New Zealand - Spring Break Photography

nature landscape riverscape & fly fishing

Nov 20 - Dec 5 - 2012

I spent two weeks enjoying the wonderful grandeur of New Zealand's south island, in springtime, photographing and fly fishing for brown trout. The majestic scenery on the drive down the west coast from Nelson to Queenstown was amazingly beautiful.

I caught, photographed and released my largest and prettiest trout on the first day, before the unusually windy and rainy weather set in. There was no shortage of beautiful sights to admire, birdlife was as plentiful as the trout, and I hope to return someday.

New Zealand south island Alps close up telephoto with snowy peaks

wintry peaks

Eucalyptus trees and snowcapped peaks, an unusual combination

warm valleys

Dense foliage creates a tunnel view photographed with a telephoto lens

country lane

New Zealand green hillsides dotted with sheep

happy sheep

A farmers truck parked on a hillside put the size of the green hills into perspective

glowing hills

Grazing sheep and snowcapped mountain view from the back deck of my rental cottage

view from my rental cottage

New Zealand spring creek flows through an idyllic scene with spring wildflowers in the mix

heavenly

Spring foliage reflected upon a New Zealand spring creek trout stream

dream stream

Small yellow wildflower close up macro photograph

wildflower

yellow wildflower

solar powered

New Zealand spring creek with snowcapped mountains in the background and spring wildflowers in the foreground

spring creek

Gorgeous New Zealand brown trout with color and spots provide underwater camouflage

camouflage

Feisty and beautiful New Zealand brown trout caught on a dry fly, photographed and released unharmed

beautiful brown trout - my net was too small

Close up macro photo of beautiful glowing brown trout scales

glowing scales

Amazingly clear water provides a pure and healthy environment for trout to thrive

inviting

Large weeping willow trees line a beautiful New Zealand river

willow view

Pretty 22” New Zealand brown trout, photographed and released

glowing beauty

glowing New Zealand brown trout scales close up macro photo

close up

close up photo of a beautiful New Zealand brown trout face using a Nikon D800 camera and Nikon 200mm macro lens

another beauty

Macro close up photo of brown trout cheeks with glowing blue halos around the spots

glowing cheeks

Fly fishing in New Zealand is pure delight

pure air, pure water, pure delight

David casting dry flies to hungry trout

pure New Zealand

Brown trout swimming the shallows

nice brown trout

Over under water fly fishing photo of a nice brown trout

nice catch

Ari Hart Trilogy fly reel in action

quick snapshot

Underwater photograph of a brown trout being released

release

David Lambroughton fly fishing a New Zealand estuary where a spring creek meets the ocean

where the river flows into the sea

Graham Owen fly fishing New Zealand

my smallest fish

Silvery brown trout caught and released in salty water by the Tasman Sea

bright little brownie who lives by the sea

Mount Cook rises above the rugged New Zealand coastline

wild and rugged coastline

Kotuku a New Zealand White Heron in flight along the river Waitangiroto

Kotuku - New Zealand White Heron - Egretta Alba Modesta

New Zealand White Heron flying above sand binding pingao plants

cruising effortlessly

White Heron photographed in flight close up

graceful flight

Three young gulls in playful flight

curious gulls

Playful young gulls in flight

playful flight

New Zealand gull in flight with pretty red eyelids and bill

pretty eyes

Male Paradise duck in flight with wings up

Paradise duck in flight

New Zealand Paradise duck in flight

Paradise duck drake

Paradise duck hen swimming in a cool clear stream

Paradise duck hen

Four wild Paradise ducking’s swimming along eating bugs

cute little duckling's, swam right past me, chasing bugs, ignoring their parents frantic calls

Baby Paradise duckling close up photo

so cute

Three male Oystercatchers perform a mating dance to entice a mate

oystercatcher spring mating dance

Oystercatcher in flight

glowing eyes

Mataura River willow trees

nice day

wind swept lake

windswept

Plant life grows prolifically in New Zealand, where trees in some places are covered with an assortment of ferns, foliage and lichens

prolific foliage

New Zealand fern trees

fern forest

submerged underwater trout stream foliage

underwater foliage

Thunder Creek waterfall New Zealand south island

Thunder Creek

Beautiful New Zealand valley view

valley view

view from the grocery store parking lot in Queenstown New Zealand

mountain view

Aerial airplane view of Lake Wakatipu departing Queenstown New Zealand

Departing Queenstown - Lake Wakatipu

It was a fun trip!

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