Do you think this lake full of glacial water is cold? Yes? Well, you’re right. I am not a fan of cold water and all my friends that love cold water tell me I am a crazy for not liking cold water as then dive into it naked. I’m like no. I like hot water. I like jacuzzis and stuff. It’s not that complicated but I just can’t get it through their heads.

Skinny Dipping on the way to Mount Cook/Aoraki

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2020-11-09 14:45:27
• CameraILCE-7RM3
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/1600
• Aperture8
• ISO500
• Focal Length63.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

Here’s one of the first stops on my photo hike and road trip… can’t wait to sleep under the stars at Mount Cook again. 🙂

Across the Lake

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-12-05 07:32:15
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1/1000
• Aperture8
• ISO200
• Focal Length85.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

After Ohau, my next stop is here at Mt. Cook… looking to hike about 15km a day and taking lots of photos… twill be fun!

On the Road to Mount Cook

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2013-01-18 10:05:33
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1/500
• Aperture8
• ISO100
• Focal Length200.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-1

It’s Spring here in New Zealand… that means road trip time! Cameras are charged and drones are nearly self-aware. All is good.

Road Trip

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2014-01-05 14:35:10
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/500
• Aperture8
• ISO100
• Focal Length16.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

We were lucky to barely catch the tip of Mount Cook as we were driving down this beautiful road. You never know what the weather conditions are gonna be like down here. It’s about a 4-hour drive from Queenstown, and the weather is often pretty unpredictable, so it’s just a roll of the dice! Can you believe people climb up there to the top? It’s quite dangerous actually… quite a few deaths.

The Tip of Mount Cook

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2020-11-08 18:41:42
• CameraILCE-7RM3
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/160
• Aperture8
• ISO320
• Focal Length65.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias+2

The road to Mount Cook is a great road for sports cars if you are into that sort of thing. My friend Mark, who is really into this stuff, says that the road is perfectly engineered like a race track, so you can really take things to the next level. Not that HE does that or anything… He did tell me a little tip that “his friend” told him… that since it’s a dead-end road, you can go the speed limit from the beginning to the end and then turn back around. If you don’t see any cops, then you can turn around and do it again, going hog-wild!

Road Trip to Mount Cook

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2020-11-08 18:46:50
• CameraILCE-7RM3
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/160
• Aperture8
• ISO320
• Focal Length42.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias+2

One cool thing about the Mount Cook area is you can kind of walk anywhere, even though most people stick to the many existing trails. It’s a massive area with little rivers that weave this way and that. I usually put on my headphones, listen to some Hans Zimmer, and rove around for a few hours… besides getting a few photos, it’s both relaxing and invigorating.

Hiking Around Mount Cook

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2014-08-17 15:29:44
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/640
• Aperture6.3
• ISO200
• Focal Length70.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

About four hours away from my home is Aoraki (Mount Cook), and every drive is completely worth it. This was one of the first times I went in the winter and I was not disappointed. It’s almost impossible to get a bad photo there around there! The place reminds me a lot of Antarctica because it is so remote and raw.

On the Way to Aoraki

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2014-08-19 08:37:25
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/60
• Aperture6.3
• ISO125
• Focal Length24.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-1

If you’re up near Mount Cook on the South Island of New Zealand and want a cool reflection shot, here’s a tip! There’s a big lodge there and if you start driving on the roads behind it that seem to go nowhere, eventually you’ll find this water treatment area. I know… I know you expected a lake. And, I suppose, it’s sort of a lake, even if it is man-made. Anyway, because it’s so small, there’s a good likelihood of getting a clean shot.

On the Way to Mount Cook

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2014-08-19 08:35:18
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/8
• Aperture6.3
• ISO125
• Focal Length24.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias+2