The Climb

Actually it's the south end of Mt Karioi, but it has to be said that the likeness is uncanny.

The Graffito

Oooh, and here's another piece of nasty graffito.

The Nui

Two shots from Taumarunui. Main Street. Last December.

Te Whiti

A few years back I found my way to Parihaka. It was intentional. I was just having a look in the hopes that I may have been able to get one of these. I didn't. It just didn't feel like the right time to be shooting - nothing to do with light or stuff like that, it was all interior feelings. But I did take this shot.

And I got completely lost trying to leave the area and make my way to New Plymouth. It was surprising just how disorientated I got cos I couldn't see the mountain or the coast as they were hidden by really low cloud.

I keep promising myself I'll go back one day. But then I'd have to go back to Taranaki, and it's been ages since I was last up that way.

Here's something else about Parihaka.

The Dark

Gosh, wouldn't you know it, yet another damned exhibition. This time a group show. This time in Palmerston North. Naturally you're all invited. Opening next Saturday, 30 June from 5pm. Running until 19 July.

Then, around 31 August, I'll have another opening in the same gallery. This time a solo show. If I can get myself sorted.

Oh the hectic life of the wannabe artist.

The Ones

As many of you know, I was out of town recently. And naturally, there were various tasks I was required to accomplish.

Firstly, take some photos. You know I did that because some of them have been posted here.

Secondly, buy a book or two. I did that too. I didn't buy it cos I really wanted it, but because it added to my library of contemporary NZ photography. It was this book. Enough said.

Thirdly, I had to get a new/old camera. I did that too. In Wanganui I met up with my mate Matt Couper and he took me to the secondhand shop across from his studio. They had a little camera there. I picked it up, was about to ask how much it would be and prepare to hand over my $2, when the women running the place said "just stick it in your pocket love." So I did.

Here's a photo of it.

Here's some more information on it - well there would be, but it's such a collectable camera that there doesn't appear to be any info on the web.

Here's a photo from it. A driveby heading north along the Desert Road. From a nice little $250,000 car.

And another photo.

And another. This one was at the car location out of Hamilton. Nice.

The Cosmologist

A little while ago I read a book. This one to be precise.

If I may put on my reviewers hat once again - and I can cos I make the rules here - it was a good read. Beatrice definitely had an interesting life; profound, inspirational, and sad. And naturally she is/was under-appreciated here, in the country of her childhood, the country she called home. As worthy a subject for a biography as any, I finished it without really having any comprehension of her scientific work. Admittedly, the book wasn't written by or for astronomers but I would have liked a bit more discussion along those lines - especially as she changed the way we see the universe (apparently). Small quibble.

Here's a better review.

For years I have been working on ideas to combine both my scientific background and my photographic interests. I'm still not sure where I'm going with it. But I wrote to Christine Cole Catley in 2003 asking if she knew of any memorials for Beatrice Hill Tinsley in NZ. Here's some of her reply. "After my biography comes out next year, there jolly well should be some monuments!
There's a Beatrice Tinsley Avenue in Albany, Auckland, and an asteroid was named for her in the 1980s."

So when I was in Auckland recently I made a trip to Albany. I took some photos. Of the street not the asteroid.

It's pretty self-explanatory what that is. The one below is from the same corner looking along William Pickering Drive. We really know how to celebrate our intellectuals in this country - give them a street in an industrial park surrounded by streets named after other unknowns. (Check out the map ; let me know if you know who any of the others are.)

The Wall

A very inviting wall at Whale Bay, west of Raglan. Nice view too.

The Gorge

I'm getting old. Or boring. Or just unadventurous. I had ridden around here the day before and knew I had to go back and explore a little. But it was raining. Lots at times. The track was muddy. And downhill. So I did the easy trundle along the side rather than the exciting trip down into it.

Here's a shot from along the track somewhere, looking over to where I was standing.

The Sunset

The sunset is the stock and trade for many a photographer. And heaven knows I'm not adverse to taking the odd sunset shot myself.

Here's a beautiful sunset I took on Queens Birthday weekend somewhere south of Port Waikato, but north of Raglan.


Subtle eh?!

The Copyist

I have a friend. And I like hassling her sometimes about the photos she takes. Particularly when they remind me of other people's shots. And in particular Peter Peryer's shots.

But I sometimes take photos myself because they remind me of other people's shots. Though not often of Peter Peryer's shots.

So when I knew I was going to be staying in Raglan, I knew there was one shot I had to take.

This one.

Check out the 'original'. It's funnest copying other images when they're only a vague memory in your mind. That way you get something different. Sometimes they're better. Sometimes they suck.

Anyway, that same walk back to where I was staying I took these shots too.


It was dark. I was cold. I had no tripod. I was using a camera I've had for years but never shot before - the Isolette III. And the rangefinder didn't work. It was fun.

The Leg

West of Raglan there's this mountain called Karioi. It's one of those mountains that looks more like a hill. Anyway, I was staying in Raglan over Queen's Birthday weekend, and cos I had nothing better to do (ha! get it?!) I decided to cycle around the mountain.

This is the west side of Karioi from the first major junction. Raglan is 10km (about 40min ride) back that way. 10km or so this way you arrive here - the second major junction.

Looking around you find this sign telling you the road is closed for the Waikato Fiat Club rally or something. I liked all the empty Waikato cans lying around. I've never tried the beer so I can't comment on whether I'd like that or not.

I'd stolen a couple of topo maps from the people I was staying with, but it was a hard road to get lost on so I never really looked at them. If I had I may have changed my mind about the ride. Once you pass Ruapuke Beach, there's a bit of a climb, then a downhill.

On the downhill I raced past a guy and his boys on a quadbike heading off fishing. A couple of hundred metres further on I hit a very muddy road and an uphill. AS the guy rode past me he said "only five more k of this, then it's four k downhill". I said "cheers, sounds great". Naturally I thought he was joking.

Sadly he wasn't. It was the hardest ride I've done for ages. Damned good but hard. Somewhere on the way up, loathed as I was to get off the bike, I saw this and felt I just had to photograph it. So I did.

What the quadbike guy neglected to tell me was after the 4km downhill, there's another nasty uphill. So I got to Whale Bay and celebrated. Only to get to Manu Bay and swear. I made it home in one piece, and my legs didn't complain for long. And it only took about 4 hours to do the 40km or so. I did get some very strange looks from people though- like they'd never seen a mountain biker before. Bloody surfers.

The was one of my legs after the ride. I didn't realise it was so dirty until I got my socks off - love that line. Mind you they have been dirtier on occasion. And that's the heroic bike in the background.

The next day I drove some of the same road. With the overnight rain, it was much muddier, and less fun. Next time I'm in Raglan I'll be doing the ride again if I have time. Just cos I'm a sucker for punishment.

The Oedipal

Yes, I'm back home. Did you miss me? I missed you my anonymous viewership. Sadly I didn't miss my nonamomynous viewership so much.

And yes, in case you missed the news, I have a show on in Auckland.

This is a shot of my wall. Those of you who know my wall will know that this particular piece of my wall doesn't usually look quite like this. Usually there are more photos on it. And fewer visible postit notes. However the postit notes denote works which are presently not on my wall. In this case they are presently in Auckland. However most of them aren't on the wall up there either. But if you ask very nicely you may be able to see them. I would recommend if you do go to have a look at these works, you also look at the eighteen on the wall in Auckland.

Before I left for Auckland I found out something. Something fantastic. If you review something, you may get that something for free. I had the pleasure of reviewing "aberhart" (wow, I'm even quoted there!!) for my mate Tim. You can read the review here. Admittedly it was probably a poor hourly rate, but to save myself $125 by doing something I would have done anyway (ie read a book) was great. Bring it on I say.