A View of Tasmania’s Macquarie Plains
A single shot from the H2 from my November 2011 trip to Tasmania. Taken from the Gordon River Rd just before you go over the River Derwent as you travel toward Bushy Park and the west coast.
H2 | P20 | HC50-110
And a 4 shot pano from the same trip/location.
H2 | P20 | HC50-110 | f8 @ 1/500
Tasmanian Oast Houses
On Sunday 30 October 2011, two fellow RedBubblers, Brett & Greg, showed me some of the Oast Houses in the Derwent Valley. We visited a couple of commonly known ones first, then, near Bushy Park, Brett spotted one from the road, and I decided to boldly intrude as the entry looked more like a laneway than a driveway, and Voila! A site they hadn’t been to! It turned out to be the Bushy Park complex, established by Ebenezer Shoebridge in the mid 1800s. We spent the last of the golden hour there, it is spectacular.
I found a very interesting history of the Derwent Valley Oasthouses by John Redecker
No 1 – a rather well known Oast House on on the Valleyford estate along the Lyell Hwy just west of the New Norfolk bridge across the Derwent
No 2 -Shooter’s Kiln – a rather more dilapidated example further west on the Lyell Hwy and on the opposite side of the road. The ‘weeds’ in the foreground are actually hop plants – the raison d’etre for the whole enterprise.
Then after some landscape work we went to Bushy PArk and I found the wonderful site with several oast houses and other buildings. It is also has a Junior Angling Pond for members of the New Norfolk Licensed Anglers’ Association which gave us stunning reflections.
Bushy Park Oast House – the Text Kiln #1
Bushy Park Oast House – the Text Kiln #2
Bushy Park Oast House #2
Lake Wakatipu at Dusk
And before you ask, yes, there is a little digital mischief here. The moon is from a frame on the same day about 2 hours earlier, I just wanted to experiment. I like the look though so it is staying. I also made up and added a texture over the whole thing just to give it a bit more ‘artistic’ feel.
This whole area is various National Parks and I am not sure which one we are looking at, but it’s all beautiful. Taken at Kinloch at the head of the lake looking east towards the Glenorchy shore Canon 1DsMkII & 24-105
Mountain Grandeur
Mountain Grandeur, originally uploaded by Photography by Odille.
Taken on the way out of Milford Sound after passing through the Homer tunnel, but I am not sure of the name of this peak. It was looking north from an east-west aligned stretch of road and there was a small pull off for cars, but no info board.
This edit was inspired by a Challenge on RedBubble for an ‘Ansel Adams inspired’ image, and although this one looks like not much in colour I think it has come up well in mono, with some careful tweaking, masking, dodging and burning.
H2/P20/80mm – ansel adams inspired CF032275
Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park
Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park, originally uploaded by Photography by Odille.
Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park is an unusual geological feature created over millions of years by water tumbling through the roof of a basalt cave. The cave is home to an amazing colony of glow-worms, whose lights can be seen only after sunset.
Lookouts and lush rainforest also grace this part of the Gondwna Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, making it one of the most popular parks in Australia. There is a short circuit walk incorporating the natural arch over Cave Creek, and the unique waterfall and cave.
On summer nights, see luminous fungi and fireflies. During the day, you can hear the calls of paradise riflebirds, green catbirds and wompoo fruit-doves.
Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park, Qld, Australia = 3 shot pano from the Lumix FZ35
Aoraki/Mt Cook from the West
Aoraki/Mt Cook from the West, originally uploaded by Photography by Odille.
A cloud capped Mt Cook taken from the Lake Matheson Rd near Fox Glacier, south island, New Zealand, May 2010
Lumix FZ35 (103_0092)
The Forest
The Forest , originally uploaded by Photography by Odille.
One from March 2009, taken in the Bald Knob State Forest near Woodenbong. It had been raining and all the tree trunk colours were shining.
‘Reefs Hotel’ Taeri Gorge Railway
‘Reefs Hotel’ Taeri Gorge Railway, originally uploaded by Photography by Odille.
The Taeri Gorge line is an amazing feat. Built in the 1880s with just pick and shovel, horse and cart. In some places progress was barely half a metre a day, and the men worked in temperatures that varied from minus ten degrees in winter to plus forty degrees in summer. This workmen’s shack, grandly titled Reefs Hotel, is the smallest building to have been registered by the N.Z. Historic Places Trust. It was also used by local landholders to wait for the train when the central Otago line was the only ink to Dunedin and the coast. The chimney was necessary in the bleak Otago winters and was originally much taller than the section now remaining.
And it is a wonderful trip for photographers with its 10 tunnels and numerous bridges. If you decide to travel, snag the back platform on the trip out (there isn’t one on the way home, it’s a guard’s van) and take plenty of batteries and storage media.
Notches Bridge and tunnel #9
Tunnel #4
There is a fuller selection of images on my Flickr set on the Taeri Gorge railway
Tasman Bridge/Cornelian Bay panorama
Went for a little drive yesterday and called at Cornelian Bay. As it was mid-afternoon I was not really expecting anything wonderful photographically, but the unique southern light surprised me again and a very quick set of 7 images (the clouds were moving along quite smartly) gave me this lovely pano.
Hobart sunrise
I am in Tassie for a week for Mum’s 85th celebrations and on Saturday had the opportunity for a day of mostly photography. Hopped on down to the docks at 7am and captured soem nice sunrise images.
A 3 shot pano with the H2+P20 and 80mm lens
And a 4 shot
I then met up with some fellow photographers from Red Bubble and we had a strol through Slamanaca Markets and went on to the Botanic Gardens.
A busker (one of a group of very good Latin American musicians) at the markets.
And a carousel horse at the lovely steam driven (sundays only, other days it’s electric drive) carousel in the Botanic Gardens
A bit of reworking
This shot, taken on the road from Geraldine to Fairlie, is from my 2009 trip to NZ (August/Sept). At the time I was struck by the colours in the rocks when the stray beams of sunlight struck them, but when I got home I could not achieve a natural looking reproduction in Photoshop Elements 3 (which was all I had at that time). Now I have CS4 and my PS skills have improved (thanks to Peter Eastway’s Masterclass online!) I am revisiting a lot of my earlier images.
I’d like your opinions on the cropping of this image. I like the contrast of the dry browny/yellow grasses (colour of the grass has NOT been altered) and the rock colours and the snow. BUT I am not sure if I should crop it tighter to accentuate the rocks. So please tell me what you think.
I have played a bit more – which do people like better?
Mariah Island rain front pano, from Jan 2009
I’m doing some reworks of older images at the moment.
This brief rain front came through while MUm and I were having a picnic lunch at a beachside table, south o Hobart. Taken during my visit in January 2009.
Moeraki Boulders, South Island, New Zealand
I found the Moeraki Boulders fascinating. Unfortunately I had a grey day and rain when visiting, and next time I will make this spot an overnight stay and hope for a good dusk and dawn. I’d also do a bit of research next time and try to be there at low tide. The boulders even have their own website at http://www.moerakiboulders.com/. (Explanatory extract from the website in italics below.)
The view as you walk along from the car park. The beach is covered by fascinating bits of stuff thrown up by the waves, too.
“The Moeraki Boulders are a number of huge spherical stones, found strewn along a stretch of Koekohe Beach near Moeraki, a small settlement just south of Hampden on New Zealand’s Otago coast. These boulders are grey-coloured septarian concretions which have been exposed through shoreline erosion from black mudstone coastal cliffs that back the beach. They originally formed in ancient sea floor sediments during the early Paleocene some 60 million years ago.
The boulders weigh several tonnes and are up to three metres in diameter.
Maori legend tells that the boulders are remains of calabashes, kumaras and eel baskets that washed ashore after the legendary canoe, the Araiteuru was wrecked at nearby Shag Point (Matakaea).”
When you visit, beware of the trap of using the walkway from the visitor centre shop and cafe – it costs $2 pp. If you drive 300m south you can use the free public carpark and walk back for free!
This one appealed to me as it reminded me of the globe carried by Atlas (I don't know why, that was what poopped into my mind when I saw it!).
There were quite a few of these birds darting about and I liked that I caught 3 in the frame.
Lake Pukaki dawn
A few days ago when I made an early start I snagged this shot of the moon and Venus over Lake Pukaki pre-dawn (from Peter’s Lookout on the Mt Cook Rd)
And the day before I went up to My Cook (shot from Hooker Valley campsite) and also scored some lovely sunset clouds (looking up the Tasman Valley from the climb over to the Tasman Glacier viewing point)
Autumn gold
Three shots from Sailor’s Cutting on Lake Benmore
The first is from up on the road and the second is from the jetty you can see in shot 1 (both 2 shot H2 panos)
And this one is from the edge of the car park – I’ve called it The Swimming Hole – very evocative of those camping holidays in summer when we were children.
That’s not a motorhome (_P1Z5205)
That’s not a motorhome (_P1Z5205), originally uploaded by Photography by Odille.
It looks like a motorhome, but just scroll down
THIS is a MOTOR HOME (click on the photo to see the full size)
just imagine toodling down the highway and you see THIS coming towards you. It’s even got a pot belly stove and a stained glass and wood entry door.
Off to New Zealand 6-31 May 2010
Well a long planned holiday comes to fruition early next month when I set off for almost 4 weeks in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Originally it was myself and my dear partner Warwick, but after our primary and back up cat sitters let us down within days of each other, he had volunteered to stay home and cat sit the 6 feline felons so I can go and have a photographic odyssey!
Below is my itinerary – any suggestions of things to see and photograph along the way much appreciated. I am hiring a car and staying in hostels and cabins at caravan parks as they are the cheapest. But for the Landscape Workshop at Kinloch I will have a luxury room for 3 days. And Stan W and his wife from Invercargill, a forum friend, has kindly offered me hospitality for the 2 nights I am in their lovely city.
I went to Akaroa and Kaikoura last year so am reluctantly missing them this time. I did try to squeeze in an overnight at Kaikoura but just could not fit it in. So don’t think I’ve overlooked them, I hope we can go again next year and see the top bit of the SI in depth and maybe visit the NI.
I have the LOTR book and hope to visit some of those sights along the way, feel free to point me at any you have visited, local knowledge always helps. And if anyone would like to meet and show me some of their favourite spots, I’d love to meet some of you.
Equipment wise at the moment it is 1DsMkII body, 2 batteries, charger, 16-35, 24-105, interval timer/remote, H2 body & 80mm lens, remote, Yongnu flash that fits both cameras, tripod and gimbal head (that will go in my suitcase). It is all (hopefully) going to go in to the Lowepro Omni Trekker and then into Pelican 1550 hard case.
DAY #, DAY&DATE, START FROM, DETAILS
1, Thu 6th, Gold Coast fly to Melbourne
2, Fri 7th, Melbourne to Christchurch
3, Sat 8th, Christchurch, drive to Methven – Mt Somers
4, Sun 9th, Mt Somers, Drive to Mt Potts (LOTR Edoras site) for photos, then on to Geraldine
5, Mon 10th, Geraldine to Mt Cook
6, Tues 11th, Mt Cook to Kurow (staying 2 nights for back country scenery
7, Wed 12th, Kurow, Photos
8, Thu 13th, Drive to Dunedin, photos on way, Moeraki Rocks, check out Castle
9, Fri 14th, Dunedin, Castle, Taeri Gorge train trip
10, Sat 15th, Dunedin, drive to Catlins north exloring on the way
11, Sun 16th, Catlins, drive to Invercargill, explore Bluff on way?
12, Mon 17th, Invercargill, explore Invercargill & surrounds
13, Tues 18th, Te Anua, To Te Anua and Milford Sound
15, Wed 19th, Milford Sound boat trip 9.30-11.30
16, Thu 20th, Te Anua to Kingston, visit the steam railway for photos, dinner at the tavern (went last time, very good!)
17, Fri 21st, Kinloch, 3 day Landscape workshop Queenstown Centre for Photography at Kinloch
18, Sat 22nd, Kinloch
19, Sun 23rd, Kinloch
20, Mon 24th, via Queenstown and Arrowtown to Wanaka
21, Tues 25th, Wanaka to Haast
22, Wed 26th, Haast to Greymouth
23, Thu 27th, Greymouth to Waia
24, Fri 28th, Waia
25, Sat 29th, Waia to Christchurch,
26, Sun 30th, Christchurch, Return car 1100
27, Mon 31st, Fly home
a few shots from our last visit to NZ in May 2009
My Photovan
My partner and I originally bought this van as a work vehicle for him, however I’ve kind of pinched it and he takes my car to work!
I bought the marquee / tent setup so I would have extra space under cover, and it worls very well. The table came from Aldi and I got a camping starter kit of lamp, stove and bits and pieces so I have light and cooking even if there is no electricity.
The orange power board is an old Kambrook one which has one lightbulb socket and 3 power points, very useful when I am somewhere I can plug into power. My laptop is good for a couple of hours on battery power and I have a cigarette lighter adapter so I can charge it on the road.
I have seen a great set up on another blog at http://thephotovan.blogspot.com/2010/01/2212010-in-october-2007-i-was-going-to.html which has given me lots of inspiring ideas for more refinements. I have already bought this awning http://www.innovations.com.au/Product_Detail.aspx?ParentCategoryID=164&CategoryID=31&ProductID=81327 and am planning a roof rack and platform.
Watch this space!
One Life Photo Competition
I have entered 5 images in this competition (http://www.onelifephotos.com), which has a People’s Choice Award, so if you feel you could go and vote for one of my images (below in small size) please follow this link to my portfolio
http://PBO.see.me/onelife2011
18 August 2011 | Categories: Commentary, travel | 3 Comments »