. I don’t think it sees too many parties anymore. Manawatu.Sheep know a shady spot when they see one. Well most of them do. Manawatu.Rail bridge over the Ohau River looking towards the Tararua Ranges. This is a common sight in NZ. Rail bridges of this type that is. The Tararua Ranges aren’t a common sight unless you are in the vicinity. Horowhenua.That’s where Hawkes Bay starts. Looking North from a prominent view spot.Misty Mountains, that’s not their name though, they just are sometimes. Manawatu.Whanganui River Valley. One of the best drives in New Zealand. Almost nobody goes up there.Bit of driftwood in the Foxton Estuary. Looks a bit moody. Horowhenua.I like an old corrugated iron shack as well. This is at the end of Heights Road. Nobody goes up here either. You can walk into the Tararua Ranges from the end of this road. Horowhenua.Remember I mentioned being on the way to the shop? This was on the way to the shop. Horowhenua.Cows and mountains. Perfect photographic combination. Well one mountain. That’s Mt Ruapehu. Manawatu.Down on the beach, Himatangi Beach. This is about 200 metres from my front door. It can be quite scenic in the evening. Manawatu.This was a while ago, bit of snow there on the Ruahines. Manawatu.This scene appealed to me. That’s the main New Zealand rail line. Just there. Manawatu.Pastoral, this is also on the way to the shop. Clothes shop rather than food shop, but a shop nonetheless. Horowhenua.Taken a couple of paddocks down a few days earlier than the last photo. The one below. I like a fetching paddock scene. Manawatu.Dairy cows in Manawatu. Making milk. Looks a bit like a painting this one. It isn’t though.
Most New Zealanders simply pass by this stuff everyday, taking it for granted. I am constantly amazed at the natural beauty, wilderness and amazing pastoral imagery all around me. Maybe you have to go away for a while to appreciate it here. I know I view New Zealand differently since I’ve been back after so long away.
My happy place is in my car, on the road. I love driving around New Zealand as often as possible. If things are a bit dull around the house, I’ll go for a drive. I don’t have to go far to see epic things as luck would have it because I live in New Zealand. Epic is just around the corner. Last week I went for a slightly longer drive. Down to Christchurch, over Arthurs Pass to Franz Josef, down to Lake Matheson, up to Westport and back to Picton via the Buller Gorge and the Marlborough Sounds. This was my delayed Christmas holiday. I took a few photos along the way.
Sinclair Heads from Cook Strait. That’s the last bit of the North Island you see as you cross to the South Island.
Looks like someone’s in trouble. Seals in Kaikoura.
The Road into Arthurs Pass.
Arthurs Pass Highway. It’s a bit barren up there. A lot of tourists though. There are only 3 roads that cross the South Island. This is the middle one.
Awesome clouds above Arthurs Pass
The amazing Waimakariri River Valley at Arthurs Pass. Mid summer. Bit of rain must be due?
Glacial Water in the Whataroa River. It’s very cold.
That’s where the White Herons nest in New Zealand. Just there. Only that little bit of forest, nowhere else. It’s quite amazing really. When I say that bit of forest. Just that little bit there. That’s all of it, their entire nesting area.
Young pair of White Herons.
Lake Matheson in the pre dawn light. The clouds rolled in and covered up the mountains quite quickly. So you only get a shot in the dark on this particularly day.
Lake Matheson with Mt Cook visible in the gap in the clouds. Mt Cook is Aoraki, the cloud piercer. True story, see?
Morning dawning near Fox Glacier
In that gap in the mountains is Fox Glacier. There’s probably less of it than there used to be
Punakaiki Rocks. Like stacks of pancakes
That’s the ‘West Coast’. Near Punakaiki Rocks. The entire West Coast of New Zealand is the West Coast, but this bit is called the West Coast.
Looking north up the West Coast. It’s rugged and remote. I like it here.
Buller Gorge. You can probably fish in that.
The Buller Gorge. Better than the Manawatu Gorge if anyones asking.
Buller River.
This is Te Mahia Bay in the Marlborough Sounds. It’s nice here.
Crossing through the Tory Channel from Queen Charlotte Sound into Cook Strait.
So that’s just the top half of the South Island. I didn’t take any photos of the Kaikoura Coast on the way down apart from the seals as I have a load from the last time I was there and the sky was pretty gloomy on this trip. Bonus seals though.
Happy travels…Just watch out for tourists paying more attention to the scenery than the road.
New Zealand is a long but fairly narrow country. It’s 2,086 kilometres from one end to the other, but you are never more than 120 kilometres from the sea. What this means is that you can often see the mountains from the seashore, or the sea from the mountains. Which is nice. This gives many fetching photographic opportunities, such as these.
Rocky Beach, Kaikoura. It’s not the name of the beach, merely an observation.
Fishing boat in front of the Kaikoura Ranges. New Zealandness at it’s most scenic, with a fishing boat.
I could call this ‘Chimney Seal. You may notice a loafing seal at the base of the old chimney. Looking across to the Kaikoura Ranges. Well I am looking at the Kaikoura Ranges, the Seal is not.
Those mountains are an awfully long way away from where I took this photo in the Wellington Harbour from the deck of the Interislander Ferry
The newest Ferry in the Interislander Fleet heading North for Wellington, this is how we get from one island to another. You can fly but this a nicer way to go about it. That’s the Kaiarahi. I took this from the ferry I was heading South on, towards Picton.
On a rough crossing in Cook Strait, the large bit of water between the North and South Islands you sometimes get these sea spray ‘rainbows’. You have to be quick to photograph them as they come and go. Plus you risk a salt water soaking of your camera. You decide if it’s worth it.
After a rough crossing of Cook Strait, turning into the Marlborough Sounds through the Tory Channel is like walking into a library off a busy street. A giant outdoor nature library on a sunny day sort of thing.
Once you’ve left the ferry in the South Island, the main road South is this one. That’s New Zealand’s main road. State Highway One. The rail line beside it is the main rail route south. This is how we get about.
Taking the Train in New Zealand is slow but scenic, this is the ‘Coastal Pacific’. I reckon Kiwi Rail named the train ‘Coastal Pacific’ Â because it follows the Pacific Coast but I’m just guessing of course.
On the subject of trains, This the train that runs up and down the North Island. Kiwi Rail creatively named this one ‘Northern Explorer’. Â I can’t think why though. In the title of this post I made reference to mountains and that’s the biggest one in the North Island. Mt Ruapehu. It’s quite far from the sea.
Inland, far inland. But still less than an hour’s drive to the ocean if you head West.
The Ruahine Ranges, on the other side of them is Hawkes Bay.
Rainbow, kicking off an early morning, inland.
Early morning Manawatu. I drive past this sort of thing from time to time. Manawatu is mostly flat, lying between the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges and the Tasman Sea.
One day when I can afford better camera equipment than I have. I can capture this sort of amazing early morning scene better. Between the mountains and the sea. The Mountains are half an hour drive in front of me here and the sea is 15 minutes drive behind me.
What better way to finish than with the sun dropping beneath the Western Horizon. I’m standing just feet from a public highway here and barely an hour from a mountain range behind me.
One of the fantastic things about New Zealand is the epic vistas we have all about us. A vista being a large piece of scenery although I’m not sure that description would stand up to examination in a dictionary. I think vista is actually a distant view. What I’ve put together here is a selection of some of the amazing sights you see when you travel from A to B. Like my other posts, no special trip required, this is the scenery we see every day if we leave the house. It also helps if we leave the city but it’s not a long journey from anywhere to this stuff. Once you travel to New Zealand that is. This is winter time round here.
That’s a farm paddock, not a golf course, this is where we grow your Sunday Roast lamb. This is winter, those are the Ruahine Ranges.
Sheep, four of them avoiding the oven. Manawatu
It’s a hay barn, but I call it a high barn. Manawatu Hill country, Ruahine Ranges backdrop. Most people think the Manawatu is flat. Taken from the Waituna-Tapuae Road
The photo is straight, the trees and power pole are on a lean. Rangitikei farm land
Late afternoon, looking across the Rangitikei from Kauangaroa Road. It’s the road from Hunterville to Fordell.
Looking down at the Rangitikei River cliffs from Otara road. There is an Otara in Auckland, it’s quite different to this Otara.
The Ruahine Ranges looming large over a fetching piece of farm land. Manawatu High country. There is high country in the Manawatu contrary to popular opinion.
That’s a ‘Southern Cross’ Windmill. I think it’s best days are behind it, as are the mountains.
Low cloud, early morning in the Rangitikei River Valley. Makes for a cool island in the cloud
That’s the Kiwi Rail Northern Explorer, passing through the Rangitikei. The only passenger train that runs between Auckland and Wellington. It runs each way, every second day. We aren’t really a nation of train travellers.
Mt Taranaki through the trees. Those trees are just in front of me, Mt Taranaki is over 180 kilometres away
Rangitikei landscape. Lots of it.
Look! It’s New Zealand, all of it in one photograph. Putorino Road, hardly anyone will know where that is but every one who has driven from Taihape to Bulls has driven past it.
A green barn with no doors at a place called Silverhope.
Mt Ruapehu 130 kilometres away from here. Here being Fordell in this particular instance.
Let’s have a closer look. That’s still Mt Ruapehu 130 kilometres away from Fordell but I used the zoom lens a bit on my camera. I don’t have a big zoom lens, just 200mm. Luckily Mt Ruapehu is massive.
It’s Winter time but spring is coming already. See you when it’s warmer.
New Zealand has a lot of water, we’re the country most surrounded by water of any country on earth. Make some sense of that. We have loads of lakes and rivers, lakes within lakes and lakes with volcanoes underneath. I’ve posted about our coastal awesomeness before. Those images were mostly in the far north. This lot were taken a bit further south. Southern Central North Island
Looks pretty, it’s disastrous, those are flood waters. Manawatu flats under water. The Manawatu river is a long way from here.
Rangitikei River, near Utiku, looks calm enough now, you should have seen it a few weeks ago, washing away bridges it was. Not this bridge though.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I like a nice valley. This is one of my favourites. The upper reaches of the Rangitikei River. Seen from Toetoe road. I know it’s a funny name for a road but it’s a splendid view. Toetoe is pronounced toy toy and it’s a sort of pampas grass kind of thing.
Whanganui River, with Mt Ruapehu in the distance, 120 kilometres distant. That’s a 9,117 foot high volcano, 120 kilometres away.
This is here because the water in the watercourses down there is orange, which is cool.
Along the coast from Himatangi to Foxton beach these little rivulets flow across the beach and out to sea, see?
This is at the Manawatu River mouth, Foxton Beach. Looking inland at the Tararua Ranges. They’ve got snow on them under that cloud. I was hoping to get some snow in the shot as well. Not today. That stick is like a local version of the Lake Wanaka tree.
That’s looking out to sea across the Manawatu River. Fishing net with attendant Seagull beside the beach.
If you showed this photo to someone and said this was the Mouth of the Manawatu River at Foxton, they wouldn’t believe you. Go on, try it, ask someone.
The early morning stillness of Himatangi Beach. Looks very calm and beautiful. It is. Most people don’t give Himatangi a second or even first thought. That’s fine with me.
Frost on the sand at Himatangi Beach. Himatangi is on the lower half of the west coast of the North Island. The beach is also a road, I love a beach that’s a road.
Driftwood beside the outlet to the sea at Himatangi. It’s all free, help yourself.
The road from Himatangi Beach to Foxton Beach. It’s not the only road, but it’s the best one. Speed limit is 30 Km/h
Lake with a Volvcano underneath. This is Lake Taupo, a 616 square kilometre crater for one of the largest Super Volcanoes in the world. True story. This Volcano goes up, you can expect flight delays, for the rest of time.
This is also Lake Taupo, looks pretty, can be catastrophic. Those fluffy flower things are Toetoes.
Like a lot of my photography, I try to notice the unnoticed, and this lot are the next batch. Some more photo’s taken while moving about for no particular reason. In New Zealand we are so lucky to have such amazing scenery literally everywhere you look. This is just stuff I saw, no special trips required. This is New Zealand, the bits we drive past every day.
St Martins Church, I walked around the grounds for ages to get the spire in the sun shot.
Country road, take me home…
I don’t even know what this river is called, it runs down towards Pahiatua off the Manawatu River.
Looking straight into the sun near Apiti, yes Apiti.
Nobody has ever taken this shot before. It’s a gully. I like a nice gully
I have no idea what you might call that atmospheric effect. Like a reverse rainbow sort of thing. Seen above the Wairarapa Hill country
Derelict woolshed, near SH54, the Vinegar Hill road. Nobody knows why it’s called Vinegar Hill.
That’s Mt Ruapehu, from Foxton Beach. just the 230 kilometres away. We have clear skies in New Zealand.
Sunset from Foxton Beach. It’s the best bit of Foxton Beach.
Huntsman from the Rangitikei Hunt Club. They don’t actually hunt anything. They just get dressed up and ride about in the scenery.
High in the Tararua Ranges. I drove up the creatively named Heights Road to get here.
Who doesn’t love to stumble across a Steam Train passing through.
The sign says look for trains, I found one.
There’s Mt Ruapehu again. From about 150 kilometres away. It’s awesome.
I disturbed some pigeons when I stood on their bridge. They kindly made my shot more attractive
Dawn reflecting on the woolshed, pretty awesome. We have impressive dawns here. Sunrise in another language.
Barn, needs work.
I drove up a road called Heights Road. It was very high. I believe there’s also regularly a stiff breeze up here.
Low cloud in the Wairarapa. Near Pahiatua. Autumnal.
Small pond nowhere in particular. I liked the reflections.
I spend a lot of time in the car, by choice. It’s my happy place. When I’m out driving I have one eye on the road and one eye on the scenery, keeping a look out for any place that might offer a nice photograph. Here’s a selection of sights I’ve seen lately, while out and about.
Top Dressing plane with attractive orange detailing to set it off against the wilderness, like on purpose.
The New Zealand Swamp Harrier. Common Raptor, hard to photograph, getting this shot only took me about two years.
Cows and trees, pastoral farm land in the middle of nowhere, upper Rangitikei.
Early snow on the Ruahine’s and a fetching barn. Nice
Low cloud on the Ruahine Ranges.
Early morning sun, mist, trees, fence and spiders webs combine for a this arty number. It reminds New Zealanders of when they were little, apparently grown ups don’t look for dewy spiders webs.
Day breaking in the Manawatu. Love how the sun strikes over the distant ranges. You have to get up early for this stuff.
Call that a valley? This is a valley, upper Rangtikei.
The Te Apiti Wind Farm early morning. I’m sure there are all sorts of interesting facts about the Te Apiti Wind Farm.
Rangitikei River. You can’t see this particular view unless you are paying attention to where the river is going and pull over on the Vinegar Hill Road. There’s no official view point here.
Misty Morning in Hunterville. I’ll give the caravanning a miss this year.
Look, a photo of New Zealand. Literally.
There’s that Mt Ruapehu again. I found this lake, in the forest. As you do. OK, I had to walk about 15 minutes to get to this one.
The Rangitikei Valley at 8am. It’s cool to look down on the clouds
Mt Ruapehu, about 10,000 metres. Live Volcano. Right there behind that farm.
Apparently Pam arrives tomorrow, if she does. That’s Cyclone Pam of course. There were pretty amazing clouds developing in the North and East of where I live so I thought I’d pop out and take a few photos. These were taken in the space of an hour. Near my place.
Look North, early evening, lumpy land, cool clouds.
Cross. This is the monument to a local man who loved the area.
What’s your beef? You can also see the Te Apiti Windmill Farm away in the distance at the bottom right of the image.
Lines
Yards.
Ducks crossing. There was a cool weather effect in the distance. Then some ducks flew through the shot which is cool.
Without the ducks, just layers of land and evening cloud, with rainbow type thing.
Rule of thirds, New Zealand style. Looking East towards the Manawatu.
The local high ground. Trig on Mt Curl.
Looking north, towards Hunterville.
Looking up the line. The Main Trunk Line. New Zealands main rail line. From a crossing on a farmers land in the Rangitikei.
I’m going to try to create at least one blog post a month. I’ve been slack, well only in writing blog posts. I’ve been out and about an awful lot and taking a lot of photos. But have been neglecting this bit.
Sandy's Views - Photography 