![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/c5f0d4b7-b97b-4ca4-8107-a07dc20bc176_rw_1200.jpg?h=36ff8e1d4d9a89ae67ae5b1ed160035f)
The first sunrise of 2018.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/12e70201-b6b5-4cc8-b564-11f7d9b5ad80_rw_600.jpg?h=1770e2b4ac9de12e7d3e0b292c485eae)
Stormy skies around Geraldine kept us company on a big one day road trip
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/b1515b1f-1b17-41e8-838b-58a49bf7ff68_rw_1200.jpg?h=c7785e8cf216eb5337e9b26355b1f8de)
My poor Mum having the new cast fitted. The staff were great and happy for me to take some documentary style shots of the event.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/809dccb6-f1bf-4398-8471-1179b9433e98_rw_1200.jpg?h=ac17c7c699896a9c9f91a3834d807f33)
Being back in the area gave me an opportunity to photograph some of the beaches we used to frequent.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/db8a6d43-e8bb-4f5b-b0ca-ffe79e57ca1e_rw_1200.jpg?h=096e66d2c9472b8a4a4bda6290efb9cd)
It was raining and windy when I got to this area so when the rain eased off I put the umbrella in the sand to keep it out of my way.....never one to miss an opportunity for a quirky shot it then became a prop.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/fc9d9961-bc02-4cfc-a864-1ed737e6e904_rw_1200.jpg?h=d212c930eeaa557b91d188ddbff167a6)
I did say it was windy!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/d18364d9-4059-49cd-b634-de620c13dba1_rw_1200.jpg?h=67cfbaeef2f45fd9e0351e10ee42c3f2)
Never thought I'd be doing baby photos, but I rather like this one
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/aa391b77-6914-48e7-90ed-aa3e223d7e65_rw_1200.jpg?h=87f91aa0dd3878e4762c127e0516a3d7)
There is generally an approach to photography of nature to only find immaculate specimens, however, I feel there is much more interest in something not quite so perfect
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/afac9f60-a158-43dc-914b-d01e5e762d95_rw_600.jpg?h=1a540e27a49c6fe517ee4f907d90aa62)
Water cascades down over the boulders by the Riwaka Resurgence
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/68ace446-317a-4875-a6f6-91a949c17bc8_rw_1200.jpg?h=cfacd9aee9993235b8ef408dc0bd33e1)
There weren't many tourists at Kaiteriteri Beach when we arrived late in the evening and we sat and watched as they gradually dispersed when the sun went down
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/fb5b53cb-65fd-4118-9675-d544657362f6_rw_1200.jpg?h=6e832e550c1ca09550101649c2d40a3c)
A curious New Zealand Robin kept us company at the Riwaka Resurgence
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/745b5c49-7531-4942-a4c6-ded51086938c_rw_1200.jpg?h=7c06789437612c40c97a39746e5ed0e6)
Some more, less than perfect leaves that caught my eye
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/e3f02afe-4dc1-4630-a5a7-923d61e14865_rw_1200.jpg?h=d8ef065d8547ca8a2794ca600714b047)
Waited for a while, but no one came to play the piano :-(
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/6a2711af-b72d-497a-ae77-6b0207f2247c_rw_1200.jpg?h=ac453df7380cb311ae691365da786d63)
Chinese Gardens in Queens Gardens, Nelson
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/12a1e49c-4b60-4ae5-b77d-3bc3c5e31be8_rw_1200.jpg?h=587980fab73ac38bd8c1e5799f9ddb40)
I still have no idea what was fascinating these boys so much but it did make for a fun image
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/603648ff-70b0-471d-83e6-4cb057057031_rw_600.jpg?h=70ab880dcb168b1360152495a86b5093)
Bright sunlight came through the trees at the Riwaka Resurgence and picked out these set of stone steps
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/4c334564-5243-4f65-9153-2f39870ec6b6_rw_1200.jpg?h=16d1be505c2c8e84681139208978e6f9)
The cold waters from the resurgence start the journey down stream
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/8f792306-6c7d-4ddc-81f5-1e6b000cc83c_rw_1200.jpg?h=5308c0779619074af3c8af4309fa7dac)
High up on the Takaka Hill we found lots of old wood and rocks with amazing textures
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b30b776fe4a2af3ac987358da973547a/b9c56875-821c-420b-bc01-f46fa7fa1c99_rw_1200.jpg?h=deb21ecb9a56ba2bf0b07d0853f134aa)
I'd heard about the Giant Snail which is an endangered species over here, I just hadn't realised just how giant they were until we found this empty shell on the path.