AndyLeighton.com | Photography

Andy Leighton's photography blog, featuring images and content from travel, people, nature etc

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NZ Aviation

March 25, 2016 by andy

Outside the the Gibson Aero Ltd Hanger, Te Anau, New Zealand. ZK-HKL, Joe Faram, Rod Hall Jones (instructor), Peter Brenssell (student pilot)

I have worked in and around aviation, mostly helicopters for a large part of my working life in one way or another. In New Zealand with search and rescue, hunting, sphagnum moss, agriculture, and gaining my pilots licences for helicopter and fixed wing. I also spent a number of years in the West Australian outback […]

Filed Under: Aviation, Blog, New Zealand

HDR Photography what is it?

December 16, 2015 by andy

Photographic example of the steps to produce an HDR picture

Some or most of you are probably wondering what’s the difference between a normal photograph and an HDR photograph … Without getting into too much of the technical’s, a normal photo has a limited dynamic range of light, so we see a loss of detail in areas of darkness and light in the picture. An […]

Filed Under: Blog, HDR Photography

HDR Photography Hong Kong

December 16, 2015 by andy

I stopped over in Hong Kong for a few days on a recent overseas trip and thought I would return to Victoria Peak to try out a few HDR pictures. It’s a pleasant but steep 15 minute ride in the Peak Tram before arriving at the top, named Peak Tower. I had taken a few […]

Filed Under: Blog, HDR Photography, Hong Kong

HDR Photography Japan

December 15, 2015 by andy

I arrived in Japan about a week after the devastating and tragic 2011 March earthquake/ tsunami. I stayed in the southern regions to keep away from the developing situation up north around the affected Sendai areas, and from Kyoto south on the surface daily life seemed as normal, except for the very reduced numbers of […]

Filed Under: Blog, HDR Photography, Japan

HDR Photography Philippines

December 15, 2015 by andy

It was my first time to visit the Philippines, before I left I had read the scam horror stories, the drink and food spiking warnings and finally the Government travel websites not recommending travel to the Philippines because of terrorism, unsafe ferries and dangerous public transport … so it was with a little unease that […]

Filed Under: Blog, HDR Photography, Philippines

HDR Photography South Korea

December 14, 2015 by andy

HDR picture – Kyung Hee University is a private university in South Korea that is considered as one of the top institutions of higher learning in Asia. Seoul, South Korea

This was my third visit to South Korea, I always find the people there incredibly friendly to travellers and they will often go out of their way to make sure you get to where you want to go or find what you are looking for. I took this HDR picture from the Hyundai Residence Hotel […]

Filed Under: Blog, HDR Photography, South Korea

Sphagnum Moss

November 29, 2015 by andy

What is it? There has been a sphagnum moss industry on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island for a number of years. The numerous swamps and high rainfall makes for ideal growing conditions. In New Zealand sphagnum moss is harvested by hand and exported worldwide for use as hanging basket liners, as a […]

Filed Under: Blog, New Zealand, Sphagnum Moss

Mountain Search and Rescue

November 10, 2015 by andy

From the bush and mountain skills gained during my hunting experience, I was able to be part of my local Greymouth Mountain Search and Rescue Organization for around 10 years. We were a group of experienced hunters and trampers (hikers) that volunteered to be on call 24/7. Often we would get the call in the […]

Filed Under: Blog, Mountain Search and Rescue, New Zealand Tagged With: mountain search and rescue, new zealand, westland

Hunting Tips

November 4, 2015 by andy

I want to say first off that these tips are general principles and some of the points could be downright dangerous if you are hunting in a country with potential man killers. You will need to know the individual habits of the animal you are hunting. Bears, cougars, lions, will need different hunting skills and […]

Filed Under: Blog, Hunting, New Zealand

A Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto, Japan

October 25, 2015 by andy

I spent a couple of pleasant days photographing along and around Kyoto’s Philosopher’s Walk (or Path). The path can be walked in an hour or so if you only follow the pathway along the canal, but you can spend a day or more if you try to see all the attractions in the area. The […]

Filed Under: Attractions, Blog, Japan, Kyoto, Kyoto, Philosophers Path

Hunting in New Zealand

October 25, 2015 by andy

I was brought up with firearms and learned to use and respect them from around 12 years old.  My father bought me a BSA Meteor air rifle when I was still at school and he would take me out rabbit shooting with it below the Waimakariri River Gorge near Christchurch. As soon as I was […]

Filed Under: Blog, Hunting, New Zealand

Christchurch Earthquake 8 Months Later

October 25, 2015 by andy

Filed Under: 2011 Christchurch Earthquake, Blog, Christchurch, Disasters, New Zealand

Travel Friends

October 25, 2015 by andy

The Shot Bar Rugal in Tobata near Fukuoka in Japan is a friendly, cosy bar and cafe with delicious homemade food, serving a wide selection of local and international drinks. The owner of Bar Rugal, Munehisa (pictured in the photo behind the bar) will be sure to make you feel comfortable and relaxed during your […]

Filed Under: Blog

Should I Travel to the Philippines

October 25, 2015 by andy

The Philippines has it all, beautiful secluded beaches, tropical green forests and rivers, a friendly outgoing people, and then there are the poor people, city slums, smog filled traffic choked city streets, city scam artists, the risk of robbery, food and drink spiking, and even kidnapping by terrorists groups in the Southern Islands. In spite […]

Filed Under: Blog, Philippines

Japan 2011 Tohoku Earthquake/ Tsunami, Kesennuma 2 years on

August 16, 2015 by andy

I was in Japan the week of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, but stayed in Tokyo and the southern areas avoiding the developing disaster in the northern parts of Japan. On another trip to Japan in April 2013 I did visit the tsunami affected areas, there had been a massive clean up since 2011 […]

Filed Under: 2011 Earthquake Tsunami, Blog, Disasters, Japan

Whaling in Japan

February 21, 2015 by andy

Japan_Factory_Ship_Nisshin_Maru_Whaling_Mother_and_Calf

 Japanese whaling in terms of active hunting of these large mammals, is estimated by the Japan Whaling Association to have begun around the 12th century. However, Japanese whaling on an industrial scale began around the 1890s when Japan began to participate in the modern whaling industry, at that time an industry in which many countries […]

Filed Under: Culture, Japan Stories, Whales and Dolphins

Perth Lightning Show

February 8, 2015 by andy

An impressive display of Perth lightning, not a usual sight for the summer months in Perth, more like the wet season in Northern Australia, 2nd February 2015

Perth weather put on an uncharacteristic lightning show recently, more suited to the Wet Season in the likes of Darwin. We get lightning here in Perth on odd occasions but this event was constant and continued for hours over 2-3 nights. It was my first attempt at lightning photographs, so I was lucky to be […]

Filed Under: Australia, Blog, Lightning, Nature, Perth Tagged With: 2nd February 2015, australia, east perth, lightning, night, perth

Kyoto Wedding Couple in Rickshaw

February 5, 2015 by andy

A Japanese bride and groom dressed in tradition wedding ceremony costumes ride along the footpath in a 'jinrikisha' or rickshaw in Kyoto, Japan

I was walking along the footpath after visiting the Hein Jingu Shrine, when I was almost run over by this newly married couple riding in a traditional ‘jinrikisha’ or rickshaw. It was being pulled along the path by a guy also in traditional costume with his head lowered either as humility for the newly weds […]

Filed Under: Blog, Japan, Kyoto, Weddings Tagged With: bride, costumes, groom, Japan, kyoto, rickshaws, smiling, weddings

HDR Toshogu Shrine in the Konchi in Temple, Kyoto, Japan

February 5, 2015 by andy

A photograph of the Toshogu Shrine, Konchi in Temple grounds, Kyoto, Japan

The picture above is of the Toshogu Shrine in the Konchi in Temple grounds in Kyoto, Japan. Due to a bright overcast cloudy day the underside of the roof is very under exposed and there is no detail of the wooden rafters that are hidden in the darkness. The grey tiled roof is over exposed […]

Filed Under: Blog, HDR Photography, Japan, Kyoto, Shrines and Temples Tagged With: hdr, Japan, kyoto, shrines and temples, toshogu shrine

Baclayon Church Proper Attire

February 5, 2015 by andy

An old paper notice describing the accepted dress codes in the Baclayon Church. Bohol Island, Philippines

This amusing old sign is in the Baclayon Church on Bohol Island in the Philippines, it describes what it calls the proper attire to be worn in the church generally and at weddings. By the style of the clothing it would seem to be from the 1970’s, with the displayed slacks and mini skirts. I […]

Filed Under: Blog, Bohol Island, Churches, Philippines, Signs Tagged With: baclayon church, bohol island, churches, clothes, old signs, philippines, signs

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