Tag: Edward Badham

In my last blog, the gang (Edward Badham, Vassanta, Rebecca, Claudine and myself had just touched down in New Zealand the week prior to OzFest.  We spent a lovely week in NZ, although a WET one. We landed in Wellington, and took the ocean Interislander Ferry to Picton and eventually landed in Nelson (30 hours travel from NYC….ahhhh). But the company made the long trip fun!  We toured the South Island around Nelson for three days (as much as we could in the rain!!!).  We had a fun stay in a  B&B in Nelson that is run by a former Playboy Model from Amsterdam. She gave us some shooting locations and some places to visit that the average travel guide would not mention.  We pulled into one shooting location on Rabbit Island with lots of beach and driftwood potential with the rain still pouring down.  We said we’d wait 10 more minutes as the light was fading at the end of the day.Vassanta prayed to the rain gods to stop.  And it did….for 30 minutes. We jumped out of car, sorted out who was shooting with who and nailed it.  One result for me was the attached shot of Vassanta with the large log in the background.  I love the results with the shallow DOF.  The next day we headed back  to the North Island, with a stop in Rumati Beach where we were greeted by actual sunshine in the morning.  Attached is a sunrise shot that I like and some early morning beach shots.  Claudine is captured in a estuary leading to the ocean. I love the contrast of her with the debris around her.  Then, the brilliant color of Rebecca as the sun washes over her porcelain complexion with bright skies and offshore island in the background.  We headed next to Taupo and Auckland, but no real shooting (just fun!!!).  New Zealand was lovely and I look forward to returning when the rain is not so prevelant.    Next stop, OZ!!!!!!

After months of planning, I can’t believe this is actually happening.  Five of us will first travel from all over the US to meet in San Francisco, to leap over the Pacific and spend a week in New Zealand and then on to the Great Gathering in OZ.  Members of the gang include myself, the photographer Edward Badham and three models – Vassanta, Claudine and Rebecca Lawerence.  For me, the adventure begins a week before this  when I meet Vassanta  at JFK coming back from a visit to her homeland in Russia.  I can’t believe that in two weeks time she will have traveled from Russia to NYC to New Zealand and finally to OZ…phew…jet lag city.  During the week in NYC, we shoot together on a Long Island beach, hook up with Rebecca and have a send off party with some mutual friends.  I’m so busy with trying to wrap up all the loose ends, that I don’t even pack until a few hours before leaving…..hope I don’t forget anything

When we arrive in San Francisco, it’s Claudine’s birthday. She arrives with a birthday tiara and we provide the wine for a pre-flight celebration and meet and greet. Now it’s off to New Zealand.  From the time we leave NYC until we reach our final destination in Nelson, NZ, we will have travelled  for 30 hours straight, including a 3 hour ocean ferry ride from the North to South Island in New Zealand!!!  See ya on the other side of  the world!!!