North North West Auckland

Looking out from the Sky Tower we see the view of the CBD’s viaduct. Out beyond that one of the large marinas the make Auckland New Zealand’s ‘City of Sails’. Beyond that, the Harbour Bridge, and the western side of the North Shore.

The Viaduct, once a more commercial area, has been redeveloped over the last decade or so into a up market apartment, bar and restaurant, and tourism area. Home to a number of very flash sea going vessels the size of a large home (and bigger), it is still being developed into a new upcoming area walking distance from the central business area.

The marina – Westhaven Marina, is the largest of its type in the Souther Hemisphere,and one of 640 worldwide brings about our title of the City of Sails.

Some more tomorrow!

June 7, 2013 3

Down there is Queen Street

Perhaps unsurprisingly, New Zealand being a country of the Commonwealth, Aucklands main road in the CBD is Queen Street. During the week, a hustling and bustling street, lined with various retail, food and entertainment shops. Its also the main street for any wider Auckland parades, graduation walks, and protest walks. An early development in Aucklands young town years (1840), a stream ran down it. This was soon directed via a small canal, and then buried underground by the 1870’s. The lower half of Queen Street was also reclaimed from the sea (reclaimed being an always off term to me as it always make me feel like we are taking back something lost rather than never had).

Looking down upon it from up in the Sky Tower, one gets a sense of how small things are from above, We saw a number of gulls flying up near us at 300m, catching the wind currents. You can also see how cold Queen Street can get with the surrounding shadows of the buildings.

Tomorrow, keeping ‘up high’ we will venture our view out a little more, past the goings on of the CBD.

June 6, 2013 0

Aucklands Spaghetti Junction

All big cities seem to have their own Spaghetti Junction. A confusing series of motorway on/off ramps, twisted and turned like a bowl of spaghetti. Auckland is no different.

Shot again from the Sky Tower, looking down upon the city, I focused towards part of our spag bowl. Technically titled the ‘Central Motorway Junction’, Im not sure I have ever met anyone who has called it such. Without reference, my understanding is our spaghetti junction was built in the 1960’s to assist traffic flows and congestion in the central meeting point (CBD). When being built in the 70’s, it seems as there was some cost cutting, as I recall a number of pilons sticking up, going nowhere. I the 2000’s it was finally completed (or extended depending on ones position of opinion).

Unfortunately for Auckland, and I am sure other areas of the world, a plan for traffic and traffic flow in the 60’s had no way of being able to accurately project 50 years into the future. The spaghetti may be well sign posted, but its still a muddle, and best to keep clear of any time around rush hour traffic…unless you want to more slowly and admire the engineering that is.

And another shot from above tomorrow!

June 4, 2013 5

City South

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!

June 3, 2013 0

Autumn Between the Shadows

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.

June 2, 2013 0

The mini Mini

Not one of my own projects today, rather a spotted project in the St Heliers area of Auckland’s central coastal area. Compared to most cars since the 70’s, the Mini has always been a small car – however a mini Mini makes a normal Mini look like a family saloon! Being they are constructed with a front and rear subframe, bolted to a mono construction body, the mini Mini is a ‘moderately easy’ (for those who know what they do) modification. I toyed with doing one years ago, but was put off at the time with the certification process. A very unique fun little car – rare as hens teeth now days too!

Image wise, shot on the Sony Nex with a Sigma 30mm lens. In post I slightly cropped, desaturated and added additional blur in the background to keep focus on the Mini.

Auckland Round the Bays run tomorrow morning. Its the biggest fun run in the country I believe, so I will be there running, and with mobile in hand to capture an image or two – at the very least whilst I wait for the start canon!

March 9, 2013 0

Evening CBD

Out for a stroll in the CBD tonight I captured one of the old buildings on the main road -Queen Street. A funny story,perhaps for another time, I recall getting stuck between this building and the next with a friend when we were young kids – eventuating in a rescue!

Shot on the mobile, using androids afterfocus app I converted to black and white and roughly blurred the background, finishing with a vignette.

February 26, 2013 2

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

Garbage

A quick post before the end of the day.

Shot on the Samsung s2, I hope to share some more tomorrow’ish.

Garbage rocked the Civic at Aucklands CBD. A great concert, many many years since they came to NZ.

February 20, 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