Lake Heron Ladies Weekend May 2010
Friday 7th to Sunday 9th May 2010
I have been a member of CPS for six months. I embarked on my first club field trip with eight other women and, of course Chris, who is a wealth of knowledge. We left Christchurch around midday on Friday and meandered towards Mt Somers with lunch and a brief photo shoot along the way. A few of us learnt just what a polarizing filter can do for one’s image. From there we headed along Ashburton Gorge Road following the south branch of the Ashburton River to Hakatere, and on up past Maori Lakes towards Lake Heron to our shearers’ quarters accommodation at Castle Ridge Station. The original “Clent Hills Station” (which stretched from the Southern Alps to the west side of Mt Somers) recently became Hakatere, Mt Arrowsmith and Lake Heron Stations. Much of the higher ground reverted to the Crown (DOC) and is now known as the Hakatere Conservation Park.
After choosing a bed we were rounded up into two 4WD vehicles and headed off to Lake Emily where I tried out my new tripod. The weather and light were not on our side but it was a good introduction to field trip etiquette and to each other.
Beside a roaring fire we settled into our very warm accommodation. Thanks to Chris’s instructions on the time we needed to get up to catch the sunrise at Lake Heron some of us turned in early. The bunkroom soon became a sauna and consequently many of us had little sleep. Rain on the roof didn’t stop us from getting up when we heard Chris making sure we were awake. We gingerly sat on the shores of the lake waiting for the rain to stop. When the decision was made to head back for breakfast our car load decided to check out the south west side of the lake. To our surprise the rain stopped, so Jenny and I had Diana and Lesley’s expertise to ourselves while we captured the yellow willows and the foreshore.
After breakfast when we had thawed, we headed out as a group to Maori Lakes, Lake Roundabout and Lake Emma, then on to Lake Clearwater for lunch and finally further up the terminal moraine towards Erewhon Station. Maori Lakes provided the opportunity to capture reflections, reeds and purple colours reflecting from the morning’s ominous looking rain clouds. We learnt the basic skills of landscape composition. Lake Roundabout provided opportunities to capture Mt D’Archiac, vast tussock land, fence posts, gentians, matagouri flowers and brown aphids.
A disappointing sunset on Lake Heron meant an early glass of wine for some. Discussions into the evening included CPS competition rules, digital versus film/slide and, of course, viewing some images from the day.
Sunday began with a chilly calm sunrise and mist rising from the lake with resident swans and grebe’s calling. Lesley located some gentians. After breakfast we headed for new territory, including spider webs, berries, lakes, contrasting green horizons and vast tussocks in the Upper Maori Lakes area.
The trip provided a wonderful opportunity to take photographs with the technical help of many. The group was small and welcoming. Thanks to all who helped make my first weekend away without the kids so memorable. Instead I had my camera and tripod to look after!
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