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de Havilland Vampire

In New Plymouth we are lucky because there are two of these jets in flying condition and often in fine weather only of course , they are to be seen swooping through the sky. I am doubly lucky because I know a pilot who flies them and he has introduced me to the man who owns both aircraft. The second one he recently picked up in Switzerland. It’s ex-Swiss Airforce.

These planes mean a great deal to me, not only because they were part of my boyhood when the RNZAF flew some, but because I always get a thrill out of seeing elegant engineering. When there is such a pure blend of form and function, of such clarity of design, I feel in the presence of sculpture.

So reliable were these planes, and so smooth to fly, that the RNZAF never lost a single one. There were about 4,400 built of which more than 80 are still flying. Anyone visiting the Ohakea Airforce Museum can see a slightly dissected one. Two things are surprising. How little they are, and how much of the body is made of laminated wood.

You can view my current exhibition at the McNamara Gallery or you can listen to my recent interview on Radio NZ.

After my interview on Radio NZ, David Eggleton talked about his new book Into The Light; a History of New Zealand Photography.

Wanganui Opening.

Don’t recognise who this group is on the left, apart from seeing the corner of my head.
The trio on the the right are however, Paula Frost, Jan Bieringa and Peter Simpson.

Wanganui exhibition.

I returned Sunday afternoon from an exhibition at the McNamara Gallery in Wanganui. Here are three snaps taken by Luit Bieringa, who very kindly sent them on to me last night. Personally I felt that it was the crispest exhibition that I’ve ever had.

There was a lovely group of people there, thirty at the most, but several drove the two hours from New Plymouth, one flew from Auckland, and others came by car from Wellington.

Marlborough Daisy

This is growing in a street planting near me. Last year I took this photo, but wasn’t entirely happy with it. Right now, though the plants are reaching the same stage again so I will go down the road and have another attempt.

In 1985 I did the lower version, which I did like. The original is not quite as dark and contrasty as this. It was taken in Otari Gardens, a native plant reserve in Wellington.

Tree roots are a topic that I often photograph. they seem to hold something for me. Here are a couple from the last two or three years. On Sunday I tried to make a photograph of some but it didn’t work out. No doubt I will try again.

Kereru
This native pigeon is sitting on the powerlines outside my studio, on a perch that is directly above my neighbours guava tree. The tree is, during the fruiting time, a daily feeding station for two or three kereru. The only down side is the concern at how far and wide they are spreading the seeds of this rather invasive tree.

Poppies
Much of my life I have been interested in plants, and this interest is often reflected in my photography. These are the buds of Iceland Poppies, an out of fashion flower, which my parents used to grow for the house. This year I decided that I would try to grow some for myself. I bought about 40 plants and put them into the magnificent Taranaki soil that I have a small patch of. They did not simply grow, they erupted and for four months I was able to pick a bunch most days. Only in the last week have they come to an end so now I have to wait for the autumn before I can repeat the experience. One of the greatest joys of having such an abundance of blooms was being able to give them to neighbours and friends.

Bulls
I came across a friend’s collection of these tiny plastic bulls. They used to be on a string around the neck of bottles of Spanish wine, perhaps they still are. I arranged them on a Formica table and made this tiny little photo.