Moeraki Art

I am not quite sure how I feel about this photo I took just a few hours earlier today.  The reason?  It is HDR Art – a special photographic technique designed to do, well, this picture for example. 

This morning while talking to my good friend Darcy who is a professional photographer, we were reminiscing about the days of developing our own film and prints (I had a darkroom when I was in grade 8.  I loved the smell of the chemicals…).  We talked about how technology has empowered us to do things we could not easily replicate in a darkroom – or even do at all for that matter.  In the case of this photo, I am able to record light in a way that can’t be captured on film or even digital sensors without multiple exposures.  And then comes the tricky part.  I have to interpret how I want this “Art” to feel.  As someone who is clearly hard-wired for the scientific and precise, artistic interpretation can be a frustrating experience – and presumably a good workout for the other side of my brain :-)

Below is one of MANY pictures I took at Moeraki beach today.  It is an amazing place and there is nowhere in the world like it.  If anything justifies multiple postings, the Bolders at Moeraki are it.  As such, over the next month or so, I will try to make 4-5 posts about the pictures I took there. For now, here is a single photo.

About this photo: I deliberately took it softly into the surreal side of the art form without getting too heavy handed (which destroys a picture IMHO).  Moeraki beach itself is surreal with all these strange alien-like rocks and you can imagine that you are on a different planet when wandering among them. So this photo is my surreal interpretation of a surreal place.

(click on the photo to go larger – it’s worth it)

Random Rocks by a Road in New Zealand

I was out driving today just looking at the scenery.  I saw many of beautiful places and checked out a few popular tourist spots.  This formation of rocks however, is just a random scene on the road to somewhere else.  It’s in the middle of wherever but when I drove by and saw them in my head after I passed them, I stopped and reversed the car to go take this shot.  If you have the ability to see it large then do so (click on the photo).  The features in the rocks are pretty cool.

Auckland Sky Tower

Most cities have some sort of tower as part of their architectural repertoire.  In Calgary, we have pretty much buried ours in the midst of taller buildings.  It didn’t start out that way of course.  Below are two photos of the Auckland Sky Tower and it’s hard to get a decent picture because it too is somewhat obscured by tall buildings until you get far away from it.  One angle that works really well is actually the view just outside of my employer’s office.  I took this picture quite early in the morning before the sun was up (I am facing directly East).  This predawn light works nicely because the Tower is still lighted for nighttime but the sky is lighter and there is more light in general making a softer, less contrasty image.  Interestingly, it wasn’t even 5 minutes after I took this photograph that the Tower lights were shut off.  I was composing another shot and poof!  The Tower went dark.

I was watching all week hoping for the Tower to be lit up with a different color light because this Tower looks great that way.  The reason I know this happens is because I’ve seen it at different times and with different lighted colors.  But , the color never changed at all and it remained it’s boring grey self .  The photograph below, which I took last year, shows what I was hoping for on this visit (and for the above shot). Maybe it will happen later this week when I visit Auckland again.

Driving in New Zealand

Driving around New Zealand is a lot of fun.  You get to zip down the left side of the road while sitting on the right hand side of the car.  I’ve done this enough now that when I get into that situation, it feels more enjoyable than tense.  The traffic circles are always fun because it’s something of a challenge I don’t get back in Calgary.  But for pure excitement, the very narrow roads, twisty steep hills and gorgeous vistas can’t be beat!  Below is a picture of my rental car on the side of Law Road on Saddle Hill.  This road has a 24% grade in places (that means it is crazy steep) and going up hill requires the lowest gear.  There is no place to pull over on the insanely steep places so for this picture, I had opt for the just really steep.  Too Fun!

Below is a picture of the town of Mosgiel in the distance on a rainy day (easier to see the town if you click on the picture to go full size).  What a beautiful view!

Finally, when I was pulled over, there was sheep fence (electrified!) close by.  Below is a creative B&W shot.

Auckland Harbor Art

I walked around the Auckland harbor last night.  It was warm and peaceful.  Many couples were sitting on benches just enjoying each other and the light breeze coming off the ocean.  It was a surprisingly long day at work so the opportunity to get out and walk around was welcome.  And it was nice to be behind the lens again.

Below is a moving sculpture.  It takes on different shapes as the wind blows it around.  I walked around it a few times, found the angle that I liked, and then waited for to clouded moon to peak out just bit.

Shot wide and low for those who care about these things.