new zealand Archives - Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens

The Best Photography Locations in Queenstown, New Zealand

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 06:02:18 +0000

Queenstown Photography Locations, New Zealand Be prepared to have your breath taken away by mountain scenery that’s simply inspiring from all angles. Flying into Queenstown is an experience in itself but the winding roads that venture through sheep filled paddocks, past river rapids and underneath snow-capped peaks are a photographer’s wonderland. This guide to Queenstown’s best photography locations is based on my experience from three visits in varying seasons. Just as the snow began to gently fall over the autumn coloured forests and harsh rocky mountain tops and twice in the middle of winter. Here are my picks for the best photography locations in and around Queenstown, New Zealand. I could easily list another 50 but if you’re visiting for a few short days or spending some time skiing on the slopes then these 18 locations will ensure you have a great range of landscape photographs to showcase the magic of real middle earth. As always, lets begin with a map so you know where you’re heading… Map: The Best Photography Locations in Queenstown #1 Wilson Bay To kick things off I’m listing my favourite spot first, Wilson Bay. A scenic cove nestled on the banks of Lake Wakatipu, it’s an...

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The 48hr Guide to Queenstown’s Photo Spots

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 03:48:16 +0000

Queenstown Photography Locations Queenstown, New Zealand is somewhere I’d usually recommend you spend a lifetime in preference to a weekend. It’s the kind of place you arrive and instantly realise you’re somewhere special. That said, if you’ve only got a few days to explore then don’t fear, you can still cover a lot of ground! One of the beautiful things about Queenstown is that upon arrival you’re already somewhere photogenic. The airport sits beneath the spiked peaks of The Remarkables so even the first photo you take is going to be a keeper, not to mention the shots you’ll capture from the flight! Back in October I spent 48hrs on a photography adventure with Olympus Australia and the new OM-D E-M10 Mark III camera for the #NeverStopTheJourney campaign. We set out with an itinerary to hit up as many photogenic locations as we could to showcase not only the capabilities of the camera, but the beauty of Queenstown and its surrounding photo spots all the way from Glenorchy to Wanaka…so way more than just Queenstown alone. So… if you find yourself in Queenstown with just 48hrs to capture as much as possible I wanted to share our itinerary and locations....

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Behind the Lens: Lake Hawea, New Zealand

Lisa Michele Burns — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 02:14:06 +0000

When visiting New Zealand I always buy a pair of gum boots upon arrival for this very location. Lake Hawea is my special spot. A landscape that never fails to wow me even though it rarely changes. It’s a constant beauty that’s as reliable as water in the ocean. It’s peaceful, silent and dazzles with mountain views. Without fail though, I’m always rushing to get here. Aiming for sunset and driving from Wanaka I always get distracted by the scenery on route. Even though I know how long the drive takes and know the exact spot I’m heading, it’s always a mad dash to capture those pastel sunset colours before they blend into a curtain of darkness. The photos may look like I’m all chill and calm but inside I’m puffing like a pug dog in summer. If there was ever anyone around they’d witness me running like a clutz across the stone shores in gum boots…you know that super ladylike sprint where you have to lift your entire leg with each movement so you don’t trip and fall face first because your shoes are so damn huge? I’m also doing this run while carrying a tripod, camera, backpack full...

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Visual Hotel Review: Hotel St Moritz, Queenstown

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 00:17:39 +0000

great rates hereArriving in darkness I knew we were in for a sunrise like no other on our first day in Queenstown. Like kids on Christmas morning, we ran straight to the window to peel open the curtains and reveal the scene that was waking behind. Rugged mountain peaks with a fresh coating of snowy goodness stood tall above the teal perfection of Lake Wakatipu. Sunshine was slowly crawling into the valleys as the snow began to glisten in it’s morning glow. It immediately confirmed our suspicions…winter in Queenstown is like being in a real world snow globe. Lets rewind though to the previous night when my sister and I checked into the luxe Hotel St Moritz, part of Accor’s MGallery collection. The entrance was reminiscent of a European ski village with stone and wood blending by a log fire where people sat sipping mulled wine. Hello winter perfection! Opening the door to our Alpine Suite we were blown away by the size and grandeur. If you can imagine two squealing adults running from room to room in disbelief, thinking so many thoughts but only managing to say ‘eeee’. This was us. Calming down enough to soak it all in, the...

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New Zealand: The Red Jacket Journal

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 08:06:13 +0000

New Zealand is a country fit for outdoor adventures. As the snow covered landscapes unfolded before our eyes and the mountain peaks appeared one after another, we let out the usual ‘eeek’ of excitement about the days of exploring we had ahead. Wandering through rivers, lakes and fields filled with sheep we spent every waking minute outside with gum boots on our feet and a red jacket on to keep warm. Wind proof, water proof and of course picture ready, the red jacket will be a fixture in my photos as I explore colder climates around the world. For now, take a peek into the first red jacket journal amongst the landscapes of Queenstown and Wanaka, New Zealand… Want your own red jacket? Mountain Designs is where the goods are at! For the exact jacket pictured, take a peek here – Lipstick Red GORE-TEX Jacket Don’t forget to use the hashtag #thewanderinglens to share your adventures on Instagram! Thanks to Mountain Designs for providing the perfect jacket for my project…where to next!? Finnish Lapland perhaps…

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How to Prepare for an Adventure Photography Hike

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 09:00:39 +0000

How to Prepare for an Adventure Photography Hike Photographing incredible landscapes and scenic vistas is sometimes only possible by getting amongst the elements and having a little adventure. If you’re all about finding the best view, want to photograph the details people walk past on the hiking trail or just like venturing that tiny bit further to see what’s on the other side; this post is for you! Being prepared for an adventure photography trip is essential to ensure you can enjoy the experience and focus on your photographs rather than your equipment and clothing. Once you’ve decided on where you’re going it’s just a matter of being aware of the conditions you might come across, what type of photos you’re hoping to take and then comes the fun part…shopping! I don’t know about you but there is something about visiting a camping or outdoors store that makes me feel like the trip is already starting. Or is it just me that hides in the tents at Anaconda? Recommended Photo Hikes in Australia + New Zealand Kondalilla National Park, Queensland A great hike to waterfalls and beautiful lush mountain scenery high in the Maleny Ranges. Whitsunday Island National Park, Queensland...

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Shooting stars and Aurora Australis in Wanaka, New Zealand

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 04:00:04 +0000

After a day exploring Wanaka with a helicopter ride to Roy’s Peak, panoramic views over the majestic Aspiring National Park and a sunset gathering with some of the world’s best photographers at the infamous ‘That Wanaka Tree’, we heard whispers the Aurora Australis was on its way. Seriously!? Could Wanaka get any more amazing? Apparently so. The Aurora Australis (aka Southern Lights) are best viewed when facing south so Wanaka’s Eely Point Recreational Reserve was our pick for the evening’s vantage point. Aurora’s occur when highly charged particles enter the atmosphere resulting in a natural light show across the sky typically near the North or South Poles. I’ll confess straight up, despite being a professional photographer I had never perfected astrophotography, heck I hadn’t even attempted to do so as I love the sunshine and water so much that I preferred to let the experts capture the stars. This all changed once astro genius’ Brent Purcell and Shaun Jeffers showed me the settings before the Aurora Australis began. Down by Lake Wanaka with no lights and only our phones to shine on the camera, the settings were put in place and I tested my infinity focus to be sure it...

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Exploring New Zealand – Wanaka + Queenstown

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 00:32:36 +0000

Imagine mountain peaks dusted with snow, glaciers, alpine lakes and landscapes that will have you filling memory cards quicker than you can say ‘wow’. This is only the start of New Zealand’s offerings. I’ve been exploring the incredible scenery from Christchurch to Wanaka and Queenstown for the past few days and wanted to share a little photo summary of my adventures with you all. Eating and being indoors have taken a backseat to the endless opportunities for photographs with my days spent travelling from lakes to mountains, rocky streams to snow covered paddocks…I really can’t get enough! Take a peek below at a small collection of images captured along the way…there will be loads more coming shortly from this trip along with photo location guides and photography tips for shooting so keep an eye out.

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The 12 Best Places to Photograph Around the World: Travel Bloggers Reveal

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 08:00:18 +0000

It’s no secret the world is rich in enough beautiful destinations to keep even the most intrepid location scouter happy for a lifetime of photo adventures. From tropical islands to desert plains, bustling cities and snow caves, the possibilities are endless when it comes to choosing your next destination to visit and photograph. To share a little of their worldly wisdom, I reached out to my favourite travel bloggers to reveal the one place they couldn’t put their camera down. I wanted to know where that incredible landscape, town, country or mountain range was that blew them away on their travels and kept them clicking the camera shutter. For some it’s an exotic African landscape and others it’s a special place closer to home…take a look below to discover the best places to photograph around the world according to these travel professionals! #1 Iceland: Kiersten Rich – The Blonde Abroad “Iceland is quickly becoming to go-to destination for travelers of all kinds, but particularly for photographers. I was so enchanted with Iceland’s otherworldly beauty and natural wonder, I could hardly find a single moment to put my camera down. Between glaciers, puffins, waterfalls, geysers and the Northern Lights, it’s a...

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Top 15 Destinations of 2014

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 06:17:06 +0000

Travel is a funny thing. It’s addictive, exciting, insightful, exhausting, empowering and one of the best things you can experience in a lifetime. Having the opportunity to see another part of the world opens your eyes to cultures different from your own, to a lifestyle you never dreamt of and scenes that take your breath away. Whether it’s down the road or across the world, exploring new destinations is a big part of personal growth and one of the main reasons I created The Wandering Lens. I would love to have even just a little part of encouraging people to go on adventures, take a flight and go somewhere you’ve never been before. In 2014 I photographed in some amazing destinations and for the past few days over on Instagram I’ve been counting down my top 15 locations with a favourite photo from that special spot. Looking back over the thousands if not millions of photographs my little camera has taken this year brings back the excitement of so many amazing moments, some where standing on top of mountains, others were standing on cobblestoned streets and the rest were under the sea. Here are my top 15 destinations for 2014, each...

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