MikeHawkey.com

City South

June 3, 2013

Following on from yesterdays image, over the next week I have a few shots to share from a trip up the Sky Tower. Featured in a number of photos I have shown, and being about 15 years since I last went up, I thought it was about time to venture up and capture some of the surrounding landscape. Sitting at 328m tall, its without doubt the place to go for a view of virtually all of Auckland City.

We had some tickets at the ready a few weeks back, but with winter on its way (technically here now we are in June) we had to wait for a clear sunny day.

Armed with my Sony,once there I found it was so bright, I really could have done with a ND filter – but then again, I try not to cart around a massive bag of kit with me, unless its an actual trip out to just take photos.

Todays shot is looking ~South over the city. In the distance we can see One Tree Hill (left) and Mt Eden (right). When up this high, nothing looks particularly hilly – even though Auckland is anything but flat!

Another shot from above tomorrow!
Autumn Between the Shadows

June 2, 2013

A shot from above.

Looking down I snapped the autumn tree, its colours beaming out from both the shadows and grey city surrounding.

Shot on the Nex 5N with the 55-210mm lens. In Gimp I desaturated the blue tones, giving the city buildings the mono tone.

More shots from above tomorrow.
Come Fly With Me

June 1, 2013

Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away
If you can use some exotic booze
There’s a bar in far Bombay
Come on and fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away

Come fly with me, let’s float down to Peru
In llama land there’s a one-man band
And he’ll toot his flute for you
Come on fly with me, let’s take off in the blue

Once I get you up there where the air is rarified
We’ll just glide, starry-eyed
Once I get you up there I’ll be holding you so near
You may hear all the angels cheer ’cause we’re together

Weather-wise it’s such a lovely day
Just say the words and we’ll beat the birds
Down to Ac apulco Bay
It’s perfect for a flying honeymoon, they say
Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away

Once I get you up there where the air is rarified
We’ll just glide, starry-eyed
Once I get you up there I’ll be holding you so very near
You may even hear a whole gang cheer ’cause we’re together

Weather-wise it’s such a cool cool day
You just say those words and we’ll beat the birds
Down to Ac apulco Bay
It’s so perfect for a flying honeymoon, oh babe
Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly
Pack up, let’s fly away!!
And don´t tell your mamma!!

Frank Sinatra
(Songwriters: JAMES VAN HEUSEN, SAMMY CAHN)

Shot at Butterfly Creek on the Sony Nex 5N
Butterfly on Flower

May 31, 2013
Same as yesterday, some more interesting facts:
- The fastest butterflies fly at 19kph(12mph)
- Many butterflies can taste with their feet to test suitability for laying eggs.
- Antarctica is the only continent on which no Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) have been found
- Butterflies like to drink from mushy slices of banana, oranges and watermelon
Life on a Twig

May 30, 2013
Work found me at Butterfly Creek today for an all staff meeting. After the meeting, myself and a few other staff took the opportunity to go through their butterfly enclosure (and small farmyard). I’ve been once before, so in preparation brought along my Nex 5N with a few different lens’. Unfortunately, whether due to the time of day, or time of week, it was not as full of butterflies as the other time I went, but I did manage to get a few shots I will share over the next day or so none the less.

Some butterfly facts:
- The earliest fossils of butterflies date back 40-50million years!
- Depending on the species, they live from a week to a year (a week sounds pretty sort aye!)
- Traditional Japanese see the butterfly as the personification of a persons soul. One definition of the Greek work for butterfly means soul.
- They cant fly if their body temp is lower than 30c degrees(86f)
Shot on the Sony Nex with 16-50mm lens. Cropped in Gimp.