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Travels · 21 photographs

New Zealand

From Auckland’s waterfront to the sounds of the South Island, then north through volcanic country, forest and open coast. These photographs bring together autumn light, wildlife and moments along the way.

A woman beside Auckland harbour, with buildings and the Sky Tower across the water. — 01. By the harbour
A quiet moment beside Auckland’s harbour, with the city rising across the water.
From Auckland, North Island
Water and skyline share the view from the quayside. A figure in the foreground brings a personal scale to the city beyond.

A steamer approaching the Queenstown waterfront beside golden trees reflected in the water. — 02. Gold along the waterfront · TOP 5
A steamer approaches the waterfront beneath a line of golden autumn trees.
From Queenstown, South Island
The pale bow draws closer across gently rippled water. Behind it, autumn foliage adds a warm band of colour to the waterfront.

A bare twisting tree overlooking winding water between densely forested mountains at Doubtful Sound. — 03. Water between the mountains
A weathered tree frames the winding water and overlapping slopes of Doubtful Sound.
From Doubtful Sound, South Island
From above, the water appears in a succession of silver reaches between forested mountains. The bare branches in the foreground trace their own irregular shapes against the distant slopes.

Spreading dark tree branches against peach and blue clouds, with a partly lit mountain below. — 04. Branches against the evening sky · TOP 4
Dark branches spread across an evening sky of peach, blue and soft grey.
From Doubtful Sound, South Island
The trees form an intricate silhouette against the changing sky. Below their spreading branches, a mountain catches a last patch of warm light.

Morning light between steep forested mountains reflected on the calm water of Doubtful Sound. — 05. First light in the sound · TOP 3
Just after sunrise, light reaches between the steep walls of Doubtful Sound.
From Doubtful Sound, South Island
The nearer slopes remain in shadow while the mountains beyond soften into the morning light. A pale reflection runs across the water towards the opening between them.

A seal with its head turned sideways resting on rocks covered in moss and yellow lichen. — 06. On the rocks
A seal rests among weathered rocks patterned with moss and yellow lichen.
From Dunedin, South Island
With its head turned to one side, the seal holds a quiet, watchful pose. Its smooth coat stands out against the rough surfaces of the surrounding rocks.

A penguin standing on wet sand with its reflection below and small waves behind. — 07. At the water’s edge
A penguin pauses on wet sand, its reflection stretching towards the foreground.
From South Island
Small waves approach behind the solitary bird. The muted water and sand leave the penguin’s upright shape and wavering reflection clearly visible.

Golden orange sky above dark hills and layers of purple-toned mist. — 08. Light above the hills
Golden light hangs above dark hills and a soft veil of mist.
From South Island
Bands of warm sky and muted purple distance settle above the landscape. The hills become darker towards the foreground, giving the view a quiet sense of depth.

A white cushioned window seat framing blue coastal water, trees, distant land and an anchored boat. — 09. A window onto the water
A white window seat opens onto blue water, shoreline trees and an anchored boat.
From Nelson, South Island
The sheltered interior frames a bright coastal view. Cushions and painted wood sit close at hand, while the boat and distant land draw the eye out across the water.

A woman looking back from a narrow suspension bridge surrounded by dense forest and ferns. — 10. Across the forest bridge
A suspension bridge leads into dense forest, with a pause halfway across.
From Abel Tasman National Park, South Island
The narrow walkway disappears among ferns and trees. A traveller turns towards the camera, surrounded by the cables and the green canopy.

A sheltered green-blue inlet bordered by curved pale beaches and wooded headlands, with distant hills across the sea. — 11. A sheltered curve of sand
Pale sand follows the edge of a sheltered inlet beneath densely wooded slopes.
From Abel Tasman National Park, South Island
The inlet bends between green headlands before meeting the open sea. Beyond the close folds of the shore, distant hills stretch across a pale blue horizon.

A smiling woman in a floral top standing above a broad inlet surrounded by green hills. — 12. Above the inlet
A portrait beside a broad inlet, beneath green hills and a cloud-filled sky.
From Nelson, South Island
A smiling figure stands among the vegetation in the foreground. Behind her, the water stretches towards distant hills, with light and cloud moving across the wider view.

An aerial view of wooded headlands and islands surrounded by blue water with small boat wakes. — 13. Between the islands
From the air, wooded headlands and waterways form a pattern of blue and green.
Between the South and North Islands
The view opens across interlocking stretches of land and water. Small boat wakes mark the surface below, giving a sense of scale to the coast seen from above.

Red Wellington cable car number one at a station, with city buildings and harbour visible beyond. — 14. The red cable car
Wellington’s red cable car waits at the station, with the harbour visible beyond.
From Wellington, North Island
The bright red carriage fills the foreground beneath the station roof. Through the windows and structure, the city slopes down towards blue water.

Two walkers standing among volcanic rocks and tussock below a large bare cone under a blue sky. — 15. Beneath the volcanic slopes
Two walkers pause among volcanic rocks beneath a broad, bare mountain cone.
From Tongariro National Park, North Island
The dark ground is broken by scattered tussocks and rough blocks of rock. Above the walkers, the slopes rise into an uninterrupted blue sky.

Red and black volcanic crater walls in the foreground with a mountain cone partly obscured by cloud. — 16. Rock, colour and cloud
Red and black crater walls meet drifting cloud beneath a volcanic summit.
From Tongariro National Park, North Island
Layers of rust, charcoal and pale mineral colour cross the foreground. Cloud partially hides the mountain beyond, softening the outline of an otherwise stark landscape.

Bright green volcanic lakes surrounded by rocky ridges, with tiny walkers and drifting cloud. — 17. Green lakes among the craters · TOP 1
Vivid green lakes lie among dark volcanic ridges and passing banks of cloud.
From Tongariro National Park, North Island
Small walkers follow the ridge above the nearest lake. Its bright water contrasts with the rough ground, while cloud drifts across the smaller pools beyond.

White clouds and a bare mountain rim reflected in blue lake water, with golden tussock along the near shore. — 18. Clouds on the lake
White clouds are reflected in a still mountain lake beneath a bare crater rim.
From Tongariro National Park, North Island
The water repeats the shapes of the sky and surrounding slopes. Low golden tussocks along the near shore bring a little warmth to the blue and grey scene.

Three black swans on gently rippling water, with curved necks and dark reflections. — 19. Three black swans · TOP 2
Three black swans move across softly coloured water, trailing ripples and reflections.
From Rotorua, North Island
Their curved necks form three distinct silhouettes above the surface. Around them, the water breaks into overlapping lines of reflected light.

An enormous pale tree trunk rising through green forest, with a small person near its base. — 20. Among the great trees
An immense tree rises through the forest, dwarfing the visitor at its base.
From Waipoua Forest, North Island
The broad, pale trunk dominates the view among surrounding foliage. The small figure below makes the tree’s scale immediately apparent.

A broad sandy beach curving towards green headlands, with small walkers beside calm blue water. — 21. Along the open shore
Walkers follow the sweep of Bream Bay beneath a wide blue sky.
From Bream Bay, North Island
Small waves run along the pale sand towards a distant headland. The figures remain small within the open curve of the coast, closing the journey with a sense of space.