Evening Sky
There are some evenings when you just have to go for a walk. The day on which this image was taken had improved markedly after a late summer storm so we decided to take a walk around the rocks and along the base of the cliffs at the end of Takapuna Beach, near where we live. An added incentive was the expected departure of a cruise ship from Auckland which carried some friends as passengers. We hoped to watch the ship sail out through the channel that lies between the beach and nearby Rangitoto Island. Fortunately the tide was well out that day, because after waiting until well after the expected departure (the ship didn’t sail because of engineering problems) we had to make our way back to the beach in far distance before the tide would force us ti climb over the rocks. As we turned to head home we were presented with this view to the Takapuna township and beach, and the evening sky reflected in the wet sand.
After the Storm
The storm has come and gone, but there is more rain forecast for the weekend. Not as severe as last time, but bringing more welcome wetness.
Northerly storm systems pound the reef at the western end of Takapuna Beach and uproot kelp seaweed from the rocks. Waves then distribute the kelp along the 1,200 metre beach where it lies for up to two weeks until the local authority brings it’s machinery out to gather the seaweed up and take it away for composting. Local hobby gardeners also gather seaweed to add to their compost heaps, or dig it into their gardens to lie over winter in preparation for the spring growing season.
Another Autumn Sunrise
This morning, fully clothed this time, I ventured onto the beach to capture another autumn sunrise. It was different this time, not so red, but more dappled grays and blues.
We are lucky here to face the east and have a view out across the Rangitoto Channel to the island from which the channel takes its name. During the day Rangitoto continually changes its mood as the sun moves from east to west. On some evenings the setting sun lights clouds over the island with red and orange light. In storms it presents a very moody face.
This morning we were presented with a pre-storm view. There is rain predicted for two day’s time. On such occasions the atmosphere often clears and New Zealand’s fourth largest island, Great Barrier, shows clearly on the horizon. That happened in the late afternoon yesterday. Already the sky is overcast. Let’s hope that the rain comes as predicted. We really need it after the long hot summer.
I was going to show only two images from this morning, but I have decided to show five instead. I have been wanting to take photographs from the eastern end of the beach in the morning for some time. Here are the results.
Autumn Sunrise
When I woke this morning and looked out the window I knew right away I had to capture the moment. So, still in pajamas, I grabbed my camera and walked down to the beach to record the sun rising behind Rangitoto Island and the early morning crowd out getting their exercise. A man passed nearby walking his Dog. “Good morning”, I said. “Good morning” he replied, no doubt wondering why I was still wearing my PJs on the beach. It didn’t worry me. I got my pictures and was feeling very happy.
Going …
… and coming
Jetman
A new phenomenon hit Auckland last week. It was so unusual that it featured on the evening TV news as a feature product at the “Big Boys’ Toys” expo held at the Auckland Showgrounds.
Apparently this device is known as a “Flyboard” and is powered by a jetski. According to the product’s website “The Flyboard is a water jet powered machine which allows propulsion underwater and in the air. The position of two nozzles under your feet ensure 90% of the propulsion and allow for movement controlled by tilting one’s feet. The nozzles on the hands are used to ensure stabilization, just as ski poles would.”
These images were captured from Takapuna Beach yesterday afternoon. It seems that buyers need deep pockets as the Flyboard is priced from NZ$13995.00 (plus the required jetski, of course)!
Click on each image for a larger view.
Early Morning Run
Early Morning Run – Sunrise over Rangitoto Island from Takapuna Beach, Auckland, New Zealand
I was on the beach at 6.30 am yesterday morning just to catch the sunrise. It looked promising when I first looked out of the window so I took my camera and tripod onto the beach and waited. This is just one of 40 images I took as the sun crept towards and then broke over the horizon.
Takapuna Evening
I looked out of the window several evenings ago as the sun was lowering in the sky and knew I had to get down to the beach. The tide was out, a small surf was breaking, and the light was turning to a light gold. Because it has been so wet in Auckland this winter the land is saturated and the ground water seeps onto the beach and glistens in the evening light. People on the beach were taking advantage of the fine spell of weather, getting in their evening walks before dinner.
These four images attempt to capture the mood of the evening.
Takapuna Evening - Man & Dog
Takapuna Evening - Surf & Beach
Takapuna Evening - Standup Paddler
Takapuna Evening - Lady in Red
Full Moon
This image was taken from Takapuna Beach on 19 March, the day before (for New Zealand) the Moon was at perigee, its closest distance to the Earth for the lunar month and for 2011, 356578 km. It was just as well that it was taken then because the sky was clouded over on 20 March. There was a great sunset on both of the nights in question. I was fishing in Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour at sunset on 20 March but didn’t have a camera with me to capture the crimson clouds in western sky as the sun sank below the horizon.
Perigee Moon - Takapuna Beach, Auckland, New Zealand
Surfer Joe
Yesterday was the day after a storm – it was still blowing through. The day was overcast but mainly dry and the waves were good enough to bring out the surfers and stand-up paddlers. I decided to wander into the water up to my knees and attempt to capture some images of the action. This fellow caught my attention – he had style!
Surfer Joe
- Style in Action
Riding Out
December Sunrise
It has been a while since I got up early enough to capture a sunrise. When I looked out of the window early this morning It looked as though we would be in for a show. The clouds looked great and the glow was beginning to show. I was not disappointed.
December Sunrise - Takapuna Beach, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand
Another Wet Day
Earlier today it looked as though the weather was about to change for the better. Logically this couldn’t be so as the forecast was for more of the same. And so it was.
Another Wet Day
Stormy Morning
After weeks of warm, and latterly, humid weather the usual pre-Christmas storms arrived yesterday. It had been so dry for the past two months that the whole of the North Island north of Auckland was declared a drought area. During the past 36 hours we have had periods of heavy rain and the atmosphere has become even more sticky with humidity.
Yesterday morning I set out to try to capture the mood of this change in weather. Just as I walked onto the beach the rain started again so I managed to capture just a few images. Storm water run-off had scoured the sand at the ends of the streets that slope down to the beach. The wind was blowing in from the north carrying ever bigger rain drops as the minutes ticked by. Those few walkers who had ventured out were hunched over as they quickly moved past.
This morning the mood is much the same, except that the wind has dropped and the tide is further out.
Stormy Morning - Takapuna Beach - Auckland, New Zealand
Beach Walk – Takapuna Beach
At last the sun came out. After months of cold and rain, spring finally arrived and people came out to celebrate the prospect of summer.
Takapuna Beach on Auckland’s North Shore always attracts crowds on fine days, especially after prolonged periods of bad weather. These images were taken during an afternoon stroll just as the sun was beginning to cast long shadows across the beach. After-work strollers, runners, paddlers and swimmers were making the most of a pleasant evening to stretch out before the light faded into twilight, and then the night.
Click on any image to view the gallery.
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- Empty Shell
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- Coffee and a Chat
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- Jogging Mates
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- Afternoon Swim
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- Stand-up Paddler
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- Catching the Wave
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- Yellow and Red
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- Training Crew
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- Pull!
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- Sharing Pole Position
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- Training Row
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- Ripples
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- Reef Pools
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- Sitting
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- Reef and Sky
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- Afternoon Flight
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- Reef Pools
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- Sentinel
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- Fissure
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- First Hour Free
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- Paddlers
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- Play Time
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- A Touch of Pink
Imagining Takapuna e-Book Project
This project started with a problem. What do you do with your growing collection of photographs that have a common theme to them? When you create the images you don’t necessarily have a specific project on mind. The shot presents itself, you frame it and press the button. Maybe you then post the resulting interpreted image on Flickr or a photo blog.
The idea of a photo e-book began to grow when some friends gave us a photo book of a popular local holiday spot . Maybe I could produce one for our local area, I thought. At about the same time one of my sons suggested that I look at Scribus, a piece of open source desktop publishing software. He had used it to produce an in-house newsletter at his workplace. Further investigation found that it could produce output in a PDF format. This had some appeal as the final document could be output a PDF and sent to a book printer such as Blurb, provided it complied with their requirements, or it could be published as a viewable or downloadable PDF on the web. A project had been born.
Imagining Takapuna proved to be quite a learning experience, which can be broken down into the following stages:
- Learn how to use Scribus – This required finding and then following a on-line tutorial on page layout and import of text and images;
- Map out a book idea – Determine a storyline, themes, master layout, etc;
- Explore image portfolio to find image candidates for inclusion in the book;
- Build the pages with images and text;
- Edit, not once, but at least three times. You can get too close to the project and overlook even obvious errors;
- Review – Have someone not related to the project to review the “finished” article and offer constructive feedback. This will raise questions about why text or images have been included, and why others have not. Maybe the text mentions something that is not represented by an image.
- Time out – Set the project aside for a few days to divorce yourself from it and clear your mind. Then come back and take a fresh look. It is amazing what you see (or not) after a break.
- Finalize – It is easy to tweak forever. Reach a point of finalization and call it quits.
- Publish – Put your head above the parapet and await response.
This e-book “sort of ” follows the above process. While it attempts to follow themes, it is by no means a comprehensive representation of Takapuna and what it has to offer. It is more an experiment in production and a learning experience for the future. It has helped to arm me for more intentional projects in the future that can be planned and deliberately executed. If you view it in that light then maybe you will forgive me for any shortcomings in this first production.
Images in the e-book include sunrise and sunset, surfing, stand up paddling, Sunday and Christmas markets, Takapuna Criterium, cliffs and reef.
Imagining Takapuna can be viewed by clicking here on the cover image above. It is best viewed by downloading the file and opening it in Adobe Acrobat and following these viewing tips.
PDF Viewing tip
Make sure you’re viewing this in 2-page spreads if you want this to look its best.
In Acrobat go to: View > Page Display > Two Up.
Select “Show Cover Page During Two Up” to make sure the pages aren’t out of sync.
Select “Show gaps between pages” for the final touch.
Cliffs and Clouds
The cliffs at the eastern end of Takapuna Beach are sandstone and soft. It is not unusual to find that another piece has crumbled away after a severe north-easterly storm when the wind and waves are at their greatest. In the morning sunlight they area are a lovely golden brown and the layers of sandstone sediment can be clearly seen. Pohutukawa trees (New Zealand’s so-called “Christmas Tree”) cling tenaciously to the clifftop, doing their best to hold the cliffs together.
Yesterday , while on the photowalk with my grandson, this view caught my attention. It had rained the previous night and white fluffy clouds hung in the sky for most of the day.
Sony Alpha DSLR – A200, 1/125 sec, F 16, ISO 100, Sigma DC 18-200 lens at 18mm
Into the Rising Sun
This is the last in this series of dawn images from 5 January. As the sun rises above the horizon the number of people on Takapuna Beach increases. Even in the middle of the night you will find someone out walking, as well as the occasional “wally” shouting loudly as a result of late-night drinking. However, in the cool of a dawn morning only the keen early birds can be found soaking up the freshness of the newly breaking day.
Sony Alpha DSLR – A200, 1/80 sec, F 11, ISO 100, Sigma DC 18-200 lens at 18 mm
Contemplation
One recent fine morning I happened upon this scene of a girl contemplating the scenery in front of her. The wall where she is sitting is at the northern end of Takapuna Beach on Auckland’s North Shore and is one of the most popular walking and bathing spots in the city. I think this greyscale image captures the mood of the moment.
Sony Alpha DSLR – A200, Sony 17-55mm kit lens at 60mm, 1/80 sec, F11, ISO 100
Competition Win
This morning I collected a cup and prize money from winning the Rotary District 9910 photographic competition run by the Rotary Club of North Harbour. This photograph was entered in the Open category and took the category and the overall competition prize, much to my surprise and delight.
The photo was taken at sunrise on Good Friday morning this year. It was a beautiful crisp windless morning and Rangitoto Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf was silhouetted in the orange glow of the rising sun and reflected in a pool of water on Takapuna Beach.
Sony Alpha DSLR-A200, 1/30 sec, F16, Sony AF DT 18-70mm 3.50-5.6 kit lens at 18mm, hand held
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