Malcolm and Yvette

Well, it has now been done.
We have a large bridge in this town, it crosses the biggest river in New Zealand, the Clutha. However, it has not always been here. Before 1956, I think it was, the river was crossed using a single lane swing bridge, with piers made from schist, the local rock. These piers still stand in the river.
For some years I have wanted to stand a bride and her new husband on one of these old piers to take a photo. Malcolm and Yvette jumped at the chance to do something a bit different, as she knew she would not be wearing a big white dress, and they thought with a bit of help from their friends, they would be able to do it. It all depended on how high the river would be. Up a bit would be an advantage, too low would be problem, but solvable. In the end, getting there was relatively easy.
So I took some photos like this one, then rushed around to the other side, put on a longer lens, and took more photos looking through both piers.
I was quite pleased with the results, though now I have done it, I can think of all the things I should have done. Never mind. I can save these for the future.
I also must have a look at it when the sun is fully on it, as I am not sure we would have got the same results in full sun.
Thank you Malcolm and Yvette for having a go. It was good fun. In fact the whole day was good fun.

Portrait of a Nation

Some months ago I got a phone call from one Graham Stewart. Now I know several Graham Stewarts, so I had to listen for a few minutes to find out what this one wanted. He is writing a book, he says, and wants me to do some photos for it. He seemed to be well spoken and seemed to know what he was talking about, so I agreed. He then emailed me some photos and wanted my photos taken from exactly the same places.
One of them, a photo of Cromwell long before the lake was formed, was a bit of a challenge. My son put the photo Graham had sent onto his laptop, and when we got to the correct position found that to do the same photo I would have to be in the lake. So the photo finished up about 3 metres higher than the original. Other photos of Clyde and the Alexandra bridge were not so challenging, and with a bit of care we could get to the correct positions. What I could not do was create the same image. In the days of black and white, the negatives were big, and the lens recorded everything 'flatter' than modern lens do. Anyway, I took a selection and sent them to Graham.
Last week I got a copy of his book "New Zealand - Portrait of a Nation", and was chuffed to see that the photo of Alexandra bridge was on the front cover. However, it is inside the cover the real treasure lives. Graham has collected old photos, then toured the country to get the modern view, and has made a brilliant job of it. I do not want to spend hours here praising it, I would just recommend you go and get a copy.
Well done Graham Stewart.

Kirk and Ann-Marie

Generally I ask before I put any one's photo on this blog, but sometimes the message does not get through. This photo was taken in early February.
Kirk is a Holden man. He has a Team Holden jacket, and drives a Holden himself. How did he feel then, when Ann-Marie arrived at the wedding in a 1930's Ford.
I don't think he cared.
When I do photos of the cars for a wedding, I always put the drivers in as well. After all, they got us there, and may as well be recorded along with their wheels.
In the above photo, the bridge just fits as a frame for three cars, (two Fords and one Holden), and the expanded group.
It was getting hotter when we took this photo, but it was the last before we headed to the reception. I must say the older car kept up with the rest.