The shapes in Monument Valley are right out of all the westerns you watched when you were a kid. So, when I was there for the first time it was a bit surreal. Now, I know many reading will have been there several times and they are experts at this area… but it was all fresh and new to me! As long as there are good clouds, I think it is relatively easy to get a good shot here! Sort of a lay-up, I think! Some photos you have to work really really hard for… and those are fine… but I also like a few of these that make themselves a bit easier.

The Wolf Howling at the Sunset Sky

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-08-22 12:40:14
• CameraNEX-7
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/60
• Aperture5.6
• ISO100
• Focal Length55.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

As you drive into Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, you may well decide that the drive itself is better than the destination. And that’s saying a lot, believe me!

I think one of the best unofficial hikes is right around Monkey Creek here. It’s certainly worth parking your car and spending a few hours walking around the area. Even without your camera, it’s still a feast for the eyes.

Crossing Monkey Creek

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-10-27 18:56:02
• CameraNEX-7
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/1600
• Aperture3.5
• ISO100
• Focal Length18.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-0.3

Here’s another one of the images from my 1000 Stories from 1000 Places NFT drop. It sold out in minutes, but they are now available to trade on OpenSea and X2Y2, etc so be sure to check them out.

Oh how I wish I could live in a Hobbit hole!

I have about 10 acres on the land where I live, and I’m thinking about building a series of Hobbit holes for my friends. They can be all interconnected with secret tunnels and stuff. I know it sounds geeky, but I would totally move out there with them… eat two breakfasts a day… shave one another’s feet… this sort of thing.

Hobbiton, New Zealand

Morning Hobbit Holes

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-10-17 17:42:39
• CameraNEX-7
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/60
• Aperture4
• ISO100
• Focal Length10.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

The car trip started here in Kingston on Lake Wakatipu. It was a perfect spring day, and there was a lone sailboat down on the lake. Everything is on such a big scale here, maybe you can get a sense of the overall size of the lake from the tiny sailboat on there… it looks like a toy!

Sailing on Lake Wakatipu

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-10-27 23:09:29
• CameraNEX-7
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/1000
• Aperture5.6
• ISO100
• Focal Length45.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-0.3

I spent many hours inside of Bilbo’s Hobbit Hole! The first day I stayed in here for quite a while to duck out of the rain. It was when I was there for the Air New Zealand shoot and a strange storm came through. The hobbit holes were the safest and driest place to be! I was actually in here with the whole crew and many flight attendants for the duration.

Hobbiton, New Zealand

Inside The Hobbit Hole of Bilbo Baggins

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-10-19 02:11:24
• CameraNEX-7
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/30
• Aperture10
• ISO100
• Focal Length11.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

After Google hosted me for a huge PhotoWalk, we ended at this Italian restaurant atop a building in Harajuku. There were over a hundred people inside at the party. I gave a speech about the effects of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints on the Impressionist movement and how this tradition now continues as we all influence one another.

Right after that, I discovered there was a huge balcony out the side door with an amazing view of the city! I went out there with Vic Gundotra, Bradley Horowitz and a few others to grab a shot of the view.

Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan

The Infinity of Tokyo

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-10-03 11:17:16
• CameraNEX-7
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time4
• Aperture4
• ISO100
• Focal Length15.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias+1.7

All being well, when this blog post goes live I’ll be trying to waste some time in Vancouver airport after a 14hr flight from Sydney. Hopefully the next flight is on-time-ish or it’ll be a looooong day!

Quick pitstop in Vancouver

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-07-25 04:49:03
• CameraNEX-7
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time6
• Aperture13
• ISO100
• Focal Length10.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

I’m told, hopefully reliably, that this (at Gibbston Valley) is the largest wine cave in New Zealand.

The Wine Cave

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-11-07 22:58:34
• CameraNEX-7
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time13
• Aperture8
• ISO100
• Focal Length13.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias+1

One of my favorite images from Drop 1 over on Opensea… Canyon Spiral. (Animated over there.)

I explored this beautiful sandstone vortex from morning till night to find the most magical angles that represented a neverending duality. This is from the Slot Canyons, and, although beautiful, it is quite a dangerous place, as flash floods regularly drown people as they spiral down into their death. That got dark, but let’s think positive thoughts. 🙂

Drop 1

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-08-22 18:19:22
• CameraNEX-7
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1
• Aperture14
• ISO100
• Focal Length13.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

Here’s a scene from Beijing from back in 2013. Sometimes the temptation is to not go out in less than average weather but as this shot shows, it can add a lot more interest to a scene.

Randomness in China

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-05-28 00:18:58
• CameraNEX-7
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/100
• Aperture8
• ISO100
• Focal Length10.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias