Memories of Sunnier Summer Days

Brrr! It sure has been cold outside these days! (For those of you who are not in the US, much of the country has been facing some serious ice storms this week). Although I do love the cold - and especially the snow -, I thought it might be a good idea to share some images of a warmer summer day at La Jolla Cove in San Diego. So, huddle up in your warmest layers and join me as I share some images of the incredible marine life of California, including sea lions, pelicans, cormorants, and even an osprey.

Pelicans at La Jolla

There’s something so captivating about the highly contrasted golden light that follows a dramatic sunrise. Following on from my previous post, where I shared some images of the cormorant colonies at La Jolla Cove, this week I want to showcase this stunning light on the local California brown pelicans.

The birding enthusiasts among you will quickly note that these birds are not in breeding plumage. This visit was late in the summer, after the chicks were fully fledged and looking almost indistinguishable from the adults. However, I have plans to return in January next year to see them in all their breeding plumage splendour. Here’s to hoping that the stunning light makes up for their drab feathers this time!

Golden Light at La Jolla Cove

It has been a little while! Earlier this year, my husband and I (see our shared travel photography website here) moved from New Zealand to the United States, reducing all our belongings back down to two suitcases. In doing so, we sold off nearly all of our camera gear and took a bit of a gamble in switching to a mirrorless system. I’m happy to say it was a big upgrade - the Canon R3 is a huge step up from the 5DIII, and I have been having an absolutely fantastic time with this camera.

My time in San Diego, California, has allowed me to explore some incredible new places, brimming with new photo opportunities. Now I am back and ready to share many exciting new images here on the blog!

I will begin by sharing some sunrise images of La Jolla Cove, which has proven a fantastic place to spot seabirds, seals, and sea lions. Let’s start with some beautiful golden light over the cormorants and pelicans this week. As always, I will let the photos to speak for themselves…

The Famous Wharariki Beach

Wharariki Beach, or “that beach on the Windows desktop background”, as it is more commonly known, is one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets. As it is in the northernmost tip of the South Island, getting there from the Abel Tasman region takes a little bit of time, patience, and planning. I tried to leave plenty of time during my visit, allowing for two sunsets and a sunrise, but the weather was having none of it. Despite the overcast mornings and evenings, and the almost constant rain, we managed a partly cloudy mid-morning visit. It’s not all I had hoped for from this detour, but it was still certainly worth the trip.

Abel Tasman Surroundings

The Abel Tasman region of New Zealand has many wonderful views to offer - green countryside, perfectly transparent water springs, and orange sand beaches! It is also at the very top of the South Island, meaning it has milder climate than most of the remaining island, and warm summers. Besides, the biggest city in the region, Nelson, has some of the best restaurants and wineries in all of New Zealand. It is no wonder the place is so popular with holidaymakers and retirees!

Below are just a few of my images from my brief visits to the Te Waikoropupū Springs and two of the local beaches…

Sunrise at a Marine Reserve

The Tauparikākā Marine Reserve lies in the West Coast of New Zealand, on the way between the cities of Wanaka and Queenstown and the Franz and Fox glaciers. Although I had been planning to visit for some time, I must admit this spot completely surpassed my expectations. In only a few short walks, it guides you through a stunning beach, a gloomy swamp, and surprising views over the wetlands. It’s almost like someone decided to take a selection of New Zealand’s stunning scenery and collapsed it into a single location. Well worth a visit!

A New Day in Rio

Sunrise is often the quietest time in any big city, and in Rio de Janeiro it feels a bit odd and wonderful to have the landscapes to yourself, before everyone else wakes up. The unusual serenity of the sunrise often brings with it some stunning light, especially on mornings with clear skies. Below is a collection of some sunrises I captured in Rio, from several locations. In a country like Brazil, I strongly recommend photographing at unsociable hours only if you can do so as part of a larger group - going alone can be dangerous depending on the locations you visit.

An Australian Roadtrip

Although the border between Australia and New Zealand is shut again due to the ever-evolving pandemic situation, the images featured here date back to a roadtrip through New South Wales several years ago. We drove from Sydney down the coast to Merimbula, spotting lots of wildlife and endless beaches along the way.

Santorini Seascapes

Santorini is one of the most popular destinations in Greece, thanks to its stunning beaches and architectural style. Over the next few weeks, I will share more images from all over this beautiful island, where we spent four days exploring the different villages and soaking in the sunkissed landscapes. So to start off, here are some beachside photos from Santorini…

Milos & Mykonos

As I mentioned last week in my Meteora post, I will be sharing some older images from past trips over the next few weeks. The travel bug has truly bitten me as I’ve gone through my archives, and I can’t wait until I can start seeing more of the world again!

This week, I am sharing some of my favourites from Milos and Mykonos, two islands in the Cyclades in Greece. The first three are from Milos, featuring Sarakiniko Beach and Firiplaka Beach, and the final three are from the party island of Mykonos.

Sunset at South Bay

Despite the fact that my inadequate footwear kept me mostly stranded in the middle of South Bay, having to take all photos from pretty much one single location, this was still one of my favourite sunsets I have seen in New Zealand. The golden light rolling over the hills bounced off the coarse beach gravel, giving it a sparkling quality. The low mist added some drama to the scene, blurring the trees behind. This is one of my fondest memories of the sleepy coastal town of Kaikoura.

Afternoon at the Beach

Kaikoura, only a couple hours’ drive from Christchurch, is one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets. The town and its surroundings are full of unexpectedly beautiful landscapes. During our visit, we stumbled upon this bit of coast along Beach Road. As always, I like to think that the images speak for themselves!

Moeraki Boulders

The Moeraki Boulders form a quintessential New Zealand landscape. The beach at Moeraki is covered in these enormous spheres, reminescent of alien eggs in a distant planet. Together with a striking sunrise or sunset painting their surroundings in bold warm colours, this makes for some postcard-worthy images. An incredible, one of a kind scenery!

Fur Seals of Katiki Point

Although it is famous for its circular boulders (more on this next week!), Moeraki is also home to a large New Zealand fur seal colony. This is based at Katiki Point, a short walk from the lighthouse. This is an excellent place to get up close to the fur seals, as they climb up from the beach to the grass on either side of the marked path. In the summer, their coats stand in striking contrast to the dried yellow grass.

Dunedin's Coast

Dunedin has some of the most spectacular coastline in all of New Zealand, which is made even more incredible by its wildlife. Today I feature some images of a sealion we spotted sunbathing on the beach, as well as a pink sunset over Tunnel Beach.

A Very Kiwi Sheep Farm

During my stay in Dunedin, I visited a beautiful sheep farm as part of a wildlife tour. After viewing penguins, sealions, and fur seals on the property’s beaches, I photographed the golden light just before sunset as it moved over the landscape. It made for some typical “kiwi” scenes, showcasing the New Zealand countryside. Here are some of my favourite images at the sheep farm…

Arrival at the Catlins

The next step in the South Island roadtrip was the Catlins Forest Park. This was a long drive down from Te Anau, stopping by the peaceful Fortrose Beach before a relaxing sunset over the bay near our accomodation. The Catlins is a less popular tourist destination in New Zealand, but as you will see from my next week’s blog post, it is vastly underrated. The region is brimming with majestic waterfalls and luxuriant forests which remain undiscovered by many.

The Stripes of Costa Nova

From Porto, we drove South to the small beachside town of Costa Nova, where the houses were all similarly decorated in stripes and matching fixtures and fittings. The town is a popular stop for locals and tourists alike, and the striped houses that were originally built as fishing huts have since been converted into trendy holiday homes.

Chapel of the Lord of the Stone

The beaches near Porto are relatively under-explored, and yet contain photographic gems such as the Capela do Senhor da Pedra (Chapel of the Lord of the Stone). We arrived just before sunset, and caught the golden light just before sundown from the air, followed by more traditional images from ground-level. By sunset, we were mostly alone at the beach, a truly unusual occurrence for a place like this!

Baleal Island Landscapes

Baleal Island, a small drive away from Peniche, is an unusual island. Not only is it connected to the mainland by a thin stretch of road, it also sits atop unusual rock formations to either side. This is a popular sunset spot for locals and tourists alike. There are many spots to sit peacefully by the coast and watch the sun go down over the sea, colouring the white village and its layered rocks as it goes.