This is probably the closest I’ll ever be to an Olympic Gold medal (unless eating becomes a sport). The Evers-Swindell twins at a parade in Napier honoring them. More images here.

To those who emailed asking about the shot: I wanted something different so I setup with a 300 and a 10-20 guessing everyone else would be shooting with a standard wide and telephoto. The shot above gives a nice isolation, you can see a gold medal, and you know instantly who it is. Shot at 300mm on a D2h, F4.5, 1/2000th and ISO400. Standing on a bollard in Emmerson street to get the height and angle for the shot. I swapped to a standard wide further up the street to get some close up shots.

Once again GT from the Hawkes Bay Today was having a great time…..

…..and did his best to be in as many photos as possible…..behind….

….or from the side……

….or just popping up….

Here Craig Bell (also from the HB Today) gets in on the act

A difficult rescue off a cliff at the Napier Centennial Gardens resulted in the unusual sight of the Lowe Walker Rescue Helicopter working over the Hill in Napier city. More photos here. Running the length of Priestley Terrace twice after 10pm was not as much fun as it sounds.

The image above was front page on Fridays HB Today. It was shot 70mm, hand held, VR on, ISO 800, F3.2, 1/10th sec and 1/1 flash.

Some more test shots looking for a good place to setup when the light is right on the snow covered Kaweka Ranges and the three trees landmark North of Napier.

1/125th at F11 and 400mm, hand held

Clear skies enabled a few test shots of the Taradale Clock tower getting ready for a future night when the light is just right.

5 Seconds at F8, 20mm with polarizer and graduated ND