Somewhere in Bannockburn
Otago New Zealand April 2017 (11 photos)
This is Part 4 of my New Zealand series of posts.
Over at the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge the theme is Reflecting and that gives me a chance to show some photos I might not otherwise have posted. Otago’s autumn colours reflecting in water are a beautiful sight.
All were taken somewhere in the Otago region of New Zealand, near Queenstown. All are linked by the fact they were not planned shooting locations but rather accidental discoveries along the way, requiring emergency photography stops. That’s life on the road with a camera. 🙂
Bannockburn is a small historic gold mining town located outside of Cromwell in Central Otago, New Zealand. The area was first made known as a rich alluvial gold field and was mined extensively in the 1860s. Its uniquely warm, dry climate earned it the name ‘The heart of the desert’, as climatic conditions and human activity have combined to strip the area of most of the original native vegetation leaving rocks, sands and soils exposed.
Today, these climate conditions make Bannockburn the home of many vineyards and stonefruit orchards. Mostly Pinot Noir, but I stand to be corrected.
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Somewhere in the Kawarau Valley
The Kawarau Valley surrounds the Kawarau River, the set location for the River Anduin in the Lord of the Rings movies.
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Somewhere in Cromwell
Cromwell was established by gold miners. However its main treasure is now stone fruit.
I like the way the fallen leaves in this orchard reflect the colour of the leaves yet to fall. I took a lot of photos here and soon collapsed from sensory overload. True to my style, I just laid on the ground and kept photographing. 🙂
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This is part 4 of my New Zealand series of posts.
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Etcetera Etcetera Etcetera 
I can hear the Elves singing. Stunning. Superb. As beautiful as Mithril, only better.
So can I. I even thought for a moment that I saw the Lady Galadriel there. The beauty of this place knows no end. You’ll have to visit. 🙂
Really. Just. Superb. Images. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you kindly. I’ve spoken to my friends the wood elves. They look forward to welcoming you. 🙂
Sigh… I fear the Eagles will not be willing to bear me over such a great distance.
Let me speak to them. One day perhaps …
Seems the gold has been absorbed by the trees! Very beautiful photos!
There’s gold everywhere. I just wanted to dive into it. 🙂
How beautiful the shades of old gold here are! I’m enjoying your landscapes more and more. (still need to like via reader)
Thank you very much, Paula. There was beauty everywhere I looked. Very hard to take a bad photo in this environment. 🙂
I suspect that problem will last a while. It did for me. At least you have a solution to the problem for the moment.
Wow — what gorgeous landscapes! And what beautiful photos you’ve shot to take us there. The reflections are lovely, but I think my favorite frames are your last two shots of the orchards in Cromwell for their symmetry and unexpected compositions. Though that photo of the Kawarau Valley is pretty darned breathtaking too! Great post, Draco!
Thanks so much. I took quite a few at the orchard, from different heights and with different focal lengths until I got what I wanted. Even changed lanes a couple of times to repeat the process. Lucky I wan’t on a tour. They’d have left me behind, 🙂 🙂 🙂
These are superb shots!! I was there just last year and loved the area. I’ve just posted about reflecting on my love affair with autumn and your shots are music to my soul.
It’s not fair they have the lake, mountains, trees and snow. Beauty everywhere you look.
And so many very nice food offerings in such a small area.
Thanks for the visit. I already want to go back. 🙂
Magnificent set of photos! The colours are absolutely overwhelming, we love it, Draco!
Thank you. Even better in real life as you can imagine. I really was in sensory overload. 🙂
Wonderful pictures ! Bravo !
Thank you very much. These scenes really set my eyes alight.
I understand ! This is stunning !
Thank you very much. 🙂
Lovely colours, perfect shots!
Thank you very much, Ester. I could have spent hours there.
Yes I suppose
🙂
I have really been enjoying your wonderful photographs from New Zealand. The last image in this group is especially striking to me. The ground level perspective is perfectly executed and the trees are so perfect, almost as if they were put thru some Photoshop receding duplication leading line mirroring tool or something…a statement of admiration for the skill of the orchard manager not that I was accusing you of doing something that I know you don’t do. 🙂
I am always awestruck by the reflections from water surfaces too. Thanks for the New Zealand tour!
There were about 10 rows in this orchard with plenty of leaves on the trees, all yellow on both sides. I tried a couple of them to get the best balance of randomness on the ground and the symmetry in the trees. As an afterthought almost, I attached my 18mm wide angle to the camera and laid on the ground as a landscape photographer once taught me. The result is the last photo at f8. I’m very pleased with it. The eye just wanders through to the distance.
Thank you very much as always, Mic. It is such a beautiful place.
Yes, it certainly is a pleasing photograph.
“…a beautiful place” your photographs communicate very well.
Thanks very much, Mic. I do try to give my photos a bit of life and character.
Gorgeous, whether with or without reflections. Those emergency photo stops. 🙂 What’s terrible is being on an interstate highway here where there’s nowhere safe to stop!
janet
You’re right about that. Safety first but it hurts to know you’ve missed a great shot. 🙂
Thank you very much, Janet.
And there always seems to be a perfect shot somewhere along the way. 😦
For sure.
Beautiful photos. I liked specially the two almost abstracts: one with the reflections (just before the bird) and the first one with fallen leaves.
I thought that the background colour of the page prevented me from enjoying your photos as much as they deserve, but that could just be me.
Thank you very much.
I appreciate the feedback. I wasn’t sure myself. My blog theme averages the colours from the first photo to determine the background colour. I’ve applied a trick to make a grey background. I think it looks better now.
Yes it does. I wonder what happens if you take the original algo and use it for hue, while turning the saturation down radically/
If you reduce the saturation radically, you’re approaching b/w so they would be predominantly grey with a tinge of colour.
I meant that as an algo for the background colour. It would do roughly what you did by hand for this page.
That’s actually what I did. I inserted a tiny new first photo with the same colour as the background. The only other way to adjust the background colour in this theme is to pay for an upgrade.
It worked well.
Thanks.
These are magnificent! As is New Zealand itself. Glorious colours and glorious shots – I can only imagine the feeling you had over there…
Thank you so much. Visual overload from the scenery and sensory overload from the experience and great food/atmosphere. 🙂
Then you got it all.
Absolutely 🙂
Sensory overload is right. I bet you needed a nap after all of that shine.
I left NZ the next day after the Cromwell Orchard. I was there for a short intensive burst. Planning for Round 2 is in the tentative phases. So much to see.
Glad that you made those unexpected stops. The (unplanned) theme of golden yellow gives the set a memorable patina. Well done.
Thanks, Sally. Everything was united by the colours of autumn. 🙂
What a stunningly beautiful set of reflection photos, Dragon!
The cloud capture above the Kawarau River is just awesome. 🙂
Thank you, Amy. I had hoped for a red sunset but I was happy enough with the light.
Just continuing in Nat Geo mode. 🙂
I like the NG mode! 👍
I thought you might. 🙂
Your eye is wonderful, as are these colours. What a beautiful combination of landscape and mysticism.
Thank you very much. The colour palette was very rich.
Perfect for the prompt, and so beautiful too, Lignum!
Thank you very much, Lisa. There’s so much photographic potential there.
Have a great weekend ahead.
Bannockburn looks its part as the gold mining town. Great timing, and what a gold show for you. That path in the last two photos seems to go on and on.
If I were younger, I’d gladly go running down the paths in that orchard, stirring up the leaves behind me. That’s the inner child talking. 🙂
Wow, lovely yellow colours of nature!
Indeed. The colour burst is everywhere.
Beautiful emergency 🙂
Thanks. The road taken can be just as important as the final destination.
I agree.
🙂
Oh My Goodness; those colours of the leaves are incredible and the reflection on the water is stunning…amazing capture by you!!
Thanks very much, Sue. I was happy to have found them and for the water to be relatively still. The autumn colours were very vivid.
LD, gracias por esas maravillosas fotos. Cada nueva serie de fotos provocan un asombro cada vez mayor. El predominio del amarillo es perfecto. Es un privilegio poder verlas.
Eres muy amable. Muchas gracias, Juan. Ten un excelente fin de semana.
So much gold!! That’s more than any dragon could hoard I think 😉 Great series 😀
There’s plenty for everyone. This gold is meant to be shared. 🙂 Thanks, Sarah.
You have my gratitude 😀
🙂
Sorry to have missed your NZ photos – I will go back and have a look – been away and without wifi and also had laptop issues. These photos are dazzling, I feel I need sunglasses to view the screen! And the Kawarau Valley one reminds me a lot of the vineyards in the Western Cape in South Africa. So beautiful. I may be in NZ next February so any must visit places you recommend? Not necessarily the usual tourist spots. I like to be away from the crowds.
Thank you, Jude. The intensity of the autumn colours was a sight and that’s pretty much come through in these photos. Very intense in areas.
I remember you mentioning planning to come to Australia this year. Has that trip been deferred or is a second trip planned? New Zealand in February will be at the end of Summer. I know I would like to see the Marlborough Sounds one day, but beyond that I haven’t particularly researched areas to see in NZ. This trip was to the Queenstown region predominantly and Queenstown is busy with visitors year round because of the adventure tourism industry and the natural location.
It was going to be Australia (Perth) in August/September, but they are coming over here in September and then getting married in February in NZ. So I hope to do both next year. I’m not into the extreme sports stuff, but would like to visit wine regions in both the north and south islands if possible.
I hope this website I’ve been visiting is helpful to you: http://www.wine-marlborough.co.nz
Thanks LD 🙂
🙂
What a wonderful journey I took with your lovely photos. Sorry I miss to see New Zealand
I’m glad my photos could take you there. 🙂
Totally swept away once again! 😀
Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. 🙂
I love seeing NZ through your eyes .. and what a beautiful time of year to visit Mr Draco.. Cromwell grows super stone fruit indeed. True to your style .. wonderful photos
Thank you, Julie. I’m always happy to receive the approval of a local. Particularly one who has seen this with her own eyes. 🙂
Amazing yellows.
Absolutely.
A wonderful golden post – very much enjoying this series 🙂
Thank you very much, Lisa.
I had to come back to this post to see this. It’s so fascinating to me to see how that latitude gets its fall colours in April when the peak in the northern latitudes are during October.
This is such a special planet.
Thanks. Yes, we’re almost exactly opposite to you with regard to the seasons. Christmas here is in the peak of Summer. Something a lot of people find very very strange.
Wow, all of the yellow is beautiful! That could be one of the most wanted background pictures on all of apple!
Thank you. It was a beautiful sight indeed.
Absolutely beautiful!
Thank you very much. 🙂
Wonderful photos 💕
Thank you so much. 🙂
Salut j’aime ton article
Merci beaucoup.
The photographs give a new zeal to New Zealand. 😄😉
Very clever. 🙂 Thank you very much. 🙂 🙂
Beautiful.. 👏👊👍👌
Thank you. 🙂
Beautiful pictures. They look so peaceful.
Thank you. It was easy to become immersed in the serenity of the moment.
Wow.
These are simply stunning.
I just started following you because I love your photos so much!
Thank you. The autumn colours in Otago are simply beautiful.
Wow! Great photo shots!
Thank you very much, Mr Cool.
Wow now i really want to go to New Zealand!!! I am in love!!! Thank you for sharing
You should. It’s a beautiful place, particularly in autumn. Great scenery all in a small area.
Thanks very much for your visit.
Beautiful photos! Looks very peaceful..
It was. Very idyllic. 🙂
Beautiful photography. Interesting how a place once famous for it’s gold mines is now bloomimg with golden leaves. Truly a golden place. Well done! 🙂
Thank you. This beautiful landscape is the real gold! To be enjoyed without fear of someone stealing it. 🙂
Nice
Cheers. 🙂
Thank you so much ! ^^
🙂
Wow! Stunning! I specially like the dark picture with the clouds. It was breathtaking.
Thank you. That was an evening photo near the river. It was a beautiful sight.
Lovely! ❤️ Where in the world is this?
Kawarau River, near Queenstown New Zealand.
I am mesmerized! Absolutely stunning and majestic!
Thank you.
Breathtaking pictures! Keep them coming!:)
Glad you enjoyed them. Thank you.
Amazing pics ….
Thanks.
The pictures are breathtaking!😍😍
Thank you very much. 🙂
Ah the yellow autumn!😍 nothing less than gold itself 😍
It just simply makes you feel happy. 🙂
The photos you shared are absolutely stunning!!! Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure. Thank you.
Beautiful, like everything is covered in gold.
Exactly. A grand sight. 🙂
Amazing photos, just beautiful!
Thank you very much.
Omg Lord of the rings
🙂 🙂 🙂
The place and its beauty is breathtaking! I hope to visit New Zealand sometime. Loved these 🙂
Thank you very much. I do hope you get to see NZ for yourself one day.
Wow amazing pictures!!!
Thank you very much.
Outstanding photography, beautiful work. Thank you for sharing them.
Muy pleasure. Thank you.
Great pictures! 😊
Thanks. 🙂
Great pictures, something I would have otherwise missed, if I didn’t check my feed today.
Thanks for checking out the Discover site.
Loved reading this, was so influential and the writing was applaudable !👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻
Thank you very much. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Just beautiful
Thank you.
OMG! Those are some of the nicest photographs of nature I’ve seen in a while.
Incredibly beautiful.
Thank you very much. Autumn is a beautiful time in Queenstown.
Outstanding 👍
Thank you. 🙂
Beautiful photos! I love the perspectives and reflections.
Thank you very much.
All I can say about this place is “Oh my!”
Yes, beauty beyond words. 🙂
I love the colors in these beautiful photos.
Thank you. The autumn colours were spectacular.
Loved the pics!
It makes me just want to be strolling the area
The beauty of that place had the same effect on me. 🙂 Thank you so much.
Wow! Beauty beyond words!
Indeed it was.
Beautiful photos! I love those reflections!
Thank you very much.
I love the golden colors of these sceneries
Thanks for visiting this one again and making a second comment. Much appreciated.
Hello Lignum Draco, I would like to inform you that I have just nominated your blog for The Sunshine Blogger Award. Best regards, Amela.
Thank you very much. It’s greatly appreciated.
As a rule I do not accept awards or participate in them. However, I have linked to your blog in my Award Nominations page in appreciation.
OK. I understand your point. Thanks for answering me. Best regards, Amela
Thank you.
Loved panning through your all your photos. New Zealand is on a list for us. Interesting how much diverse landscape you captured. I loved the orchard photos as much as I think you enjoyed being in them. Great captures. Now I need to go search for that tree.
Thank you very much. There’s so much to see in such a small country. You won’t regret visiting there.
Wow this is stunning! I just got back from the Southern Alps of New Zealand. If you are still there, you should go check them out.
Thank you. no, I’m not there now. I would love to see the area under snow though. 🙂
I gave you up a few years ago and am cleaning up my email on my new computer. Then I could not resist a look at New Zealand since I threaten to return and everyone questions why. I photographed rock surfaces day after day and couldn’t get enough.
I found it difficult to drive because around every bend is a new formation and you have to stop the car and take it in. And now these photographs pull me up short reminding me how silly it is to waste time to justify. thank you. Agog is the word!
No problem. Thanks for the comment. You should not have to justify to people where you find beauty and what you find interesting. NZ has too much beautiful and varied landscape for its size. I’ve been a couple of times now.