Chris & I get togeather.....

...regularly to fly our radio control aircraft. "They are not toys" he exclaims, tongue in cheek. Yesterday, Sunday was a perfect flying day & so it was with a certain amount of anticipation I loaded planes from the hanger into my car & set off for Cambridge for a days flying.

Great day for a fly & good company too.

Thanks again Chris.

Chris preps for another sortie

Cambridge is a beautiful place especially in the autumn. With this in mind I set off (after flying of course) to look for a pic.
A little early but you can see the beginnings of the seasons blush colouring the foliage of one or two trees in this panorama.

Te Koutu Lake reserve, Camdrige.

I've driven past this old farm building so many times on the foothills of the Kaimai ranges traveling to fly with Chris & so many other occassions.
This was the first time I've stopped. Usually there is a schedule to maintain & stopping here, in the middle of nowhere is just not going to fit in.
Everything worked out just right this time including the weather.

Redwoods.....

...tower over humans. A wonderful place amongst the giants.

The redwood grove in Rotorua

Downtown Auckland...

...must be one of the countries busiest railway stations.
Probably got there at a good time I suppose.

I can't help imagining bubbles of speech/thought emerging, cartoon like from the train catching it's breath before the next rush hour :-)

Autumnal colors begin.....

.... at MacLaren Falls Park

Taken 11 months ago (it was autumn)

McLaren Falls Park

The park borders Lake McLaren, formed behind a dam built for hydro-electricity generation.
The landscape includes parkland and native bush. McLaren Falls has a fine botanical collection of trees and a range of birdlife, including the North Island brown kiwi, North Island robin and long-tailed cuckoo.The park has accommodation, with camping on any open, grassed area, except Cherry Bay,and three hostels. Trout fishing is permitted year round in the lake and nearby Ruahihi Canal with a licence. An animal park adjoins McLaren Falls Park.

Thanks for the encouragement....

.....Mike, & the link from your site.
Take the time to have a look at Mike's blog (link to the right, above), inspiration for many more images.

HDR......

....WOW Mike showed me HDR (high Dynamic Range) & I'm hooked














Compare the two pictures, both a number of exposures joined to form a "wider" view.
The first is HDR. Detail in the bright & the dark areas. Compare to the "normal" image below.
Johnson Park, Welcome Bay, Tauranga.

MMM love HDR.

click the pix for a bigger view

Inspired.....

....by friends wonderful efforts I begin this journey into blogging with a photograph....

Travelling home after a great day of flying (RC models) on a springs day in Cambridge this small storm system was approaching. The cemetery is in the Waikato country side, Hinuera. After making several exposures I was able to join them on my computer to make this panorama, over 180dgrees of view. The road is on each side of the pic is the same straight road. Just made it back to the car before rain came down in buckets accompanied by loud thunder & lightning.