Now this holiday I took my camera, and indeed it was much more fun than a phone. This trip was not so much about travel, and more about relaxing by the pool. However, I made sure to find the time to explore the beach and grab a few memories. Enjoy… Take care and keep clicking, Chris ..read more

Happy New Year to all, and this is an increasingly rare post on what I have been up to! Maybe my New Year Resolution should be to blog more often. This was going to be a review of the rather fabulous Xiaomi 13 Ultra. However, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is now hitting the shelves and it is obviously going to be newer and better. I’ll stick to what I am best at and shut up whilst the pics do the talking. Fishing boats, Phu Quoc (Vietnam)Phu Quoc Christmas was spent in Phu Quoc, in the South of Vietnam. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra has a Leica Lens which is pretty good, so I jumped on the bandwagon and left my D ..read more

A New Chapter… My travel photography has returned to China. I am a long way from the previous location spent here, when I lived in Shanghai. This time I find myself at Park Lane Harbour, a relatively quiet holiday area in Daya Bay, close to Shenzhen. Street photography is once more on the cards. However, the ‘street’ in this case will often be the local beach. Colour Schemes Maybe my photography is currently influenced by Barbie Movie mania, as pink and blue are the two complimentary colours I am seeking. This colour combination is sure to stay on my shot list, although I am not sure how I ca ..read more

China A big move to China will be underway in just over a Month. I will be making a new life in an area called Daya Bay. Daya Bay is going to be very different from the last time I was in China and living in Shanghai. Daya Bay is a popular holiday resort for many Chinese, particularly those that live in the nearby city of Shenzhen. Expect a slightly more laid-back style of Travel Photography, possibly drawing on skills I have developed living by the beach in New Zealand. When I do feel more adventurous, Hong Kong is a short trip away and accessible by bridge. Below is a photo of one of my favo ..read more

Playing in the Sky above New Zealand. Michael Freeman’s ‘Get The Photos Others Can’t,’ is a book that highlights the importance of access for photographers. Permission to access cool places leads to photographs that stand out from the everyday vernacular. Drones open the skies for photographers, providing a birds-eye view of the world below. Spoiler: The DJI Mini3 Pro does this exceptionally well. This is my review – in the loosest sense of the word! Controls The above photo is of a large wetland area at the top of New Zealand’s South Island. It would have been challenging to get to a position ..read more

This February has been something of a nightmare for many people living on the East Coast of New Zealand. The following photos share some of what has been happening before and after Cyclone Gabrielle. Fortunately, I escaped the worst effects of the storm, which were exacerbated by the slash formed from intensive logging. Before the Storm The above image was taken at Tokamoro Bay before the storm hit. The town is still not accessible by road as the bridge was washed away. After the storm… Whilst the weather calmed down, the effects of the storm will be felt for a long time. I hope that everybod ..read more

What is this? Two blog posts in one week, it must be something of a miracle. This weekend I was feeling blue (still am to be honest but I’m sure it will get better, particularly as there is some good news on the horizon…). With this in mind I did the best thing possible, and surrounded myself with old friends, new friends, music, food, dancing, and of course, photography. These photos are from the somewhat notorious Smash Palace in Gisborne NZ its all about the gear For those of you who care, and I know there are many of you, this was a chance to try out my Sony GMaster 1.4 85mm lens. It was ..read more

This month the local photo club in Gisborne hosted a photo essay challenge. The task required capturing 3-5 images that told a story. There were no words allowed. I had great plans involving lighting and set up. Maybe something in the kitchen, or blitzing the garage (yeah, I know I lead an exciting life). Time as ever ran way too fast, so I needed a quick solution. Without further ado I grabbed my trusty iPhone and started my morning by taking photos. Morning Preparation I’m pretty certain nobody wants to see what I look like first thing in the morning. However, this project could be shot usin ..read more

An artistic adventure… Gisborne City Beach I have finally got round to something that I have been wanting to do for a while and process my own film. Over the midterm break I headed out with my fathers-in-law’s old Cosina CT-1G, equipped with a 50mm Pentax lens. The camera is a well-travelled number, and in its day has been to Antartica and back. For film I used Ilford HP5 Plus. Developing Now I’m no expert at this, so please do not see this as a guide. I managed to mix the chemicals and followed a set of instructions found online. My wardrobe was emptied and turned into a dark room for the fid ..read more

I purchased my first ‘serious’ camera in 2011, whilst living in Vietnam. The camera was a Sony Nex5n, and there was nothing wrong with it. However, my skill level was low and I had a lot to learn. My lens choice followed the idea of ‘the bigger the better’ (I may have been right there….). Everything was shot using JPEG. Flaws I have selected some of my favourite portraits taken whilst living in Vietnam (2011-2013). The portraits chosen are of colourful characters, and it felt a pity to leave the images forgotten about. Lightroom, Photoshop, Luminar Neo, and Topaz De-noise have been used to enh ..read more