New Zealand | An Ongoing Pictorial

[Supermoon]

Late start yesterday morning...

75. Went for an "Old West" movie look:

Country road by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

I really like this one

[Fuzz]

I really like this one

Thanks. The sky was kind of blah -- just too clear and blue, so went for a faded "Old West" look.

Went for a short 3.3km walk this past weekend with some friends. Still cannot get over how lush the vegetation in the foothills and mountains is.

81. The kids had a fun time racing up and down the track.

Exploring Orari Gorge by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

82. Did I mention it was very green?

Exploring Orari Gorge by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

83. Kiwi flora

Exploring Orari Gorge by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

84. Checking out the landscape

Exploring Orari Gorge by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

85. Stopped for lunch at the nearby town. There was a riverfront track where the kids could run around.

Exploring Geraldine by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

[Edgnar]

79 and 80. Wowza.

[Fuzz]

Was on my way to Arthur's Pass last week when the drive belt on my car snapped while on the highway. Managed to limp into a garage at the nearest small town, and while waiting for a replacement to arrive, alternated between sheltering from a hailstorm and exploring the town.

86. Storm converging on Rakaia
Storm convergence by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

87. A day for muted colours
Rakaia by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

88. Fashion Studio
Fashion Studio, Rakaia by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

89. High street
Rakaia by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

90. Small towns like Rakaia have been giving way for a while now
Giving way by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

Then on Saturday, went on a field trip with the local photographic society. Our "guide" was an old local who had built much of the roads, structures, and farms in one of the major river valleys here in Mid Canterbury. So he knew all the good spots, including some not accessible to the public.

91. First stop was sunrise at Lake Clearwater. Clearwater is one of several glacial lakes (collectively known as the Ashburton Lakes) around the foothills. The great thing about these lakes is that they frame some dramatic peaks very nicely. Plus they're not widely know, so they're never crowded.
Clearwater sunrise by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

92. I almost never use my 10-stop ND filter (too lazy I guess), but busted it out for this scene. Scampered over ankle-deep water to get to a small rock outcropping in the middle of the Potts River.
Erewhon by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

93. This is the Rangitata River Valley.
Rangitata Gorge by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

94. This was the location for Helm's Deep in the wide shots in "The Two Towers".
Helm's Deep by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

95. After passing through a private farm, the road (I use that term lightly) continued down a wide shingle river bed.
River crossing by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

96. We climbed up one of the hills on the side for our lunch break and got some nice views. It was quite otherworldly.
River valley view by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

[Fuzz]

Recently we've had a run of sunny days and cloudy nights, which put a damper on my attempts at Milky Way nightscapes. The forecast for last night called for clear skies in the Rangitata River Valley, so even though it was cloudy at home, I made the hour-long drive hoping the forecast was correct. 45 minutes into the drive it was still overcast and I was debating turning around, but then it cleared up gradually. By the time I got to my intended location, it was absolutely perfect. Clear skies, no wind, not too cold, no moon, and the Milky Way inching its way towards the horizon.

All shot with a 5D2 on a static tripod.

97. Single frame at 15mm (fisheye), 30sec, f/3.2, ISO6400:
Star stream by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

98. Stack of 25 frames at 35mm, 10sec, f/2, ISO3200:
Galactic core by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

[Fuzz]

Been a while since I updated this...

99. Hike among the greenery a couple of months ago:
The green woods by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

100. Clear spring morning
Mt. Sunday on Sunday by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

101. Spring has been great
South Island spring by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

102. The more "tropical" areas stayed green through the winter though:
Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

103. Went for a walk around town recently.
Ashburton in yellow by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

104. The cloudy day made for nice reflections.
Sky train by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

105. Obligatory "abandoned toy near railroad tracks" shot
Left behind by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

[Fuzz]

Is anybody still reading this...? Should I still keep updating?

Came back from a killer trip to Aoraki/Mt. Cook. Mt. Cook is the tallest peak in NZ at 3,754m (12,316ft). It sits in Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park, which is quite stunning. The peaks and ridges rise almost straight up from the valley floor, towering 6,000 - 8,000 feet above. Very dramatic. Sir Edmund Hillary practiced on Mt. Cook to prepare for Everest.

There's a small village in the park with several different lodging and eating options (from high-end hotel/restaurant to backpacker hostel/campground and cafeteria). It's done quite well and very understated. Straddles the fine line between over-commercialization (like the Grand Canyon S. Rim) and complete lack of facilities (many other US national parks).

There are many walking trails all around, from short/easy ones to long multi-day treks. Tons of stuff to do, from hiking/camping to glacier heliskiing, kayaking, etc. My wife was recovering from an illness, so we took it easy for the most part, but still got to see a lot in four days. The weather was a mixed bag. We had a couple of sunny and clear days. And a couple of days with pouring rain, hail, wind, and snow (at higher elevations). We still got out everyday.

106. The road to Aoraki runs along the impossibly blue Lake Pukaki. The colour comes from "rock flour", granite ground up by the glaciers. "Laketown" in The Hobbit movies was filmed along the shores of Pukaki.

Road to Aoraki by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

107. Mt. Cook through Hooker Valley from the village.

Aoraki/Mt. Cook by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

108. Hooker Valley is the main hiking track in the park. It is a stunning valley filled with swinging bridges crossing glacial streams/rivers, and absolutely dramatic scenery. Almost felt like being in the Himalayas (just based on pictures).

Hooker Valley hike by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

109. Mt. Cook is hidden from view at the start of the Hooker Valley track. And when it shows up, it is unmistakable.

Aoraki/Mt. Cook by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

110. Is there a more stereotypical "outdoor" view?

Aoraki/Mt. Cook by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

111. The Hooker Valley track ends at Hooker Lake (about 1.5-2 hours one-way). This was one of the most awesome places I've ever been. Standing near the towering blue walls of Hooker Glacier and icebergs was something else.

Aoraki/Mt. Cook by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

112. The weather around Cook can be quite variable and getting a clear sight of the peak can be a matter of luck. Despite the bad weather, I did get one clear evening and decided to make it count.

Aoraki sunset by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

113. Did I mention it was rainy?

Mountains in the mist by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

114. But we didn't let a little rain and hail (or a lot) stop us.

Aoraki/Mt. Cook by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

115. An angry Tasman Lake in the rain.

Aoraki/Mt. Cook by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

[mtcham]

Is anybody still reading this...? Should I still keep updating?

Yes and yes!

[butterscotch]

Is anybody still reading this...? Should I still keep updating?

Yes and yes!

Seconded. Also, 106 and 111 are rad.

[Fuzz]

Alright. Just didn't want to seem like the guy who loves the sound of his own voice!

[neck beard]

Modesty appreciated . TRG can be a real echo chamber for the enthusiastic sometimes.

If only a pro would take you out and show you how to take photos.

I was in NZ recently and I saw what you show in your photos. They are real.

[Yanos]

Just found this thread. Whoa. Please keep updating.

[Fuzz]

Comments much appreciated. I know a guy on another forum who keeps posting crappy pictures all by himself, and I think to myself, "Dude, nobody wants to see your shitty pictures of bridges with powerlines and hydrants in the foreground. And no, adding a sepia version does't make it less shitty." Don't want to be *that* guy!

Anyway, after 4 days at Mt. Cook we headed down to Glenorchy for 2.5 days. It's a small town (population: 200) practically at the end of the (paved) road. You have to drive past the tourist mecca (and main skiing hub) of Queenstown. Queenstown feels like any other mountain resort town in any other place. But Glenorchy is quite different. Sleepy little town, three small hotels, three cafes/restaurants, locals all know each other. There was even a town council meeting at the pub of our hotel one night. The hotel is so typically laid-back Kiwi, they don't have a website. Had to email the owner and ask if he had rooms; he didn't take any credit card info for pre-payment/confirmation or anything when we booked, just said "See you in October".

The town is set on the shore of Lake Wakatipu, ringed by mountains. The northeastern terminus of the famous Routeburn Track is nearby. It's a 32km, 2-4 day hiking trail and usually makes the list of "must-do" trails of the world. We did a couple of day-hikes -- gorgeous greenery. Many scenes from the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed nearby, including the setting for Isengard (Wizard's Vale), Amon Hen, Lothlorien. All of them were easily recognizable.

116. Arriving in Glenorchy.

Glenorchy by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

117. Glenorchy morning

Waters of Wakatipu by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

118. Morning calm on Wakatipu

Morning calm by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

119. Waterfalls on the Routeburn Track, a very common sight.

Routeburn Track by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

120. Drive to Paradise (there really is a village there called Paradise).

The green road by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

121. Wizard's Vale at Paradise, NZ.

Wizard's Vale by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

122. The Routeburn Track

Going to green by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

123. You half expect Lothlorien elves to jump out.

To Lake Sylvan by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

124. Sheep farm in Paradise

Wizard's Vale by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

125. Glenorchy is famous photographically for a series of willow trees that grow [i]in[/in] Lake Wakatipu. I was hoping to get a shot of the Milky Way over them, but the full moon scuppered those plans. Still got some decent reflections.

Willows of Wakatipu by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

[Fuzz]

Went up to Christchurch for the weekend. Had one morning to shoot something early. So set the alarm for 5am and drove out to Taylor's Mistake, a small but spectacular bay on the east coast. Despite a possibility of rain, the weather cooperated beautifully. Got soaked by the waves and attacked by seagulls (wandered too close to nests), but came away with some decent shots...

126. This place was accessible only after wading through the high-tide waves:
Red sun rising by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

127. The gulls were nesting on this rock, which I didn't notice/realize until they started attacking:
Red dawn by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

128. So moved along to a quieter and safer spot:
Red dawn by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

[The Tortoise]

Thanks again for the update.

I figured the lack of response is due to everyone being speechless after seeing your photos.

[DiscoVolante]

Beautiful pictures. I keep hearing over and over want an amazing place New Zealand is, and this just reinforces it. Thank you for sharing your pictures!

[Fuzz]

Been a while since my last update, so here are some more...

129. Went to Auckland for a quick trip last month for a job interview for my wife. A very tropical city. Right behind the Central Business District sits Mount Eden, an extinct volcano. The caldera is quite prominent, although overgrown with grass now.

Auckland by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

130. Hauraki Gulf, seen from Orewa (30 minutes north of Auckland) -- a potential place to live:

Hauraki Gulf sunset by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

131. Back home in Canterbury, my attempts to get some pictures of the sun setting over the Southern Alps kept getting thwarted by weather.

Into the storm by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

132. Ended up experimenting -- this is my first HDR that I actually like. Blended manually using luminosity masks in Photoshop.

Flowing twilight by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

133. Soon it was time for Christmas festivities. The town Christmas parade featured haka:

Ashburton Santa Parade 2014 by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

134. As well as Filipino dancers (there's a big Filipino community in many parts of NZ):

Ashburton Santa Parade 2014 by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

135. It still feels very strange to have Christmas in hot weather.

Ashburton Santa Parade 2014 by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

136. Christmas carols at the park felt very surreal, with everyone in shorts and t-shirts, eating ice-cream while listening to "Oh the weather outside is frightful...". My son's school did a haka performance (he was not in it).

Haka at the Christmas show by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

137. Explored some of the many nearby lakes, Lake Coleridge:

Lake Coleridge Centenary by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

138. I then got busy on my first commercial shoot, and so didn't have the time to explore much. Did a walkabout around town though. This is our little town "square".

Ashburton cityscape by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

139. Our little farming town (population: 30,000) is just a stop on Highway 1 on the way to more exciting places.

Ashburton cityscape by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

140. Finally lucked out on some good weather and free time to shoot sunset over the mountains.

Alpenglow by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

141. Went out for some sunrise shots at the beach one morning, but the sea was too calm -- waves were very small, not doing anything interesting. So turned around to go back home. On the way though, as the sun rose, it was truly golden hour. Had to stop to shoot some. This is also a manual blend using luminosity masks -- no saturation/vibrance added/increased:

Canterbury sunrise by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

142. The golden colour of the crops really accentuated the golden sun (again, no saturation/vibrance adjusted):

Canterbury sunrise by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

143. Then one afternoon, my aurora alert app went off, notifying my of strong auroral activity. And for once, the weather was clear. But as it got darker, clouds started gathering on the horizon -- and only on the southern horizon of course!

Aurora hunting by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

144. But at least got a shot of the Carina Nebula (not visible from the Northern Hemisphere).

Carina Nebula by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

145. And right before leaving, the clouds parted slightly, so I took a quick shot. The purple glow of the aurora made it look otherworldly. And you can tell how dark the sky is by how black the clouds are -- with the naked eye as well, the clouds look blacker than the clear night sky (which is a more greyish-blue).

Aurora hunting by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

[whitewoodchuck]

Fuzz,

I just found your site yesterday, I'm awestruck by the quality of all of your photos! I've always been fascinated by NZ, your work has certainly given me a much broader understanding of just how fascinating the place is. Please keep posting!

WWC

[Fuzz]

Fuzz,

I just found your site yesterday, I'm awestruck by the quality of all of your photos! I've always been fascinated by NZ, your work has certainly given me a much broader understanding of just how fascinating the place is. Please keep posting!

WWC

Thanks. Fascinating place it is indeed.

And we explored some more new places.

146. We stayed one night in the small resort town of Wanaka. It is a big outdoor sports-oriented place, with lots of hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, boating in the summer and skiing in the winter. The area was very reminiscent of Summit County. The town sits on the shore of Lake Wanaka. In that lake, there is a willow that grows straight out of the water. It is perhaps one of the most photographed scenes in NZ. Of course, I had to shoot it as well. The light wasn't the best, so had to make do.

Wanaka willow by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

147. Then it was on to our main destination: Fiordland. A large area of fiords in the southwestern corner of the South Island. Absolutely spectacular scenery. One of the jewels of the area is Milford Sound, where we did a boat cruise to explore more.

Milford Sound by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

148. The mountains were steep and the waterfalls were plentiful.

Milford Sound by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

149. Arguably one of the best driving roads in the world -- Milford Highway through Cleddau Valley.

Cleddau Valley by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

150. Clouds rolling over the ridgeline below Mt. Talbot.

Fiordland by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

151. Milford Sound itself at sunset.

Milford Sound twilight by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

152. Stars of Fiordland.

Stars of Fiordland by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

153. We did a couple of day-hikes. One of which was the Key Summit Track. Unfortunately, low clouds (a regular weather feature in the area) blocked most of the view. Until we reached the top and they started to dissipate, leaving a thick layer on top. Felt like somebody had pulled down the blinds.

Who turned down the blinds? by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

154. But even those clouds started to disappear, giving us some very nice views.

Key Summit views by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

155. The next day we hiked some of the Kepler Track, through a gorgeously lush beech forest.

The green road by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

156. Swing bridge on the track.

Hiking Kepler Track by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

157. Lake Manapouri on the Kepler Track. Moturau Hut is located here and is an overnight stop on the Track.

Lake Manapouri by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

158. We then moved on to Queenstown, NZ's tourist and adventure sports mecca (bungy jumping was apparently "invented"/started here). Quite a contrast to the remoteness and solitude of Fiordland. Queenstown = Aspen + Boulder combined. We came across so many Americans, it even felt like we were back in the US (I think all our waiters/servers at all the restaurants were Americans). Nevertheless, it is quite a pretty location. We hiked to the top of Queenstown Hill for some nice panoramic views. The amazing blue colour of the water is from "rock flour", ground up by the glaciers -- most of NZ's lakes have this distinctive look.

Queenstown Hill panorama by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

159. The Remarkables are a set of jagged peaks just outside Queenstown (Remarkables ski resort is located here). These mountains truly are remarkable when you're close to them at the base -- they rise almost vertically straight up and are made of very dark, almost black rock.

The Remarkables by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

160. Queenstown Gardens is a popular park on a small peninsula, a respite from the crowds.

Queenstown by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

[From_the_NEK]

TThe light wasn't the best, so had to make do.

Wanaka willow by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

Lesson 101 in Fuzz understatement .

[Lonnie]

I <3 this thread.

[Fuzz]

Lesson 101 in Fuzz understatement .

Really though, it was pretty crap. Completely overcast, flat light, no colour, no definition in the mountains in the back. Thankfully I was able to turn that lack of detail/contrast into this B&W treatment.

I <3 this thread.

Thanks. NZ is a landscape photographer's dream. So much variety in such a small space. I feel like I've really improved landscape photography in these last 9 months. In fact, I really wasn't into it much before moving here.

[Ksyrium]

great stuff Fuzz, thanks for posting.

[Lonnie]

Thanks. NZ is a landscape photographer's dream. So much variety in such a small space. I feel like I've really improved landscape photography in these last 9 months. In fact, I really wasn't into it much before moving here.

Absolutely my favorite place on the planet. I hope to make it back someday.

[smmokan]

It's been a while since I checked this.... but holy shit. There are some abso-fucking-lutely outstanding images here. Great work.