This is the road to Milford Sound/Piopiotahi. I took this photo on a moody autumn morning when the road was empty and quiet, except for the occasional sheep grazing by the side. I was captivated by the contrast between the rugged peaks and the smooth surface of the road mixed with the vibrant colors of nature.
As the seasons change the grassy fields around Queenstown and Arrowtown transform into a rainbow of hues, from soft yellows to vibrant greens you can even spot some fiery oranges and reds among the blades. It’s like a magic carpet of colors that invites you to explore and capture every nuance with your camera.
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.
The colors here go a little crazy when the clouds are in the sky! I’m not sure what it is… I think this very cold lake also does something to the air to make it a bit… thicker… or have more moisture in the air… or something!
This is another quadcopter shot over scenic Waiheke Island. Just seeing these photos makes me want to return! One kind of scary thing happened when I launched the quad here… we were all riding horses, and it spooked one of them. It jumped and shook off my friend David Maxwell. Luckily, he landed on his voluminous hair and all was fine!
Wandering through the fields one evening, the sunset wouldn’t quit! It just kept going and going… like a painting that changed every few minutes. And a few steps this way and that way would completely change the color situation on the bottom half of the photo. Honestly, there were not many bad combinations!
Here’s a photo from my road trip around the North Island of New Zealand. This is one of the coolest golf courses in the world called Tara Iti. It runs right along the beach and when the sun gets low, you get some pretty incredible shadows along the fairways. I like shooting on golf courses, but I don’t always like making it obvious it’s a golf course. I like the idea that it’s a beautiful place that’s just convenient for playing golf if you want to.
This is one of the many cool sculptures at The Hills country club in Arrowtown. The guy that owns it is Michael Hill, who also owns one of my prints and hangs it in his home here which is located on the golf course.
This is not a new photo, but it’s one I took a number of years ago as soon as I got that Hasselblad. Nice, eh? I was still trying to figure out the camera, as the behavior was quite a bit different than my Sony. So, I spent a day traveling around the South Island here in New Zealand to try using the camera in a lot of different conditions. I took this over near Jack’s Point in Queenstown.
How beautiful is the West Coast of New Zealand? It’s foggy and moody and full of mystique. I absolutely love it there. This makes me want to do more road trips all over the South Island… I’ll try to do a few a year! Next time, I think I want to get a little more drone action going because the views from up high are even more spectacular.
