Urban Growth

As with all big cities (or small cities), growth is something we see in a continual state of movement. Largely cities offer what people want and/or need – jobs, income, shops, society, action… (I’m sure the list will depend on each as an individual).

Auckland currently, for its population, one of the most sprawled out cities in the world. With this comes issues – transportation being one of the larger ones. Our current Mayor, Len Brown, has put in place plans for an extended rail network and improved public transportations – all in an effort to reduce the peek hour traffic jams, and make Auckland a better place to live. I think the plans sound great.

The next big argument between local and national government is what Auckland does in the future? – do we expand more, moving out into less developed land? Do we concentrate on more high population housing estates, more high-rise? Both come with their pros and cons, and likely a mix is the answer.

For a city that holds 32% of the countries population (and growing), Auckland will always have a struggle with housing, transportation and all the infrastructure that surrounds it. For me, its still home.

April 14, 2013 2

Mount Wellington

As any of you who regularly follow me may have noticed, I have been running series images from single outings a little of late. Im in the process of moving, and also have had a bit of a boost in work business at the moment, so have not had the daily photo fix I usually enjoy. Combined with this, sometimes when out and about I get multiple images I’d like to share and putting them in a series makes sense.

Todays shot is from near the summit of Mount Wellington. The title both referring to the peak and the surrounding suburb, it received its English name from the Duke of Wellington. Local Maori know it as Maungarei.

Of interest, as well as the amazing views when there, is the massive water reservoir (45,100 cubic meter) built in the 60’s – its the flat part to the left of the image.

As with many volcanic craters around Auckland, people often use the stones in the craters to write messages that can be seen from the summit (or higher).

April 13, 2013 0

View from Highbrook Park

In between showers, a quick shot of the view from Highbrook Park, looking North. Just after this was shot, the two rowers near the signal pole somehow hit it. No sinking disaster, but it made a fairly loud bump. The mix of rainy clouds and sunrise lent for some nice lighting. In the background we can see Mt Wellington. Tomorrows image source.

April 12, 2013 0

Car Park by Night

Heading off to the annual Lantin festival in Aucklands CBD this evening, I captured this image of the mid-town car park. I like how at night you can see right into it, whilst all around is black. Its almost like a giant dolls house where one removes the side wall to see what is happening.

Shot on the Nex 5N with 16-50mm lens. Very light editing in Gimp.

February 23, 2013 4

Down in the Crowd

Similar to my image taken a few weeks ago, Down in the Crowd is one of the images shot on Ilford Pan 100 using the Pentax MG SLR. Slightly tweaked in Photoshop CS4, I lightly colorised and resized – all adter developing and scanning.

Waitangi Day here in New Zealand tomorrow. If the weather holds, we might head out for a bike somewhere hopefully!

February 5, 2013 2

Monarch in the Sun

I think if people were ever inspired by the children’s book ‘The Ugly Duckling’, than the story of the Monarch butterfly must be awe inspiring! Here is a creature that starts life as a little caterpillar, eats and eats and eats until it is about to burst, makes a little sleeping bag to sleep in and then one day emerges with beautiful coloured wings and dances off into the sky!

Today’s image, from our back yard, features one such monarch that floated in to sample the local flowers. There was a bit of a breeze out, so watching it come in was a little like planes landing in Wellington on a windy day!

As with many creatures in nature, their colour serves to warn off would-be predators like birds, for whom they are poisonous. Surprisingly, reading a little more about them, the monarch butterfly is classed in the near- threatened grouping on a conservation level. We seem to get a good number of them around Auckland at least!

Shot on the Sony with 210mm lens (315mm 35mm equivalent) , I bumped up the contrast and sharpness to compensate for the fairly flat image that came out the camera.

Wind aside its been a great start to the long weekend, so I will get back to it!

January 26, 2013 4

City over the Water

Another busy day, especially for a Monday. I managed to shoot off down to the waterfront after evening training and catch the end of the sun retreating behind the hills. I know I have featured the city several times before – at slightly different focal and view points. There is something about a cityscape that I love looking at. Living just outside the city allows beautiful views of it, and distance wise, if I need to go in, that’s no big issue either.

Shot on the Ricoh GRD IV at 6 seconds ISO80 in its only 28mm focal length. Aside from resizing, no post editing tricks and no in camera filters either today, just a straight shot in its natural colour. It was quite an awesome sky!

January 21, 2013 4

Music in the Parks: I Am Giant

A hot day out in the sun with Auckland’s Music in the Parks – a local government funded series of events bringing a variety of bands to the public.

There were a number of people there with their cameras, shooting the bands straight on, avoiding the audience. In todays shot, I looked for a slightly different perspective. Capturing the lead from I Am Giant over the girls shoulder, I think I have caught the moment of the band and audience, yet kept all in the photo relatively anonymous.

Shot on the Sony Nex with 210mm telephoto lens. Converted to B&W using CS5 .

January 19, 2013 0

Keep Clear

A quick mid week post.

Keep Clear. Shot on a recent town stroll with my Ricoh GRD IV in hand. Post processing involved adding a heavy vignette, converting to B&W, adding contrast and a slight colour tint.

More words and another image tomorrow!

January 16, 2013 0

Farewell Holidays

Holidays seem to pass so quickly. As I write I am in the final few hours of my break, and coming to terms with being back at work in the morning. I enjoy my work, but I am yet to be convinced by others who say they would be too bored if they didn’t have work to go to…I think I always have more than enough to do. Perhaps if I win the lottery one day we can put it to the test!

For the morning I decided to catch the ferry to the city, have a stroll around and see what images there were to see and capture. Making an effort to go on the more untrodden streets and tracks, armed with my Ricoh GRD IV, I captured a few images, but didn’tRi feel overly inspired today and just enjoyed the stroll.

Going with the final week flow, ‘Farewell Holidays’ was again captured on the Galaxy S2 in Vignette, Polaroid setting, and edited in Photoshop CS5.

Tomorrow I will take us back several days, and start with sharing a few of my West Coast images shot on the Sony. And if I get around to it, anything good I shot on the Pentax MG also.

Catch you tomorrow…after work.

January 8, 2013 2