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Archive 2017 · Visiting new zealand - best photo areas?

  
 
kaitlyn2004
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Visiting new zealand - best photo areas?


I'm planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand. I'm very excited about NZ and have seen some amazing photos from there - but I'm not actually sure WHERE they are from.

Definitely more interested in the more nature-y/landscape/mountains.

Also - what about season? If I were there in Feb or March, is that a good time? Coming from Canada I guess that's their summer. Would there be snow-capped mountains



Anything else to know about visiting NZ for photography?



Jan 02, 2017 at 09:19 PM
GroovyGeek
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Visiting new zealand - best photo areas?


I have only been once to the Southern Island. Mt Cook NP is a standby, particularly the Hooker Lake hike; Lake Tekapo; Tasman Lake (though you will certainly not have "icebergs" on it in Feb); Moeraki Boulders; Wanaka Lake and "the tree"; Lindis Pass; Glenorchi; the West Coast (e.g., Gillespie Beach and Motukiekie Rocks); Lake Matheson; Key Summit; Fox Glacier. All these are well traveled and much photographed. The images you are thinking of are likely from Milford Sound, I never went there since it is so heavily photographed I felt like I had already seen it a million times. All these can be visited in 2 weeks, if you cram maybe even a week.


Jan 03, 2017 at 04:52 AM
dgdg
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Visiting new zealand - best photo areas?


When New Zealand trip threads pop up, I always recommend looking through Rob Suisted's gallery.
Great ideas and examples for you.
We opted not to take a Milford Sound trek as it is a low level walk.. We took and highly enjoyed the Kepler Track instead since it has alpine views in parts.
David

http://www.naturespic.com/NewZealand/result_gallery.asp?c=1

Edited on Jan 06, 2017 at 09:27 AM · View previous versions



Jan 04, 2017 at 07:02 PM
dgdg
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Visiting new zealand - best photo areas?


GroovyGeek wrote:
The images you are thinking of are likely from Milford Sound, I never went there since it is so heavily photographed I felt like I had already seen it a million times.


That's a shame, the reason for not visiting.




Jan 04, 2017 at 07:04 PM
GroovyGeek
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Visiting new zealand - best photo areas?




dgdg wrote:
That's a shame, the reason for not visiting.



Well, we all have different priorities. One of mine is, whenever possible, to be as far away from crowds as I can. I have driven past Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon at least half a dozen times and have never even considered the possibility of stopping to photograph. The world has enough images of both, and the mosh pits of tripod wielding photographers jockeying for two square inches of space give me the hives. Would much rather go to the Goosenecks or Buckskin Gulch where you get 80%+ of the scenery with at most 10% of the crowds.

At least in the Southwest every iconic landmark has a state park or BLM land within a 50 mile radius with more or less the same geology and practically no visitors. But I understand how others may feel otherwise.



Jan 05, 2017 at 01:50 AM
Paul Mo
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Visiting new zealand - best photo areas?


OP.

Feb - still warm, browned grass, late evening light, variable winds and sea states.

March - cooling at night, clearer skies leading into autumn, slow beginnings of autumn colour.

April - cooler night and days, sun still warm during the day, autumn colour more pronounced, crystal clear skies night and day - deep blue skies at altitude.



Jan 05, 2017 at 07:31 AM
Aztatlan
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Visiting new zealand - best photo areas?


All seasons are nice and with their own merits. With that said, if I was to advise someone when NOT to visit if landscape photography is their main reason for going it would be between the months of January and March inclusive, to be honest. I have visited the South Island in every season, so although this is ultimately just personal opinion it's based on my own experiences.

In the summer the days are loooong and you'll be out very late for sunset, and up very early for sunrise. All but the highest peaks are devoid of snow, making it less scenic IMO (although I have been there in summer and experienced snow, it is not the norm.) It's also high season so places will be crowded and more expensive. The advantages of summer are that you can be sure all the hiking trails you may want to do, including any 'Great Walks' will be open (although these require booking.) In early summer (by that I mean, first two, maybe three weeks of December) you will get the lupin blooms which are magnificent particularly around Tekapo.

Winter is cold (obviously) but beautiful. As you come from Canada, winter photography may not hold the same appeal for you as it does for me coming from Australia. The peaks have loads of snow, the glacial lakes have lots of icebergs and may even freeze over temporarily and the sun rises and sets at a reasonable time. Ski areas will be busy, but otherwise it's low season elsewhere. Winter is an amazing time to visit for photography.

Autumn is lovely; if you can time your visit to coincide with the peak of the colours which in my experience start getting good mid April and peak towards the end of the month in areas like Wanaka, Twizel and Arrowtown which are some of the popular spots (but there are loads of other nice places to see it.) The timing can of course shift slightly year-to-year.

Spring, depending when you visit, can be a very different experience. Early spring will still be wintery conditions. Late spring, leading into early summer can be quite pleasant. It won't be too busy yet but it's starting to get warmer. In the last week of November (technically still spring) the lupin bloom will probably be close to peak and it will carry through into 2-3 weeks of December before deteriorating.

My most recent visit was late Nov and early Dec, the lupins were stunning and the cloud cover that trip was just crazy. Almost every day these amazing clouds would blow in for sunrise and sunset, then clear, then repeat. It was crazy windy most of the which may have contributed but I certainly got dynamic and interesting conditions.



Jan 06, 2017 at 07:22 AM





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