Content with silence

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” | Ansel Adams

Coffee on film.

An Everyday Still Life, on film

Tokyo, in the rain & on film

Just your ordinary trip to a cat café..

Very dangerous-looking...

One of my favourite cats ever.

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Certainly one of the more bizarre places I have waited out a thunderstorm & downpour, that’s for sure….

My friend and I literally stumbled upon Calico Cat Café in Shinjuku. Finally I can say I’ve made it to a cat café…

Departures, Arrivals...

Endings/ beginnings

Back to it, after quite the hiatus, and not very much I can put into words.
Faithful inspiration from Week 20 + finishing off some black and white film as a long, humid summer evening drew to a close.

Aotearoa

Some of my favourite Kiwi film photos...

Whatever my disasters in this country, 

surrounded by a wilderness of ocean, 

these islands turn out to be 

the one place where I would wish to be...

Sylvia Ashton Warner

In a couple of days I am leaving New Zealand for a wee bit. Not forever always, as I know I will be back, hopefully sooner rather than later. But it's time to go home for a little bit and think about new opportunities. I am so excited to be home with my family but I have fallen in love with this place. This quote kind of sums it up

I sure will miss you  Aotearoa. See you soon xxx

Listening to all the things you can't hear...

“Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.”
― A.A. Milne

So this little photo diary has been on a bit of a break it seems! Life has got in the way a bit, sometimes in a bad way, sometimes in a good way. I guess a break from all things online isn't a bad thing- but I have missed taking more photos. Today I finally got a film developed, which had been languishing in my camera for ages. Rather than fretting over them, am just using these to break the creative ice. And yes, they are all about the food :) Very soon there will be big changes in my life and while that's a little scary, it's also an Adventure. To quote some more Winnie-the-Pooh (because why not), “When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an Adventure is going to happen.” {A.A. Milne}.

It's time to put my Big Boots on!

Underwater Love

We took an underwater film disposable-camera to Rarotonga, as we are nothing if not old-school. Most days my Dad & I took it kayaking on the lagoon with us and I love the adventures it captured. There are some pretty funny people shots- including the village fishing dogs who would swim out to the little motu islands but would hitch a lift back on your kayak if they could...but I liked the way the scenery shots came out, all wonky & dreamy.

Distance

Week 48

I never tire of taking pictures from the ferries in the Hauraki Gulf. This second shot I seem to take so many times; the first one is departing Waiheke Island {on a recent weekend}.

I know it is obvious but New Zealand is pretty darn far from everywhere. Not just some places, it is literally in the middle of nowhere. This distance is kind of what makes it great in some ways {unique...natural beauty....} but it is tough sometimes when you are an immigrant, which I guess I am; then again, as options loom, contemplating leaving and being far from here for a while is also a tough call. Geography sucks sometimes!

Kiwi Summer on Film Again {Wellington edition}

Long walks with good friends, excellent picnic tins, strange little buildings, dazzling, bleach-everything sun, not-as-red-as-I-thought rocks and the promise of a seal colony {who knows, we got too hot and turned back}. Excellent weekend Kiwi-ness. Also, this was apparently where Frodo, Sam and Gollum reached the Black Gate in The Lord of the Rings. So I've picnic-ed at the Black Gate! Choice, as they say here :)

Light breaks where no sun shines...

Week 47

...so says Dylan Thomas. Through the windscreen-while-moving {not, I hasten to add, driving myself} shots? Why not. Crazy light.

Coromandel {on film}

I loved our summer break in Whitianga. It's so beautiful, but it's the little things, being able to relax and spend time with my parents during their visit...I only wish it had been longer. My film photos are sun-drenched and hold such nice memories for me. Beautiful beaches, sitting reading in the shade, ice-cream, cute little sights on the way back from our favourite daily swim spot and finally the little ferry running back to Whitianga. I ❤ the Coromandel :)

On the horizon

Week 46

...hopefully lots of nice things after some challenging times. 

This pier has become one of my favourite vantage points- I think it has one of the loveliest Auckland sunset views.

Rarotonga {on film}

I love how these photos have come out. There is something about Fisheye camera + ISO 200 old film + Rarotonga which just equates to loveliness in my eyes.... Mind you, any camera plus Muri beach= a nice shot- what a stunning place. It has been as hot in New Zealand lately, but the appeal of hot, humid days somewhat wanes when you have you go to work... funny that ;)