Photography for a Wanaka art gallery and Search and Rescue training.

I've was busy last week doing web sites and one required a few fine art shots downtown in Wanaka for Art Upstairs, and following last week's theme I had some more Wanaka Search and Rescue training one evening.

At the gallery it got a bit boring just shooting pictures on walls, so I captured a desired look and feel by examining what was there that could be utilised to good effect in the foreground...


As most Wanaka Search and Rescue operations use helicopters and the nature of the New Zealand terrain is mountainous, our training one evening last week was all about getting people and baggage in and out of helicopters on sloping terrain. Smoothness is required when getting in and out so as to not unbalance the machine abruptly, knowing how the door and luggage pod latches work, and obviously walking away uphill is not good for the head! These may seem simple things to master, but not when you're surrounded by so much on-going noise - all accompanied by significant air blasting as the machine arrives and departs.

Although the front of the skids are on the ground, this machine on the lower slopes of Treble Cone, is still flying in this photo. What pilots like to see in this situation, is no one rushing about as they embark and alight, but moving quietly within the pilot's field of vison...


I had planned on some tramping and fulfilling a self imposed landscape photography assignment this weekend, but the weather has not cooperated.

New book release in New Zealand and Australia: Digital Cameras the Easy Way

One way or another this blog has had quite a recurring theme of landscape photography and the art of same, and a few of my friends are into this also. Notably Brian Miller of Dunedin who has spent the last several months writing an outstanding little book, filled with practical facts all about Digital Cameras the Easy Way. I even get quoted... and it's been a wonderful achievement by Brian, as it's so chock-a-block full of great stuff, and quite a fun project for me that is now leading to changes in my life, but more on this later.

...Read more or purchase..>>

On the distribution side there has been lots happening in Australia...more>>

Ducks and more snowy landscapes

Anyone got a suitable caption for this photo?


Spring is in the air these days in Wanaka and since I love the changing of the seasons, this is just a wonderful thing. There is still a lot of snow on the mountains though, and skiing to be done, but now sun block is going to be a fundamental requirement. However this weekend I've been happy once again to potter about the house, and also go to a huge birthday party out at Hawea last night.

I got this nice shot during the week, and applied some of my slowly gathering photo enhancing skills on it, as I learn that digital images can hold a wealth of information that you can use to make the image closer to the eye's memory of the moment, or use in the quest to bring the concept of art out in a photo. Again from the road coming down from the Snow Farm - one of my favourite winter landscape spots around Wanaka, as well as where I ski cross country/Nordic...

My favourite winter landscape close to home

Over the last few years I've tried to have sea based expeditions to Fiordland most winters, and that's a favourite landscape, but for close-to-home in Wanaka it's hard to beat the landscape photography and art potential up at the Snow Farm on the Pisa range.

Looking up a gully from the River Run, which is my favourite cross country ski trail, and is actually beside the headwaters of the Roaring Meg river, which eventually meets the mighty Kawarau River that drains Lake Wakatipu, at the Roaring Meg power station on the Cromwell to Queenstown road...


This one is taken from the Snow Farm looking across the Cardrona valley, with Wanaka to the right. You can see the tip of Mt Aspiring just right of center above the lower cloud...


We have had some very unsettled weather this winter, but it's what makes the art potential of landscapes worth while and interesting.

Yesterday [Sat], by contrast was a rare perfect day. This year I decided to not compete in the Snow Farm's Merino Muster however. Since up-skilling my fundamental Nordic skiing technique, I've felt more playful than racy, so with a fair bit of work piling up I've had the weekend around the house, walking about Wanaka, and doing some minor shopping. I even washed my truck, which indicates just how muddy this winter has been - because it's quite high off the ground it never catches much mud most winters.

Snow - an irresistible landscape

Snow seems made for fun, but only when it's on the hills, and we don't have to live with it day-in day-out, with attendant shoveling etc. It also seems made for art!

I can never resist this landscape that I drive down beside every time I visit the Snow Farm for cross country skiing...


Dougal is pretty patient with me as I stop for my landscape photography, and on this occasion got out for a play in the snow...


I had amazing lesson on Sat. from one of the top coaches of world cup athletes etc., a Russian in fact now living in the US - he's my house guest, and a pretty good one at that, in fact he and his family totally impress me in terms of wonderful human beings and ambassadors. Anyway the lesson totally redefined how I'll be skiing from now on - I have much to practice!.

Here he is demonstrating where to have your shoulder, but underlying the lesson was the principal of how to get from A to B in the most efficient and fastest way. No one has ever tackled things for me in this way before...