When I arrived in New Zealand, of course, I did not know about many local attractions. For example, about these Moeraki Boulders or Dragon Eggs, as they are sometimes called. If I had known, I would have worn out in advance from the desire to stop near them for at least a couple of days — to watch the weather, take pictures during a couple of sunsets and sunrises, maybe at night dusk ... And of course, I would like get a better look at them during the day. After all, this is really something interesting and photogenic, and having arrived there for just one sunrise, I would be very disappointed if it turned out to be bad weather with gray skies and all that.
Fortunately, I did not know about the Moeraki Boulders, so I did not worry in advance — and the weather presented us with an excellent gift, showing the most magnificent sunrise, during which we saw almost all the morning colors that could be imagined: from the brightest and most dramatic to the gentle and calm.
Due to the fact that there are quite a few boulders and they are located in several picturesque groups or separately, you can make a variety of compositions with them in the foreground. You just need to walk a little along the coast (more precisely, to run in a hurry, trying to be in time everywhere, because how beautiful it is around!) and compete for successful places with a bunch of other photographers who came here for the same — take pictures of Dragon Eggs at dawn :) And I'm not kidding: I don't know if it's always like this, but there were really quite a lot of people that morning. But what can I do, I perfectly understand this, everyone wants to see beauty and capture it as a keepsake — on a phone or a camera, it doesn't matter.
But despite the rest people, there is still an opportunity not only to take a convenient place for shooting, but also simply to admire the spectacle of the waves lapping around them in the first rays of the rising sun. Maybe these boulders are not just concretions of a very solid age, grown, mineralized and then extracted by water from the sea bottom, but dragon eggs as ancient that they managed to become fossils? Well, at least dinosaurs eggs? Oh, it's hard to argue with science! :)
Anyway, if you want to see these wonderful boulders with your own eyes, you should go to the South Island and go down there along the east coast until you come across Moeraki Boulder Beach. The road goes along the coast, there is a fairly large parking lot by the beach and there is a cafe nearby. Of course, it does not work at dawn, but later in the morning, I think, it opens regularly. Of the settlements nearby, Moeraki and Hampden are located at a distance of about 3-4 kilometers from the beach, so you can stay here quite conveniently.
I would love to come there again for a couple of days: although, fortunately, in one single sunrise I got quite a lot of pretty photos from there (and that's not all, later, I think, I will post a few more), but I would not refuse to experiment more. In addition, my photography skills have improved over the past few years, and I would like to try twilight and night photography there ... Well, maybe someday :)
It's better to watch the photo in high resolution.
OLYMPUS E-M1 Mark II
Exposure time: 25 sec
Aperture: F 8
Sensitivity: ISO 64
Focal length: 19 mm
35 mm equivalent: 38 mm
You can also see my photos in my blog LJ and in my profile on NatGeo. You can read a short interview with me here.
Hi @sharker, I did not even know about this amazing natural phenomenon in NZ and now would love to go and visit to see them myself. Love your photography. Thank you for your post.
Hi @angiemitchell, thank you so much :)
I didn’t know about it either before my visit there. In fact, there are a few other places in the world that have such really impressive boulders. There are two more such places in New Zealand, for example, Koutu Boulders, and I've heard about the USA and several other countries. But getting from Australia to New Zealand is much easier, so I hope you will be able to make this visit soon :)
Wow, incredible shots
Thank you! I was really very lucky with that sunrise :)
These photos are magnificent! I love them!
I am so pleased to hear that! Thanks :)
Similar boulders can be found in the United States in several places, however, not on the coast, as I heard, but nevertheless. This is a truly intriguing sight.
That's good to know. We'll hopefully be heading down that way 🤞 I'll have to look up where to see them.
Hope you're enjoying NZ. It's a beautiful country.
I think you will find the most interesting places.
I really enjoyed New Zealand and the trip three years ago - we were there for three weeks. Alas, now I'm not there :)
I dont think many of us are going anywhere for a while, unfortunately haha.
Oh yes :( But, fortunately, our countries and memories from previous travels remain with us!
Wow absolutely fantastic photos
Thank you so much :)
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These are fantastic. Well done. I saw them on https://ProofofBrain.io
Thanks a lot. I'm glad that sometimes I manage to take such photos that people like :)
Oh this is so beautiful, the perfect spot for some longtime exposure shots. Very nice results.
Yes, yes, that's why there were crowds of photographers with tripods, I am a little sorry for the people who came there just to admire the sunset 😅 I love such places, such an interesting and expressive foreground with a bunch of possible compositions.
Thank you!
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Thanks! :)
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Amazing pictures 😍🥰
Thanks a lot! :)
Been there...Your photos put mine to shame. Lol.
O! Have you managed to grow at least one dragon from an egg? :)
Well, I was really very lucky with that dawn :) Besides, it was during this period that I was actively fond of shooting water at a long exposure 😅
Were there many people there during your visit?
No dragons, still working on it!
There's was no one there when I was there, just a small group way up the beach although a few cars were pulling out of the carpark when I pulled in so I got lucky. It's a cool spot for sure. Your photos are fantastic.
You need to work harder on this!
Okay, it's good that it's not always crowded there. Thank you :)
When my dragon hatches I'll let you know first! 😁
Deal! :)
I have seen such boulders in NZ in some YouTube videos of photographers I follow - they look so cool and you have taken amazing photos of them.
I like the second photo most, it's like two alien heads talking to each other in my eyes 😁
Cheers and !BEER
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Thank you! Oh, you chose the brightest :) Indeed, they looks like aliens — it seems that we have a new version of their origin!
They are really very photogenic, I am not surprised that many photographers shoot and show them. Probably, there are a lot of beautiful pictures under different conditions, mmm ...
You're most welcome my friend, the photos are great and these alien heads are now in my bucket list 😉 maybe one day...
I wish you a wonderful weekend 🌞
Cheers and !BEER
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Hopefully, you will be able to tick this list one day :) Thanks and have a great weekend too!
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BEER.These are simply amazing photos. For a moment I thought the water was fog, lol.
Your work is really awesome man.
Yes, for the sake of such a "fog", I often shoot at a long exposure. I like it, and next post is also foggy :)
I myself really, really like these shots. I want more of such sunrises and such beautiful, unusual places 😊 Thank you!
Beautiful place and sunrise :) Thank you!
Thanks a lot! It is always so pleasant for me to discover something new for myself, and then share it with people :)