Kiwi-scapes

Even though my Kiwi adventure was many years ago, it happened right around the time my fascination for the tales of Middle earth were peaking. Being able to visit many places popularized by the LOTR movies was a dream come true. I was absolutely impressed by the scale of the Alps, and the sheer number of hiking opportunities available, weather notwithstanding. It was no wonder that the South Island of New Zealand was perfectly capable of representing the diverse terrain featured in the movies.

South Island
New Zealand

Shooting for the Trees

The blue lake glistened in the morning sun. The signs of fall seemed far away - warm conditions, bluebird skies, a sunny disposition and green meadows, but the golden leaves on the nearby trees gave away the season I was in. I wandered around, hoping to find the famous willow tree, and after asking a few locals, I was pointed in the right direction. And when I arrived, I found the crooked, precariously balanced tree rising out of the soggy shoreline, sprouting a frazzled few leaves on the last of their lives.

The famous Wanaka Willow has made many appearances on many travel brochures highlighting the beauties of New Zealand. And so, when it was my own turn to visit and pay home, I was sorely disappointed. The low water levels of the lake meant that the tree was no longer a denizen of the lake, but of the shallow shore nearby. While that was great for the tree, it's photographic appeal had certainly come down.

Nevertheless, I scouted around for opportunities and captured a few images, including this starburst image

Wanaka
Otago New Zealand

The Mighty Milford

As the cruise boat rounded the corner and revved up for its final sprint back to the dock, the mighty mountains that lined up the Milford Sound came into view. From sea level, the vegetation-encrusted rugged slopes reached upwards of 4800ft into the sky. While snow-capped peaks smothered with clouds beckoned me in the distance, the glistening blue waters of the fjords and the glowing slopes of the fjord caught my eyes.

And at that opportune moment, another tourist boat floated into view, putting the entire scene in perspective - the boat was but a tiny speck of dusk against the backdrop of the mighty mountains of the Milford sound. And it was then that I began to appreciate the sheer size of the Southern Alps of New Zealand, and the desire to return back and shoot this beautiful fjord under differing light conditions increased exponentially. Hopefully I get to revisit this unforgettable fjord once again.

This was shot from the deck of the cruise boat at F11, at 85mm and 1/160s at ISO 800.

Milford Sound
Southland NZ