Pine Trees at Dusk

I’m very fortunate in that my work allows me to travel all over the world (more recently, throughout the US) and see some amazing places. Over my next few blog posts, I want to share some of the images I took a few weeks ago when I spent some time in southern Georgia and had a free couple of days to explore the surrounding areas.

These first few images are of the pine trees at Stephen C. Foster State Park and the surrounding Okefenokee Swamp area at dusk. I was so surprised by the natural beauty of these swamps; they were completely different from any other place I’ve visited before. Keep your eyes peeled for much more over the coming weeks!

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…

Last Stop in Aotearoa

The Nelson Lakes National Park was the final destination on our travels through the South Island of New Zealand. The region is known for its large lakes with crystalline waters. In the winter, it also serves as a ski destination, nestled perfectly between the lakes and the surrounding alps. An excellent way to end our time in Aotearoa, and one of the very final places we had left to see here.

Keep an eye out for my blog posts over the next few weeks to see what I’ve been up to since moving all the way from New Zealand to the United States!

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…

Walk to Wainui Falls

Don’t be fooled by the images - the Wainui Falls on the West Coast of New Zealand are actually surprisingly challenging to photograph. The waterfall is so powerful at its full potential that you have only a few seconds to take a photo before the front of the lens is drenched! This was the perfect walk for a slightly overcast day, which left an even light on the water and surrounding landscape.

Inside Ngarua Cave

The Ngarua Cave on New Zealand’s West Coast is one of the few artificially-lighted caves in the country, and one of even fewer that allow photography. The tour is certainly worth it, as it takes visitors through the cave while learning about both its geography and history. Inside the cave, you can even see the bones of now-extinct Moa birds that fell to their deaths through the sink holes leading into the cave.

Riuwaka Resurgence

The waters of the Riuwaka River are sacred to the native Māori people of New Zealand, as they are thought to have healing properties. The most picturesque part of the river is the Riuwaka Resurgence at Kahurangi National Park, where it flows from an underwater spring to form a number of rapids and small waterfalls. As with many such places on the West Coast, this is lesser-known spot that offers a peaceful escape from the more popular tourist destinations. A place for contemplating, relaxing, and enjoying the sounds of nature.

The Caves of Karamea

The Oparara Basin Arches require a considerable detour to reach: they are at the very top of the West Coast region, near the town of Karamea. Despite the long drive, this is a truly must-see for every photographer visiting the South Island of New Zealand. The caves naturally frame the reflections of the surrounding landscape in the water, lending themselves to iconic images. I spent several hours at this location, enjoying the complete silence of nature afforded by their isolation, and the majesty of these geological formations.

West Coast Wildlife

New Zealand’s West Coast is full of opportunities to observe the local wildlife - from the friendly South Island robins and curious weka, to crowded colonies of New Zealand fur seals. In this blog post, I have gathered only a few of my images of the fauna that inhabit this special corner of Aotearoa.

Stars From The Underground

As night falls and darkness covers the land, the New Zealand landscape comes to light. I’m not referring to the stars in the skies of Aotearoa, but to their invertebrate counterparts. Glow worms such as these are abundant in many caves and dells across the country, shining bright to lure their prey. Their bioluminescence is the effect of a chemical reaction where luciferin is combined with oxygen to produce a mesmerizing blue glow...

The West Coast from Above

A bird's-eye view always reveals a different perspective on the landscape and brings out the true scale of the place. I had a few opportunities for aerial photography during my road trip through the West Coast of New Zealand, and I think these images really show off the untamed beauty of the region. The images below were taken near Tauparikākā Marine Reserve and Cape Foulwind.

Pancake Rocks and Their Inhabitants

These rock formations in New Zealand’s West Coast are, of course, named after their looks - they look like stacked rounded layers somewhat resembling pancakes. Pancake Rocks even boasts a suitably-themed pancake-serving café near the entrance to the park. I visited on a stormy evening and, although the weather left much to be desired, the white-fronted terns (Sterna striata) that inhabit this location more than made up for the moody skies.

Glacial Blue Waters

Glaciers are not only stunning in and of themselves, but also offer an additional feature to the surrounding landscapes: glacial water. Due to the sediments contained in it, glacial rivers and gorges are of a unique turquoise colour. There are plenty of opportunities to see such places in the South Island of New Zealand, and especially on the West Coast. Today, I share some of my favourite images from Callery Gorge Walk and Hokitika Gorge, two truly stunning locations near the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers.

Royalty of the Wetlands

Rare as they are, even in their full breeding plumage, I’m afraid White Herons still can’t compete with Royal Spoonbills (Platalea regia) in my books. It’s a matter of personal opinion, of course, but to me these enormous birds are the uncontested kings and queens of the wetlands. I thoroughly enjoyed photographing these avian giants swooping between their nesting sites, and occasionally fighting each other, during our birdwatching tour with White Heron Sanctuary Tours.

Kotuku Breeding Colony

The Kotuku, or White Heron (Egreta alba modesta), is commonly found across Oceania and Asia. However, they are not usually seen in their plumage, where they gain exaggerated wing feathers and a blue tint to their faces. There is only a single breeding colony of White Herons in New Zealand, located in the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve. Access is only possible with a guided White Heron Sanctuary Tour, as the land is under protection of the Department of Conservation. The tour is certainly worth it, as it is a pretty guaranteed way to view dozens of Kotuku pairs courting, nesting, and tending to their chicks. We were there during peak courtship time, and so also caught the full spectacle of the species’ breeding plumage. Our visit took place in mid-morning, meaning light was a bit harsh, although that did make for some very dramatic images.

A Tale of Two Glaciers

The reason my travels through the West Coast are some of my favourite memories of New Zealand are views such as these. Within a short helicopter flight, we saw two glaciers (Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier), rivers, waterfalls, and had a clear view of the ocean! This flight included a short landing atop Franz Josef Glacier, where we could walk on the fresh soft snow. What a stunning little corner of the world that is.

Franz Josef Surroundings

The region surrounding Franz Josef Glacier on the West Coast of New Zealand is not to be missed. On a rare clear day, the scenery is truly astounding. Today’s blog post highlights only a couple of locations in the area: Peter’s Pool and Lake Mapourika. Stay tuned for more features of this amazing corner of the world in the coming weeks!

Lake Matheson Reflections

Lake Matheson is an especially reflective lake due to the dark sediments in its water, which create a perfect mirror on a still day. But beware: even the tiniest bit of wind will cause ripples on the surface of the lake and ruin its picture-perfect reflections.

I must admit that, during my recent trip through the West Coast, I fell in love with this location and this is probably my favourite place in all of New Zealand. I visited this stunning location not once, not twice, but on three separate occasions. Funnily enough, my best images of the lake were all from my very first visit, on a cloudy but still day, both before and during sunset.

A Drive Past Haast

The drive through Haast in the West Coast of New Zealand offers some really stunning scenery, such as the dune walk at the Tauparikākā Marine Reserve and the views from Knights Point Lookout. Perfectly clear skies are rare in the region, which is known for its rainy weather, so the timing of my visit was extremely lucky.