Gallery - 2019Exhibition

Right at the end of 2019 I put on, for the first time, a public exhibition of my photographs. Featured below are the images I used in the exhbition, along with the captions that went with them. If you weren't able to come and see these in person then here is a chance to see them all the same.

Castlepoint Sunrise
Not far from Wellington City, Castlepoint provides a relaxed haven with surf, sand and sunrises to die for. Perfect weekend tonic from everyday life.

Botanical Delights
Tulip day is just one of the annual events held in the Botanic Gardens, a feature garden that we as a city have been lucky to enjoy for the last 150 years.

Italian Villa
Nestled almost in the center of Masterton this amazing garden can be seen but once a year when it gets featured in the Wairarapa Garden Tour in November. This tour regularly features amazing gardens well worth the time to visit.

Red Rock Sunset
Here the sunset shows the South Island as well the rocks themselves showing the many ranges of hill often hard to pick out across the Cook Strait. Combined with the interesting geology that gives the rocks their colour and you have a stark but frequently beautiful coastline to walk.

Firelight under the Stars
Here an impromptu campfire shows the cliff walls while the milky way spreads out above. We have one of the most interesting stellar fields with things like the Magellenic Clouds easily visible.

Seal of Approval
Red Rocks features seals year round with a mass influx around breeding season. But there are always seals there if you look for them even off season.

Dry Creek Waterfall
Tucked away inside Belmont Regional Park this makes for an amazing summer walk. Tucked in under the forest canopy and just cool enough to be pleasant in the height of summer heat.

Industrial Glow
A little rain and winter afternoon light makes this industrial part of the Hutt Valley look quite enticing.

On a Wing and a Prayer
Wings over Wairarapa runs every two years and fills the skies with aircraft from WW1 era through to the present day. Hearing these machines put through their paces recalls a century of amazing technological progress.

Pig in its Element
I remember the Wellington Zoo as a concrete canyon in my youth with deeply unhappy animals. Now the enclosures are designed with the animals in mind, as this Kunekune demonstrates.

Shelly Bay Wharf Sunset
The old Naval wharf in Shelly Bay provides the foreground for sunset light to spill down from the hills along with the trademark houses that define a lot of Wellington's look.

Martian War-Machine?
Here the Brooklyn Windmill provides the foreground for the nightsky. How many capital cities can you see the stars this clearly from the middle of them?

Southern Comfort
Sunsets on the South coast, especially around the rocks can be captivating with the surf coming in and the delicate colour changes in the sky.

And a Star to Steer Her By
Every so often a tall ship graces the harbour, providing a direct link to the original colonisation vessels that brought Europeans here. This one was from Ecuador on a good will tour.

Starry Stonehenge
In Wairarapa you get a chance to see how our ancestors used to track the time and the passing of seasons. Laid out correctly this replica henge serves the same function with occasional solstice ceremonies observed.

Garden Magic
As part of the Summer City program the Botanical Gardens get lit up in conjunction with music concerts allowing you to wander the garden and enjoy a variety of music on a warm summers night.

Matariki Display
A calm winter harbour and the Hikitea provide the backdrop for the annual council firework display. Giving a good excuse to be on the waterfront in the evening.

Pencarrow Pleasure
Who doesn't like a good sunset shot with a lighthouse? This takes a good two hours to walk out to from Eastbourne but pick your day. It is naturally windy there and warm clothing is a must especially in the evening.

Supermoon Rising
Sneaking out of the cloud this supermoon climbs into the sky with the clouds almost reaching up to try and tug it back down again.

High Contrast
This has nothing to do with Wellington, I figured it was just a good image to cap the exhibition with.

Full Sail Fun
With deep water, strong winds and a large harbour then getting out on the water is eminently possible. What surprised me was the sound - yacht literally hissed by at speed.

Splish Splash!
This black pied shag shows how relaxed the birds in Zealandia can get. With people frequently in there and no predators it isn't unusual to have many species drop by to see what you are up to.

Tidal Power
Just off from the airport the sea rolls in with little obstruction even from the South Island. This makes for dramatic storm tides hitting the concrete barrier.

Paekakariki Sunset
Normally Kapiti Island is the visual feature from the hill lookout but frequently spectacular sunsets take over too. Just be prepared for wind when there.

City Lights
Even in the heart of the city and rush hour traffic beauty can be found, if you take the time to catch it.

Foggy Bottom
A little morning fog, a slack tide and a long beach make for a great dog exercise area in the morning.


Philip R. Banks
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