Here’s another photo from the recent road trip. It was one of those fairly rare days with almost no wind, and I passed about a dozen lakes that were as still as mirrors.

The Mirror Lakes

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2024-05-14 12:40:26
• CameraILCE-7CR
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/1600
• Aperture4
• ISO100
• Focal Length24.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

Here’s a scene from the incredible area just near Arthur’s Pass on the South Island of New Zealand called Castle Hill. I did a road trip here last week and had a great time. Lots of great hikes and meditations!

Castle Hill

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2024-05-15 15:35:10
• CameraILCE-7CR
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/1000
• Aperture4
• ISO100
• Focal Length24.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

Sometimes in New Zealand you need to trek for a while to find a great view, most of the time though you’ll find one just a few steps off the road. I’ve published a bunch of shots from up here over the years. It’s an area that never disappoints but as you can see, it’s like zero effort. (Not complaining!)

Simple Locations

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2024-05-20 16:37:23
• Camera
• Camera Make
• Exposure Time
• Aperture
• ISO
• Focal Length
• Flash
• Exposure Program
• Exposure Bias

While out with the workshop people, hunting for reflections.

Reflection Hunting

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2024-05-20 16:32:23
• Camera
• Camera Make
• Exposure Time
• Aperture
• ISO
• Focal Length
• Flash
• Exposure Program
• Exposure Bias

We arrived in the Earnslaw Burn by helicopter fairly late in the day, so the light was getting low. I had to direct the pilot exactly where to go so I could get the shot without the sun lighting me up and reflecting myself onto the window. Almost everything we tried did not work until we found one spot where the heli was in the shadow but one of the waterfalls was still illuminated.

The Golden Fall

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2016-05-05 01:08:17
• CameraH5D
• Camera MakeHasselblad
• Exposure Time1/800
• Aperture8
• ISO100
• Focal Length90.0 mm
• Flash
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

You’d be forgiven for thinking that this was out on a ranch in Montana but actually it was over past Glenorchy, here on the South Island of New Zealand!

Not Montana

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2014-07-20 01:21:24
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/800
• Aperture4
• ISO2500
• Focal Length36.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias+0.3

While I was searching for something I stumbled across this image which I took for “World Social Media Day” a bunch of years ago. It looks like that event is still going, June 30th this year or something but really, isn’t every day world social media day nowadays?

World Social Media Day

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2026-04-19 01:33:51
• CameraILCE-7RM2
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/1600
• Aperture4
• ISO100
• Focal Length24.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-1

When you combine all of the above, this is the result…

Me, a Bottle of Wine, my Headphones and a Deserted Beach at Night

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2020-07-23 10:22:14
• CameraILCE-7RM3
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time30
• Aperture
• ISO1600
• Focal Length
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

I hope you all enjoyed last week’s Aurora craziness! Seeing all the excitement online reminded me of my first Aurora experience. I’d spent a bunch of time trying to see them in Iceland (unsuccessfully) and in fact it was the Aurora Australis that I first saw, down here in Queenstown. Here’s a shot from that night…

The Auroras

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-07-15 08:06:50
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time15
• Aperture2.8
• ISO1600
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

Late one evening near dusk we headed up towards the top of the Remarkables. It’s kind of a dangerous spot to take photos because there are steep drop-offs on both sides. The view up there is amazing, though. I think it’s cool to watch the planes land there at the airport from way above. I heard the pilots have to have special training to land here because they have to spiral down between the huge mountains for a unique approach vector.

The Queenstown Approach

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2024-07-21 07:26:57
• CameraILCE-7CR
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time0.8
• Aperture6.3
• ISO250
• Focal Length53.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias