How beautiful is this area? After I dropped off Ethan in Picton, I took some time to drive around and explore that area. If you look at the MAP of that area, then you can see there are countless little bays and coves. Each one is just as beautiful as the next. You can also see that most of that area has no roads at all… so I would often drive to the end of the road and then fly the drone from there.

The North Part of the South Island

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2019-05-01 23:11:41
• CameraFC2204
• Camera MakeDJI
• Exposure Time1/500
• Aperture3.8
• ISO100
• Focal Length8.6 mm
• FlashNo Flash
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias-1.7

Here’s a view of the road along the west coast of New Zealand as it heads into the Haast area. It’s absolutely epic and I want to do more road trips in this area! You would not necessarily know it from this shot, but the best thing about this part of New Zealand are the trees. There are some of the most Dr. Seuss looking trees as you drive along the road. They look even more surreal when they are framed in fog.

The Road to the Misty Mountains

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2019-05-06 17:05:04
• CameraFC2204
• Camera MakeDJI
• Exposure Time1/50
• Aperture3.8
• ISO100
• Focal Length8.6 mm
• FlashNo Flash
• Exposure ProgramProgram AE
• Exposure Bias+1.3

I love it when I get to introduce new people to New Zealand during my workshops! These are incredible events and we usually end up visiting Queenstown Gardens. There are so many different kinds of trees and the colors are completely ridiculous. Often times, we begin here in the gardens so that everyone immediately gets some good photos to share with friends and family back home.

Autumn Light in New Zealand

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2019-04-23 09:58:05
• CameraILCE-7RM3
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1
• Aperture20
• ISO50
• Focal Length24.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

Here’s a photo I took during the Autumn Workshop (which you should sign up for!) when we went up to the top of Coronet Peak. I have a list of like 10 of my favorite places to take the group… I usually wait till the very last minute to decide based on the weather. All the spots are good during any kind of weather, but some are better than others… It’s only taken me about 10 years to figure out all this stuff!

New Zealand during the Fall Workshop

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2019-04-25 09:19:52
• CameraILCE-7RM3
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/800
• Aperture4
• ISO250
• Focal Length24.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

I took a road trip up to Picton with Ethan to get him in and out of Outward Bound. There are two ways to get up there, and I chose the one that was just about an hour longer so I could head up the west coast. It’s wild and raw and hardly anyone takes that path… It was my first time to notice this incredible area where the Tasman Sea is undercutting the forest. Amazing, eh?

Along the Coast Near Haast

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2019-05-23 19:08:48
• CameraFC2204
• Camera MakeDJI
• Exposure Time1/320
• Aperture2.8
• ISO100
• Focal Length4.4 mm
• FlashNo Flash
• Exposure ProgramProgram AE
• Exposure Bias+0.3

I don’t think this area has an exact name, but it’s about 30 minutes north of Haast on the south island of New Zealand. This area was so cool and it makes me want to explore it a lot more! I loved how the ocean was undercutting this cliff face and the trees would just tumble into the water. It should go without saying that I took this with a drone! 🙂

Along the West Coast of New Zealand near Haast

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2019-05-23 19:12:41
• CameraFC2204
• Camera MakeDJI
• Exposure Time1/120
• Aperture2.8
• ISO100
• Focal Length4.4 mm
• FlashNo Flash
• Exposure ProgramProgram AE
• Exposure Bias+0.3

Here’s a photo I took during a recent workshop in Queenstown. See that area down below in the valley with all the farm plots? That’s the area I live… I feel very lucky to have all these magical mountains around me!

The Remarkables in Queenstown

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2019-04-25 08:09:46
• CameraFC2204
• Camera MakeDJI
• Exposure Time1/120
• Aperture3.8
• ISO100
• Focal Length8.6 mm
• FlashNo Flash
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias-1.3

I took this one beautiful morning at Lake Hayes, near Queenstown, New Zealand. I’ve always wanted to take a balloon ride here, but I haven’t carved out enough time to make it happen. I’ve never taken a balloon ride before, and I’m often confused about how you steer the thing around. I know there’s air currents and stuff, but how do you know? And what if you blow over the mountain into an area with no roads (which is most of New Zealand)? I don’t know… these are all the questions I will ask the balloonist (is that what they are called) when I finally get on a balloon.

Ballooning in New Zealand

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2016-10-21 07:08:27
• CameraFC330
• Camera MakeDJI
• Exposure Time1/170
• Aperture2.8
• ISO100
• Focal Length3.6 mm
• FlashNo flash function
• Exposure ProgramUnknown (58655)
• Exposure Bias

It’s been a few years since I have been to Matamata on the North Island and seeing these photos make me want to return. The farmers that originally owned (and still manage) the Hobbiton Movie Set have always been very generous and kind to me, so I try to repay them with as many photos as possible. In a way, this is an easy task, since it’s impossible to take a bad photo there.

The Party Tree in Hobbiton

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2016-05-25 09:12:46
• CameraFC330
• Camera MakeDJI
• Exposure Time1/400
• Aperture2.8
• ISO100
• Focal Length
• FlashNo flash function
• Exposure ProgramUnknown (58655)
• Exposure Bias+0.656