<< Previous Next >>

Waikaremoana


Waikaremoana
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Dunn (Janice) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-01
Categories: Rain Forest, Water Plants, Mountain
Camera: Canon EOS 30d, Canon 17-40mm f/4 L USM
Exposure: f/4, 1/25 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): New Zealand Native Fauna and Flora (2) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-04-05 6:03
Viewed: 1438
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Lake Waikaremoana

This is one of the waterfalls at Lake Waikaremoana, a place of clear water, isolated rocky beaches and untouched forest in the remote ranges of Te Urewera National Park, where I stayed on my travels last week. There hadn’t been much rain lately and the waterfalls weren’t as boisterous as they usually are.

When the road through the forest was completed in 1930, there was a lot of pressure to log the forest, burn the remains and farm the area. However, similar development on the coastal side of the ranges had already caused severe problems with erosion that persist to this day. Conservationists won in the end and Te Urewera National Park was established in 1954. It's the largest area of untouched native forest in the North Island.

Urewera means burnt genitals. It refers to a local chief on the eve of battle who slept too close to the fire, rolled in and received severe burns, dying of shock and shame. It's a tough (and perhaps a little sarcastic) name for an uncompromising region.

Lake Waikaremoana means sea of rippling waters lies between ranges in the southeast of the park, about 160 kilometres southeast of Rotorua.

There are two versions of how the lake was formed:

The Maori Version:
Maori legends tell that the lake was formed when a father drowned his disobedient daughter, turning her spirit into a taniwha (magical water monster), which frantically pushed this way and that, trying to reach the sea before the sunlight turned her to stone. It is said that her restless, unhappy spirit keeps the waters stirred and rippling even on calm days.

The Pakeha / White Man Version:
The lake itself (elevation 582 metres) was created around 2,000 years ago when an earthquake triggered a massive landslide that blocked a river, so the lake is formed of drowned river valleys, which contribute to its interesting shape. In 1946 a government hydro-electrical project lowered the lake level by 5 metres and it now covers about 54 square kilometres within the 2,120 square kilometres of Te Urewera National Park.

What version do you believe?
uleko, SelenE, Argus, Debz, cedryk, SunToucher, extramundi, lovenature, marjan, loot has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Janice

What a lovely waterfall. The water is very slightly smooth and the diagonals created by the rock formation are excellent. I love the sharpness and light in this picture. there is so much going on it in and so much to look at and the composition is excellent.

TFS
Emma

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2992 W: 162 N: 950] (2789)
  • [2007-04-05 7:19]

Hello Janice,
This looks loke a wonderful place and your capture is excellent. I really like the water falling across the very interesting rock formations. Great sharpness and lovely colours. There seems to be a large selection of plants there too!
Many thanks and best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 63 N: 4227] (13822)
  • [2007-04-05 7:34]

Hi Janice,
Wow, what a beautiful place! Very good composition, lighting and ofcourse a great landscape. Well done TFS
Selen

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3816 W: 190 N: 11348] (34987)
  • [2007-04-05 7:48]

Hello Janice,
This photo radiates peace and tranquility, the gentle waterfall, the lush greenery and the sloping strata of rock. Must be a magical place!
Beautiful clear shot, Janice.
TFS and have a nice Easter.
Ivan

  • Great 
  • Debz Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 516 W: 0 N: 846] (3307)
  • [2007-04-05 8:24]

Hi Janice, nice waterfall, you have captured it very well, I like the water movement. Very sharp, great POV, nice light and colour and well framed.
tfs
debz

Hello Janice,
Long time since I have seen any of your photos. It is a very impressive waterfall. The vegetation looks fabulous. I like also your very informative note.
Best greetings and TFS!
Michal

  • Great 
  • honza Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 537 W: 0 N: 716] (4191)
  • [2007-04-05 9:48]

Interesting and beautiful scene Janice. I like composition very much, sharpness and colors are perfect too.

Hi Janice,
This is really wonderful. The vertical line of the falls and the digonal line of the different layers of rock and the horizontal line of the water make for a very interesting play of lines and makes the view very dinamic. I love the lush green colors of the foilage, and the clarity in the photo.

I have to say that I believe the White man version, but find the Maori verion much more interesting to read.

TFS
Niek

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 449 W: 6 N: 310] (898)
  • [2007-04-07 7:57]

Hello Janice,
This superb composition brings us a fine range of colors. I like the choice of shutter speed and the resulting effect with the falls. Well done. Regards,
Hakan

What a lovely place!
Such intrincanted vegetal carpet and diagonal geological lines under this beaufiful waterfall, I like it very much.
You did very well with the speed available, this is the kind of shots where a tripod is really usefull to get extra water effect, nevertheless the water curtain is very well seen in your shot.
Thanks and regards.

Hi janice.
So beautiful. fantastic colour and composition. Nice sense of movement. Very well done.
Regards, Steve.

Now this is what I call a rock garden.
Hi Janice
What a beautiful and special place this is. I love how the rocks are coming out of the water in a angle. The waterfall looks so inviting and crystal clear. All the different varieties of plants with their different shades of green add many textures and colours too. Well done.
TFS Janice
It's hard to say what version to believe, I'm more of a scientific person and might believe The Pakeha version. But he Maori Version is interesting because of it's folklore. Both stories are interesting.

Hello Janice,
This poor chief didn't have chance, really!... This is such an interesting place that you captured nicely with good POV, composition, exposure and colors. I like this soft water falling. It looks like a delicate curtain ;) This is so exotic to me. I think that the Maoris’ version “should” be the real one but... I’m a dreamer Janice ;) But, what is this idea to drown your disobedient daughter? Like they say in French: "Autres temps, autres moeurs." Sorry, I don't know what the equivalent in English is ;) Well done with so interesting notes again! Thanks,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • marjan Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 474 W: 14 N: 360] (2641)
  • [2007-04-15 15:43]

hi Janice, this is wonderful shot. This place is magic and your work is magic too.
I hope you are in good helth conditions after that illness.

Marjan

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5451 W: 594 N: 3650] (10031)
  • [2007-05-16 9:34]
  • [3]

Hi Janice

Mmmm, one just has to have some sympathy with the poor chief whose horrendous misfortune and shameful experience inspired the name of this place (chuckle).

An awesome study in diagonal lines, decorated with intricate mosses & colourful algae's, decorative grasses & embellishing shrubs, and sprinkled with the pureness of natural flowing waterfalls as inspired and featured by the "Master Painter", our Creator God.

A great composition that keeps the eye occupied to discover more and more and even more. The details are pleasant and very sharp, the colours are natural and pleasing, and the exposure is remarkable and revealing extraordinary contrasts all over the tranquil scene.

Excellent work and TFS.
Kia Ora
Loot

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF