Mt Harper, Mt Davie and Mt Stewart lit by the coming dawn, Waimakariri River valley, Arthurs Park National Park, New Zealand

Early morning, lying on the frost on the stones of the Waimakariri River bed, watching the sunrise. All part of the fun on our recent trip around the South Island (read the blog / see the photos here: www.ankhphotography.net/blog )

D800, ISO100, f8, 2.5sec, 38mm, Lee Litle Stopper ND Filter

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Waitangi Regional Park, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

It was a very glowy morning yesterday down at Waitangi Regional Park

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, f8, 15mm ( 15-45 lens ), 1/13sec

Processed in Lightroom

Church of the Good Shepherd and full moon, Tekapo, Mackenzie Basin, New Zealand

It is well known that if you want a landscape photo of a busy tourist attraction without people In it you need two things:

1) Patience

2) Photoshop

This shot involves both. I took 2 photos a few minutes apart with the same settings, but importantly with the wandering tourists in different locations in the scene, and then blended the 2 shots together to get a tourist free photo.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, 0.6sec, f11, 15mm ( 15-45 lens )

Processed in Lightroom and Photoshop

Trees near Te Hauke, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Waitangi Regional Park, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

I spent a couple of hours with this tree this morning, watching waning crescent moon rise and then the sun. Happy times.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, f10, 1.3sec, 63mm ( 150-230mm lens )

Processed in Lightroom and Photoshop

Kapiti Island from Paekakariki Beach, New Zealand

One of the nicest mornings I have had the pleasure of shooting on this stretch of coast.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, 22mm ( 15-45mm lens ), 6.5sec, f8, Nisi 6 stop ND filter

Processed in Lightroom and Photoshop

Pohutukawa tree and Bare Island, Waimarama Beach, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

We had an early morning visit to Waimarama Beach this morning. And it was worth it.

Fujifilm X-T5, ISO125, f8, 1/5sec, 9mm Laowa Lens

Processed in Lightroom and Photoshop

Mangakuri River at Sunset, Kairakau Beach, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

There is a gap in the hills at Kairakau where the river and the sun come through.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, f8, 60sec, 9mm Laowa lens, Nisi 10 stop ND filter

Processed in Lightroom

Ahuriri Estuary, Napier, Hawke's Bay

X-E3, ISO200, 1/400sec, f8, 9mm Laowa Lens,

Processed in Lightroom

Karamea, West Coast, New Zealand

After our stop in Punakaiki we carried on north on the West Coast to the little village of Karamea. This is the northernmost town on the West Coast of the South Island, and has a bit of a reputation for being a world apart from the rest of the Coast.

One of the best things about being on the West Coast is being able to watch the sun drop all the way down to the horizon, and as the sun sank I went hunting for silhouettes.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, 1/5000sec, f6.7, 230mm ( 50-230mm lens )

Processed in Lightroom and Photoshop

Mahia, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Sunset over Pandora Pond, Ahuriri Estuary, Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Wanaka, New Zealand

I love shooting sunrises in the mountains; even if it is cloudy you only need a small amount of sunlight on the peaks to light them up with amazing colours.

This was taken on the shore of Lake Wanaka looking up to Twin Peaks about 20kms away.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO320, 230mm ( 50-230 lens ), f6.7, 1/80sec

Processed in Lightroom

Eucalyptus Tree, Watchman Lake, Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Blazing sun, single tree, a few clouds, a small camera, a cheap lens. Simple.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, f6.7, 1/32000sec, 230mm ( 50-230 lens )

Processed in Lightroom

Waikawa, Catlins, New Zealand

Before dawn I found myself wandering the streets of Waikawa, heading back to the wharf that was in my last post. And on the way I couldn't resist this shot of what used to be St Mary's church.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, 143mm ( 50-230mm lens ), f6

Processed in Lightroom

Atea a Rangi, Waitangi Regional Park, Hawke's Bay

This shot was taken "pre Gabrielle" at one of my favourite places to watch the sun rise. I believe Atea a Range has survived the floods that swept all around it on 14 February, so I look forward to the chance to get back down there.

Fujifilm X-T5, ISO125, 1/8 sec, f8, 9mm Laowa lens

Processed in Lightroom

Cape Daisy flower

I had my lighting setup to shoot some wine bottles for a client, and I thought I would take the opportunity to shoot a macro shot of one of my favourite flowers in the garden, this bronze and purple coloured Cape Daisy.

Fujifilm X-T4, ISO160, f14, 1/200sec, 55mm ( 16-55mm lens ) with 11mm extension tube, Godox V1 flash in 80cm soft box with additional diffuser panel

Processed in Lightroom

Sunrise, Te Awanga, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

As the sun rises behind Cape Kidnappers a lone Cabbage Tree waits.

Fujifilm, X-E3, ISO200, f5.4, 95mm ( 50-230 lens ), 15sec

Processed in Lightroom and Photoshop

Venus and the coming dawn, Lake Tutira, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, f8, 20sec, 15mm ( 15-45 lens ) Processed in Lightroom

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Rocket Lab Electron rocket launches from Mahia, under the Milky Way, Atea a Rangi, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

This is a different version of the shot I took of the latest Electron rocket launched from Mahia. Sadly this rocket was lost as Stage 2 fired up, and its journey into orbit was cut short.

Fujifilm X-T4, ISO1600, 25sec, 9 Laowa lens, f2.8

This image is made from 5 consecutive images, processed in Lightroom and blended in Photoshop

Kai Iwi Beach / Mowhanau Beach, New Zealand

There were 3 of these stone pillars when we visited this beach earlier this year.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, 22mm ( 15-45 lens ), f8, 6.5sec

Processed in Lightroom

www.flickr.com/photos/sdekouadio/

PASHED(U) - TT 3

Pashed was a craftsman, whose burial chamber is noted for the quality of its decoration.

This presentation is in slideshow format.

***

The Ankh Key:

The ankh is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol that was most commonly used in writing and in art to represent the word for "life" and, by extension, as a symbol of life itself. The sign has a cross shape but with an oval loop in place of an upper bar. The origins of the symbol are not known, although many hypotheses have been proposed. It was used in writing as a triliteral sign, representing a sequence of three consonants, Ꜥ-n-ḫ. This sequence was found in several Egyptian words, including the words meaning "mirror", "floral bouquet", and "life". In art the symbol often appeared as a physical object representing either life or substances such as air or water that are related to it. It was especially commonly held in the hands of deities, or being given by them to the pharaoh, to represent their power to sustain life and to revive human souls in the afterlife. It was also used as a decorative motif, one of the most common in ancient Egypt.

Cultures that neighbored ancient Egypt sometimes adopted the ankh as an artistic motif, and Coptic Christians adapted it, as the crux ansata, into a variant form of the Christian cross. Since the late 20th century, the sign has again come to be used decoratively, as well as a symbol of black identity, Neopagan belief systems, and the Goth subculture.

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Lunar Eclipse starting, Atea a Rangi, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Like a lot of people I got out to take photos of the full moon eclipse a couple of days ago, but photographically I found the moonrise and the very start of the eclipse ( you can just see the bottom of the moon falling into shadow ) the morest

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO1600m, f6.7, 230mm ( 50-230 lens ), 1/100 sec

Processed in Lightroom

Taylors Bay, Mahia, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Kaka Point, Catlins, New Zealand

So on our quest to get south as fast as possible ( see previous posts ) we left Geraldine and drove for the day. The weather in the morning was lovely and calm but by the time we left it was windy, very windy. And as we drove we heard reports of snow down to sea level in Dunedin and areas around. We hit our first snow flurries just north of Dunedin, and the once over the southern hills the snow was very heavy.

As we turned off towards Kaka Point ( our destination for the night ) the snow had stopped..... but as we got into Kaka Point the snow was heavy and thick on the ground.

The next morning I got up and wandered down to the beach to get a shot of the mix of sand, sun and snow.

Fujifilm, XE-3, 2 sec, f11, 15mm ( 15-45 XC lens ), ISO200

Processed in Lightroom

Ben Dhu and cloud over Lake Pukaki, Mackenzie Basin, New Zealand

The mountain on the left, Ben Dhu, and the snow covered peaks of the Burnett Range on the right are separated by 30km and by Lake Pukaki, one of the lakes in the Mackenzie Basin Hydro Power Scheme.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, 1/80sec, f5.6, 95mm ( 50-230mm lens )

Processed in Lightroom

Rocket Lab Electron rocket launches from Mahia, under the Milky Way, Atea a Rangi, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Last night we watched as the latest Electron rocket launched from Mahia. Sadly this rocket was lost as Stage 2 fired up, and its journey into orbit was cut short.

Fujifilm X-T4, ISO1600, 25sec, 9 Laowa lens, f2.8

This image is made from 5 consecutive images, processed in Lightroom and blended in Photoshop

Nukutaurua Reef, Mahia, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

On the north coast of the Mahia Peninsula there are some amazing reefs which appear at low tide, most of them forming long 'roads' out into the sea.

We were lucky enough to catch a nice sunrise, at low tide, on these reefs this morning.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, f8, 120sec, 9mm Loawa lens, Nisi 10 Stop ND filter.

Processed in Lightroom

Ruahine Range, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

I have known him since I joined flickr way back over 2 and half years ago I guess. Originally from sialkot he has been working at Kuwait and recently we met when he was in Pakistan during vacation and I went to see him and my two other friends from Sialkot.

up.flickr.com/photos/lucky_khan/

Sunset from Middlehurst Station, Awatere Valley, New Zealand

Templo de Debod

Madrid

www.flickr.com/photos/sdekouadio/

Waimarama, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

We are very lucky in Hawke's Bay to have a stunning location like Waimarama Beach to watch and shoot the sunrise.

If you are on Facebook and are keen to win a free print of one of my favourite pictures please pop over to my Ankh Photography FB page ( www.facebook.com/AnkhPhotography ), like the page and be in to win. More details are in the pinned post on the page.

Ahuriri, Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Another bunny tail shot from Ahuriri.

And for the photographers out there; if anyone says you can't get shallow depth of field at f9, show them this.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, 1/500sec, f9, 15mm ( 15-45 lens )

Processed in Lightroom

Mt Erin and the outcrops of Tauroa Estate, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

An early morning start to shoot the annual Peak Trail Blazer

gave an excuse to shoot the sunrise from Te Mata Peak.

Fujifilm X-T4, 1/2 sec, f8, 30mm ( 16-55mm lens ), ISO160

Processed in Lightroom

Pool of Siloam, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia

Another little known spot in the Blue Mountains that we visited after the previous days rain was the stunning Pool of Siloam. Unfortunately, like most waterfalls, it was located at the bottom of a hill, and in this case 400 steps.

D800, f8, 30sec, 17mm, ISO100, Lee Little Stopper, and Polarising filter

Processed in LR6

Dawn over the Hinemahanga Rocks, Kairakau, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

We are having a short "Baycation" this weekend near the lovely seaside 'village' of Kairakau, which of course meant getting up at 5am to chase the sunrise on a low tide beach :)

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, f10, 23mm ( 15-45 lens ), 30sec, Nisi 10 stop ND filter

Processed in Lightroom

According to legend Dr. Jacob Ankh invented many of the wonders of the Egypto-Dutch Empire. Children often play a game called "What did Dr. Ankh invent?" It goes like this:

"Dr. Ankh, did you invent the refrigerator?

"Yes, I invented the refrigerator," Dr. Ankh said coldly.

or

"Did you invent the espresso machine, Dr. Ankh?"

"Yes, I invented the espresso machine," Dr. Ankh replied java-ially.

And so on. You might wish to share your favorite Dr. Ankh invention below.

Photo | Stable Diffusion | Photoshop

Witches Leap, Katoomba, Blue Mountains National Park, NSW, Australia

A day and a half of constant rain is not good for shooting the wide open views that the Blue Mountains are famous for, but it does help to recharge the numerous waterfalls in the region.

The "Witches Leap" falls drop from a cliff edge far above in a single stream and then scatters across the rock face at the bottom.

It feels like a world away from civilisation, but is only a 15min walk down the track from the carpark.

D800, ISO100, f13, 2.5sec, 17mm, polarising filter

Processed in LR6 and PSCC

Sydney skyline, New South Wales, Australia

On our trip over to Sydney last year we went to Vaucluse to shoot the sunset from Neilson Park. I was lucky to get the sun peaking between a couple of buildings on the way down.

Anemone flower, Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

beary.nice// the ankh and eye of ra

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Lake Pearson, Canterbury, New Zealand

After we left our stunning spot in the Mackenzie Basin we headed to Christchurch for a couple of nights on our camper van trip around the South Island. After a couple of days of the big city we headed back out into the mountains to continue our trip.

We headed to a place we stayed a few years ago that we really liked: Lake Pearson. There is a DOC campsite right on the shores of this lake and the views across the lake are stunning ( when it is not raining... which it was for most of our time here ).

I got up early in the morning when I realised the rain had stopped and took some shots of the stillness that only a mountain lake can provide.

Fujifilm X-E3, ISO200, 1/40sec, f8, 9mm Laowa lens

Processed in Lightroom

Nugget Point, Catlins, New Zealand

While we were staying 2 nights at Kaka Point we popped out to Nugget Point to shoot the moonrise ( didn't happen ) and sunset ( didn't happen ). But sometimes if you hang around in the right spot, the right time arrives.

Fujifilm X-E3, 15mm ( 15-45 lens ), ISO200, f6.4, 1/1600sec

Processed in Lightroom

Nukutaurua, Mahia Peninsula, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand