Moeraki Boulders (NZ)

NorthernFocus

If this post doesn't belong here I'm sure "someone" will schmoo it on over to where it belongs

On our recent trip to New Zealand, we stopped by the famous (at least down there) Moeraki Boulders near the town of Moeraki in Otago on the South Island. The boulders range in size from 1/2 to over 2 meters in diameter. According to Mâori legend the boulders are the remains of food baskets washed ashore from the wreck of a large sailing canoe. The legends further hold that nearby rocky shoals are the petrified hull of the canoe and a rocky promontory is the body of the canoe's captain.

While on this trip I was trying to work on my landscape skills a bit so had identified this site as a place to visit. We were there early morning before most tourists started showing up. There was thin, broken cloud cover so conditions varied from rich golden glow to flat, haze filtered light. The tide was dead low so didn't get the opportunity to capture water surging around the rocks. I found these rocks provided a pretty good classroom that AM. Tried various angles of attack. I didn't like anything taken from low angles nor distant perspective. The flatter light didn't seem to work either so here's what I have to share. Any feedback will be appreciated.

D200 w/Nikkor 18-55 ED2 DX

1/30s f/22.0 at 40.0mm iso400


1/30s f/22.0 at 42.0mm iso400


1/13s f/22.0 at 26.0mm iso400


I thought this one looked like a globe.

1/200s f/11.0 at 55.0mm iso400


View from the restaurant deck above the beach later while we were eating breakfast (several people cloned out):

schmoo

Hi Dan,

The photos are fine where they are! Dont know why they wouldn't be

What interesting rocks, and I love the myth behind them. I understand wanting to work a bit on landscapes but sometimes if you just don't feel the mojo then it's just frustrating. Most landscape trips require several visits, I've found, to get it the way you want. At the very very least you captured the essence of a very unique beach and it looks like it was a really great morning.

Reeflections

It seems to me you did a fine job. I really like everything about the algae covered one. Comp, color, subject - I like it a lot!

NorthernFocus

schmoo wrote:

The photos are fine where they are! Dont know why they wouldn't be

I wondered with the multiple shots and associated commentary that it might fit better in the Journeys thread

This is definately a place I would visit again given the opportunity. Different lighting, weather conditions, tides, etc. would all provide opportunities. There are some pretty good spots closeby for some bird captures. Boulders AM and PM and birds in between. That could work

I like the grassy rock shot too. I had packed up and was walking away when I noticed that boulder. Stopped and took a couple of shots handheld. I wish I'd used a little flatter DOF.

Thanks for looking and commenting.

leaforte

Interesting. A big game of Godly marbles. What will those Conanians think up next?--

Nice shots. Again, very interesting. Thanks for posting.

Aspire

Nice series, when were you over here? I live two hours up the coast from the Boulders Sunrise with a highish tide is meant to be a lovely time down there for photos - though I have not been up early enough to make it there.

I just has a look back through some older photos and found some from the last time we were down that way - only had a little p&s camera at the time and the photos are not that fantastic but here are a few (not to hijack your thread I just thought you would like to see them!)

When we left home it was a lovely day and the further south the worse the weather got and when we got to the boulders it was a very high tide, so very slippery!



My partner hopped into a broken boulder and I was supposed to be keeping an eye on the tide as he was watching me... opps!


View of the Cafe & Shop - Shaped like the boulders





I really like #4 in your series

NorthernFocus

We were at the rocks about two weeks ago. Been back home for a week now. Everyone seems to like the green rock best. I guess it's the contrast

dlplumer

Very cool. Like the earth boulder as well

DMA

Very nice!

I have been to the boulders a few times as well. And the best time to get shots of them is definitely as close to dawn as possible. Not only is the light (usually) great, but there are (usually) no people there either, except for the odd fellow photographer.

Here are some of the shots I took:







--
http://duncan-aitken.smugmug.com

Griffin

I like the set. Especially the catch of green on the rocks.

NorthernFocus

Wow, this thread's been dead for a while. Thanks for breathing a little life into it, guys.

Nice shots there, Duncan. I really like the first one. It's amazing how many different perspectives on the same subject can be interesting in different ways.