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End of the Earth

This is another shot of New Zealand's southern alps I captured earlier this year from a helicopter. There's no question this was one of the more spectacular things I have experienced. Not sure I can adequately describe what it's like but I do remember that the adrenalin had me pretty much wired for about two days after. Since I can't describe it, just imagine yourself thousands of feet up with no doors and looking out at this scene. And if you can come up with the right words you're way better than me.

This is another shot of New Zealand’s southern alps I captured earlier this year from a helicopter. There’s no question this was one of the more spectacular things I have experienced. Not sure I can adequately describe what it’s like but I do remember that the adrenalin had me pretty much wired for about two days after. Since I can’t describe it, just imagine yourself thousands of feet up with no doors and looking out at this scene. And if you can come up with the right words you’re way better than me.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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Lake Hayes

This is Lake Hayes in southern New Zealand. I was here about six months ago and I already miss it. I think the thing I miss the most is the amount of wide-open space with amazing landscapes. Certainly we have beauty in North America, it’s there, waiting, not going anywhere. My ambition is changing a little bit and I'm craving more and more landscapes. I guess it’s one of those things that once you get hooked on you keep looking for new vistas wherever you go. That’s probably not a bad thing.

This is Lake Hayes in southern New Zealand. I was here about six months ago and I already miss it. I think the thing I miss the most is the amount of wide-open space with amazing landscapes. Certainly we have beauty in North America, it’s there, waiting, not going anywhere. My ambition is changing a little bit and I’m craving more and more landscapes. I guess it’s one of those things that once you get hooked on you keep looking for new vistas wherever you go. That’s probably not a bad thing.

Click on photo to enlarge

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Cottage at Lake Hays

In between Queenstown and Arrowtown in New Zealand is Lake Hayes. This cottage sits right on the lake and can be rented. I was staying at a hotel but I have my eyes on this for the next time. When I go on vacation I like to wake up in places that are spectacular and take me far away from normal life. This is one of those places so it's high on the list. The little hill reminds me of a cottage my grandmother used to have. When I was four or five I used to ride a red wagon down the hill full speed, quite often crashing at the bottom. It was so much fun that I'd get right up and do it again. Isn't that a kick in the pants. ;-)

In between Queenstown and Arrowtown in New Zealand is Lake Hayes. This cottage sits right on the lake and can be rented. I was staying at a hotel but I have my eyes on this for the next time. When I go on vacation I like to wake up in places that are spectacular and take me far away from normal life. This is one of those places so it’s high on the list. The little hill reminds me of a cottage my grandmother used to have. When I was four or five I used to ride a red wagon down the hill full speed, quite often crashing at the bottom. It was so much fun that I’d get right up and do it again. Isn’t that a kick in the pants. 😉

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Skippers Canyon Ridgeline

While in New Zealand I was with a group that hiked down Skippers Canyon road not far from Queenstown. When we started in the morning it was chilly but by the time we hiked back the layers were peeled off as the sun rose above the mountains. This ridgeline was opposite the road we traveled and from this vantage I could begin to get a sense of the scale. Just behind this ridge was an extreme mountain bike trail and while I didn't see anyone on it, I could tell that on a scale of one to ten it was an eleven. The only thing more exhilarating might be bungee jumping which by the way was available at the bottom of the trail. And if that wasn't enough you could finish the day with a raft ride down some class three rapids. Lets just say Kiwis know how to have a good time.

While in New Zealand I was with a group that hiked down Skippers Canyon road not far from Queenstown. When we started in the morning it was chilly but by the time we hiked back the layers were peeled off as the sun rose above the mountains. This ridgeline was opposite the road we traveled and from this vantage I could begin to get a sense of the scale. Just behind this ridge was an extreme mountain bike trail and while I didn’t see anyone on it, I could tell that on a scale of one to ten it was an eleven. The only thing more exhilarating might be bungee jumping which by the way was available at the bottom of the trail. And if that wasn’t enough you could finish the day with a raft ride down some class three rapids. Lets just say Kiwis know how to have a good time.

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Sundown Across the Field

This was taken from Bendemeer which is a residential area just outside of Queenstown, New Zealand. I've posted several pictures from here, I was with a group that had a couple of hours to walk around before sundown. New Zealand has no snakes or predators to speak of so for all intents and purposes you could just lay down here in this grass and take a nap. That's such a cool idea, one I'd not try here in Florida unless I was on the beach. But then, that's just part of the magic of this land across the sea.

This was taken from Bendemeer which is a residential area just outside of Queenstown, New Zealand. I’ve posted several pictures from here, I was with a group that had a couple of hours to walk around before sundown. New Zealand has no snakes or predators to speak of so for all intents and purposes you could just lay down here in this grass and take a nap. That’s such a cool idea, one I’d not try here in Florida unless I was on the beach. But then, that’s just part of the magic of  this land across the sea.

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First Morning

On my first morning in New Zealand we were something like eight hours out of sync and so waking up early was pretty easy. I went outside before dawn and was rewarded with this. I've seen a lot of beautiful sunrises and sunsets in Florida and this rated way up there on the awesome scale. Maybe it was just a bit of luck but it felt supernatural. And supernatural magic seemed to follow us each day, it's hard to explain but while we were there it seemed very real. That is one trip you should put on your bucket list. I'm putting on my redo list.

On my first morning in New Zealand we were something like eight hours out of sync and so waking up early was pretty easy. I went outside before dawn and was rewarded with this. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful sunrises and sunsets in Florida and this rated way up there on the awesome scale. Maybe it was just a bit of luck but it felt supernatural. And supernatural magic seemed to follow us each day, it’s hard to explain but while we were there it seemed very real. That is one trip you should put on your bucket list. I’m putting on my redo list.

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Five Trees

This is another shot from Bendemeer which is between Queenstown and Arrowtown in New Zealand. I only had a couple of hours here but the landscape was such that there were compositions at every turn, I'm still finding shots that I took on this day. Lord knows I must've taken hundreds in that short time. It felt like an Easter Egg hunt, running from place to place trying to capture as many prizes as possible. Is it any wonder there are so many artists (photographic or otherwise) from New Zealand? You can't help but be inspired by the natural beauty all around.

This is another shot from Bendemeer which is between Queenstown and Arrowtown in New Zealand. I only had a couple of hours here but the landscape was such that there were compositions at every turn, I’m still finding shots that I took on this day. Lord knows I must’ve taken hundreds in that short time. It felt like an Easter Egg hunt, running from place to place trying to capture as many prizes as possible. Is it any wonder there are so many artists (photographic or otherwise) from New Zealand? You can’t help but be inspired by the natural beauty all around.

Click on photo to obtain a print

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Lake Hayes

One afternoon a group of us photographers stopped by Lake Hayes which is between Arrowtown and Queenstown in New Zealand. Little did we realize we were a little late to the party as a couple of other photographers were there shooting engagement photos, in fact there were makeup artist, lighting assistants, ...it was a big deal. So we all just kind of scattered in different directions so that this section of Lake Hayes was well photographed that afternoon. It might have had something to do with the calm water, I think it's usually not so still. So this is my take on it, but I'm sure that if you could look it up somehow, you'd see a lot more like this on that same day. We were all very busy.

One afternoon a group of us photographers stopped by Lake Hayes which is between Arrowtown and Queenstown in New Zealand. Little did we realize we were a little late to the party as a couple of other photographers were there shooting engagement photos, in fact there were makeup artist, lighting assistants, …it was a big deal. So we all just kind of scattered in different directions so that this section of Lake Hayes was well photographed that afternoon. It might have had something to do with the calm water, I think it’s usually not so still. So this is my take on it, but I’m sure that if you could look it up somehow, you’d see a lot more like this on that same day. We were all very busy.

Click on photo to obtain print.

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Road to Glenorchy

Early one morning on the way to Glenorchy in New Zealand we stopped at a vista to watch the sunrise. As you can see the road has a lot of curves and I managed to capture this commuter on his or her way to work in Queenstown. As a rule I don't like to commute to work, but I think if I lived here I wouldn't mind so much. Kind of like when I get stuck on a drawbridge in Florida, just sit there and watch the dolphins swim by. No dolphins in New Zealand, just beautiful landscape and the occasional black swan. That'll do just fine.

Early one morning on the way to Glenorchy in New Zealand we stopped at a vista to watch the sunrise. As you can see the road has a lot of curves and I managed to capture this commuter on his or her way to work in Queenstown. As a rule I don’t like to commute to work, but I think if I lived here I wouldn’t mind so much. Kind of like when I get stuck on a drawbridge in Florida, just sit there and watch the dolphins swim by. No dolphins in New Zealand, just beautiful landscape and the occasional black swan. That’ll do just fine.

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Skippers Canyon Road

This road is on the backside of a mountain near Arrowtown in New Zealand. Apparently this is one of the most dangerous roads in New Zealand, at least according to the warning sign at the entrance. Adventure companies bring clients by jeep down this road for all types of activities including bungee jumping, white water rafting and extreme mountain biking. I couldn't get over how vertical everything seemed. The mountains around us were thousands of feet up and the ravines a thousand or more feet below. Lets just say I was glad to be walking and not on some adventure bus barreling down this road.

This road is on the backside of a mountain near Arrowtown in New Zealand. Apparently this is one of the most dangerous roads in New Zealand, at least according to the warning sign at the entrance. Adventure companies bring clients by jeep down this road for all types of activities including bungee jumping, white water rafting and extreme mountain biking. I couldn’t get over how vertical everything seemed. The mountains around us were thousands of feet up and the ravines a thousand or more feet below. Lets just say I was glad to be walking and not on some adventure bus barreling down this road.

Click on photo to obtain a print