Matamata – Stuck in Customs
29
Aug 2018 : Wednesday
filed under  Matamata, New Zealand

Happy Hobbits

Walter Productions

Hey, I thought I would mention Walter Productions, which is the production company behind our Burning Man camp. They do events all over the USA, so if you ever want to have a major blowout event, be sure to contact them!

Pyramid thoughts

Here’s a short 1-minute video that I made while at the pyramids in Egypt.

Daily Photo – Happy Hobbits

Hey for today’s photo, I decided to go a little HDR crazy. I hope that’s okay. I still do that on occasion, and it seems to suit the magical place where the hobbits live here in New Zealand. It’s now a very very touristy place, but I still recommend going there. You get enough time to snap photos and then head down to the hobbit’s pub and have some grog. I remember when we were here making the Lightroom tutorial and we stayed in that pub almost all night long. I think by the end, we each had a gallon of grog and the productivity spiraled down to about zero.

Happy Hobbits

Photo Information

  • Date Taken2016-05-25 06:26:41
  • CameraILCE-7RM2
  • Camera MakeSony
  • Exposure Time1/125
  • Aperture8
  • ISO100
  • Focal Length11.0 mm
  • FlashOff, Did not fire
  • Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
  • Exposure Bias

Comments
26
Nov 2017 : Sunday
filed under  Camera Gear, DJI Phantom, Matamata, New Zealand

The Water Mill in Hobbiton

More Hobbiton Video Action from Behind the Scenes

Here’s the long version of the video we made with Air New Zealand. Enjoy!

Daily Photo – The Water Mill in Hobbiton

I was lucky to get permission to fly here on the Hobbiton Movie Set. They are pretty strict about drones nowadays, and they get more and more strict each year. It helps if you have a portfolio or a showreel you can share. It also helps if you offer to share the footage with the property.

The Water Mill in Hobbiton

Photo Information

  • Date Taken2016-05-25 09:19:48
  • CameraFC330
  • Camera MakeDJI
  • Exposure Time1/320
  • Aperture2.8
  • ISO100
  • Focal Length
  • FlashNo flash function
  • Exposure ProgramUnknown (58655)
  • Exposure Bias

Comments
25
Oct 2017 : Wednesday
filed under  #80Stays, Camera Gear, Matamata, New Zealand

A Textured Hobbit Hole

80 Stays Around the World is coming to Japan!

I’m coming to Japan for a bunch of photo events and photo walks! The main events are in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Okinawa. If you’ve never been to a Photo Walk, then this is a great chance. They are free, family-friendly, and you can use any kind of camera (yes even a mobile!) – I give lots of tips & tricks and will do my best to inspire you as we work on this creative life together.

Japan is one of my favorite countries and I can’t wait to be back. This time we are also doing something a little different, with a local Instagram star joining us in each location. Take a look at the video below to find out more information, I hope you can make it! 🙂

Nearby Huka Falls

If you’re going to Hobbiton and have a few extra bucks to spend, I recommend the nearby Huka Lodge. It’s right by Huka Falls and is a great central location for accessing this whole central area of the North Island of New Zealand.

Daily Photo – A Textured Hobbit Hole

I think if I had a Hobbit Hole I would never repaint the thing. I can’t imagine this would look any better with a fresh coat of paint. I’m impressed at all these movie people that can build something new and make it look so authentically old. They do that a lot of Disneyworld too. It’s a strange skill, I suppose, because most people that build something new have customers that also want it to look new. No one says, build me a new couch, but I want it to look that ropey old couch I had in college.

A Textured Hobbit Hole

Photo Information

  • Date Taken2016-06-04 22:27:46
  • Camera
  • Camera Make
  • Exposure Time
  • Aperture
  • ISO
  • Focal Length
  • Flash
  • Exposure Program
  • Exposure Bias

Comments
1
Mar 2017 : Wednesday
filed under  Facebook Live, Matamata, New Zealand

Yet another hobbit hole!

A Flight Over Hobbiton

We did a live FB show while flying over this amazing spot. Here it is!

Daily Photo – Yet another hobbit hole!

For regular readers, you know that every year I post about three photos of different hobbit holes. This one is probably #13 or something like that. I think there are 44 all together on Hobbiton Movie Set. it’s an incredible place… I highly recommend the tour! If possible, sign up for the final tour of the day because you can also have this fabulous private medieval dinner at the pub right there in Hobbiton!

Yet another hobbit hole!

Photo Information

  • Date Taken2016-06-04 22:27:46
  • Camera
  • Camera Make
  • Exposure Time
  • Aperture
  • ISO
  • Focal Length
  • Flash
  • Exposure Program
  • Exposure Bias

Comments
16
Nov 2016 : Wednesday
filed under  Matamata, New Zealand

Beautiful Hobbit Holes

My Favorite Party Speaker

I want to recommend the JBL Pulse 2 Speaker. It’s fantastic and I travel with it everywhere… Also be sure to get the firmware update to get the new light mode that has a rainbow equalizer. It’s so cool!

Daily Photo – Beautiful Hobbit Holes

Each time I go to Hobbiton (I think I’ve been about five times now), I have this grand plan to take photos of each of the 44 Hobbit holes. And then I get out there and get completely distracted by the beauty and end up getting pulled in 10 different directions. I’m such a huge fan of this place… and I’ve been lucky to have “free reign” a few times, getting there early at sunrise before all the tourists arrive. It’s still awesome, even doing the tourist thing, but I was able to spend a bit more extra time to get some key shots I’ve wanted.

Beautiful Hobbit Holes

Photo Information

  • Date Taken2016-05-25 06:20:51
  • CameraILCE-7RM2
  • Camera MakeSony
  • Exposure Time1/60
  • Aperture8
  • ISO250
  • Focal Length13.0 mm
  • FlashOff, Did not fire
  • Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
  • Exposure Bias

Comments
10
Sep 2016 : Saturday
filed under  Matamata, New Zealand

Another Perfect Little Hobbit Hole

Live over Hobbiton

Here’s a live broadcast we did one morning at sunrise over Hobbiton… how lucky and gorgeous! 🙂

Daily Photo – Another Perfect Little Hobbit Hole

This is one of my favorite areas to shoot. You’d think I’d become a little tired of the subject-matter after a while, but I never have! Each little hobbit hole (there are 44 I think?) is perfectly adorned and unique in its own way. Plus, it changes a little with every season. So beautiful!

Another Perfect Little Hobbit Hole

Photo Information

  • Date Taken2016-05-25 06:26:56
  • CameraILCE-7RM2
  • Camera MakeSony
  • Exposure Time1/60
  • Aperture8
  • ISO250
  • Focal Length11.0 mm
  • FlashOff, Did not fire
  • Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
  • Exposure Bias

Comments
23
Jul 2016 : Saturday
filed under  Matamata, New Zealand

Hobbiton From Above

Trey’s Bag

I’ve recently updated and basically replaced my Camera Bag page here on the site. It lists my three most used bags for different situations!

Daily Photo – Hobbiton From Above

Another perspective on the flour mill in Hobbiton. Everything works on this mill on the outside, but I think the inside is fake. That’s okay, eh? I can suspend belief for a bit! But it is nice to watch that little water wheel spin around and around and around. It makes me think I want a mill someday, which is a bizarre thing to want since I don’t really like making my own bread.

Hobbiton From Above

Photo Information

  • Date Taken2016-05-25 09:16:19
  • CameraFC330
  • Camera MakeDJI
  • Exposure Time1/1600
  • Aperture2.8
  • ISO100
  • Focal Length
  • FlashNo flash function
  • Exposure ProgramUnknown (58655)
  • Exposure Bias-0.656

Comments
19
Jul 2016 : Tuesday
filed under  Matamata, New Zealand

Over the pond in Hobbiton

Trey’s Creative Survival Kit

For those of you coming to our various workshops around the world, I hope you’re enjoying Trey’s Creative Survival Kit. It’s one of the goodies that are included. Be sure to check out our Workshop page to see if we’re coming to a city near you 🙂

Daily Photo – Over the pond in Hobbiton

Here’s another drone photo I got while in Hobbiton. I arrived early in the morning and had to get special clearance so I could do some flying. It was worth every second. I’ve been to Hobbiton about five times and was looking for a new perspective.

Over the pond in Hobbiton

Photo Information

  • Date Taken2016-05-25 09:22:33
  • CameraFC330
  • Camera MakeDJI
  • Exposure Time1/310
  • Aperture2.8
  • ISO100
  • Focal Length
  • FlashNo flash function
  • Exposure ProgramUnknown (58655)
  • Exposure Bias+0.656

Comments
11
Jul 2016 : Monday
filed under  Matamata, New Zealand

Back to Hobbiton

Air New Zealand Video

Here’s a behind-the-scenes from Hobbiton! 🙂

Daily Photo – Back to Hobbiton

What an amazing place to return to again and again. Over the years, I’ve gotten to be pretty good friends with the management there after my first day-long session with Air New Zealand and the owner, Russell. That guy is amazing and his kid could not be more cute, as you can see in the video above. He’s the little Hobbit-boy!

Back to Hobbiton

Photo Information

  • Date Taken2016-05-25 06:10:28
  • CameraILCE-7RM2
  • Camera MakeSony
  • Exposure Time1/200
  • Aperture8
  • ISO100
  • Focal Length15.0 mm
  • FlashOff, Did not fire
  • Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
  • Exposure Bias

Comments
23
Jan 2016 : Saturday
filed under  Matamata, New Zealand, Travel

Hobbiton in Evening Light

A Visit to Wild Earth Wineries

This is a great winery and place to have lunch here on the South Island! One day when I was there, I flew the quad around a bit… Here’s the result! 🙂

Daily Photo – Hobbiton in Evening Light

Jumping from the beautiful South Island to the North Island of New Zealand, we come back to the quaint and too-perfect Hobbiton. I was lucky enough to be there right after they installed all the lights. What could be better than this? Something so scenic and relaxing… and it’s all real too. I mean, there are no Hobbits or anything… but all the plants, gardens, working mead tap in the Green Dragon Inn – everything! I want to sleep here all night I think. 🙂

Hobbiton in Evening Light

Photo Information

  • Date Taken2014-05-07 18:45:26
  • CameraILCE-7R
  • Camera MakeSony
  • Exposure Time8
  • Aperture8
  • ISO100
  • Focal Length29.0 mm
  • FlashOff, Did not fire
  • Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
  • Exposure Bias+1.7

Comments