Photo Blog

I have been posting images to this blog gallery daily since 1 January 2022 after previously posting a total of nearly 5,000 images to my first blog gallery from 2007 to 2021. I don't claim my blog images are 'fine art' nor do I consider them to be my 'greatest hits', but they are simply drawn from the broad cross-section of images I am capturing from day to day for my own pleasure. Please click or tap on any image thumbnail to see the full image, then click or tap on the title to see the full caption and technical image details. Questions or feedback are welcome by selecting the e-mail icon in the menu.

Heading over the deetch
Posted on 4 February 2023 At 168,666 gross metric tonnes perhaps the largest cruise ship to regularly visit New Zealand each summer, 'Ovation of the Seas' was setting out on a three-day voyage to Sydney as it was passing Steeple Rock on departure from Wellington Harbour on Wednesday afternoon. © 2023 Ross Collins

Coy
Posted on 3 February 2023 It was only later, when I was processing some images I had captured earlier in the day on Wednesday of a black shag which had been posing for me at the Oruaiti Reserve on the edge of Wellington Harbour, that the rich emerald green colour of its eyes became apparent. © 2023 Ross Collins

Taped up
Posted on 2 February 2023 The upper floors of a new apartment complex in Kilbirnie in Wellington's eastern suburbs appear to have been occupied by residential owners and tenants for some time, while retail premises at street level remain uncompleted. However the ground floor has provided me with a source of photography opportunities. © 2023 Ross Collins

In the thick of it
Posted on 1 February 2023 The tiny fishing boat 'Scorpio' was heading to sea yesterday as the Holland America Line cruise ship 'Noordam' was arriving into Wellington Harbour from Napier in a heavy fog. © 2023 Ross Collins

Taking me back
Posted on 31 January 2023 I have recently photographed and posted here an image of the Wellington skyline at daybreak but, last week, I couldn't resist capturing this slightly different crop in which the buildings appear to be spilling out from behind Point Jerningham. While in this view the city's tallest office building, the 29-floor Majestic Centre, dominates, for me the standout element is the classical period architecture of the Hunter Building at my alma mater, the Victoria University of Wellington. And I'm thinking, might this image make an interesting and challenging jigsaw puzzle? © 2023 Ross Collins

Make yourself at home, Connie!
Posted on 30 January 2023 The 'new' Bluebridge Cook Strait roll on/roll off ferry 'Connemara' was being accorded the customary water salute by the Centreport tug 'Tiaki' as it was arriving at Wellington yesterday morning at the end of its delivery voyage from Southampton via the Panama Canal. © 2023 Ross Collins

Something for everyone
Posted on 29 January 2023 I spotted an interesting assortment of sale items in the window of the local Salvation Army op shop. © 2023 Ross Collins

Gidday cobber!
Posted on 28 January 2023 Specialising in going where the big guys can't or don't, the compact Australian expedition cruise ship 'Coral Adventurer' was arriving at Pencarrow Head at the entrance to Wellington Harbour from Ship Cove in the Marlborough Sounds early yesterday before leaving for Hobart later in the day. © 2023 Ross Collins

It's been good to know you
Posted on 25 January 2023 Three of the RNZAF's six Lockheed P-3K2 Orion aircraft which, as No. 5 Squadron, are the service's Airborne Surveillance and Response Force (ASRF), included Wellington in a North Island flypast yesterday celebrating the service history of this aircraft dating back to 1966, as the programme to phase out and replace them with new Ohakea-based Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft is beginning. © 2023 Ross Collins

Ooh la la
Posted on 22 January 2023 Carrying a maximum of just 184 passengers, the expedition-style Compagnie du Ponant cruise ship 'Le Lapérouse' was entering Wellington Harbour for the first time this season in a blustery northerly wind on Friday. Passengers would have been hoping that this visit would be happier than the last when, on 19 March 2020, after abandoning its passengers, the vessel scampered out of port with just its crew to avoid a possible Covid lockdown. © 2023 Ross Collins

A warm welcome
Posted on 21 January 2023 The third Silversea Cruises cruise ship to visit Wellington this season, 'Silver Shadow' was caught by the first rays of the day's sunshine at the Front Leading Light as it was entering Wellington Harbour early yesterday. © 2023 Ross Collins

Blowin' in the wind
Posted on 20 January 2023 While perched high above Wellington Harbour waiting for some maritime action, as is often where I find myself, I was aware of these pussy willows nearby which, like me, were being subjected to a steady breeze on the top of the cliff we were sharing. It occurred to me that they might make an interesting photographic subject if I could freeze their movement. © 2023 Ross Collins

In a South Pacific paradise
Posted on 19 January 2023 After transferring a pilot to the tanker 'Grand Winner 1' which had been incoming from Daesan, South Korea, the crew of the Centreport pilot boat 'Te Haa' was taking advantage of the beautiful conditions in Breaker Bay in Wellington's eastern suburbs on Monday while awaiting the departure of the tanker 'Silver Emily' to retrieve its pilot. © 2023 Ross Collins

In the spotlight
Posted on 18 January 2023 Half an hour ahead of 'Viking Orion', which was pictured in yesterday's post, 'Grand Princess' had entered Wellington Harbour and was being caught in the first of Sunday's direct sunlight shining across the Orongorongo Range. © 2023 Ross Collins

Number three
Posted on 17 January 2023 'Viking Orion' was making its third visit of the 2022/23 Wellington cruise season (and the second arrival of the day) as it was passing up Wellington Harbour abreast of the Seatoun Wharf early on Sunday morning. © 2023 Ross Collins

Winner!
Posted on 16 January 2023 German Lucas Carstensen from the Thai-based Roojai Online Insurance Team was raising his arms in triumph as he was crossing the finishing line ahead of Luke Mudgway (Bolton Equities Black Spoke Team, centre) and Australian Matthew Rice (Ccache x Par Team, left) to win the traditional final stage of the New Zealand Cycle Classic yesterday - a 'Criterium' event raced around the closed-off streets of central Wellington. © 2023 Ross Collins

Gimme shelter
Posted on 13 January 2023 Shortly before the 'Queen Elizabeth' departed for Lyttelton on Wednesday, the Silversea Cruises vessel 'Silver Whisper' was arriving from Tauranga for what, I believe, was its first ever visit to Wellington. Originally scheduled to arrive at dawn the following morning, 'Silver Whisper' had aborted a visit to Picton earlier in the day and had been bouncing around in Cook Strait ever since. © 2023 Ross Collins

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