This little cottage is behind Arrowtown at the entrance to the park. Not sure if it’s used by rangers but it seemed cozy enough. Everywhere we looked there was an overabundance of colors.
Reflections of Another Land
Late one afternoon we hung around a residential area which was surrounded by mountains on all sides. The sun sank and cast a red glow on the nearby mountains and the day passed from one phase to the other. At this time of transition the light can play tricks with your eyes. Such is the magic of New Zealand.
Over the Top
The name says it all. A week ago today I flew through the southern alps of New Zealand with a most talented pilot Michael Clarke of Over The Top Helicopters. He is not only an ace pilot, he’s an avid mountain climber and intimately familiar with the peaks and hidden valleys we flew through. Had I known it was going to be that awesome it would have been on my bucket list a long time ago, so do yourself a favor and put it on yours. Here’s the link: http://www.flynz.co.nz/
Southern Alps
These are the southern alps of Otago, near Queenstown New Zealand. I took this from a helicopter piloted by Michael Clarke of Over The Top Helicopters in Queenstown. We landed all over these and each landing was more spectacular than the last. I highly recommend it when in New Zealand.
Moody Morning in Queenstown
Walking along Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown New Zealand the clouds were clearing from the night’s rain revealing snow packed peaks of the southern alps. Sound too good to be true? Just another day in the land of magic.
Colors of Arrowtown
The colors on New Zealand’s south island were in full array last week, and none more than Arrowtown. Located in a valley it was surrounded by an explosion of colors on all sides. Here we walked through a park at the end of the day looking for compositions. We didn’t have to look too far. 😉
Deer Park Heights
This is the view of the Remarkables from Deer Park Heights which is one of the mountains above Queenstown. At that early hour the pond was as a mirror and the landscape provided amazement in all directions. After I composed this shot I walked along some hills overlooking the town. As I returned from my walk the ground thundered below me and as I turned around a muscular ram stampeded past me no more than ten feet away. My guess is he was spooked and just happened to be running by, but it got my heart going nonetheless.
Infinity Lake
I guess you can call this an infinity lake because it just kind of disappears into the horizon. It’s high up on a mountain and as we flew straight through the rock walls the water fell of a cliff into a waterfall. I took this while leaning outside of a helicopter since we took the doors off for this trip. I was intrigued by how the early morning light played on the rock walls ahead. Talk about a morning cup of Joe.
Dawn Over Queenstown
I took this last week as we walked in the early morning along the shores of Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, New Zealand. We’d had rain at lower elevations the night before and so the mountains were all capped with snow. Those are the Remarkables in the distance which seem to dominate the view of all the small towns below. In any case, now that I’m back in Florida I long for the cool air and breathtaking vistas of New Zealand. Time to plan my next trip.
Autumn in New Zealand
Twice I’ve had a chance to experience Autumn in the last year, once in North America and once in New Zealand. The crisp air is refreshing and adds a little bounce to my step. I took this the first day we arrived for a photo adventure in New Zealand and it has improved since then. Everyday we’ve had a cornucopia of colors, vistas and the breathtaking landscapes that exists only in New Zealand. Before I arrived I didn’t know a thing about this country, now I’m in love with it. Tomorrow we travel home to Florida with enlightened hearts and memories so full it will take months to process. In the coming weeks and months I’ll be sure to share more experiences with you through my photography. Have a wonderful day everyone.