Danseys Pass – North Otago
This image (see Landscapes 1) took a bit of mucking around because of the weather… Access is via the Naseby to Duntroon Road. This is a shingle road but in good condition. At the Pass I climbed up the eastern slope toward the schist rocks – no more than a kilometer, and waited for the late afternoon sun. This is an amazing place – high up looking along St Marys Range and Ben Lomond to the West, and to the East over South Canterbury.
White Cliffs – Taranaki
The White Cliffs (see Landscapes 1, toward end of the gallery) are about 15kms north of Urenui (turn off SH3 about 6kms past the town). This is an amazing place but you have to watch the tides! Best time is about an hour or two after high tide as the tide is going out, and then you can walk along the pristine beach (not the signed track!). High tide comes right up to the base of the cliffs, so you don’t want to be there as high tide comes in. If you pick a good day you will not meet another soul. The best shots were about 2-3 kilometers along the beach. These images were deliberately taken on a day with high cloud – I didn’t want the harsh sunlight ruining the subtlety of the cliff faces. The shot labelled ‘Cathedral of Light’ in Monochrome 2 was also taken here.
Castle Point Lighthouse – Wairarapa
Althought this is a well known location for photographers it’s tricky to get a good shot of the lighthouse (see Landscapes 1). To do so requires getting up before sunrise and clambering up the rocks on the far side of the lagoon, and then, about 50 feet above the crashing waves, edging along the 1 meter ledge to get the shot! Be careful, it can be dangerous, especially if the wind is blowing, people have died here… I had to wait for a clear day to capture that early sunrise without any clouds spoiling it – I was lucky, although there was a bit of wind! Other shots around the lagoon are in Landscapes 2.
Screwed (Still Life)
For Screwed (see Recent Images) I used a 50mm at f1.8 to get the blurred lighting effect on the screws at the back. Spent a lot of time re-arranging the screws to get the composition I wanted, and then of course have to wait for night to turn off all the lights and use the torch to light (paint) the scene… Two screws at placed near centre to provide a focal point. Camera is set on tripod using 2 second delay and about 1-3 seconds exposure at ISO 1oo. I find a Maglite gives better, warmer, lighting than modern LED torches which tend to have a cold bluish light. About 50 shots were taken to get the right one.
More later…
SM/13 September 2013