TPOTY shortlist & Travis visits for the weekend

Got a nice email the other day to make up for Photo5 disappointment. One of my entries for the UK based Travel Photographer of the Year competition has been short listed (i.e. down to the final 25 entries). This is a big international competition and even if I don’t get any further at least it shows I’m doing something right. I’m short listed in the TPOTY New Talent Category and these are the photos that make up the portfolio:

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

Flat tyre, flat landscape.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

Camping in Patagonia.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

Campfire under the moon.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

A new day.

The weekend just gone saw Travis fly down from Auckland for a short two day visit. This coincided nicely with the All Whites “One shot for glory” match vs. Bahrain, so that sorted out Saturday night. After picking Travis up at the airport we drove out to Island Bay and found somewhere for some brunch. We ended up at a seaside place called The Bach and had some good food while watching the waves crashing. It was a windy day that just got windier, our post-brunch walk along Owhiro Bay watching sets of waves swell up and crash against the rocks.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

Owhiro Bay Waves

Heading home to Epuni we had lunch and played on the Wii. We had been thinking of getting the train in for the football but a review of the timetable (unhelpful not changed from a normal Saturday evening) and the thought of waiting a hour for a train after the match quickly changed our transport from train to car. So we drove in and parked by Catherine’s place, turning up early for our pizza dinner with Catherine, Paul, Keston, Jon and Greg. Once the pizza was eaten we (being Catherine, Jon, Travis, Keryn and myself) wrapped up and headed out to join the crowds walking to the stadium. There was quite a buzz and while it was cold and windy no one seemed to mind, the mood buoyant. Many people were dressed in white, a surprising number in boiler suits or coveralls.

Keryn and I had not been to an event in the Stadium before (the home show held in the concourse doesn’t count) and it was nice to see how minimal the fuss was getting past the gates and inside to our seats. We had good seats facing east pretty much in line with the 18 yard box for the home end in the first half. The good crowd mood continued inside the ground and the yellow seats of the stadium were soon enough almost gone behind a sea of white (with the occasional black) clothed people.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

Westpac Stadium packed for the World Cup qualifier

The game itself was great, the crowd really getting into the spirit of things with chanting and the obligatory ohs and ahs whenever the ball went near a goal. Bahrain started the better team in both halves but after weathering the storm the All Whites came back into the game more assured and looking the more dangerous. The crowd quickly cottoned on to the Bahrain play acting; the first foul resulting in a Bahrain player writhing around on the ground only to spring up and race away as soon as the free kick was awarded.

The All Whites goal came after a period of pressure on the opposition goal, a number of corners coming across and finally the perfect ball meeting the rising head of Rory Fallon and flying into the net. The crowd went nuts and with only a few minutes until half time the atmosphere was perfect at the break.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

Rory powers the ball home

There were anxious moments in the second half, especially when the All Whites conceded a penalty. Thankfully Mark Paston was up to saving the admittedly weak shot, another massive roar from the crowd and despair for the Bahrain team. The kiwis held on, near the end almost scoring again, and the referee called full time to send the All Whites on their way to the World Cup next year.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

White is the new Black?

Sunday morning we took Travis out to Kaitoke for a short walk. The weather wasn’t the best but thankfully the rain stopped as we started walking. We had the track to ourselves (most people were probably drinking at Toast Martinborough) and the sun even came out a couple of times. At the end of the walk we went own to the river and watched some ducks and a solitary duckling searching for food at the waters edge, all very peaceful.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

The Rivendell set for the Lord of the Rings movies was built around the bend of this river

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

Ducks of Kaitoke

Heading back towards Wellington we had some lunch at a bakery in Upper Hutt and then relaxed at home before heading into Wellington to meet Amanda and Jocelyn at the Parade Cafe. Jocelyn is getting married next year and Amanda had suggested I be considered as the photographer so we talked about requirements and also about Amanda’s forthcoming move up to Auckland.

With time to kill before Travis flew out we drove around Miramar and took photos at Hallswell Point and Seatoun with a flying visit to the Weta Cave (which I didn’t think would be open, but was) in between.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

The Hallswell Point Lighthouse

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

The Seatoun Marine parade Wharf

Travis was dropped off and flew out safely and we went home to again relax and watch a movie. Another busy weekend completed in windy Wellington.