• Kondalilla Falls | Exploring with the Nikon D850 | Part 2

    This is part 2 of my Kondalilla Falls National Park adventure where I was exploring with the Nikon D850. The falls were surrounded by beautiful rainforest which contained different species of fauna and flora. The D850 performed really well as usual, just wish I could say the same for my body haha! A great hike and well worth the sore muscles afterwards doing the circuit around Kondalilla. The Kondalilla Falls walking circuit will take you approximately 2-3 hours to complete, BUT please take into account you will be stopping to take photos, have a break, eat a snack or dodge a snake or two, so add maybe another hour or so onto that. A little tip too. If you want to see the waterfalls at their best, wait until there’s been a weeks worth of rain, then go the following week.

    Kondalilla
    Click the pic to go see the video 🙂

  • Astro Photography | Lake Bonney | South Australia

    Will never forget this night any time soon. Perfect conditions, pitch black skies, cool weather and an awesome Australian landscape. In this video I show you how I find and compose my Milky Way shots for Astro Photography and share my camera settings and tips to get great shots.

    Astro Photography
    Click the above pic to watch the video.
  • Photographing Iceland – Rainbow at Skogafoss Waterfall

    I make my way back to photograph Skogafoss Waterfall, this time from a different perspective. I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time as I got the light I was chasing and a rainbow to boot!

     

    Check it out now on my YouTube channel, click the pic below to go straight to the video.

     

  • Photographing Iceland – Arriving in Iceland

    Photographing Iceland – Today is the day I finally arrive in Iceland to begin my photographic journey. Flying from London to the capital Reykjavik, then by car to southern Iceland.

     

    Check it out now on my Youtube channel, click the pic below to go straight to the video 🙂

     

    Iceland

  • Photographing Iceland – First Stop London!

    “CRANES!”

     

    After arriving in London I now have a few days to kill before jetting off to Iceland. Shaking off the jet lag quickly, I decide to do some long exposure photography around the Thames River at night.

     

    Check it out now on my YouTube channel, click the pic below to go straight to the video 🙂

     

    London Photograpy

  • Hooker Valley Track – New Zealand

    For so many years I have wanted to hike along the Hooker Valley Track in New Zealand.  I was fortunate enough recently to make my dream come true.  In April this year, on a perfect Autumn day, my wife and I set out to do the 8 km (5 mile) 4 hour round trek to the base of Mount Cook and Hooker Lake via the Hooker Valley Track and let me tell you … it was SPECTACULAR!

     

    Hooker Valley Track
    Mount Cook Road heading towards the Hooker Valley Track past Lake Pukaki.

     

    It was everything I dreamt it would be.  Besides the jaw dropping alpine scenery, I was also witness to avalanches (from a distance),  flowing streams, suspension bridges, wildlife, icebergs (yes, icebergs!) and of course seeing Mount Cook up close is something else.

     

    Hooker Valley Track
    You’ll find the trails on the Hooker Valley Track are well maintained. Just love that view!

     

    I chose to travel light in terms of camera equipment.  I took my Nikon D800 and Sony RX100 Mark 3 and a smaller lighter tripod.  This paid off in the end because I have gone on much longer hikes with a full camera kit and lenses.  At the end of those hikes my legs felt like jelly, on this hike I felt really good and still energetic at the end.

     

    Hooker-Valley-Track
    From every angle, every view point, the landscape is just stunning.

     

    Hooker Valley
    Beautiful suspension bridges along the Hooker Valley Track. They’re bouncy and fun!

     

     

    Hooker Valley Track
    The Stocking Stream Shelter is at about the three quarter way mark into the Hooker Valley Track.

     

     

    Hooker Valley Track
    Mount Cook and the surrounding mountains reflect into the Alpine Tarn. Taken with my Nikon D800 and 14-24mm lens.

     

    Here are some tips regarding the Hooker Valley Track.  Firstly, make sure you take some food and water.  Just snacks would be enough to get you by.  I took a large Gatorade, a pre made sandwich, nut bar and packet of chips.  I found that more than enough to keep me rolling along.  Secondly, make sure you have sunscreen and a good quality brand insect repellent, especially in the early morning or late evening.  Thirdly, DON’T RUSH, I was moving along at a pretty fast pace going in on the track and I wish I would have walked slower because you come to the end soon enough at Hooker Lake.

     

    Hooker-Valley-Track
    Nice place to stop for a rest and bite to eat don’t you think?

     

     

    Hooker Valley Track
    Icebergs float in Hooker Lake at the base of Mount Cook on the Hooker Valley Track.

     

    I would describe the hike somewhere between easy to moderate.  Let me put it this way, I saw 70 something year old people with walking canes passing me going back towards the main campsite, so my immediate thoughts of what lay before me fitness wise were instantly relieved.  I had trained for months beforehand, but in the end I didn’t really need it.  What you will notice is the hike in is a bit harder than the hike out due to the ever so slight upwards grade to the base of Mount Cook and Hooker Lake.

     

     

    Hooker Valley Track
    Long exposure shot with 10 stop ND filter, a stream flows off Hooker Lake. Mount Cook in the distance.

     

    Have you been to the Hooker Valley Track?  Perhaps you’re thinking of doing it soon?  If so, I’d love to hear from you and your experience in the comments below.  Please feel free to say hello.

     

    For more photos and adventures please follow my Instagram account @adrianalfordphotography or check out my Facebook page – Adrian Alford Photography.  Thanks for reading 🙂

     

    Hooker Valley Track – dream accomplished.

     

    Hooker Valley Track

     

  • New Zealand images now available to view

    Friends, it’s been a while since I’ve posted on my blog, but I am happy to announce I have now

    uploaded my New Zealand images under the Travel tab above or you can click here.  For the beautiful panoramas click here.

    I had so much fun while capturing these and also fine tuning in the post production process.  I hope you enjoy and please leave feedback if you wish.

    I have more adventures planned for the future so stay tuned.

    Your friend behind the lens

    Adrian

  • Day 9 Queenstown

    Glorious sunrise this morning.  Incredible colours of pink and purple as the sun came up over The Remarkables.

     

    Well after getting engaged yesterday and a long night of celebrating I took it easy today and just cruised around the Queenstown area itself with the camera.

     

    I mostly took shots over in the botanic gardens area and did a lot with the GoPro today in terms of time lapse videos.  Look forward to putting them together when I get home.

     

    Finished the day off with casual cruise on the TSS Earnslaw (a 100 year old steam ship) across Lake Wakatipu with my new fiancé.  Perfect end to another wonderful day here.

     

    Last day tomorrow.  So sad to be leaving but will make the absolute most of my last day shooting.

     

    Sunrise