EAIRDMORE

2012-02-16T06:42:00.000+13:00

The other day I was asked where was the best sunset I have ever seen, after a brief moment to consider I replied it was on the Manukau Harbour. I was surprised by my answer and even days later consider it correct. Yesterday coming home from a morning out with Diane, I took a photo of the calm on the out going tide. The sky was huge with clouds, almost navy blue in places, the harbor was stunning again. There is something that draws me to the water and it's ever changing shape and colours.

2012-02-15T03:29:00.000+13:00

David Trubridge has a quite a following amongst some, we visited his workshop/gallery when we were down in the Hawkes Bay. I was rather taken with the photographs behind the front desk. I am still looking to find a similar location to try it for myself, rough tussocky country, with hills and fence lines, sheep tracks in tawny shades, three panels I think, and then early morning shots of smooth dark green hills with the light making amazing sliver shapes of bright green, again three panels.

2012-02-14T15:04:00.002+13:00

A very pleasant way to finish a leisurely lunch.

2012-02-13T06:52:00.000+13:00

This kindling will be dry for the winter, part of a stacked pile collected from a fallen tree.

2012-02-12T08:45:00.000+13:00

Getting close to the end of the auction on Trademe. Concentration in the last minutes from the two men working in the garage. The vice sold.

2012-02-11T08:27:00.000+13:00

It is the time of year for toitoi. North of the Waikato heads, there are rolling sandy hills covered with Pine forrest interspersed with clearings filled with toitoi. Such a variety of lime greens and pinks as the feathers unfurl against the dark green backdrop. I must go there again. These are growing in Bombay.

2012-02-10T08:11:00.000+13:00

There were banks of these flowers growing maybe 10 feet deep and back from the road, obviously taking advantage of the freedom to multiply. They were only on one side of the road here and went continuously for several 100 yards along the roadside.

2012-02-09T06:49:00.000+13:00

Ploughed market garden fields around Bombay. Such a contrast with the road side wild flowers. I like these colors, light medium and dark. I think this is quite a flat photograph of zig zag colour blocks and could easily be abstracted. Would you know what it was?

2012-02-08T07:49:00.000+13:00

We went for a drive up Hill View Road in Bombay, I can't remember ever going up there before. It must be the ideal time of year for the wild flowers, I kept saying oh wow! This is a traditional view over a gate with the Waitakeres and Manukau Harbour in the distance

2012-02-07T07:05:00.000+13:00

Unexpected. Driving round the corner we had to quickly pull over onto the verge so I could get out and take a photo of this field. My driver was up to it even though I had said I wouldn't want to stop in this area. Summer. Crop rotation and enrichment.

2012-02-06T16:54:00.000+13:00

The countryside roads are ribboned with wildflowers, from delicate pinks and whites to strident oranges and purples. Sometimes a stark contrast to the recently ploughed fields of red earth which are waiting for the autumn seedings.

2012-02-05T08:21:00.000+13:00

I do not like this chair, it doesn't look strong enough to hold a sitter, not only that, the colour doesn't appeal. I did look at it as I passed and realized that it was made of metal and that was quite unusual. I have changed my mind in the past so let me say that these comments are written in the moment and this chair might become my favorite at another time.

2012-02-04T05:16:00.000+13:00

A simple fountain at the Mission Estate Winery in Hawkes Bay. After a sumptuous long lunch I was drawn to just staring into the circles, they mesmerized me, nothing to do with the wine of course.

2012-02-03T17:09:00.000+13:00

This press was displayed in one of the alcoves at Craggy Range in the Hawkes Bay. I looked for information labels but didn't find any - to me it seems too small to have been used for grapes, perhaps it was used for olives?

2012-02-02T10:29:00.000+13:00

This is where I sat with my cup of tea until joined by the others, as they wearied too. It was cooler out back, under the umbrella, a few sparrows flitted about and made advances, but I had no crumbs.

2012-02-01T08:59:00.001+13:00

Walking round town of a morning I started to flag and needed somewhere to sit down. Eyes downcast, I struggled on, then I noticed quite a few different covers over the service areas underneath the pavement. Completely forgetting my search for a seat I was off on the hunt for different patterns. Diversion works for me.

2012-01-31T03:33:00.000+13:00

I did not enter this old church, in behind Hawkes Bay. I think it is now a restaurant and function centre. We did try and book but had no luck finding anyone there. Although this shot doesn't show it there are huge lovely old oaks surrounding the building and well tended formal gardens and entrance in the front.

2012-01-30T08:30:00.000+13:00

I am looking for more subtle photography subjects, rather than focusing on the more obvious things in the moment. Aged objects draw me right now, things that have weathered or changed through time, the forces that the elements subject natural things to - erosion for example. This stool caught my eye, and with the tile lines, shadows, intersecting leg lines, it had to be recorded. The only thing I might change if I had another chance would be to capture more of the actual seat.

2012-01-29T08:27:00.000+13:00

A beautifully restored cart that was used in earlier days, when the grapes needed picking.

2012-01-28T07:27:00.000+13:00

Still in the Hawkes Bay, this intricate and detailed building is near Ahuriri and you can enter the front few rooms but the rest are operating as offices for Big Save Furniture. The internal doors are typical of the attention to detail. There is marble, wood, lead light glass, columns, brass, tile work, on the wall hang plans and photographs of the heyday.

2012-01-27T08:35:00.001+13:00

Morning tea at the delightful and inspiring Birdwoods gallery out in the country near Havelock North. I am nicely hidden by the spout, slimmer than I have ever been. A few of my traveling companions are also in the reflection on the teapot.

2012-01-26T11:13:00.000+13:00

Hardly pudding but I was tempted - then succumbed and it was only lunchtime! Apricot tart with summer fruits and vanilla ice cream at The Mission. Delicious.

2012-01-25T06:42:00.000+13:00

It was a quiet sunday morning so we were able to drive slowly around the CBD looking at the architecture, I had no map and may well have missed some worthy buildings. Chris took us round the bluff to the iconic Tobacco Company building, she had been here before and done her research.

2012-01-24T07:47:00.000+13:00

Napier suffered a devastating earthquake in 1931, and 256 people lost their lives. The central city has been rebuilt and is famous for it's Art Deco buildings from that period. This is detail from one of them.

2012-01-23T06:56:00.001+13:00

Driving slowly up Te Mata Peak I could see the Ruahine, Kaweka, Maungaharuru Ranges and Cape Kidnappers. It was too hazy with low cloud so I couldn't find Ruapehu. What a stunning series of eroded limestone ridges caused by the collision of tectonic plates. We just missed one of the area's frequent tremors. Amazing to get such an over view of the surroundings, we noted the wineries along the Tukituki river but more about that later. Originally settled by the Maori the almost 100 hectare Park is held in trust for the people of Hawke's Bay and is popular for many outdoor pursuits, we saw a launching ramp for abseiling, wind socks, trails disappearing over cliff, and hairy bikes tracks.

2012-01-22T07:16:00.002+13:00

One of the oldest and largest NZ farmer's market is held in beautiful grounds near Havelock North. I do not like pollarded tress normally but this one, at this time of year was amazing. The stall holders were arranged round several huge circles making good use of the shade from the mature tress.

2012-01-21T04:46:00.000+13:00

From the top of Bluff Hill, Napier, on the first evening, looking north west across Hawke's Bay.

2012-01-20T10:26:00.000+13:00

On the trip down we had a little bit of this, other than that we had clear blue sunny day skies, with just enough cloud in the evening to make it interesting. This of course is taken through the front window.

2012-01-19T08:08:00.000+13:00

I have been away from the city for a brief holiday. Most of the photographs I took were from the passenger seat looking out the car window going 100k an hour. Talk about hit and miss, I was amazed how often a power pole or singular tree ended up in the shot. This was an interesting surprise.

2011-12-05T11:19:00.001+13:00

Let's all head over to the banana cake! Yeh Yeh might even get two made. Summer is here and the heat means I will have to save this food before I am ready to eat it.

2011-12-01T18:45:00.000+13:00

Roses doing what they do best. Beaver Road.

2011-11-30T10:37:00.000+13:00

Another brilliantly coloured sky.

2011-11-29T12:06:00.001+13:00

Playing with the buttons, levers and switches, moving the tripod, the camera and the candle to see what effects happen, this was done with only the light of the candle. Asher the naughty boy cat was mighty interested and sat just out of shot waiting.

2011-11-28T08:55:00.000+13:00

It is the last week of photography classes. I started with things at my desk and used my regular lighting.
Mapping pens, compasses, a box of tools from Neil and a few other useful things.

2011-11-27T09:50:00.001+13:00

The gums are not mature yet but they stretch a long way above and the sound of the wind in them is distinctive, snapping, cracking and rustling with leaves adding the background white noise. (Can I say that?) A get together at the new house.

2011-11-26T09:01:00.001+13:00

I just had to return to the sunshine and buttercups. Practicing my depth of field, aperture, shutter, ISO and then to crouch down and remember to breath out (which was an effort). I did take one shot on auto as a standard test. Still on Beaver Road.

2011-11-25T09:15:00.001+13:00

In the banana grove are these cropped trunks looking strangely out of place. There is a lush tropical micro climate here, sheltered from the prevailing winds by tall trees and the natural lie of the land, the valley slopes down to the freshwater spring and the sun.

2011-11-20T08:09:00.001+13:00

A buttercup and sunshine meadow, only the bees working. Ian and Jeanette's new home up in the hills.

2011-11-18T11:26:00.001+13:00

Bryan our night class tutor patiently posing for us, while we got in each other's way trying to master our equipment and remember all that we had been told during the course. I prefer people looking to the right, I have no idea why, apart from my culture reading from left to right means it progresses naturally to the next page. When Bryan was looking left it stopped the eye, even on this blog. Habit eh?

2011-11-17T18:43:00.001+13:00

We have had some colourful sunrises this week and I was waiting for the early birds to come and visit my place so I could take their photo. This is from the lounge looking east over the roof tops. I sat there for a long time and watched the sky change - no birds came, so I went in for breakfast! That's when they arrived.

2011-11-16T09:28:00.001+13:00

Asher has discovered that birds sit in trees and thought he should see what he could do about them. I am not sure he would know what to do if he did catch one. Ungainly and awkward he is about to fall. When he fell the blossom dropped like snow and he was quite surprised, not knowing quite what was happening.

2011-11-10T22:24:00.001+13:00

Seeing this displayed on the computer for the first time I burst out laughing and thought to myself I'm flying like superman! I am still at the art gallery and this installation was resurrected from 30 years or some ago and it was good to see it back.

2011-11-04T08:17:00.000+13:00

I think I should have edited this photo, cropped it, straightened it... etc but this is as I took it. I love the lines, the light to dark, maybe I should have walked further away to get more in. I suppose I took this for a reason, is it the detail? The freshly refurbished Auckland Art Gallery.

2011-11-03T08:24:00.000+13:00

The building opposite the main Art Gallery entrance, ground floor has commercial galleries etc and after examining the photo I think the space above must be offices rather than accommodation.

2011-11-01T06:41:00.005+13:00

Perhaps I shouldn't have tried to take this, with no tripod, lots of passing people, low light and me not knowing much. Don't talk about white balance please! However I did, so here it is.

2011-10-31T07:22:00.002+13:00

This photo is a mistake, taken with manual focus (thought it was on auto) as I rushed to click, before the crocodile of school children went past. I am in the art gallery with no evidence of hanging work.

2011-10-30T09:49:00.000+13:00

As I sat outside the gallery, waiting for Mart, who bless him went back to the car park to collect the car, I had time to look around the inner city architecture.

2011-10-29T22:10:00.000+13:00

A visit to our city's newly refurbished art gallery last friday caused me to think that at last they have got it right. Vibrant, alive with people, and seemed to be filled with so much more than before. The old part sitting very comfortably adjacent to the new. I am going back again.

2011-10-13T14:03:00.004+13:00

Over quite a period of time I have been thinking I need to take a camera course, to become more knowledgeable about the functions, settings, and familiar with the various features my camera has. In the past I have relied upon family and friends and as a last resort the manual. Right now I am enrolling in a community course starting at the beginning of next month. There will be a short break from posting here and I hope to start again once the homework gets done. I am wondering if you can teach an old dog new tricks.

2011-10-07T06:30:00.000+13:00

Week 52 Bottles.Some old bottles in Tawhiti Museum, Taranaki.

2011-10-06T05:03:00.000+13:00

Week 52 Bottles. Two matching bottles, with waxed tops. I have resisted using them, not wanting to break them up, these two are quite small and appear almost human like at times.

2011-10-05T06:51:00.000+13:00

Week 52 Bottles. This is the smallest bottle of ink I have at the moment. I had a yellow too, not too sure where that one is right now, the bottle is 4 cm high, squared at the base 1.5cm x 1.5cm. - a cutie.

2011-10-04T05:36:00.000+13:00

Week 52 Bottles. Three ink ( I think ) bottles from an earlier time, these are cracked and chipped but I still like their character.

2011-10-03T09:01:00.000+13:00

Week 52 Bottles. The last theme for this year and maybe the most popular sort of bottle seen in recent years, used for drinking water.

2011-10-02T04:59:00.000+13:00

Week 51 Leaves. Living beside the footpath and covered in morning moisture, the thistle lies in wait. I am not sure why it has such a thorny defense but obviously needs it for survival.

2011-10-01T08:15:00.001+13:00

Week 51 Leaves. Not all leaves are green, a ruby acer.

2011-09-30T23:53:00.002+13:00

Week 51 Leaves. I looked after one of these plants for years but in the end my skills were wanting. I liked the way they bifurcated like antlers, I think the name is Staghorn fern. This one is in the Hamilton Garden's hot houses. I am amazed how quickly I have almost finished a whole year of posting themed photographs.

2011-09-29T05:46:00.002+13:00

Week 51 Leaves. Just starting to grow into the huge plant that by the end of the season I will almost be able to walk under. This is not at my place as I don't have the water soaked ground it needs.

2011-09-28T22:38:00.003+13:00

Week 51 Leaves. Out at Wrights Water Gardens south of Auckland this lily pad carried a fascinating globule of water and a dragonfly as well. I think it might be a juvenile, but then again I could be completely wrong.

2011-09-27T22:28:00.000+13:00

Week 51 Leaves. I picked this one up outside the Waikato Museum last week. It was lying in a puddle on the pavers and I thought the colour was interesting. It has changed once it dried out.

2011-09-26T16:38:00.001+13:00

Week 51 Leaves. Suddenly they arrived, the first of the bright green leaves, it's spring and last weekend we have just changed to daylight saving time.

2011-09-25T12:31:00.002+13:00

Week 50 Oranges and lemons. I had help with this photo, we have a new kitten, Asher and he leapt all over the desk and made the camera and orange slice vibrate and sway in his breeze. Its raining and he is full of beans!

2011-09-24T13:24:00.000+12:00

Week 50 Oranges and lemons. Rain is forecast for tomorrow, so I was out early picking the rest of the oranges off the tree. Blossom is already open so I left it a little late to pick the last ones.

2011-09-23T03:17:00.000+12:00

Week 50 Oranges and Lemons. This is an orange with the flash. Over coloured I am thinking.

2011-09-22T12:13:00.000+12:00

Week 50 Oranges and lemons. A top lit orange with the photo starting at the line of shadow.

2011-09-22T00:06:00.000+12:00

Oh dear, forgive me please, as I am so far behind with my photographs. I do want to continue. I must do so in fact because I have another year long project lined up for afterwards. By Friday I should be back up to date.

2011-09-21T03:08:00.000+12:00

Week 50 Oranges and lemons. A thin slice balanced carefully in the top of a jar, perhaps I should have used the flash? I was so close the flash would have gone over the top!

2011-09-20T12:02:00.000+12:00

Week 50 Oranges and lemons. I wonder if they still take on orange quarters to the teams in the World cup Rugby at half time? I don't think so, it's probably much more hi-tech than that.

2011-09-19T08:35:00.000+12:00

Week 50 Oranges and lemons. From a series I did a while ago, this has not been published before. Blood oranges from my young tree, this years crop was not prolific, I must spray and manure before the flowers come.

2011-09-18T12:33:00.000+12:00

Week 49 Hands. I talked so much that I forgot to take my visitors hands. So had to end up taking my own.

2011-09-18T08:29:00.000+12:00

Week 49 Hands. I am waiting for another visitor to take some photos of their hands. I will post later.

2011-09-17T07:23:00.000+12:00

Week 49 Hands. This hand is connected to a good heart.

2011-09-16T09:00:00.000+12:00

Week 49 Hands. These are talking hands, typing out the conversation to Ron on the TV screen, the text is blown up so he can read. He is quite deaf.

2011-09-15T21:14:00.000+12:00

Week 49 Hands. These hands belong to a rear end gunner, a gardener and a photographer, and many more activities over the last 90 years. He said he knew where to put them and this is his pose of choice.

2011-09-14T15:12:00.000+12:00

Week 49 Hands. This is my left hand palm, I think I removed my wedding ring as I can see the impression it has left.

2011-09-13T08:57:00.000+12:00

Week 49 Hands. Expressive and distinctive, used like the french use their hands and bodies. I was allowed to take this photo of her hands while she was talking to me, they are old, probably about 90.

2011-09-12T06:19:00.000+12:00

Week 49 Hands. This hand is 93 years old, still in use after a lifetime of never being given a thought. Now it trembles and movement is not always guaranteed to go the way the owner wants, the muscles tend to cramp and the fingers are harder to flex. Hanging on to a cup of tea for grim death. Ron.

2011-09-11T07:03:00.000+12:00

Week 48 Arches, just now, right at the end of the week I am thinking of interesting compositions and arrangements to try with arches - but it is too late. This narrow gauge railway in the Coromandel went through an arched tunnel on Barry Brickell's property.

2011-09-10T08:44:00.000+12:00

Week 48 Arches. This awning is arched but has no weight to support apart from itself. Yes, it fits the criteria, is useful for shelter but I feel it's false somehow, make believe, a bit like Disneyland.

2011-09-09T22:45:00.001+12:00

Week 48 Arches. Waihi, this is an impressive ruin, even more so when you know that it was moved here in one piece. It looks as if ivy has grown up and around, and I wonder what sort of windows there were if any, what is the small slotted window for and why does one of the three have a wider surround.Taken when we visited a while back.

2011-09-08T18:23:00.000+12:00

Week 48 Arches. I think this qualifies for the subject matter and I did take the photograph but not this week. Two out of three... An older kiln at Barry Brickell's coromandel pottery.

2011-09-07T01:03:00.000+12:00

Week 48 Arches. You can see the wear and tear repairs on the end of this wooden church, and so many coats of paint over the top too. My car broke down today and I had to be rescued by the AA, no trip into town to find new arches. Maybe tomorrow!

2011-09-06T06:40:00.002+12:00

Week 48 Arches. This bridge is at Hamilton Gardens, fully functional for maintenance staff vehicles and pedestrian visitors. The gardens have the Waikato river running along one boundary and many water features are incorporated in the designs. I would describe the bridge as arched.

2011-09-05T10:30:00.000+12:00

Week 48 Arches. Defined as being usually a curved span over an open space and supporting it's own weight. These windows in Onehunga have arches.

2011-09-04T16:12:00.000+12:00

Week 47 Roads. The road to Puketutu Island. Not once have I got out and down really close to get a shot of the road surface, hardly a shot sideways, there are no roadworks, no switchbacks, I am doomed to the distant shot to the horizon. Where is the texture, the shadows, the decoration, the crossings? I do not think a week is long enough.

2011-09-03T09:51:00.002+12:00

Week 47 Roads. At the end of the tarseal, wind up the windows and watch for stones. Although after the rain the dust turns to mud.

2011-09-02T06:55:00.002+12:00

Week 47 Roads. Drawing from my journeys away from home and not following the outlines I set at the beginning - to improve my camera use. This is still a road photo of sorts. Maybe today I will get out for tomorrow's photo!

2011-09-01T05:42:00.000+12:00

Week 47 Roads. I am starting to get better and thinking of the opportunities I have missed to go out and take imaginative road pictures. It probably will not happen. This road was on the south Island road trip I did last year, we are approaching Lake Tekapo.

2011-08-31T09:35:00.001+12:00

Week 47 Roads. One of my all time best places, the west coastline of the South Island.

2011-08-30T06:58:00.003+12:00

Week 47 Roads. Last week we went out driving up Helensville way, yes, I was looking for memorable roads and this was the best I took. Definitely not iconic. Then a lurgy arrived. Up today for the first time since.

2011-08-29T06:51:00.000+12:00

Week 47 Roads. I had gone out to Piha to see the latest big storm, ( Piha is a wild stormy west coast beach), on the way back I took this photo of the road in a patch of weak sunlight.

2011-08-28T08:49:00.004+12:00

Week 46 Tins. This is my paint tin, as is where is, on the day of the photograph. I am surprised that I have so many reds when it is my least favourite colour.

2011-08-27T06:41:00.000+12:00

Week 46 Tins. I found my smallest tin and it's also a rarer round one. It measures one inch across and and an inch and a quarter high. Filled with white mother of pearl buttons.

2011-08-26T09:32:00.002+12:00

Week 46 Tins. This tin was in another tea caddy tin of buttons. Filled with tiny, tiny baby buttons of mother of pearl shell, all sewn onto little squares of card. Someone's treasures. It now holds new white chalky pastel sticks, white is better kept clean until you need it.

2011-08-25T09:11:00.002+12:00

Week 46 Tins. An undecorated tin with a hint of contents. I focussed on the nearest corner to me and quite like the simple clean lines and subtle graduations of colour.

2011-08-24T06:28:00.002+12:00

Week 46 Tins. Diane and I visited Frankton a while ago, we passed this barbers shop and saw his collection of tobacco tins. So I followed Diane in and asked for permission to take some photographs. This is one of them.

2011-08-23T06:03:00.004+12:00

Week 46 Tins. This is not an old tin, I found it under a pile of stuff and it's filled with sad wrinkled tiny pastilles, years out of their use by date. Pity because I would have liked to have eaten them when fresh. The lid below measures 5 x 3.5 cm.

A little disappointed because the Digital SLR course I had signed up for was cancelled last night. Not enough students signed up. So I shall continue in my own haphazard way to discover what the camera can do. Chance of a good photograph is just luck.

2011-08-22T05:06:00.001+12:00

Week 46 Tins. This one has carried counters, buttons, table games bits and pieces, tiddlywinks and bingo counters for as long as I can remember. It was a tobacco tin. Past rusting, now just aging with dignity.

2011-08-21T16:51:00.003+12:00

Week 45 Cars. Ending with an old classic Mercury eight. Well used and now only bought out on special occasions. Seen at the Kaukapakapa market day.

2011-08-20T04:38:00.000+12:00

Week 45 Cars. Looking at the cars parked through the misted up bus shelter at Sylvia Park.