Henley Lake

[nikkortorokkor]

The jewel in Masterton's crown - Henley Lake was constructed about 30 years ago. It has been extended to encompass a small complex of wetlands and its limed paths are popular with strollers, joggers, bike riders and especially dog walkers. The lake is also a haven for waterfowl escaping the hunters (it's shooting season down here). It's a great example of civic pride and local effort.
I try to get down there with the camera every week or so.

All photos were made on Fuji 200 print film with a Minolta MD Macro Zoom 35-70/F3.5. The 1st four were late afternoon in the "golden hour" - hence the warm cast. The last (of the Canada Geese with my wife in the background) was made a week or so earlier on a cold, grey day. I've warmed it slightly and dodged the front goose's head to bring out a catchlight. I burned the faces of the 3 seniors on the bench too. The gentleman in the middle is a retired doctor who was one of the driving forces behind the lake's construction. His latest project is a large shed on the park's edge in which "old buffers can play at wood working".

[Deleted]

Beautiful area, beautiful photos.

[nikonbob]

Michael

Jewel in the crown is very fitting and more urban areas should have such an area for leisurely recreation. Your photos do it justice. I would not classify Canada geese as waterfowl but more like pests. At least that is the view from here as there are far too many and their droppings in our parks are hard to take. Mind you, the goslings are cute.

Bob

[vintageslrs]

I agree with Wayne......

Nice spot....nice photos.


Bob

[nikkortorokkor]

Bob, the Canada Geese are a pest here too. They eat crops and foul paddocks (fields), causing livestock to die of salmonella. They are an open game bird, you can shoot 'em all year round (and they are hard to kill too - as I know from experience of my bloodthirsty youth). In the South Island, where they are a real problem, Canadas are culled with choppers and semi-auto shotguns; the downdraft from the chopper means the birds can't get off the water. Very unsporting!

There are rather more interesting birds in the Lake. Here is a black swan (an Australian that thrives in NZ) mugging for the camera and making the geese look very plain. There are four mute swans (white swans) on the lake as well, together with thousands of mallards and quite a few Papango (scaup) which entertain with their impossibly long dives.


BTW, this is a crop, the picture was made with the same Minolta 35-70.

[olroy2044]

Wonderful photos, Michael. #2 and 3 are absolutely stunning! Thanks for posting them. Roy

[nikkortorokkor]

Thanks, Roy.
I was really pleased with number 2 since it worked out as I planned, with no digital darkroom needed to bring out the saturated colours. That day I'd been shooting on mostly on AE with the XE-1, but for this shot I metered off the sky and switched to manual. It was about 2 stops faster than the Minolta's "CLC" meter was telling me for the overall scene (on AE, the XE has a stepless shutter so I can't be precise).