North Island
North Island is the larger of the two main islands of New Zealand, and it is a paradise for photographers. With its stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife, and rich Maori culture, North Island offers endless opportunities for capturing breathtaking images. From the rugged coastlines of the Coromandel Peninsula to the geothermal wonders of Rotorua, and from the majestic peaks of Tongariro National Park to the vibrant cityscapes of Auckland, North Island has something for every photographer.
Photography regions of North Island
Photography of North Island
The Cathedral Cove – A must-see when you are in Coromandel, New Zealand. This tall rock with the nice shape in the ocean gives you a marvellous view when leaving the cave on the way to the spot. We also liked the fact, that most of the people visit this lovely place during daytime and leaving quite soon, resulting in a perfect spot to watch the sunset. (At least in spring) Moreover, keep the tide in mind when you want to walk to the other side.
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Panoramic view of Mount Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings) as seen while trekking New Zealand's Tongariro Crossing, one of the best one day walks in the world.
... a sunset panorama with Castle Rock in the distance...
.... with Castle Rock in the distance
.... sunset pano at Castle Point, New Zealand
Another look at the Champagne Pool in Wai O Tapu's thermal park, North Island, New Zealand....
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... not sure why the water in front of this beach boulder is so brown....
... a volcanic beach in Whanganui, North Island, New Zealand
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Mount Ruapehu (north island of New Zealand) panorama.... this active volcano is still snow capped mid summer!
... a typical Kiwi rural scene near Tauranga, New Zealand
New Zealand's best one day hike!
... with a reflection
Cathedral Cove cave view.... looking out to a fine day on the Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand's north island...
For a landscape photographer shooting during daytime has become something quite unusual. I like to do it more and more and I also like the clear and bright colors. It doesn't always have to be that dramatic red sky ;-)
Processing this one involved my usual exposure blending to gain some dynamic range, and then some contrast and color work.
Working our way up the Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand's north island, my wife and I stopped at Cathedral Cove, where I captured this three shot, hand held pano....
... one of many at a colony near Cape Palliser, NZ
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Another view of the spectacular thermal pools in Wai O Tapu, New Zealand.... the best I've ever seen.
.... panoramic view of the north end of Waikanae Beach at sunset
Here's a panoramic view of the track along the Waikane Estuary that empties into the ocean on the Kapiti Coast as seen in the previous image... the Pohutakawa in the foreground is my favourite NZ tree
... it's not that often one can see the south island about thirty kilometers away from Waikanae Beach, on the north island, but last night was one of those times.
New Zealand's longest wharf.... at Tolaga Bay, North Island of NZ
.... at Cape Palliser, New Zealand
... on Castle Point Beach
The base walk around Mount Maunganui (Mauao) is one of my favourite walks in New Zealand.... the Pohutukawa trees in full bloom in January are simply magic.
Haruru Falls Pano... near Paihia, New Zealand
Pica, New Zaeland
Here's another look at one of New Zealand's more picturesque lighthouses, near the southern tip of the North Island...
New Zealand's best one day walk.... sights I'm unlikely to witness again... this is a panoramic view from one of the highest points on the 23km trek, with volcanic crater lakes below and Lake Taupo in the distance...
Mt Tongariro Red Crater (foreground), Mt Ngauruhoe (aka Mt Doom in the middle) and Mt Ruapehu (covered in snow) Tongariro Alpine Crossing Tongariro National Park (Dual World Heritage area) North Island, New Zealand
As you would guess by now, it is impossible to take a bad shot from this location :) There are an abundance of compositions to choose from! It is little wonder that it draws such a crowd!
The steep descent I mentioned in my previous post: "Emerald Lakes" is the ridgeline on the extreme right of the frame. This image gives a sense on the gradient and length of the path, filled with loose rocks that one must transverse down. Its probably the most demanding and dangerous part of the whole track. After that, there is really no reason to turn back.
This image was taken at the final ascent to blue pools. By now my thighs were experiencing sporadic cramps. God I am so unfit! I slowed down my pace to allow my muscles to recover and also to rehydrate. Reminding myself that there is no turning back! I also used the time to capture images such as this.
Slowly but surely, blue lake came into view. Looking at it up close, it was massive! Larger than all the Emerald Lakes combined. Making it impossible to fit it in one frame. I did not spend much time at blue lake as I was afraid that I would miss my pick up time. Subsequently, the path meandered downhill for a good 8 kms, below the alpine region, into a forest (where I mistook Lahar for a New Zealand man-eating predator after reading the sign "Listen out for Lahar, move quickly and do not stop") and ending at a carpark.
After reading/ listening to my accounts, some people would ask if I regreted going for the hike, putting myself in such unnecessary pain and danger. To which I reply: I would do it all over again in a heartbeat :)
1 exp shot, edited in Lightroom and Photoshop Comments and constructive criticisms are appreciated!
I included these girls grabbing a photo to add some scale to this panorama of NZ's Cathedral Cove....
Hand held pano of the crater lakes of the Tongariro Crossing, reputed to be one of the best one day walks in the world..... across Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand. For those interested... check out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongariro_Alpine_Crossing
The New Zealand weather wasn't easy to deal with. A lot of rain wherever we went. The good thing was that with our camper we were flexible and the metservice forecast was astoundingly accourate, which took me a while to realize.
When we were in Tongariro National Park it was all rain and storm. We had planned two days there and I wanted to do the crossing on day two. But after a freezing night and a constant downpour in the morning we decided to head for the only place on the North Island where the forecast still showed some sun.
A real good decision. For one thing we were nearly the only people visiting + I had some sweet light at sunset.
The Champagne Pool at Wai-O-Tapu.... New Zealand's best thermal park IMHO!
Kitekite Falls, NZ
Pica, New Zaeland
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Chateau Tongariro pano... Tongariro National Park, Whakapapa, New Zealand
Yes, it really is that colour!
I've seen this iconic cable car in photos of Wellington for years.... nice to capture my own!
Sunset on a calm evening in Pilot Bay..... Tauranga, NZ
.... Mount Maunganui (Mauao) that is
Thanks to all Phoide contributors to North Island!
Most notably David Hamments, Joao Eduardo Figueiredo, StarCitizen and Michael.