Sleeping Face

Morning Glory - Northland, NZ

SAD TRACKS

There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.
Ansel Adams

Turbulent Waters

The Golden Flame, Rose & Butterfly Wings

Korowai

Textured

Golden Bird

Sand Aspect - Kaleidoscope II

Sand Aspect - Kaleidoscope I

Moon Jewel - Lunar Eclipse

The southern skies cleared nicely on Tuesday night allowing one to witness the rare sight of a lunar eclipse, a beautiful red jewel.

THE MATRIARCH I - Mother & Child

In one of those rare moments in the life of an amateur photographer (smile). Mother nature gifts a moment revealing to the eye the beauty of her mystery & creation, I call a God moment.

Only through nature do I begin to understand my place in this world and the universe. To look upon the natural forms created by the wind and rain creating beautiful lines, curves and textures in the sand, the experience is utterly humbling beyond words.

Ancient Face - Focus on Kauri - Photographic Competion

Above image a contrast layer mask is applied in
Adobe photoshop to lighten & pop detail of original.

Above Image Original photograph.

Last year a good friend a local resident who lives in Doubtless Bay - Coopers Beach, rang me to let me know that the Northland Kauri Fesitval folks were running a Focus on Kauri photographic competition to highlight and celebrate all things Kauri.

excerpt below from Northland Kauri Festival

Northland has a deep connection with kauri, with many relationships and stories to be shared. The Kauri Festival provides a way for these stories to be highlighted, celebrated, and experienced. Throughout the region the stories of the kauri and the peoples of the region are intimately intertwined - from the arrival of Maori several hundred years ago, through to the early settlers of the 1800's and up to the present time, the kauri has endured an ever evolving landscape. The trees are part of the living history that is Northland. They pre-date human existence in New Zealand. Their ancestors were mature specimens when dinosaurs roamed the land. Several of the world's largest living kauri trees are in Northland, including the largest Tane Mahuta, 51 metres high and over 1500 years old. It knew the ancient world of the Moa and the Huia.

I only had a couple of days to work with in which to look for a location & shoot a couple of photographs to submit before the competition date closed, knowing this and the short time to prepare I therefore placed no expectations on the outcome of any of my entries.

I was therefore pleasantly surprised when I received an e-mail from Des Cotman curator of the Far North Museum a couple of weeks later writing to convey heartfelt congratulations on my photograph receiving a Highly Commended award, most humbling, thank you.

Below I share an excerpt from the e-mail I received from Des Cotman.

From: Far North Regional Museum
To: Chana Hera Davis
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Subject: Re: Focus on Kauri - Photographic Competion

I was with the judge as he was making his choice and I know how impressed he was with your photos. I think it was the sense of mystery about them that caught his eye.

Des Cotman
Far North Museum

Sand Aspect II

A beautiful e-mail I received from a friend in Canada, Thank you, Carol your kind words touch & move my heart.

Monday, 7 May 2007

Beautiful, so beautiful the photographs. One that has captured me this day is sand aspect 11. I have taken it as heaven and earth meeting together...the whole...the connectedness...what beauty. And the color, the softeness...when I look into a field in the mid summer, there is this golden brown that moves thru the wind. I wonder what grain it is but it is the same golden as this photo. What beauty. Chana, you are an incredible artist....

Carol - Ontario, Canada

Lacquer

Sand Aspect V

Sand Aspect IV

Sand Aspect III

Sand Aspect II

Sand Aspect I

Golden Sand

Sunday, 22nd April 2007.

I spent the afternoon walking in and out, and, climbing up, over and down through sandunes, a few short kms heading north from the Waipapakauri off ramp.

I was not in a particulary good mood, however, despite this I did though take a shot of the sand (smile.)