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  • Cheddar Gorge

    My beautiful picture

    An old film archive from some years ago now. Visiting England, we drove through the beautiful Cheddar Gorge. A limestone based gorge, Cheddar is home to the oldest British human skeleton (9000 years). Voted at one stage as the second wonder of the UK, Cheddar George, from my memory, was a beautiful spot to pass through. Reflecting back, I do recall just sitting there and taking in the beauty of the surround – quite different to that of New Zealands beautiful landscape. I only wish I had got a few more shots!

    Shot on the Minolta 7si. Scanned negative to digital and resized in Gimp.

     

  • New Zealands Milford Sound

    Milford Sound

     

    One more from my photo trip down memory lane of the South Island holiday. I mentioned yesterday about the amazing enormity of the mountains. Often rising up above the flat land, it confronts you face on.

    Todays shot, taken in Milford Sound is another location when you can get up close to this once glacier formed landscape. Sitting on the flat ocean, looking up, the ranges almost disappear from sight.

    Currently Milford Sound is part of a controversial debate whether to bipass the traditional road track (up to a 12 hour return journey from Queenstown) down to a two hour one way by train. This will however mean cutting into our national park – protected land. Some of the tourist stop towns may loose out, and some of the more quiet and beautiful places, Glenorchy, may become a busy traffic bipass. No argument the bus journey is a long one, but its also a beautiful one, and critical to some of the small stops.  Then again, in this changing climate of tourism, many of those who travel to New Zealand to see the sights dont always want to bother about the small bits, and generally under estimate the real time it can take to take in our little country.

    Shot on the Ricoh GRD IV, resized and bordered in Gimp

  • Mountains beyond the Grass

    Hills beyond the Grass

     

    Looking over one of the blogs I regularly follow, I was inspired to have a look back, and reflect on my trip to the South Island in December 2011. My second time travelling from New Zealands North Island to the South Island, I cannot express how beautiful parts of our wonderful little country are.

    Todays image was shot somewhere in the region of the Routeburn track (a stunning 32km track down the bottom part of the South). What takes ones breath away when down near the Souther Alps is the shear size and enormity of this great mountain range. Its something that simply must be on your travel list if you come down to New Zealand.

    Shot on the Ricoh GRD IV, resized and bordered in Gimp.

  • Tasty Snacks

    SONY DSC

     

    An image from the archives today. It must be several years ago now that I was invited by friends to come and photograph (and eat a little) some finely produced foods. Placed on a table by a wide open window, I worked with the natural available light, and took a series of images. I think it was my first attempt at food photography at the time and although I might do one or two things different now, I was happy with the overall result, and looked back on the series again today with similar feelings.

    Todays image was shot on the Sony A230 DSLR. Originally edited in CS4 from RAW and slightly cropped and scaled in Gimp today.

  • Secret River

    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

     

    Secret River is in my mind.
    I can go there any time.
    Everything Mother Albirtha says is true.
    The sky is gold and the river is blue.
    Secret River, I love you

    Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan, The Secret River, Scribners, 1955, p. 56

    Shot on the Olympus four thirds E500, edited in CS5 and Gimp.