Pre Christmas tramping and cheerful landscape photography

We've had some pretty wild weather lately and at last this Sunday the sun came out to reveal snow on the mountains. So off Dougal and I went on a fitness trip up Touhys gully in the Cardrona valley. But it became more: a veritable smogesboard of images and light to satisfy my penchant for Wanaka landscape photography. So in the spirit of the season this blog has quite a few images!

Without some unrealistic editing in PhotoShop to place decorations this shot appealed to my sense of Christmas: bright and cheerful...


Looking down valley slightly towards Wanaka's Roys Pk...


Dougal: a great companion as he has lots of patience with me while I stop to take photos of the ever changing landscape I love so much...


The low light was perfect...


Foxgloves enjoying the sun after days of rain and sleet...


I love doing landscape photography in winter conditions, but in this [today = early mid summer] shot, I note you never see these sort of contrasts and cloud shadows in winter...


There was a sense of magic in the air...





So as we head through the stressful pre Santa Claus days I'm mindful that with a break coming up I can chill and let my mind wander... but until then: Merry Xmas all