The past few weeks have been an absolute blur. I’ve been busy updating this website, making changes to my YouTube channel, and putting in some long hours working on my upcoming bird photography eBook. This article features a selection of New Zealand North Island bird photography images that I captured hand-held during our most recent trip. I did the best I could identifying the species in the photographs featured in this article. If any readers notice any incorrect bird identifications, please feel free to correct me as needed!
Category Archives: Tours & Travel
Dolphins at the Bay of Islands
When my wife and I planned our final trip to New Zealand we wanted to observe dolphins at the Bay of Islands. This was something we had not done since 2004. Luckily the weather cooperated and we were able to book a couple of cruises leaving out of Paihia. Continue reading Dolphins at the Bay of Islands
A Visit to Te Henui Cemetery
During our trip to New Zealand in the late fall of 2018 my wife and I made time to visit the Te Henui Cemetery in the city of New Plymouth. The first question that many of you may be asking yourselves is why someone would visit a cemetery when on a holiday. Continue reading A Visit to Te Henui Cemetery
Street Photography in Napier New Zealand
During our fall 2018 trip to the North Island, my wife and I spent about an hour doing some street photography in Napier, New Zealand. The city suffered a catastrophic earthquake on 3 February 1931 which killed 256 residents and injured thousands. It remains as New Zealand’s deadliest natural disaster in history. Continue reading Street Photography in Napier New Zealand
New Zealand Fantail at the Blue Spring
I had to chuckle to myself for heeding my own advice during our most recent visit to New Zealand! In our eBook New Zealand Tip-to-Tip, I suggested having two cameras ‘at-the-ready’ (one for landscapes and one for birds) just in case an opportunity arose when visiting the Blue Spring. As luck would have it I had a very brief close encounter with a New Zealand Fantail at the Blue Spring. Continue reading New Zealand Fantail at the Blue Spring
Oceanside Compositions at Castlepoint
Many people enjoy vacations along the ocean, with days full of water sports, sunbathing and people watching. For those of us who enjoy photography, these same locations present completely different vacation opportunities. This article features a selection of oceanside compositions at Castlepoint, New Zealand. Continue reading Oceanside Compositions at Castlepoint
A Great Experience at Absolute Bliss Paihia
My wife and I just returned from our fifth (and final) trip to New Zealand. We ended our month long visit with a four day stay at Absolute Bliss Paihia. As regular readers will know, we very seldom write any articles about properties at which we have stayed, with this article being only the third we have ever posted of this type. Continue reading A Great Experience at Absolute Bliss Paihia
Niagara Gorge Forest Walk
The Niagara Gorge runs for about 11 kilometres (~6.8 miles) along the Canada/United States border. On the Canadian side, there are a few trails along the gorge that allow hikers to get reasonably close to the Niagara River. One of those trails leads to the Niagara Whirlpool. This article shares a few photographs captured during a recent hike on this trail. Continue reading Niagara Gorge Forest Walk
Jet Boats on the Niagara River
Happening to be in the right place… at the right time… with the right gear… can yield benefits. During a recent trip to the Niagara Gorge area I hiked down to the shoreline adjacent to the Niagara Whirlpool. I happened to be there when a jet boat circled the area. Later that morning I had the opportunity to photograph two more jet boats from a different vantage point along the Niagara River. Continue reading Jet Boats on the Niagara River
Photographing Surfers
Very few of us have the opportunity to photograph surfers as they use their skills on monster waves during international competitions. Many of us do observe surfers riding more modest waves, and we often capture some photographs of the action. This article discusses some of the factors that can be considered when photographing surfers, as well as some thoughts on post processing. The images in this article were captured in New Zealand during a 2016 trip. Continue reading Photographing Surfers