Sunshiny Poppy

Canon 7D, 100mm Macro

I'm in a bright Poppy mood today, probably because of the overcast skies and humidity and the fact I need something to keep me awake after a broken nights sleep (Damn Cat wanted cuddles in the middle of the night! This is not the normal cuddle by curling up next to you, this is the cuddle where unless I put my arms round her she kept tapping my chin with her paw!)Back to the Flower - this was a handheld macro as I didn't have my tripod with me n the shores of Picton back in early spring.  Beautiful sunny day with no wind helped. I love how the petals are almost iridescent.  

The Tree in the Lake II

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Canon 7D, 18-55mm Lens

Shooting images in the rain using long exposures.  Calm and hardly any wind.  Even the Shags in the tree didn't move.  Taken at Lake Wanaka last week.  Inclement weather doesn't stop the camera!

Lindis Pass Light

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Canon 7D, 18-55mm Lens

We were driving through the Lindis Pass as the sun was going down and came across beautiful evening light and shadows. This is one of my favourite images of the area with the textures of the tussock grass, being almost green in the shade, but golden and yellow in the sunlight.  Not a cloud to be seen.  Beautiful evening albeit a bit cold.

Red Billed Gull Abstract

Canon 7D, 100mm Macro Lens

Abstract of a Red Billed Gull. These gull are the Red Billed Gulls and are  native to New Zealand. They can be found all over the country. It is a fairly small gull with an all red bill, red eye ring, red leg and feet, pale grey wings with black wingtips. Quite a striking bird. The rest of its body is white, which makes them hard to photography in sunny conditions as it's easy to overexpose the feathers. There is virtually no visual difference between the male and female birds. Immature gulls have a dark brown bill with only hints of red.

A Lake Wanaka Special

Canon 7D, 100mm Macro Lens, Hand held.

You know you're addicted to photography when you pay $14 to go and see Puzzling World in Wanaka, then get caught up in their garden outside the public toilets, taking photos of free growing roses, then have to TEAR yourself away to actually go and enjoy the exhibit!  The roses were exquisite here. The Climate at Lake Wanaka must suit them.

Fetch!

Canon 7D, 100mm Lens

I used the 100mm macro lens for these shots with the dog as it was getting dark and I wanted to be sure I had good quality.  This was taken at Lake Hawea on a really calm day so the water was crystal clear and you could see the stones easily on the bottom of the lake, even though it was quite deep.  The dog was bossy, always wanting a stick thrown in for him to chase it. I ended up taking a lot of action shots of the dog for about an hour.  Lots of fun!

Last Light on the Lindis Pass

Canon 7D, 18-55mm Lens

Lindis Pass climbs to an elevation of 971m, and is the main inland route between Omarama and Cromwell in the South Island of New Zealand.  We passed through last week at sunset and this gorgeous golden light on the tussock grass, as will as the shadows, made for interesting photography.  It almost felt like I was in a desert somewhere.

South Island Summer

Canon 7D, 18-55mm Lens

Taken somewhere between Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki while travelling towards Lake Hawea.  love the simplicity of this image ad the one white cloud.  The landscape sums up what this whole area is like.  Beauty, colourful, big skies, golden tussock grass.  I felt like a tiny ant in comparison.

The White Rose

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Canon 7D, 100mm lens

Found a beautiful, perfect white rose.  Applied a textured overlay to give it a more creative look.  Handheld macro using a fast shutter speed as I didn't have my tripod with me at the time.  I slightly underexposed it to avoid blown out highlights.  One of my favourite flowers.

Pink

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Canon 7D, 100mm Macro Lens

Found these on the side of the road. Tiny but beautiful.  Good thing come in small packages is what I was always told.  This is no exception.  Those are blades of grass behind to give you perspective on how big the flowers are. If anyone knows what they are please let me know.

All I Want for Christmas is Two Good Legs

Canon 7D, 100mm Macro lens

You don't know just how important feet are, until you injure one.  I injured my ankle on the 5th January 2010 after years of active life running, walking, and being outdoors.  These days you will mostly find me perched on my LazyBoy chair with the cat on my lap, with my foot in the UP position.  Any amount of walking renders my ankle swollen and sore.  As a passionate photographer, this is severely restrictive and frustrating.  So look after your feet and ankles - they are they only ones you'll ever get.

Rose Red

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Canon 7D, 100mm Macro Lens

Beautiful Red rose found at Lake Wanaka.  Handheld Macro.  Roses seem to do really well in the South Isalnd away from the humidity.  This was a particularly beautiful variety.

Lupins at Lake Tekapo

Canon 7D, 18-55mm Lens

At this time of the year (December) the Lupins are in flower all along the side of the road everywhere you go from Burkes Pass just North of Lake Tekapo, right down to Lake Wanaka.  This is Lake Tekapo.  The lake really is that wonderful aqua colour due to the sediment coming down from the glaciers.

The Tree in the Lake

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Canon 7D, 18-55mm Lens

Taken at Lake Wanaka last week.  It was pouring with rain and quite dark so used an aperture of 22 to slow down the shutter to get the milky look of the lake.  This is the most photographed tree in New Zealand.

On Top of a Donkey!

Canon 7D, 10-22mm Lens

This is the last image I took before the donkey decided to buck me off.  I was resting my injured foot rather than walking down from the Acropolis of Lindos in Rhodes.   I thought I was doing my foot a favour, but in the end, I did myself a disfavour.  I will never ride another donkey anywhere ever!  Beautiful place though - loved Rhodes and Lindos.

Autumn Leaf

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Canon 7D, 100mm Macro Lens

Late afternoon, autumn, and the sun was shining through the left enhancing every line and texture giving a detailed glimpse into death by season!

The Decumanus Maximus at Volubilis

Canon 7D, 10-22mm Lens

On the main road in Volubilis looking back to the Triumphal Arch (In the distance).  This is at sunset and the light was amazing.  I was surprised how large the site was.  Sent shivers down my spine knowing that so many generations before us, this was a city that lived and breathed life, and now it's in ruins.  Will our cities we live in now go the same way in a thousand years?

The Odd-Eyed Cat of Rhodes, Greece

Nikon D50, at 55mm.

This is an image my daughter took in Rhodes, the Greek Islands of a white cat with two different coloured eyes. The condition most commonly affects white-colored cats, but may be found in a cat of any color, provided that it possesses the white spotting gene. There is a common misconception that all odd-eyed cats are born deaf in one ear. This is not true, as about 60%–70% of odd-eyed cats can hear. White cats with one or two blue eyes do, however, have a higher incidence of genetic deafness.

This cat was hiding under a car but I completely missed seeing it because I was busy photographing something else. By the time my daughter pointed it out to me, it had shied away and I couldn't get a decent shot of it. However, she took a brilliant one as you can see, photographer extraordinaire as she is (even though she has a Nikon!!)

Dreaming of Sunny Days

Canon 7D, 10-22mm Lens

It's raining today, so I wanted to post this up to remind me that somewhere else it will be sunny and even if I can't be there, it's what I'm dreaming of. Snoozing for a week on these chairs is just what the doctor ordered!  I took this image in Santorini.  It's what we did on day two of our trip after tearing round the island on quadbikes the day before!

Blue Door in the Kasbah, Rabat, Morocco

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Canon 7D, 10-22mm Lens

Beautiful blue door in the Kasbah in Rabat, Morocco.  Everything in the walled city was blue and white, which was absolutely gorgeous.  But this was the best door in there.  Would love to go back and explore some more.