While I was out and about Monday evening, Wellington put on display one of it’s “look at me” sunsets.
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- Mount Victoria across Evans Bay
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- Wellington City across the harbour
Author Archives: toscanakiwi
MX5 reborn
Gallery
This gallery contains 11 photos.
After a brief pink period, the trusty Mazda MX5 arrived home pre-Christmas in resplendent red. It was immediately despatched to the trimmer for a new hood (the old one was a bit leaky) and the car is now as good … Continue reading
In praise of fixed focal length lenses
From the headline you can tell this post is going to be a bit geeky. And if you’re not interested in photography, it could be boring as well. Be warned.
A few weeks ago I purchased my first ever fixed focal length lens. It was a AF Nikkor 50mm 1.8D which is a lens Nikon have been making for the best part of 10 years in one guise or another.
It cost me the princely sum of $85 as it was second hand but in “near new” condition. The previous owner had his Nikon camera stolen a week after buying the lens. He didn’t replace the camera so the lens had been used only once. (No seriously, I believe what people write about stuff on Trade Me.)
Up until now I’ve always been a zoom lens guy. I love the flexibility of a good zoom lens and the ability to frame things as I like without having to rush towards or away from the subject. In fact I didn’t really see the need for a fixed length lens at all.
Recently I was watching the excellent video blog The Art of Photography and the host was extolling the sharpness of prime lenses and the discipline required to use them. The need to move around to frame the subject – sometimes to get in close and sometimes to back off.
And now after a few weeks with the 50mm lense I’m sold. The sharpness of this cheap little lens is amazing. The ability to accurately control depth of field is amazing and the 1.8 f-stop means photos can be taken in low light without any risk of the dreaded camera shake or resorting to flash.
If you don’t have a prime 50mm or 35mm lens in your camera bag, trust me, get one.
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- The lens
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- Sample shot – the inevitable flower shot
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- Sample shot – the bee shot
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- Sample shot – the puppy shot
Happiness is …
As a puppy Bella used to enjoy resting her head over your shoulder. She would stay there for hours if you let her.
As a gangly adolescent she still enjoys resting there when she gets the chance.
Red sky at night …
… a shepherd’s delight – or so the old saying goes.
Earlier this evening the sky over Wellington was delighting more than just passing shepherds. Not only was it glowing red but also yellow, pink, orange and some colour that might be called cerise.
After a glorious and calm summer’s day (I can say that as December is officially summer) the sun put on a fantastic light show to entertain us as it dropped slowly below the western horizon.
Bob Dylan – Interactive
How cool is this video for the Bob Dylan’s song Like a Rolling Stone? Have a look at http://video.bobdylan.com and play around with the channel buttons.
A refresh for a trusty workhorse
When it was first produced in 1989 the Mazda MX5 was hailed as the quintessential sports car – open topped, great handling and pretty to boot. I bought one of the first to come into New Zealand and have owned it ever since. It has been great fun to drive and has displayed that legendary Japanese reliability with over 130,000 kilometres on the clock and only minor repairs to show for it.
However in the last 12 months it has started to show it’s age. Not surprising considering the car is close 23 years old, it’s 13 years since it’s last repaint and 10 years since it’s soft top was last replaced.
With that in mind it was despatched to the excellent team at Classic Auto Refinishers in early October with instructions to “make it like new”.
Today they sent some shots of the car as it has progressed. The good news is it’s only a few days away from completion, the bad news is it’s still looking a bit pink.
After the paint shop, the next stop is the upholsters for a new (watertight) hood and then it’s as good as new – just in time for summer.
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- The pink Mazda
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- Primed and ready to go
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- One panel the colour it should be
Spot the dog
Bella is 9 months old and although she is close to full grown she is still very much a puppy. As you can see from this shot of her after she dived into the toy basket. Extra points for spotting the head, the tail and the stray leg.
Down to the sea in bricks
Trans Future 5 visit Wellington
Wellington is a harbour city so the locals take an interest in the various vessels that come to visit. Cruise ships are common these days, berthed alongside the container ships and various other freighters that use the port as they load and unload their respective cargos.
So if you see locals taking a picture of a ship it’s either something special or something else. This was something else. – maritime utility taken to it’s extreme.
As close as you can get to a floating brick.
There’s something fishy going on here
Driving through Wellington over the last few weeks a recently painted piece of street art on the corner of Cable and Chaffers Streets has caught my eye. The entire side of a building is covered in sharks – of all shapes, types and colours.
I think it’s a work of genius.
It was also painted for a very good cause as part of Shark Awareness Week. To find out more visit: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9144732/Shark-campaign-hits-the-wall.
If you get the chance, take a look.
Green shoots
A week ago I published a post about the outbreak of Spring in our garden – heralded by the first shoot appearing on our grapevine. Well, a week is a long time in spring, as the photos show.
The inevitable drive towards summer is gaining momentum.
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- Our grapevine 27 September
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- And a week later
Welcome to Nelson
Last weekend the family travelled to Nelson for a family birthday. Bella had her first flight while Poppie clocked up a few more miles for her frequent flyer account.
Moving the four of us is a military operation involving 2 suitcases, 2 dog cages, 2 cabin bags and, of course, us.
As always Nelson was warm and sunny – most of the time – and inviting. The birthday boy was turning 3 so Saturday was spent in the company of other 3 year olds of all ages. Vast amounts of sugar were consumed in a short space of time with the resulting laughter, tears, fun and chaos of a kids party.
By the end of the day the house resembled a toy shop with a strong “Cars” influence.
We arrived back home Monday afternoon with two tired dogs who immediately fell asleep on the bed. The humans weren’t far behind them.
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- Girls travelling Air NZ “cage class”
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- Sweets
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- The Bouncy Castle – fun for everyone
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- Before the party
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- Happy marshmallow and “Cars” plate
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- Party time
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- The Birthday Cake
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- Blowing out the candle
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- Girls begging party food
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- After the party
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- Nelson country view
The dog ate my homework – no seriously
Which dog ate my homework?
Bella has a thing for paper. It is simply too tempting to leave alone. This is something I need to remember when I leave papers on the office floor- for obvious reasons.
Bella, the culprit, is the innocent looking one on the left.
Cup Fever
Aotearoa on the water – photo courtesy of Chris Cameron/Emirates Team New Zealand
For the last few weeks the entire country has been in the grip of “Cup Fever”. And in true America’s Cup fashion, every day’s racing is full of drama. A few days ago the Kiwi’s were ahead by 6 races and were making a place on the trophy shelf for the “Auld Mug”, only to have Oracle fight back and make this a real competition.
Whatever has been said about the new catamaran class the AC72’s, they make for spectacular racing and real heart in the mouth tension from the start – or pre-start as we all now know – to the finish.
As I write this the Kiwi’s require 2 wins to win the cup and the Amercians require 8. It sounds like a done deal but the last few races have been evenly split with Oracle improving each time they are on the water.
With 2 races tomorrow it might be all over – but don’t bank on it.
Bella meets the real world
For the last 5 months Bella’s life has been a mix of eating, running, jumping, playing and sleeping. The worst thing that happened to her was occasionally getting under our feet which meant a yelp, a cuddle and then back to eating, running, jumping, playing and sleeping.
Yesterday that changed. Bella went to the vet for that little operation that puppies have to ensure that more puppies don’t mysteriously start to appear.
Since then, all Bella has wanted to do is yelp, lick her wounds and be held – by Jean or I, whoever is closest. On the ground she spins in circles trying to get to the wound which is obviously irritating her and yelping, before we pick her up for another cuddle.
As I write this she is curled up on my knee making little moaning sounds. To call her a “sad sack” would be an understatement.
What she doesn’t know is that by Monday her life will be back to normal – eating, running, jumping, playing and sleeping. We can’t wait.
Sad Bella after “that op” lying on my knee – photo credited Jean.
Toscanakiwi 