Victor's photos

Crabs

2011-04-14T18:45:00.003+12:00

I found this crab along with many his mates in a long crevice on the rock in Te Henga (Bethells) beach.

Two Worlds

2010-07-05T20:41:00.001+12:00

Early morning

2010-03-02T20:10:00.001+13:00

Our cat Lucy

Big Blow

2010-01-31T21:56:00.001+13:00

Anchor Bay, Tawharanui Regional Park

Auckland City before Christmas

2009-12-17T21:08:00.001+13:00

A view to the central part of Auckland with Sky Tower from Ponsonby.

Rainy day on the beach

2009-12-02T21:23:00.001+13:00

It is always fun to play on the beach even on a rainy day.

Flowers on the sand

2009-10-30T20:37:00.001+13:00

Otama Beach, The Coromandel, New Zealand.

Flower Collage

2009-08-20T21:49:00.001+12:00

The Fountain

2009-08-08T19:44:00.001+12:00

The pond at Wintergarten Pavilion in Auckland Domain was cleaned this winter, so the decorated floor as well as fish are perfectly visible through the water.

Auckland Zoo

2009-07-26T19:57:00.002+12:00

A close look at some animals in Auckland Zoo.

Cake

2009-07-26T19:47:00.001+12:00

A home-made birthday cake.

My Birthday Cake

2009-07-14T19:51:00.001+12:00

Steam Engine

2009-06-10T21:03:00.003+12:00

There is a piece of land located not so far from our house, which future is currently debated. The land belongs to RailNZ, and was originally planned as a night park for city trains. After strong opposition from local residents, this plan has been withdrawn. The new proposal is to make a depot for old steam powered trains, which could be used for weekend leisure rides.

As part of the community consultations about the proposed plans were rides on a short, four carriage train, powered by shown on these pictures Mainline Steam 1275 engine. The rides were short - from Sturges Rd station to the nearest cross with Metcalfe Road and back to the station. To my surprise the engine ran on liquid fuel, I had never seen that kind of steam engines before.

The event roused great interest of the public.

Fountain

2009-05-19T20:48:00.001+12:00

Artist family at work

2009-05-18T18:11:00.002+12:00

While mum mixes paints, the rest of the family is making sketches.

Cornwall park, Auckland.

Autumn Colours

2009-05-15T20:56:00.001+12:00

Although most of the native trees in New Zealand are evergreen, some exotic (introduced) plants change their colours dramatically. This is a kind of a sycamore tree.

The sea, the birds and the surfer

2009-04-16T20:16:00.001+12:00

Piha beach. The photo was processed as explained here to emphasis water structure.

Contemporary Art

2009-04-05T20:11:00.006+12:00

We visited Auckland Botanic Gardens recently where I noticed, that some pieces of modern art may look quite funny, especially being viewed from unusual point.

This bronze lady (or maybe a girl) resembles a taking off butterfly for me, while you may think about something else I assume.

Another sample of contemporary art may look like even more confusing thing.
Click hereif you want to see the proposed view.

To Palmerston North

2009-03-13T16:55:00.002+13:00

I have had a trip to Palmerston North recently, and below are some photos I took during that journey.

Lake Taupo. Looks like the sea, but this is because of strong wind.

The red car. This picture is more like impressionist's painting, it was heavily post-processed to emphasize uncertain weather and dark clouds hiding my destination.

Wind turbines as seen from a Palmerston North street (Jickell St actually).

The Lagoon at sunset, a view from Centennial Drive near Massey University Hokowhitu campus.

Our House at Night

2009-02-25T23:21:00.002+13:00

The photos were taken soon after sunset from the fence at the beginning of the driveway. The resulting picture is a tone-mapped HDR image, processed similar to one described here.

Railroad at sunset

2009-02-24T21:12:00.001+13:00

It was a dramatic sunset, so I picked my camera up and took three photos of the railroad nearby. The resulting picture is a mix of two tone-mapped images, obtained with the different algorithms from the same High Dynamic Range image.

Sunset at Te Henga

2009-02-04T09:32:00.003+13:00

Steam Engine

2009-01-31T18:22:00.001+13:00

This old steam engine is on display in the Train Memorabilia museum at Helensville rail station.

Cicadas Emerged

2009-01-31T18:10:00.001+13:00

Today the forest was full of cicada noise. Dried larva skins on the tree trunk show what vast number of cicadas emerged from underground.

View of North Point

2009-01-23T07:53:00.004+13:00

A view of North Point and Cheltenham from Mount Victoria summit.

Meeting

2009-01-22T19:39:00.001+13:00

Sparrow business meeting early morning.

Lake Road

2009-01-04T21:14:00.001+13:00

Another view from Mount Victoria - Lake Road.

Victoria Street

2009-01-03T14:45:00.001+13:00

A view of Victoria Street, Devonport from Mount Victoria.

Gannet

2008-12-04T16:23:00.003+13:00

I took this photo of flying gannet from one of the Takapu Refuge (Gannet Colony) viewing platforms. The colony is busy now with birds on their nests and a few already hatched chicks. It is noisy, smelly and very appealing.

Click on the title to see my Muriwai Beach photo-album.

Rotunda

2008-12-01T19:14:00.001+13:00

Rotunda at Auckland Domain

Tandems

2008-11-22T19:03:00.001+13:00

Two people, two sails, one board.

Two people, two boats, one sail.

Double fun!

Riding a Device

2008-11-22T18:42:00.001+13:00

The person on this photo is riding a strange device, which allows him to glide along the surface by mean of some funny body movements. The device resembles a kind of gym exerciser, and apart from visible parts contains two submerged wings, which provide the motion. The man called this "Aquabird" or "Water Bird". It seems to be quite a fun to sail that way, considering the impossibility to start from the deep water - one has to be in the low water to begin gliding.

First roses of summer

2008-10-30T09:46:00.006+13:00

Early morning I took these photos of our very first roses of the incoming summer season. First one is a High Dynamic Range image.

Tiny flowers

2008-10-25T20:25:00.006+13:00

Each individual flower on these photos is no more, than half a centimeter in diameter. Usually we see them as bright color dots on the green carpet of grass.

Pictures taken in Micro mode reveal their complex structure and hidden beauty.

View of Auckland

2008-10-21T21:15:00.001+13:00

Market Place, Nelson Street and Sky Tower from Viaduct Harbour.

Our kittens

2008-10-11T11:31:00.005+13:00

I checked my photos and added some more pictures of our cat Lucy and her kittens to the Web-album "Lucy". These two kittens are currently roaming our home. Last time Lucy gave birth to five kittens, one of them was significantly smaller, than other four. But she (it was a girl) quickly learnt to drink milk from the bowl and was taken away a week ago.

This kitten, named SnowWhite, has the colour pattern almost exactly resembling his mother. Surprisingly, unlike other three completely black kittens, this one has its black fur darker, than these of its siblings.

Wintergardens

2008-10-04T09:19:00.001+13:00

Cool pavilion, Auckland Domain.

The Perfect Flower

2008-09-25T20:17:00.000+12:00

Camelia.

White Flowers

2008-09-25T13:21:00.000+12:00

The Frog, Which Lives in Our Garden.

2008-09-24T08:09:00.003+12:00

Spring Flowers

2008-09-17T17:04:00.000+12:00

At Botanic Gardens.

Self-Portrait

2008-09-14T16:25:00.001+12:00

Cafe at Botanical Gardens, Auckland.

Starling

2008-09-13T20:25:00.003+12:00

One Tree Hill Domain

2008-09-11T11:39:00.004+12:00

A view of Manukau Harbour from One Tree Hill domain.

Soap Bubbles

2008-09-11T11:37:00.002+12:00

Full Moon

2008-09-05T13:56:00.001+12:00

Big Waves at Te Henga

2008-08-15T17:27:00.001+12:00

Lifeguards went to the rocks to warn fishermen about approaching hide tide.

Blue Sky, Pink Flowers

2008-08-11T17:58:00.003+12:00

Magnolias in Cornwall Park.

One (None) Tree Hill monument.

Funny Carrot

2008-08-08T20:40:00.002+12:00

Blue Sky, Pink Flower

2008-08-06T15:18:00.004+12:00

Magnolia

Monarch Butterfly

2008-08-05T21:28:00.001+12:00

This Monarch butterfly looks like old and tired in the middle of the winter. After three tropical storms over two weeks period the first sunny day was full of joy for such creatures.

Winter Rose

2008-07-19T12:13:00.001+12:00

Cut Flowers

2008-07-17T13:43:00.001+12:00

Frosty Morning

2008-07-09T09:29:00.004+12:00

This was fourth frosty morning this winter. The outdoor sensor of my weather station showed +1.5 C, while grass, the car and neighbouring roof were covered by frost.

Another version of this picture - made using HDRI technique.

Lemons on the grass

2008-07-06T13:00:00.001+12:00

This is midwinter, a short sunny period between thunderstorms. I read some articles about hyperfocal distance and took this sample photo using that technique.

Links:
http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/the-secret-to-ultra-sharp-photos/
http://www.vividlight.com/articles/3513.htm
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Mt Eden Garden

2008-06-16T20:47:00.002+12:00

The Source of Honey

2008-06-15T10:00:00.003+12:00

Buying clover honey in the supermarket look at this picture - it can be not exactly what you are looking for. Some bees might mix up the flowers.

Autumn in Auckland

2008-06-04T20:41:00.003+12:00

There is no such a season as fall in Auckland. Native plants don't drop their leaves at all, as much as I am concerned. The Europeans brought a lot of new species, called here "exotic", which used to drop their foliage during winter time, but in the sub-tropical climate of Auckland these plants seems to be confused. While some are already naked, others just started turning yellow.

The scene above is the lake in Western Springs park, a lovely place to walk or ride a bike, feed birds and watch eels and koi carps in the water.

Sun and Rain

2008-06-02T15:58:00.000+12:00

Western Springs park, Auckland.

Autumn Leaves

2008-06-02T14:49:00.002+12:00

Misty morning

2008-05-31T09:29:00.000+12:00

Auckland Silhouettes

2008-05-29T21:37:00.001+12:00

Year 2005.

Flower

2008-05-25T15:54:00.002+12:00

A strange looking flower found in the Wintergarden pavilion at Auckland Domain.

Sun, Rocks and Water

2008-05-17T17:44:00.003+12:00

Maori Bay, Muriwai beach.
Click on the title to see more photos of this place.

Praying Mantis on the Window

2008-05-16T16:20:00.003+12:00

My daughter took this photo a couple of days ago. She was playing a computer game when she spotted a praying mantis on her window. She took the camera quickly and shot the insect.

Rainy Autumn Day

2008-05-04T18:22:00.002+12:00

Cornwall Park, Auckland.

A view from the None Tree Hill summit.

Yet Another Sunset

2008-05-03T17:32:00.002+12:00

This image was created from three shots with different exposure, which were converted into High Dynamic Range Image (HDRI). It was converted back to two Low Dynamic Range (LDR) images with the aid of different tone-mapping algorithms, which were mixed to get this result.

The scene is the sunset over the rough Tasman Sea at Muriwai Beach.

Pampas Grass

2008-05-02T15:27:00.000+12:00

Early evening

2008-04-25T16:56:00.001+12:00

This HDRI image shows a street in our neigbourhood just after sunset.

Sunset at Te Henga

2008-04-07T07:33:00.001+12:00

The Coromandel - surfing

2008-04-05T10:26:00.004+13:00

Early morning we enjoyed watching surfers at Tairua beach.

The Coromandel - Tairua River

2008-04-01T21:18:00.001+13:00

A couple of photos of the Tairua river near its mouth.

The Coromandel - Sunrise

2008-03-31T09:30:00.003+13:00

A view from the backpacker's window at Tairua.

The Coromandel - Night in Tairua

2008-03-29T11:18:00.002+13:00

The Coromandel - rocks around Cathedral Cove

2008-03-28T15:19:00.004+13:00

These rocks, eroded both by fresh rain water and sea swells, can be found around Cathedral Cove at The Coromandel.

The Coromandel - Cathedral Cove

2008-03-25T08:29:00.005+13:00

Cathedral Cove is a popular natural attraction located near Hahei village on the Coromandel peninsula.

It was the power of waves, which created this passage through the solid rock, connecting two small beaches, where people enjoy magnificent views, pink sand and relatively safe swimming.

The Coromandel

2008-03-23T15:27:00.003+13:00

Here is our first destination in two days trip to the Coromandel. This is a view from the walkway, leading to Cathedral Cove, near Hahei on the Coromandel peninsula.

Black kitten

2008-03-15T14:52:00.002+13:00

More pictures can be found at Picasa Web Album Lucy.

On the Beach

2008-03-10T19:42:00.002+13:00

Auckland City view

2008-03-09T21:58:00.002+13:00

A view of Auckland City from Devonport wharf across Waitemata Harbour.

Sunrise

2008-02-29T08:43:00.002+13:00

Playing Kittens

2008-02-26T11:32:00.002+13:00

Saga Rose

2008-02-18T07:26:00.004+13:00

Cruise liner Saga Rose at twilight in Auckland Port. One year ago, exactly the same day I took a photo of Queen Mary 2 in the port.

Another kitty portrait

2008-02-14T20:42:00.001+13:00

City View

2008-02-12T10:35:00.000+13:00

A view from West Harbour to Beach Haven (North Shore) across Waitemata Harbour.

Rain and The Rose

2008-02-10T12:45:00.001+13:00

Beach Art

2008-02-07T07:42:00.001+13:00

Creative use of organic materials.

Silence

2008-02-05T21:13:00.001+13:00

I took this photo four years ago, when we were traveling on Hawkes Bay.

Little Kittens

2008-02-05T18:43:00.001+13:00

More photos can be found here - Picasa Web Album "Lucy".

Dunes of Whatipu

2008-01-31T10:18:00.000+13:00

Old railway tunnel

2008-01-30T10:07:00.000+13:00

This tunnel is 1100 m long and located at Karangahake gorge. Lights at the ceiling and its exit can be seen on the picture. It was built in 1905 to provide train service between Tauranga and Auckland and was in operation until Kaimai tunnel was built in late 1960s - early 1970s.

Sunny day at Waihi Beach

2008-01-28T09:28:00.000+13:00

Karangahake Gorge

2008-01-27T11:17:00.000+13:00

Karangahake Gorge is a popular tourist destination on State Highway 2, where the road goes through Kaimai-Mamaku ranges between Paeroa on Hauraki plains and Waihi in Bay of Plenty. Besides amazing views this place features old gold mines, ruins of concentrating mills and almost 1 km metres long train tunnel. The photo above shows a view from the old railway bridge near the tunnel entrance to State Highway 2, the river and mount Karangahake (about 550 m) at the background.

This HDR image shows the narrowest point of Karangahake Gorge. The image was heavily processed as the original scene had very high contrast.

Sunny day

2008-01-22T16:25:00.001+13:00

Summer, sun, calm weather.

Construction Site

2008-01-21T11:42:00.000+13:00

The builder is going to erect a new multi-storey building keeping the old facade. The whole interior was taken away leaving only external walls.
Queen Street, Auckland CBD.

Lighthouse at Whatipu

2008-01-18T17:09:00.000+13:00

This automated lighthouse is built on the rock at the Manukau Harbour entrance. Manukau Harbour is the second big harbour in New Zealand, its entrance is relatively narrow, so enormous quantities of water go to and fro with every tide. A very dangerous place for sailing and swimming indeed.

Workplace

2008-01-17T10:28:00.000+13:00

Flower on the Sand

2008-01-17T08:01:00.000+13:00

Found on the sandy dunes of Pakiri Beach.

Un-realistic view of The Gap.

2008-01-14T21:20:00.001+13:00

The original photo was heavily processed to reveal every detail of the picture.

Crowded beach of Piha

2008-01-14T07:34:00.000+13:00