Photographing the New Zealand mountains

Photographing the New Zealand mountains

Snowy mountains near Lake heron New Zealand

Blizzards, below zero temperatures, snow, slippery surfaces, running nose, frost bitten fingers, hiking up steep mountains, aching legs…. honestly what more could a person want on a holiday??

 

This is exactly the reasons we take a holiday in the winter, not only do we encounter all the above phenomena, but also no crowds, completely silent landscapes, spectacular scenery, unimaginable clear starry skies, a winter wonderland and the possibility of photographing a multitude of white pristine mountains.

We live in Australia near the beach and experience summer conditions almost all year round. So I chose to have a winter holiday every so often…  Also having spent my childhood in New Zealand, I have a nostaligic longing for days of old.

The Southern Alps in the South Island of New Zealand are unbelievably beautiful.

This last winter we hired a cottage next to Lake Clearwater which was surrounded by snow and ice. A wood fire in the cottage was lit each day to enable us to warm up after our outdoor expeditions. A tiny possum climbed the outdoor stairs each night and tapped with his nose on the window. Frightened the life out of me the first night, but we soon got used to him, But we did not get used to tripping over his evening droppings which he proudly left at the doorstep each night!

Day one and two were spent sight seeing and photographing the pink sunsets in the area.

On day three we climbed a 2 kilometere walk up to the snow line of Mt Potts, located along Hakatere Potts road. The fog meant we were not able to see the top of the mountain. However I took photographs of our climb as we ascended, (Mt Potts and all the surrounding mountains.) Many shots are totally white but we found it completely exhilerating and I figured some shapes must come out in my photographs. Skiers call days like this a “A White Out.”

A helicopter kept flying over and  we realised the mountain peaks would be above the fog and probably great snow skiing would be the plan for those sporty tourists. It was actually on our descent that the fog cleared a bit and I got the peaks of the mountains through the cloudy mass.

If you are ever in this area Mt Potts Lodge is a great place to stay or take a leisurely coffee after your walk. AND if you do like a bit of coldness and silence, why not consider a winter holiday in some remote cool country.

It is truly an experience you wont forget.

mountains and snow
Chinamans Hat Island

Above, the twin peaks of the mountain in the Hakatere Conservation Park. To the left of the two peaks is where we began our climb.

Mountains and fog

Above, the road to Mt Potts.

Brown hills and mountains in the fog
Walking along the mountain track

Above, looking out from the track up the mountain

Walking along mountain track
Cold mountain stream

Looking down at a fast moving mountain stream

In rough weather.

Helicopter flying overhead taking skiers to the top of Mt Potts.

Mountain and fog
Chinamans Hat Island in a storm
Mountain and foggy day

Above, White, white and more white. Clean, dreamy and brilliant.

Chinamans Hat Island in a storm

Above, one of the basins of Mt Potts, not sure where the skiers where, but those slopes looked good for some powder skiing.

Chinamans Hat Island with a radiant sunset

Lake Clearwater in the early morning. Serene and so quiet.

Mt Potts New Zealand
Trees and snow
blue sky and snow on the mountains
Chinamans Hat Island

Above image. It was almost dark as we were driving off and the mountains certainly throw up many majestical and amazing sights. Things change rapidly as the wind comes and goes and blows the clouds into shapes and patterns. As we looked back the bright contrasting blue against the sweep of white was so beautiful.

View from our cottage snow and pine tree

View out the window of where we were staying.

A framed house in the mountains

A framed cottage high in the snowy hills

Reflections Lake Clearwater
Pink snowy mountain, New Zealand
Mt D Archaic. Hakatere Conservation Park

Is pink a good colour in photography?

Is pink a good colour in photography?

Pink snow and sunset

Pink

Pink is rich in symbolism and can portray many concepts. Pink is timeless and over the years has been used for love, romance, babies and a general feeling of warmth. Pink is a combination of red and white, and sometimes soft hues of orange. Red is one of the primary colours and very bright and stimulating, hence the addition of white produces a soft and warm shade which appeals to our feminine side. However even men have a feminine side and can appreciate the beauty of pink!!

Pink is calm and soft and warm. A predominant shade when the sun sets and when the sun rises, pink is often spell binding in its ability to lighten and soften our thought patterns. Pink is used regularly and often in photography and is a great choice when photographing outdoors.

Here are some ideas on how to get the best out of your landscape photography incorporating the colour pink.

 

1. Sunset. I regularly see people gather in various locations to view a sunset. Why because of its beauty and no doubt its tendency to calm and soothe us. A sunset is a great opportunity to visit your favorite photography locations and experiment with settings as the sun goes down. I have learnt to slow my shutter speed as the sun gets lower in the sky.

2. Sunrise is not so frequented by the crowds, perhaps because they are still sleeping. A sunrise has a sharper and crisper element to it, whereas a sunset is more musky and muted. Sunrise does require you to get up early but when I visit the mountains I am never disappointed. So get up early and take a stroll to a good spot to sit and watch the morning light. I am not good at using a tripod, but I always do for early morning shots.

3. Pink is often associated with babies, children, girls and clothing and rooms. watch out for shades of pink in homes, and clothing.  And as I said before don’t exclude men, Rick Stein a TV food presenter very often wears a pink shirt and it looks great! Hence when putting people into your landscape shots a hint of pink will make them stand out and yet add a touch of gentleness and warmth.

4. Most times in a setting sun I will actually not photograph the sun but will turn in the exact opposite direction and photograph from this angle. In fact most of my shots below are of this type of shot. The pinks are vivid and and slowly turn to a purply blue shade. Timing is critical so be in your location at least an hour to 30 mins before the sun sets.

5. Try slowing your camera shutter speed down to create an even softer effect. Practise and practise again. I constantly check my shots in the view finder and then make any alterations to my camera settings.

 

CHECK THIS OUT a great article by Lisa Michelle Burns on how to achieve those pastel shades in your landscape photography.

Enjoy the evening hues when you next view the heavens as the sun is setting.