Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Mr & Mrs White-wing
This pair of blackbirds live in our garden. Well, I guess he could bring in girlfriends and we wouldn't know. Handy having a subject that comes back every day.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Auckland Airport Planes
Nice sunny day, time to try a few plane shots. Shutter speed is a bit fast for these propellors. (Reads the manual).
The usual 737s and 767s arrive regularly.
Pacific Blue run these long range stretched 737s with the wing tiplets for less drag.
These shots have been despeckled and sharpened in Photoshop, image size reduced and saved with option 2 (low quality and small size). Lots more contrast and colour with this camera, I didn't touch brightness or contrast in Photoshop.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
New Camera
I have inherited David's Nikon D70. It works! I won't show you the blurry cat.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Rotorua Visit to the Swap Meet
We spent 2 days in Rotorua, firstly to visit the vintage Car Swap Meet at the racecouse on Sunday, (good show but I didn't buy anything) and we also took in a few of the sights.
We stayed at Duxtons Okawa Bay, which is about 15km out of Rotorua, past the airport, set on the shores of a bay in Lake Rotoiti. Very nice too, enjoyed the World Cup Final from a nice big bed.
There is a plane fleet at the Rotorua Lake edge, the floatplane in the distance looks like a Beaver.
Some different ducks from our Manurewa ones live in Rotorua. Some different people live there, too, there is no graffiti!
The Government Gardens still looks nice, Fred Wylie keeps an eye on the Japanese tourists and King George watches down the road where their buses park.
We went out to Okere falls, about 5km past Duxtons, this is the outlet of Lake Rotoiti and has a good flow of white water for the rafters. They were just packing up as we arrived. This spot would get some great action shots, must go back when I get my new camera......(hint, hint).
Sunday, after visiting the swap meet, we checked out the gondola ride up Mt Ngongotaha. Very flash, the luge ride was very crowded with about 1 hour queues, otherwise I would have had a go.
To distract you from the great view, this scream-inducing ride launches you, hanging upside down, to 150 kmh in 2 seconds.
We checked out the Blue & Green Lakes, and Lake Tarawera.
You can see Mount Tarawera in the distance, it blew up in the 1860's, destroying the Pink & White Terraces and burying much of the surroundings. A tame sparrow lives there, too.
We stayed at Duxtons Okawa Bay, which is about 15km out of Rotorua, past the airport, set on the shores of a bay in Lake Rotoiti. Very nice too, enjoyed the World Cup Final from a nice big bed.
There is a plane fleet at the Rotorua Lake edge, the floatplane in the distance looks like a Beaver.
Some different ducks from our Manurewa ones live in Rotorua. Some different people live there, too, there is no graffiti!
The Government Gardens still looks nice, Fred Wylie keeps an eye on the Japanese tourists and King George watches down the road where their buses park.
We went out to Okere falls, about 5km past Duxtons, this is the outlet of Lake Rotoiti and has a good flow of white water for the rafters. They were just packing up as we arrived. This spot would get some great action shots, must go back when I get my new camera......(hint, hint).
Sunday, after visiting the swap meet, we checked out the gondola ride up Mt Ngongotaha. Very flash, the luge ride was very crowded with about 1 hour queues, otherwise I would have had a go.
To distract you from the great view, this scream-inducing ride launches you, hanging upside down, to 150 kmh in 2 seconds.
We checked out the Blue & Green Lakes, and Lake Tarawera.
You can see Mount Tarawera in the distance, it blew up in the 1860's, destroying the Pink & White Terraces and burying much of the surroundings. A tame sparrow lives there, too.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
David is back in NZ
David arrived home from Beijing & Singapore on this 747.
This cargo 747 came in just before him.
