Wandering around Wellington NZ

Wandering around Wellington NZ · 07:21 PM

I spent the weekend teaching in Wellington NZ, and managed to get a half day to shoot a few frames with my Sigma 10-20mm.

Being early winter at a highish latitude (41 degrees), the light was interesting, even if it was around 11am.

So here is a short series.....

The whale fountain at Frank Kitts Park on Lambton Harbour....

and the whale fountain backlit.....

Maori statue on Lambton Harbour

The diving man - probably my favourite...

Courtenay Place is the eating/enterntainment strip in Wellington, and the NZ film industry is represented nearby. This camera tripod commemorates the industry - particulary after the efforts of the NZ team behind Lord of the Rings

And finally, we had dinner in a bar on Courtenay Place that played 60s - 70s music, had interesting decor (like these flattened brass instruments) and great food.

One final comment - New Zealanders are polite, helpful friendly people - a great place to visit if you get the chance (this was my 4th visit). I regret I couldn't stay longer

Cheers

JMR · 06-09-2009, 07:37 PM

Some nice shots. I really like the diving man and did not know what he was doing. I was captivated by the light surrounding him and his posture, as if he was striving to absorb the sun.. It made me wonder. Some things are best left unsaid.

MattC · 06-09-2009, 08:47 PM

A nice series Chris - the winter sunshine really gives these something extra.
BTW - odd to see clear blue skies in Wellington too!

roentarre · 06-10-2009, 01:26 AM

Some very fine images in deed! Good photography especially in the first one and 6th shot

MoiVous · 06-10-2009, 05:28 PM

Originally posted by roentarre

Some very fine images in deed! Good photography especially in the first one and 6th shot

Thanks James - I liked number 6 too, but the on camera flash let it down a bit IMHO. Tried it in landscape the first time and it introduced a very distracting shadow - a lesson for using a wide angle lens me thinks!

Originally posted by MattC

A nice series Chris - the winter sunshine really gives these something extra.
BTW - odd to see clear blue skies in Wellington too!

Strangely, we had a sunny day before the rain & clouds on the weekend. I agree that winter sunshine/sky has a very appealing quality and I try to catch it when its there.

Perhaps we need sunshine to beat off the winter blues.....

Originally posted by JMR

Some nice shots. I really like the diving man and did not know what he was doing. I was captivated by the light surrounding him and his posture, as if he was striving to absorb the sun.. It made me wonder. Some things are best left unsaid.

I walked around this statue a bit and bobbed up and down a bit before settling on this view as the most interesting. I definitely wanted to catch the sun in the image and looking at it again, I see that your suggestion of striving to absorb the sun could be the theme. I feel that a statue and an image often have different stories for different people - so giving titles doesn't always work

Thanks for that comment everyone - much appreciated.

Cheers

**Sailor** · 06-10-2009, 05:30 PM

"Diving Man" is exceptional, in my view.

Jer

mitsilad · 01-16-2010, 04:55 PM

Thanks for the photos and comments about Nz's.
As a Wellingtonian I was interested in the colour of the sky.
How did you get it so blue?
If only it looked good this summer - 2 or 3 days of sun since 24 December 2009. The joke is that we are having a mild winter!

cheers
Graeme

PentX Girl · 01-16-2010, 05:44 PM

A really nice series Chris!

Class A · 01-16-2010, 06:19 PM

Nice series, and I agree that the diving man is the stand out shot. It might have benefited from a bit of fill flash, just a little so that it doesn't destroy the nice rim light effect.

Next time you're in Wellington, let me know and I'll invite you to a drink.

fractal · 01-16-2010, 06:54 PM

What a top lens.. and a great series. Thanks for sharing Chris.

**Rense** · 01-17-2010, 01:57 PM

Chris, great photos from a lens that isn't too easy for many!
I like the first ones, with the blue, blue sky!

MoiVous · 01-17-2010, 03:13 PM

Originally posted by Sailor

"Diving Man" is exceptional, in my view.

Jer

Thank Jer - its at the top of my list and graces my wall at work!

Originally posted by mitsilad

Thanks for the photos and comments about Nz's.
As a Wellingtonian I was interested in the colour of the sky.
How did you get it so blue?
If only it looked good this summer - 2 or 3 days of sun since 24 December 2009. The joke is that we are having a mild winter!

cheers
Graeme

Thanks for looking Graeme - and I sincerely meant what I said about NZ - I'll be back!

As for how blue it was in Wellington, there was almost no PP on those images. But it was a very crisp day (about 10C from memory) with that usual Wellington wind. I suspect its a combination of the weather, the low sun, and the lens.

As for winter in summer - can you send some over here?

We've had a fairly warm dry summer so far, with at least 2 heatwaves (in excess of 35C, but closer to 40C most of the time) so far (mid November and last week) and I suspect another one soon.

Originally posted by PentX Girl

A really nice series Chris!

Thankyou for viewing!

Originally posted by Class A

Nice series, and I agree that the diving man is the stand out shot. It might have benefited from a bit of fill flash, just a little so that it doesn't destroy the nice rim light effect.

Next time you're in Wellington, let me know and I'll invite you to a drink.

Thanks for the comments and for enjoying "Diving Man". Yes, he is a little dark, and may have benefited from fill in flash. I think it was centre weighted average metering too, so the background made him a tad dark. I'll keep the fill flash in mind in future - now that I have new flash

As for that drink - I might just take you up on that (due there again next year)

Originally posted by fractal

What a top lens.. and a great series. Thanks for sharing Chris.

Thanks - I appreciate the comments. It is a great lens, and spends a lot of time on my camera when I'm in tourist mode.

Originally posted by Rense

Chris, great photos from a lens that isn't too easy for many!
I like the first ones, with the blue, blue sky!

Many thanks Rense. I was pretty lucky with the blue sky that day - it was the only day I got to do any shooting - and the light was perfect.
I think the secret with this lens is to practice lots and look from lots of different angles (high/low/left/right/portrait/landscape) to find the best viewpoint. Guess I brought that idea from my film days, when you had to stretch that roll of film and get more keepers!

Thanks to all for looking - again - for what I thought was quite an old thread.

Cheers

Class A · 01-17-2010, 07:19 PM

Originally posted by MoiVous

As for that drink - I might just take you up on that (due there again next year)

Sure, send me a PM nearer the time, if you like.

MoiVous
	View full profile
	Contact via private message
	Find other posts by MoiVous
	Find threads started by MoiVous
	Find threads in which MoiVous has posted

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Several from today's wandering at the Curonian Lagoon	Mindaugas	Post Your Photos!	0	05-31-2009 10:30 AM
New camera/new lens wandering.	JonPB	Post Your Photos!	2	09-19-2008 08:04 PM
Sunset wandering	JMR	Post Your Photos!	1	08-13-2008 08:31 PM
Wandering along the Waterfall Way.	Mallee Boy	Post Your Photos!	7	02-08-2008 09:28 AM

06-09-2009, 07:37 PM	#2
JMR Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 3,332	Some nice shots. I really like the diving man and did not know what he was doing. I was captivated by the light surrounding him and his posture, as if he was striving to absorb the sun.. It made me wonder. Some things are best left unsaid.

06-09-2009, 08:47 PM	#3
MattC Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 268	A nice series Chris - the winter sunshine really gives these something extra. BTW - odd to see clear blue skies in Wellington too!

06-10-2009, 01:26 AM	#4
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	Some very fine images in deed! Good photography especially in the first one and 6th shot

06-10-2009, 05:28 PM	#5
MoiVous Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 677 Original Poster	Originally posted by roentarre Some very fine images in deed! Good photography especially in the first one and 6th shot Thanks James - I liked number 6 too, but the on camera flash let it down a bit IMHO. Tried it in landscape the first time and it introduced a very distracting shadow - a lesson for using a wide angle lens me thinks! Originally posted by MattC A nice series Chris - the winter sunshine really gives these something extra. BTW - odd to see clear blue skies in Wellington too! Strangely, we had a sunny day before the rain & clouds on the weekend. I agree that winter sunshine/sky has a very appealing quality and I try to catch it when its there. Perhaps we need sunshine to beat off the winter blues..... Originally posted by JMR Some nice shots. I really like the diving man and did not know what he was doing. I was captivated by the light surrounding him and his posture, as if he was striving to absorb the sun.. It made me wonder. Some things are best left unsaid. I walked around this statue a bit and bobbed up and down a bit before settling on this view as the most interesting. I definitely wanted to catch the sun in the image and looking at it again, I see that your suggestion of striving to absorb the sun could be the theme. I feel that a statue and an image often have different stories for different people - so giving titles doesn't always work Thanks for that comment everyone - much appreciated. Cheers

06-10-2009, 05:30 PM	#6
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	"Diving Man" is exceptional, in my view. Jer

01-16-2010, 04:55 PM	#7
mitsilad New Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wellington Photos: Gallery Posts: 15	Thanks for the photos and comments about Nz's. As a Wellingtonian I was interested in the colour of the sky. How did you get it so blue? If only it looked good this summer - 2 or 3 days of sun since 24 December 2009. The joke is that we are having a mild winter! cheers Graeme

01-16-2010, 05:44 PM	#8
PentX Girl Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,700	A really nice series Chris!

01-16-2010, 06:19 PM	#9
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	Nice series, and I agree that the diving man is the stand out shot. It might have benefited from a bit of fill flash, just a little so that it doesn't destroy the nice rim light effect. Next time you're in Wellington, let me know and I'll invite you to a drink.

01-16-2010, 06:54 PM	#10
fractal Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,547	What a top lens.. and a great series. Thanks for sharing Chris.

01-17-2010, 01:57 PM	#11
Rense Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zetten - The Netherlands Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,050	Chris, great photos from a lens that isn't too easy for many! I like the first ones, with the blue, blue sky!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

01-17-2010, 03:13 PM	#12
MoiVous Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 677 Original Poster	Originally posted by Sailor "Diving Man" is exceptional, in my view. Jer Thank Jer - its at the top of my list and graces my wall at work! Originally posted by mitsilad Thanks for the photos and comments about Nz's. As a Wellingtonian I was interested in the colour of the sky. How did you get it so blue? If only it looked good this summer - 2 or 3 days of sun since 24 December 2009. The joke is that we are having a mild winter! cheers Graeme Thanks for looking Graeme - and I sincerely meant what I said about NZ - I'll be back! As for how blue it was in Wellington, there was almost no PP on those images. But it was a very crisp day (about 10C from memory) with that usual Wellington wind. I suspect its a combination of the weather, the low sun, and the lens. As for winter in summer - can you send some over here? We've had a fairly warm dry summer so far, with at least 2 heatwaves (in excess of 35C, but closer to 40C most of the time) so far (mid November and last week) and I suspect another one soon. Originally posted by PentX Girl A really nice series Chris! Thankyou for viewing! Originally posted by Class A Nice series, and I agree that the diving man is the stand out shot. It might have benefited from a bit of fill flash, just a little so that it doesn't destroy the nice rim light effect. Next time you're in Wellington, let me know and I'll invite you to a drink. Thanks for the comments and for enjoying "Diving Man". Yes, he is a little dark, and may have benefited from fill in flash. I think it was centre weighted average metering too, so the background made him a tad dark. I'll keep the fill flash in mind in future - now that I have new flash As for that drink - I might just take you up on that (due there again next year) Originally posted by fractal What a top lens.. and a great series. Thanks for sharing Chris. Thanks - I appreciate the comments. It is a great lens, and spends a lot of time on my camera when I'm in tourist mode. Originally posted by Rense Chris, great photos from a lens that isn't too easy for many! I like the first ones, with the blue, blue sky! Many thanks Rense. I was pretty lucky with the blue sky that day - it was the only day I got to do any shooting - and the light was perfect. I think the secret with this lens is to practice lots and look from lots of different angles (high/low/left/right/portrait/landscape) to find the best viewpoint. Guess I brought that idea from my film days, when you had to stretch that roll of film and get more keepers! Thanks to all for looking - again - for what I thought was quite an old thread. Cheers

01-17-2010, 07:19 PM	#13
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	Originally posted by MoiVous As for that drink - I might just take you up on that (due there again next year) Sure, send me a PM nearer the time, if you like.