Picture-a-Week (PAW) Journal
The stories behind the pictures, 2003.
Week 41: October 8-14
Week 42: October 15-21
Week 43: October 22-28
Week 44: October 29-November 4
Week 45: November 5-11
Week 46: November 12-18
Week 47: November 19-25
Week 48: November 26-December 2
Week 49: December 3-9
Week 50: December 10-16
Week 51: December 17-23
Week 52: December 24-31
Christmas Day was fairly quiet for us this year with only a small part of the family joining my parents at their home for the day. On Boxing Day (Dec. 26th) it was a different story, with a total of eight adults and 12 children present. As usual I made the most of the opportunity to photograph the cousins playing together. After the running games (which I was persuaded to join), there was some quieter activity taking place and I captured this group shot late in the afternoon.
Voigtlander Vito CL 50/2.8, Kodak T400CN
Another attempt this week at some candid pics at the Farmers' Market at the Community Village. I got there about mid-morning, apparently missing the busiest time which was about an hour before! When I got there the street was pretty quiet and it was like 'running the gauntlet', if that is the correct term, just walking along between the stalls holding my camera, with all the stallholders keeping an eye on me! At least two of the stallholders recognised me from my previous visits and we chatted briefly. In this situation I felt very self conscious and conspicuous, and not in the least inspired to make good candid photos. Anyway I took about four before leaving! This was the last and by far the best. Next time I will try chatting to people, building a bit of a rapport and asking permission to photograph, but then trying for candid shots when people have got used to me being there. I also have a bit of a guilt-trip about 'taking' (photos) but not buying anything from any of the stalls, so may have to do some shopping as well.
Voigtlander Vito CL 50/2.8, Kodak T400CN
This week there was a Christmas parade and festival held in the Tauranga suburb of Greerton. I was not able to get there in time for the parade itself, but there were plenty of people around for some time afterwards and some good 'street photo' material. So far I've only had one brief printing session but came up with this one as a favourite. I really notice the difference in contrast when I print some Tri-X after printing a lot of T400CN - I've been alternating these two films in the Vito. (I've been out of film developer for a while and have a buildup of Tri-X to develop, finally made a start on them in early January).
Voigtlander Vito CL 50/2.8, Kodak Tri-X 400
Part of Mt. Maunganui's main street was closed for the annual Christmas festival on Friday evening, and I went over with a couple of friends to take photos. There were a number of kids' activities, a free sausage sizzle (BBQ), Harley rides, belly dancers, a pipe band, lolly scrambles, kids chasing each other with water pistols, and of course Santa Claus made an appearance. After dark there was a fireworks display. Lots of people - who were mostly relaxed and having a good time - made for some excellent street photo opportunities. I was really pleased with some of my results, though have more still to print - I eventually settled on this pic for my PAW because of the facial expression (typical teenager?). Several people were wearing unusual headgear such as antlers and tinsel halos - these bunny ears looked cute though I'm not sure what they had to do with Christmas! My latest StreetPhoto Salon entry (Curves) was taken on the same day.
Voigtlander Vito CL 50/2.8, Kodak T400CN
Week 48: Evening Light, Mt. Ruapehu
This week's PAW pics were taken during a weekend away at Mt Ruapehu, central North Island, while on a camera club field trip. We were given the challenge of capturing images on the following five themes: landscape, water, morning/evening light, natural history, and field-trip people; winners to be decided at our first club meeting of 2004 (Feb.) This was my most successful attempt at the 'light' theme, taken on Friday evening. We were a bit slow getting to the vantage point - the light was already good when we got there and didn't last long.
Pentax K1000, 80-200/4.5, Fuji Superia
Week 48 alternate 1: Waterfall
On Saturday we walked as a group to the Taranaki Falls, where I took lots of 'field-trip people' shots and hardly anything that showed the falls themselves in their entirety! (with the possible exception of a B&W film not yet developed). This was a much smaller waterfall en route. Over the years the water has eroded the rocks into unusual shapes. As usual with photographers, a walk that was advertised as three hours return (?) took us most of the day.
Pentax K1000, 28-70/3.5, Fuji Superia
This and the alternate were taken on the same day, during a late afternoon walk around downtown Tauranga and the wharf area. It was after hours so the shops were shut and there was hardly anyone around. I was trying for some interesting wide-angle pics, but wasn't very happy with my results, so will have to walk the same route again soon and see if I can do better.
Pentax K1000, 28-70/3.5, Fuji Superia
Week 47 alternate : Icecream Store
I discovered this deserted shop near the wharf. I liked the colours, but I think some people in the scene would give it more interest.
Pentax K1000, 28-70/3.5, Fuji Superia
The PSNZ's Northern Regional Convention was hosted by the Thames Camera Club this year, over a weekend in mid-November. I had the pleasure of staying with the Thames club secretary (thanks Donna!) whom I'd first met at a National Convention in Hamilton about three years ago - camera clubs and conventions are good places to meet people with similar interests and strike up lasting friendships. On the Saturday many of us went on a field-trip up the coast to Coromandel, where various activities and photo opportunities awaited us. I photographed this scene from the hilltop where we had a photo-stop before descending into Coromandel township. There were several excellent audiovisual presentations during the weekend, particularly on a landscape theme, which really inspired me. I also took a number of candid people shots and other B&W scenes which will probably make an appearance at a later date.
Pentax K1000, 80-200/4.5, Fuji Superia
Week 46 alternate 1: Spike
While waiting to collect my car from the garage (a regular occurrence this year), I visited the garden centre nearby with my camera. I was looking for candid people shots but there weren't many to be found, possibly because it was a weekday, and it was threatening to rain. However there were several interesting plants and sculptures and I was able to fill in an hour very easily. This is a spiky plant I found (not identified) and got as close as possible with the wide-angle lens.
Pentax K1000, 28-70/3.5, Fuji Superia
Week 46 alternate 2: Car & Roses
Roses were growing alongside the fence which separated the garden centre from the car park and industrial area next door. I was quite taken by the mixture of animate and inanimate, being reminded of Julian's photos on the SP list. I'm enjoying photographing things as they are, more and more - trying to find the artistic in the mundane everyday scenes. As well as documenting the area in which I live, it's fun!
Pentax K1000, 28-70/3.5, Fuji Superia
During the weekend of the Arts Festival in Tauranga, I had a little time off and decided to go into town and try for some street shots while there were various street performers around. Somehow I managed not to be in the right place at the right time - there were no performers and only a few people shopping. Firstly I tried taking some candid people shots without looking through the viewfinder, only to find later that I had lots of pictures of shop roofs because I had the camera tilted up too high! I then took some photos of other things that attracted my attention in the downtown area, including this reflection.
Pentax K1000, 80-200/4.5, Fuji Superia
Week 45 alternate : Tables
As above - a deserted cafe in one of the shopping arcades. I liked the patterns formed by the tables and chairs.
Pentax K1000, 28-70/3.5, Fuji Superia
On returning to New Zealand from Canada I really noticed the lush vegetation, with green grass and flowering trees and plants everywhere, (because it's Springtime here) in comparison to the dry barren look of the Calgary area in Autumn. Even the air is scented here at this time of year, though our climate is temperate rather than tropical. This flowering cherry was close to home. In fact there is a driveway lined with them, but I didn't manage to capture that well on film this year. The heaped-up rain clouds were also a very common sight for the first few weeks after our return. I realised after a couple of weeks in Calgary that I missed the rain, and 65-85% humidity of home (it was more like 25-40% there).
Pentax K1000, 80-200/4.5, Fuji Superia
Week 44 alternate : Hibiscus
The hibiscus shrub in my garden is still flowering, though looks a bit straggly at the moment and the flowers are smaller. It rained for several days this week which increased the lushness of the surroundings. I went for a walk around the garden with my camera late one afternoon, after the rain stopped. Everything had a fresh, just-washed look.
Pentax K1000, 80-200/4.5, Fuji Superia
During Labour weekend my brother and family visited from Hamilton. On the Monday (public holiday in New Zealand) we had a picnic lunch and spent most of the afternoon on the beach at Mt. Maunganui, about 15 mins drive from home. I put the telephoto lens on my camera and took a number of pics of the family having fun. Although the sun was shining there was a cool breeze near the sea - not quite summer yet! Donald did a good job of keeping their youngest (William, 2yrs) amused by drawing pictures in the sand. As the summer progresses this beach will fill with people, both sunbathers and surfers, many from out of town. It's difficult to find a place to park the car, and locals who are not sun-worshippers might tend to stay away!
Pentax K1000, 80-200/4.5, Fuji Superia
Week 43 alternate 1: Beach Drawing #2
As above - more pictures in the sand.
Pentax K1000, 80-200/4.5, Fuji Superia
Week 43 alternate 2: Goggles
Belinda (5yrs) back in Tauranga after her day at the beach, modelling some after-beach eye wear. Although this is not the best of compositions - I find the background too distracting - I like the humour of it. :-)
Pentax K1000, 80-200/4.5, Fuji Superia
My favourite of several photos taken from the window seat of a 747-400 aircraft, just after leaving Los Angeles airport for Auckland. At the end of our six weeks in Canada we were on our way home. Now we just had to get through a 12-hour flight in economy class! Flying doesn't scare me at all, in fact I enjoyed watching the various configurations (?) of the wing during takeoff, flight and landing, and the various cloud formations. I particularly appreciated the wing's size and power when I saw it silhouetted against the city lights of Auckland, and thought of how many people the aircraft was carrying and the thousands of miles we had travelled over the Pacific Ocean.
Pentax K1000, 28-70/3.5, Fuji Superia
Week 42 alternate 1: En Route #34
One of a series of photos taken from the front seat of a vehicle while travelling between Auckland and Tauranga, the day after we returned to New Zealand from Canada. I wanted to make the most of the opportunity while a passenger - doesn't happen often! - to capture some typical NZ scenery, as a comparison with pics taken in Canada while en route. It was a challenge to try for reasonable compositions without worrying too much about technical perfection. I'll have to persuade other family members to drive more often, so I can keep doing this! Some pics of small-town NZ might also be interesting (note influence of recent 500m project and other work on SP list showing here - December 03).
Pentax K1000, 28-70/3.5, Fuji Superia
During our last week in Calgary we visited 'Pick Your Part' auto wreckers, so my uncle could look for some parts for his vehicles. I thought this was an excellent opportunity to explore and make some interesting abstract pics, and was very disappointed to be refused entrance with my cameras. Instead I wandered around in the carpark with my camera while the men were inside. Afterwards we went to a second wreckers' and were denied permission to photograph there also. Perhaps they have health and safety concerns? I was considering titling this pic 'Trash or Treasure' or 'Don't Trash This' when I entered it for my camera club evaluation recently, knowing it was a bit different from the normal camera club artistic shot. For various reasons I like it a lot - they didn't!
Pentax K1000, 28-70/3.5, Fuji Superia
Week 41 alternate : Young Tree in Autumn
This was taken on my last visit to a nearby slough (pond). Many of the leaves had dropped but this young tree was still holding its autumn colour.
Pentax K1000, 28-70/3.5, Fuji Superia