Andrew McDougall's photostream  

i shot this ratana temple in rateihi on my way south to the whanganui river in the north island of new zealand..the ratana movement is a māori religion and pan-tribal political movement founded by tahupotiki wiremu ratana in the early 20th century..whare whakamoemiti was the first miniature temple built outside ratana pa..ratana referred to this temple as his second door or gateway through which he passed many times

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arawhata road leads to a famous surf break in the north island of new zealand..photographed at sunset in a light onshore breeze..1 x 7 stitched image - metered exposure

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te mata peak has an amazing story to tell: many centuries ago the people living in a pa (fortified village) were under constant threat of war..at a gathering a wise old woman suggested that the leader of the waimarama tribes, a giant named te mata, could be made to fall in love with hinerakau - the daughter of a chief - and turn his thoughts from war to peace..te mata fell under the spell of the beautiful hinerakau..however the people of heretaunga had not forgotten the past and wanted revenge..they demanded that hinerakau make te mata prove his devotion by accomplishing seemingly impossible tasks..his last task was to bite through the hills between the coast and the plains..te mata died while eating his way through the hills..today his half-accomplished work can be seen as te mata peak

photographed at sunrise the morning before torrential rains broke a drought on the east coast of new zealand..2 x 11 stitched hdr (-1, 0, 1) tone mapped in photoshop

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raukokore's most notable feature is its anglican church - a landmark of the east cape region of new zealand..two day's after driving past the church in torrential rain i made the 100km return journey an hour after sunrise on new year's eve..3 x 3 stitched image - metered exposure

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te hoho rock, an ignimbrite sea stack, at sunrise from the cave at cathedral cove..as seen in the opening sequence of the movie prince caspian..this is the final photo i took on a photography trip to the north island of new zealand over christmas..ten frame stitched hdr image tone mapped using photomatix

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