chasing the light day2
boneywhitefoot
Registered Users Posts: 23 Big grins
After a good night spending time with others in the backpackers we hit the sack and the next day arrived rather quickly
As I lay there in my sleeping bag all warm and cozy I flicked my torch on, glancing at my watch I could see we had around an 1 and 1/2hours to go before sunrise, more than enough time to sweep down a hot coffee and a quick breakfast and make a thermos to keep us warm on the job.
Some kind soul had put wood in the burner so it was all comfy as we prepared for our day in the mighty Maniototo plains .
The Maniototo means big skies and open vistas to us photographers. Surrounded by mountain ranges, the area is given to sheep and cattle, the people, uncomplicated, friendly, self reliant and hardy.
We had spent last night, being Friday night, at the local drinking establishment in the public bar, eating the evening meal, whole families were doing likewise, I can't think of many city pubs that I would bring my child to for a meal on a Friday night.
Anyway on to our second day on the road.
Out in the predawn car park we loaded the wagon, we let the dog out of the cab to have a run around and a few doggie bikkies.
Half an hour later down the road we picked a spot on the brow of a small rise to park up and start the day's festivities. It twas a wee bit cold, around 5below and a cold breeze chilled us, we both looked forward to the rising sun to warm our bodies and restore feeling to our hands and feet.
Stephen keeping warm waiting for the sun to poke its head over the mountains.
First the high spots receive a dressing of light from the sun.
Along with the sun a bemused farmer who owned the paddock we had set up in put in an appearance.
The sun made a welcome appearance.
There's no need to panic in these parts, the stock was in no threat, gates were as we had found them and we were in plain sight of the road, the farmer could see we were not rustlers or vandals and drove through the gate and gave us a good old Central Otago welcome .
He couldn't believe we were in his paddock at day break, in the freezing cold, taking photos of what he saw every day of his life.
the farmer comes over for a chat.
Soon the sun had risen, casting long shadows and a reddish glow on the surrounds, we packed up ,we had many more places to shoot so we thanked the farmer and made our way west .
A low sun casts long shadows
heading west mist started to appear and the landscape changed from a bright (open see for miles) plain into a fog filled winter wonderland and the temp plummeted abruptly.
A winter wonderland. frost on top of frost makes it look like it has snowed but this is ice.
Stopping every now and again we made our way towards our first major place of interest for the day.
St Bathans is an interesting place indeed, the site being dug out of the landforms by gold miners of times past.
you can read more about it here.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/historic/by-region/otago/st-bathans/
We needed the sun to stay for us out for the shots we wanted, the trees snap frozen and the light quality soft in the early morning.
We got what we wanted but only just, soon the fog rolled in and we knew we were in for an interesting and challenging day, shooting the cold harshness that makes this area a hard place to settle in.
The sunny St Bathans.
Frozen trees.
Stephen gets into the groove.
The blue lake
A Maniototo Christmas tree.
Maniototo being being a hard place to settle meant many houses on the settler days were not built to last.
Pretty cold and isolated, a long way from town.
Off up and over the Ida valley through the pass at the top we made Alexandra and then on into Queenstown on a few hours before dark.
thus ended our second day on the road.
As I lay there in my sleeping bag all warm and cozy I flicked my torch on, glancing at my watch I could see we had around an 1 and 1/2hours to go before sunrise, more than enough time to sweep down a hot coffee and a quick breakfast and make a thermos to keep us warm on the job.
Some kind soul had put wood in the burner so it was all comfy as we prepared for our day in the mighty Maniototo plains .
The Maniototo means big skies and open vistas to us photographers. Surrounded by mountain ranges, the area is given to sheep and cattle, the people, uncomplicated, friendly, self reliant and hardy.
We had spent last night, being Friday night, at the local drinking establishment in the public bar, eating the evening meal, whole families were doing likewise, I can't think of many city pubs that I would bring my child to for a meal on a Friday night.
Anyway on to our second day on the road.
Out in the predawn car park we loaded the wagon, we let the dog out of the cab to have a run around and a few doggie bikkies.
Half an hour later down the road we picked a spot on the brow of a small rise to park up and start the day's festivities. It twas a wee bit cold, around 5below and a cold breeze chilled us, we both looked forward to the rising sun to warm our bodies and restore feeling to our hands and feet.
Stephen keeping warm waiting for the sun to poke its head over the mountains.
First the high spots receive a dressing of light from the sun.
Along with the sun a bemused farmer who owned the paddock we had set up in put in an appearance.
The sun made a welcome appearance.
There's no need to panic in these parts, the stock was in no threat, gates were as we had found them and we were in plain sight of the road, the farmer could see we were not rustlers or vandals and drove through the gate and gave us a good old Central Otago welcome .
He couldn't believe we were in his paddock at day break, in the freezing cold, taking photos of what he saw every day of his life.
the farmer comes over for a chat.
Soon the sun had risen, casting long shadows and a reddish glow on the surrounds, we packed up ,we had many more places to shoot so we thanked the farmer and made our way west .
A low sun casts long shadows
heading west mist started to appear and the landscape changed from a bright (open see for miles) plain into a fog filled winter wonderland and the temp plummeted abruptly.
A winter wonderland. frost on top of frost makes it look like it has snowed but this is ice.
Stopping every now and again we made our way towards our first major place of interest for the day.
St Bathans is an interesting place indeed, the site being dug out of the landforms by gold miners of times past.
you can read more about it here.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/historic/by-region/otago/st-bathans/
We needed the sun to stay for us out for the shots we wanted, the trees snap frozen and the light quality soft in the early morning.
We got what we wanted but only just, soon the fog rolled in and we knew we were in for an interesting and challenging day, shooting the cold harshness that makes this area a hard place to settle in.
The sunny St Bathans.
Frozen trees.
Stephen gets into the groove.
The blue lake
A Maniototo Christmas tree.
Maniototo being being a hard place to settle meant many houses on the settler days were not built to last.
Pretty cold and isolated, a long way from town.
Off up and over the Ida valley through the pass at the top we made Alexandra and then on into Queenstown on a few hours before dark.
thus ended our second day on the road.
God made two great lights; the sun to rule by day and the moon to rule by night. He also made the stars.
And He set them all in the heavens to give light upon the earth; And God saw that it was good.
Ive seen the light and it is indeed very good
http://www.lightchasers-nz.com/
And He set them all in the heavens to give light upon the earth; And God saw that it was good.
Ive seen the light and it is indeed very good
http://www.lightchasers-nz.com/
0
Comments
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
And He set them all in the heavens to give light upon the earth; And God saw that it was good.
Ive seen the light and it is indeed very good
http://www.lightchasers-nz.com/
E
My site | Non-MHD Landscapes |Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Smugmug photos