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My place, my inspiration… and an exercise in futility… chasing the light that sweeps across the Mackenzie Country.
Best tactics… ambush, lie in wait, bushwhack or pounce on!
Archive for Landscape Photography
Lake Tekapo Mood
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My place, my inspiration… Lake Tekapo is in a foul mood this week… but I still love her.
Lake Tekapo Dusk
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On my way… and an early evening walk along the shoreline of Lake Tekapo in the South Island of New Zealand leaves me in awe of the form and colour created by a westerly storm from the Tasman Sea. This place is all about the weather and the light.
Pukaki Colour
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On my way… a low setting Sun reflects the aqua coloured glacial silt of Lake Pukaki into the cloud during a southerly storm.
Land of Light
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On my way… from a high point on the Grampian Range the light sweeps across the Mackenzie Country.
Layers of Landscape
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On my way… and from a high point on the Grampian Range we look across to Benmore Peak on the Benmore Range in the Mackenzie Country of New Zealand.
An early morning northerly breeze sweeps the light across the Mackenzie Plain and creates luminous layers in the landscape.
Devil’s Punchbowl Falls
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On my way… and a recent trip to Arthurs Pass in the South Island of New Zealand reveals a scenic gem. A short but vigorous walk about 30 minutes from the township will lead you along a well maintained track to an observation platform.
The scene before you is breathtaking and especially so during the winter months, when snow and ice create a beautiful contrast with green native plants against the orange and brown surrounding rock face. There is a feeling of being enveloped in a giant picturesque cave along with the constant background music of falling water.
Motuariki Island – Lake Tekapo
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On my way… and traveling home to Lake Tekapo the sky revealed signs of an approaching storm. The light and the weather were in tandem, I had to get to higher ground to
capture the magic.
At 1,000m above sea level the top of Mount John beside Lake Tekapo offers superb 360 degree views of the Mackenzie Basin with countless photographic opportunities.
I was in luck, the light and weather put on quite a show but, the price to pay was to endure a howling wind that sent a chill to the bone. No time to race back to the truck for gloves, compositions were changing by the second.
I have never felt such cold hands… not even as a milk boy on an endless frosty morning. At the worst possible moment the auto focus gave up, until realising I was pushing down on the camera body and not the shutter release. I had lost all sense of touch in my fingers and began to empathise with mountain climbers who’s constant enemy is frost bite.
The show was over. I made my way back to the truck feeling happy with the shoot and looking forward to seeing the results… then my numb fingers began to warm up with a sort of tingling sensation… well that was fun!
Westerly Light
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On my way… and traveling home from Lake Wanaka to Lake Tekapo the sky to the west was showing signs of dramatic evening light.
A quick detour around Mount John to higher ground and I had reached a tussock clad hill to watch the show unfold.
The colours and shifting cloud formations were breathtaking. I was constantly twisting, turning and looking up, searching for compositions that would appear and disappear in a heartbeat.
The sound of the wild westerly wind only added to the drama, almost rendering a tripod useless.
The evening left me in awe of the landscape.
TIP: Don’t leave any expensive camera gear by a tussock unmarked… especially in fading light!
In my rush to change lenses and trying to capture everything before me I put the spare lens on the ground unmarked…duh!
When the show was over I realised I had about 15 minutes of light left to find a NZ$3,000 lens in a mass of countless tussock.
Calm prevailed as I took some known bearings… but it was close, you’d think I had lost a child the way I hugged that lens when I found it!
Lake Wanaka Dusk
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On my way… the landscape reveals a beautiful evening along the south shore of Lake Wanaka in the South Island of New Zealand.
This tree has become an iconic subject and is often the the centre of interest for thousands of photographers who visit the town of Wanaka.
The trick is to try and capture the light and the landscape that connects in a different way.