A new location near Middlehurst, July 2023
Fujifilm X-H2, 8-16mm zoom, 1/40 second @ f10, ISO 400
As you read this, Tony Hewitt and I are in between our two Middlehurst Art Photography experiences for 2023. As you'd expect at this time of the year in New Zealand, the weather has been variable with rain, sun and snow - perfect for our photography. However, it hasn't been as cold as it could be, but that is likely to change tonight as I write this!
Middlehurst is a working sheep and cattle station in the far north of the South Island. The first few times we visited, we lodged in rustic shearers' quarters, but today we're housed in a modern complex with heated floors and an on-site chef. It appears you no longer have to suffer to create great art!
But is our 'art' good enough to express the Middlehurst experience? One of the photographers this week suggested that we actually undersell the magic, indicating she thought Middlehurst was far better than she expected!
I know Tony and I love returning here and perhaps we feel a little guilty, hoping that sufficient photographers will sign up each year so we get to experience Middlehurst once again. But I guess how we convey that experience still challenges us, no matter how great we think our photographs are.
So, we will try to better sell the Middlehurst experience going forwards! In the meantime, we're taking advantage of the couple of days in between, enjoying Middlehurst and its surroundings. The photo above is a little location found not too far away that we have probably driven past a dozen times or more over the years, but on this occasion, we noticed the little pond and the surrounding trees.
It was a nice little discovery! And we're looking forward to starting our second Middlehurst experience next week!