Playing with light and thread

Above and below: the Kaikorai Estuary empties out to the Pacific Ocean, and at times a small winding river cuts its way through the sand flats. These two images are threaded together in photomerge from 5(top) and 3 separate images on a wide angle lens.


Above and below, a family looking for flounders at sunset in the river.


Above and below: different techniques same scene. top is on a tripod with a long exposure, below hand held long exposure hand panning.


Above: camera propped on the rocks at the carpark capturing with a 4 second exposure a car driving across the kaikorai bridge.

Full Moon Sunset

Caitlin decided to go for a surf after school today. It was getting pretty late in the day and she hadn't been out for over a month. so a last minute scramble to the beach. Below, full moon rising over Green Island.

Above, my favourite shot, the full moon on slow shutter speed with an oyster catcher feeding on the shoreline. Below, Caitlin leaving the water after I missed shooting her waves because I was too focused on the full moon and oyster catchers.

Above, One last shot of the edge of Big Rock at Brighton with the rising full moon.

Golden Hours

Been a while since i caught the first or last light of the day.
Above: a glowing sunset the other night just down the road from my house.
Saddle Hill with Flax. Below: And Saddle Hill with Cabbage Trees.

The Dunedin Forest Fires

A spark from a logging truck around Mt Allen outside Dunedin created an out-of-control fire which burned for over three days. These images were taken on the second day, first one (above) mid afternoon from Andersons bay Rd South Dunedin of the smoke plume hovering over the suburb of Mornington. Below sunset about 8.30pm looking over the Kaikorai Estuary.

Above left: again looking over the Kaikorai Estuary about 8am with the cloud plume brushing over the top of Saddle Hill. Above right: taken from my front gate at about 9pm with the smoke Haze pushing down over saddle Hill. Below, just after 9pm light fading from my front gate again.

Swans in the Eve

I took a short walk after tea tonight to the waldronville estuary, the light was beautiful. The swans were on the far side, so no up close ones. Played with some manual focus playing with the grasses and sparkle of the water.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year
Empty from 8am 1st January 2010

Beaches set for protected status

Otago Daily Times
By Chris Morris on Wed, 15 Jul 2009
Eleven of Dunedin's coastal reserves look set to be given new protected status, at the expense of some recreational rights, in an effort to protect vulnerable sand dune systems.

The move would see coastal reserves next to beaches at Long Beach, Ocean View, Warrington and Karitane, and seven other locations, reclassified.

Under the Reserves Act 1977, local authorities were required to classify the primary use of the reserves they owned.However, councillors at yesterday's community development committee meeting voted to approve the reclassification of 11 coastal reserves around the city from recreational areas to "local purpose (coastal protection)" zones.

Subject to final approval at the next full council meeting in August, the changes would become part of the council's draft Coastal Dune Reserves Management Plan, due to be released for public consultation in October.The new plan laid out the future rules governing work to protect dunes at Dunedin beaches.

To be protected

• Kuri Beach (two areas on coastal side of Taieri Mouth Rd)
• Brighton (coastal side of Brighton Rd)
• Ocean View (coastal side of Brighton Rd)
• Island Park
• Ocean Grove (coastal side of Tomahawk)
• Te Rauone
• Long Beach
• Warrington
• Karitane
• Waikouaiti (in the vicinity of Matanaka Dr)

Christchurch pier

I am sure everyone and their dog has photographed the changing lights at night on the Christchurch Pier, but this is how I captured them.

Morning at the Rock

Above & Below, Big Rock and Barneys at sunrise

Above and below, Jay getting a few waves in before the Big Rock Fun Day Comp

Above: Setting up on Barneys, just before the fun day started.
I didnt take any pics of the comp myself but some others did with my camera.
Stoked to have gotten some good waves to win the womens today. We had a BBQ afterwards, and took the aftersurf around the corner. I'll put up some pics of that session tomorrow night.
Hope you all had a great weekend enjoying this gorgeous weather, and clean surf.

Golden Hour Empties

It has been my goal for the Month of January to suceed in capturing a golden hour emtpy. An image of an empty wave taken in the hour just before sunrise or sunset. Well this month the waves and light just haven't lined up, I did try pretty hard though, so in place some past shots that never ended up on the blog because I was saving them for something special.
The image below was taken on New Years Eve 2008, just the day before the challenge started.

Above, taken during December the same evening as the Blackhead Silver post.
And below, a gorgeous sunset at the beginning of December, although not an empty, the waves the surfers weren't on were empty.


Above, probably my favourite golden hour empty shot, this was taken in the morning.

New Years Eve 2008

Have a great 2009!

Another year raced by in 2008.
Another year of learning more about the depths of people, relationships, society and most importantly.. myself and how I respond to everything that happens around me. Of enjoying more and more my day job working with the wonderful people at Stepping Stones..
Learning so much more about photography, and my gratefulness to a few whom have mentored me, bought me to my senses and helped me find the joy in my work again.
I am grateful to my family and friends, thank you for your acceptance of me, my periodic insanity and for your support over the year.
Thanks also to the readers of this blog, who occasionally leave comments, email me, and say hello at the beach, it stokes me out more than you can imagine. And for some, I'm fine that you hate what I do.. because you make me love this world more because you are in it to be exactly who you are too.

Above: the last of the sun for 2008, setting at Blackhead beach Dunedin.

Rainbow at Sunset

A Rainbow at Sunset looking out my front door.

Gold and Silver for Black

Christmas buildup is something I haven't experienced in a long time. Lots of work, lots of spending, lots of bills and a lot of other little details to deal with! Gone are the days when I had the spare time to spend hours on the beach working the camera, or even kicking back and watching a movie. Now I don't even have time to update the blog, in case you haven't noticed!

Blackhead has been putting on the sugar the last week, and the ants have been swarming over the nectar. Photos from Saturday night, and late Sunday afternoon/eve.

Above: Carsey tucks in. Below left: MB bottom turn.


Above: Dunnos kneeboarder star of Drive Thru NZ fame, hits the lip at dusk.
Below: unknown making the drop.


Above: last night (Monday), leaving the carpark.. Will aim to get a post up of the rest of mondays pics in a few days.