By midday yesterday the roads in Christchurch were usable again, although ice still lingered here and there. We drove north along narrow grey ribbons edged with muddy mush, out of the city, through North Canterbury where sheep gathered around the remains of hay fed out earlier in the morning or nosed through trampled snow. An odd feeling, as if I were looking at a a far-off, unpredictable future or the distant, irretrievable past — any time but the present.
A massive surf pounded the Kaikoura Coast, filling the air with a smoky haze of spray. By the time we reached Blenheim only the distant mountains retained any snow. We'd made good time, so we stopped at Rarangi, a short distance from the main road, and ate sandwiches and watched the endlessly entrancing surf. No point in sitting in the queue for the ferry for any longer than necessary.
[26 July 2011, Panasonic Lumix GH1, 100–300 mm at 162 mm, ISO 400, 1/200 at f11]
All content © 2011 Pete McGregor
Such a beautiful photograph.
ReplyDeleteMay all your travels be as spectacular as this.
Great shot... especially so because of the exposure challenges of the lights and darks.
ReplyDeleteTime sometimes slips when we journey. Especially in such timeless landscapes.
ReplyDeleteI dreamed it snowed here, snow in August (in the dream it was) but I couldn't find my camera. I think your last photo was in my thoughts.
RR, thank you. I'm sure I'll encounter some wonderful places, but I've visited Rarangi before — even slept there one night. Personal histories give places a particular feel.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tim. The GH1 has the option of displaying a live histogram, making it easier to avoid blowing out the highlights; then it's a matter of recovering some of the detail in the darker areas during processing.
Zhoen, I think you're right — travelling, with its sense of dislocation in space, does increase the likelihood of that strange feeling of dislocation in time.
I imagine dreaming of snow during summer must be very strange.
This is such a beautiful photo, Pete. There's something about it, that light on the mountain and the dark waves. Some kind of gorgeous balance.
ReplyDeleteThanks for memories of a similar journey in reverese, Pete. Although we have only done it in summer. The winter air brings out the sharpness and cleanliness in your image.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes think I enjoy the processing more than the capturing of an image.
Thank you Robin :^)
ReplyDeleteAvus, I know what you mean. I think the processing allows more time to work on evoking the feel of that moment. Still, I do love framing a photograph through a good viewfinder, and the sound and feel of a definite, instantaneous shutter release.