Travel
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.
Over the past few weeks, I shared images of my 2016 trip to Greece, especially the Cyclades islands. For my last blog post from this trip, I return to the mainland.
I had always dreamt of travelling to Greece prior to that, and this trip delivered in every imaginable way. However, if I were to do it over again, I would be spending less time in Athens and instead visit a few more islands (I hope to make it to Rhodes some day!). Nevertheless, I loved exploring the Acropolis ruins, and learning about Greek history and mythology.
This week’s blog post is a mishmash of a last few images of the photogenic island of Santorini, in Greece’s Cyclades archipelago. Again, you will find the relatively common white-and-blue theme, and variations on it… Next week, it’s back to the mainland for a final Greek blog post!
The villages of Fira, Imerovigli, and Emporio in Santorini are just as stunning as their more readily recognised cousin, the exclusively blue-and-white Oia. Here, the houses and churches take on different architectural styles and residents get a little more creative with their house paint colours. So here is a little more Santorini…
The Catholic Church of Dormition is another famous spot in Santorini. However, it is located in the village of Fira, where the architecture is a bit more mixed and buildings come in light yellow, orange, and pink shades, besides the traditional white. The image of the church is taken from a very narrow staircase, which makes sunset a bit annoying, as it will involve constantly readjusting your tripod as people need to get through… Still, it is definitely worth stopping by this spot for another must-have postcard Santorini moment.
Another classic part of Oia’s landscape are its white windmills. They are actually part of a villa which can be privately hired. I presume that the residents unfortunately miss out on the very best sunset view in Santorini - that of the windmills themselves, from a nearby hill!
As we were there in the (pre-pandemic) summer, there were countless other tourists around, and with this being a coveted spot, we arrived at the lookout and set up our tripods about 3 hours before sunset to guarantee the best views. It was worth it, as about an hour later, hundreds of other people started trickling in, many with their own large tripods and cameras that they set up alongside us. So if you ever want to capture this iconic view, make sure you plan ahead and arrive early.
Oia village, in Santorini, is a minimalist photographer’s dream. The white buildings and their blue details sit crisply against the cloudless blue skies. Everywhere you look, you see only the colours of the Greek flag. The whole town is one large postcard you can walk through, with photo opportunities at (very literally) every corner. To me, this was one of the few places I’ve been where I found the harsh afternoon light in the middle of Summer to make for just as stunning images as sunrise and sunset. Oia took my breath away - enjoy some of my highlights below!
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…
Mycenae is an ancient city in mainland Greece, dating back to the Bronze Age. We visited the ruins here in 2016, and something about this trip and photographing Greece dramatically improved the quality of my photography. It’s interesting looking back and comparing my editing style before and after this trip. Something clicked and my style really started to come together a lot more. I hope the ruins and countryside in the images below are similarly inspirational to others, too…
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.
I’ve finally come to that time where I’ve run out of recent images to share and won’t be able to do any travelling for a little while. Work is keeping me busy, and of course, international travel is still out of the question. So for the next few months, I’ll be posting older images that I haven’t yet shared here on the blog. These will be from all over the world, but I’m starting with a few weeks featuring photos from all over Greece.
Today, I am sharing some of my favourite images of Meteora. This spectacular location consists of several orthodox monasteries precariously perched on top of finger-like rock formations. It looks like something out of a fantasy novel, and you may have spotted one of those images from elsewhere in my portfolio before. So without further ado, enjoy these photos from the good old days when travel was a much easier business than it is now!
There are several great walks in Kaikoura. One of the best known is the long track up to the snowy Mount Fyffe, which begins with a trail through lush native New Zealand forest. We explored the surrounding area, and took to the skies to photograph the beginning of this track from above.
Following a whale-watching flight over the Kaikoura coastline, we also took the opportunity to watch these giants from up close. An early morning cruise with Whale Watch provided several sightings of Sperm whales, the world’s largest toothed predator. These giants of the sea were commonly hunted in the 19th and 20th centuries, which inspired the classic novel Moby Dick. Now the species is protected throughout most of its territory, but there is still work to be done to fully protect them.
During a whale-watching cruise in Kaikoura, I photographed a number of seabird species that inhabit these coasts. Some of those migrate long distances each year, going as far as Antarctica. Here, I share some images of the Cape petrel, Northern giant petrel, Southern giant petrel, and the Subantarctic Black-browed Albatross. You can find more information about these birds at the Albatross Encounter Kaikoura website.
This weekend, I’m sharing a few relaxing images of the mountains and ocean on Kaikoura's coast. I hope these serve as a welcome reminder of times with unrestricted travel and a more carefree existence. I can’t wait to explore the wider world outside of New Zealand in search of more spectacular landscapes, when it is possible to do so.
Today I share images from yet another stunning Kaikoura landscape. Fyffe Quay is a popular sunbathing spot for New Zealand fur seals. They dawdle about well into the evening, providing an unusual opportunity to photograph them at dusk. I was lucky enough to spot a pup posing on a rocky wall, perfectly positioned against the snowy mountains in the background.
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.
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!
The Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway is a great place to spot kekeno, also known as New Zealand fur seals. These are easily some of my favourite (and in my opinion, most photogenic) marine mammals. I hope you enjoy this selection of fur seals basking on the white rocks of the Kaikoura coastline.
One of my best memories of Kaikoura was taking a whale-watching flight with Wings Over Whales. Although circling the whales did get me a little dizzy by the end, it was amazing to see these marine giants from the air, where you can get a true sense of their scale. During our flight, we saw two sperm whales and a humpback whale, and as a bonus we got to enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains and ocean from the air also.
