*Jagged Rock*
Fuji xpro2
To say that our summer in Wellington a little over a year ago was worse than most winters in France would be an understatement. But I got dramatic skies and heavy grey light, good stuff for long exposure black and whites by the sea. I only published one shot from this series previously, and when I revisited it this one struck me as really interesting.
Skytower
Fuji x100f, 35mm, f/2, 1/25s, ISO 1600
Auckland’s Skytower obviously is one of the most interesting landmarks of the city, but it’s not easy to find an interesting angle to frame it from the ground. I think I may have done just that, handheld, on a windy evening recently.
Whakairo
iPhone, 29mm, f/2.2, 1/900s, ISO 25
In front of the Whakatane Marae, this Whakairo (or Māori carving) really struck my eye. The artwork is intricate, the colours magnificent, and the figure… quite scary!
Papamoa Sunrise
Fuji xpro-2, 75mm, f/10, 1/210s, ISO 200
Got up at 5 AM and walked down the beach while the light was slowly getting brighter. It was surprisingly busy with a mix of joggers, dog-owners and fishermen. Just as the sun was proparly rising I spotted this fisherman which made for a nice silhouette. An hour later, it was raining cats and dogs…
Gateway to Hell
Fuji xpro-2, 15mm, f/8, 1/1100s, ISO 200
White Island is the single active volcano in New Zealand. As the name says, it’s an island an hour out of Whakatane, and you can walk (with due precautions, namely a guide, a hardhat and a gas mask) all the way to the edge of the crater where fumeroles and sulfur pools are the only trace of activity (but still pretty impressive). I made use of my new wide angle 10-24mm lens here.
Waipunga Falls
Fuji xpro-2, 80mm, f/4, 1/420s, ISO 200
Whenever I’m faced with a waterfall, the temptation is to take the filters out for long exposure, but the viewpoint over Waipunga falls was too high for the tripod, and I’m glad it was. I chose a narrow depth of field for this shot and I’m glad I did, it gives it a bit of an ethereal feel.
Orange Trunks
Fuji xpro2, 18mm, f/10, 1/60s, ISO 320
One of the fantastic things in New Zealand is all those species of trees you’ve never seen elsewhere. These orange barks are characteristic of the Kotukutuku tree (if I didn’t get my trees wrong) which is the same family as the Fuschia tree. I couldn’t believe how bright these orange trunks were, and I really wanted to capture them, which I think I succeeded in here.
The Sea in Napier
Fuji xpro-2, 54mm, f/8, 1/500s, ISO 250
Truth is, we got lousy weather in Napier. As a consequence, what I was hoping to shoot (the art deco buildings) I didn’t manage to get any good shot out of. But within minutes of arriving, this break in the clouds gave me a minimalist shot I really liked. I rarely post photos of my kids, but here is one!
Okere Falls
Fuji xpro-2, 27mm, f/16, 0,6s, ISO 200
Another spectacular waterfall near Rotorua. The challenge in shooting this one was to avoid the rafts and kayaks either coming down the fall (for the latter) or going up to it (for the former).
Fractured Sea
Fuji xpro-2, 27mm, f/16, 12s, ISO 200
I know this doesn’t look exactly like the best holiday weather (and it wasn’t), but you make the most of what you have, and I definitely like this haunting long exposure of the fractured rocks by the Cook Straight in Wellington.
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