Getting Lost - October

A couple of weeks ago, I headed to Waitangi for the SEPANZ Conference (Special Education Principals’ Association of New Zealand). My Principal and I were on the 6:45am flight out of Rotorua, so it was a very early start! We arrived in Auckland to pouring rain, and after a quick stopover, we boarded our second flight of the morning - landing in Kerikeri bright and early to beautiful sunshine.

My Principal had organised our flights, so I took care of the rental car. It didn’t take long to collect our luggage, sign the paperwork, and locate our vehicle - a lovely car with all the bells and whistles you could want.

We made our way into Kerikeri for brunch, then spent a bit of time exploring the local shops (which may have included a little retail therapy). I couldn’t resist buying a couple of small things, including a fabulous set of wooden mushrooms emerging from a piece of driftwood.

 

The next three days were full of connection and inspiration - mingling with other school leaders from the 27 specialist schools across New Zealand, listening to insightful guest speakers, enjoying delicious meals, and taking part in some great local activities.

Knowing I’d be up north, I made sure to pack my camera - and I’m so glad I did! I came home with almost 300 photos to sort through. Some were for specific prompts, some for a little arty project I’ve been thinking about, and others simply to capture memories of the trip.

And now… onto the October prompts!

#1 Get macro and portray the season you are in with just a leaf or flower.

While out exploring, I came across a very healthy Bird of Paradise plant - its vibrant orange and blue petals glowing in the sunshine. But what really caught my eye wasn’t the flower itself… it was the googly eye that someone had cheekily stuck onto it!

A closer look revealed that a few other things in the nearby area had also been “eyed.” Whoever did it clearly had a sense of humour - and it definitely made me smile. It was such a fun and unexpected detail to discover while focusing on the beauty of the season.

We left Kerikeri and took a short 24km drive to Paihia, where we’d be staying for the rest of the week. Our home base was the Copthorne Hotel — a beautiful spot right on the waterfront. Once we’d checked in and found our rooms, we caught up with a few of the other participants before I decided to slip away for a bit of exploring (and, of course, some photos).

#2 Take the number of photos you’ve taken today and head north that many kilometres.

Thankfully, at this point, I hadn’t taken very many photos - and since I didn’t want to venture too far, I decided to swap kilometres for walking steps instead. That little stroll took me out through the hotel gardens and onto a beautiful grassed area where the sun was shining, the sky was a stunning blue, and the palm trees made it feel more like a tropical island than a corner of New Zealand.

#3 Put a frame around a landscape using whatever you find around you.

As it turns out, I didn’t need to find anything to make a frame — the Copthorne had already taken care of that! Wandering through the gardens, I discovered a perfect wooden frame positioned to capture the stunning water views beyond. It was made for exactly this purpose… and who was I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

 

Later that day, a group of us headed into Paihia for dinner. I can highly recommend Zane Grey’s - the food was fabulous, the service excellent, and the views absolutely spectacular. I had the Panko Fried Goat Cheese Salad, which came with mandarin segments, edamame, mixed greens, candied beets, fried shallots, and caramelised walnuts. It was every bit as delicious as it sounds!

While we were waiting for some of the others to arrive, I decided to tackle another prompt card:

#4 Take as many steps as you have battery percentage left and frame your shot.

Nice and simple - and perfect for filling in a few minutes before dinner. I had a bit of a wander along the waterfront, and just as I reached my target number of steps, I spotted some beautiful wooden dolphins along the walkway. I’ve always loved dolphins, so stumbling across them felt a little bit special.

 

After dinner, my boss offered to be the designated driver for everyone, which gave me the perfect chance to look around a bit more - and squeeze in another prompt or two!

#5 Take a photo upside down (you or the camera).

While I was wandering through town, I spotted the perfect photo opportunity for this prompt - a vintage bike perched on the roof of the CBK restaurant. It’s not every day you see a bicycle sitting proudly on a rooftop, so of course I had to capture it (right way up and upside down!).

 

#6 Cloudy day, head for the coast. Sunny day, head inland.

How easy! The clouds had started to roll in quite heavily near the restaurant where we’d eaten, so before my ride turned up, I took the opportunity to capture a few photos of the sky. Most of the clouds were soft and fluffy at first, but before long, a few greyer ones drifted in — adding a slightly moodier vibe to the shots. Thankfully, the clouds never turned into rain!

 

As we were driving back to the hotel, I had the chance to look around - and out the car window, I spotted several waka (canoes) near the bridge we’d just crossed. I mentioned to one of the other Principals, Shirley, that I was going to head down to take a few photos. She was interested to hear about my Getting Lost project, so we decided to pull another card and do a prompt together.

#7 Take three photos of the same thing with shadows or light changing how it looks.

Oh my goodness - I couldn’t have picked a better prompt if I’d tried! Shirley is also quite keen on photography, so the two of us spent a while experimenting with angles and chasing the changing light. Between us, we captured quite a few shots, but here are my three favourites for the prompt.

The light was getting really interesting as the sun began to set, so we decided to do “just one more” prompt card before calling it a day.

#8 Stop, look behind you and take a shot.

The obvious choice was the bridge - the sun was hitting it beautifully, casting warm tones and reflections across the water. I had a feeling I was going to love this photo even before I pressed the shutter… and I was right!

 

The next day was another early-ish start. We were all privileged to take part in a pōwhiri at Te Tiriti o Waitangi - such a special experience. We walked across the bridge (yes, the same one from prompt #8) from the Copthorne to the marae, and while we were gathering outside, I pulled out a prompt card that felt perfect for the morning.

#9 At the next direction signpost, take a photo and head in that direction.

Once the pōwhiri was finished, I knew we’d be walking back across the bridge - in the exact direction the signpost was pointing! It couldn’t have worked out better. I even managed to capture a few photos of our group still making their way over, which felt like a lovely way to round off the moment.

My next real photo opportunities for the October prompts didn’t come until the following afternoon. While all the Principals were attending their AGM, the AP's and DP's were treated to a guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Having grown up in Northland (Waipu, specifically), and returned many times throughout my adulthood, I had visited Waitangi more than once - but this experience felt truly special. Our guide was a delightful mix of humour, knowledge, and warmth, which made the tour even more enjoyable.

I knew immediately which prompt to tackle (so I handpicked this one) - because honestly, one photo was never going to be enough!

#10 Stop at the next signposted attraction and take 10 photos.

That evening, we headed over to Russell via ferry for dinner at The Duke - officially the Duke of Marlborough Hotel. They had created a bespoke menu for our group, offering three delicious choices for both entrée and main, plus two tempting desserts. I went with Te Ika Mata (a raw fish salad) to start, followed by the most delicious lamb, and finished with tiramisu for dessert. Absolutely perfect!

With more than 70 of us to manage, it was quite a challenge getting everyone through the door at the same time. I took a moment for myself to soak in the stunning scenery in front of the hotel - no prompt this time, just a quiet moment worth capturing.

After catching the 10 pm ferry back to our hotel (singing loudly all the way!), I had a wonderfully restful night - just as well, because the next morning we were up bright and early for the drive back to Kerikeri, followed by two more flights to get back to Rotorua.

We had a little wait at Kerikeri Airport, so I decided to tackle two final prompts.

#11 Find a building. Zoom your lens to the widest angle. Move in close to make dramatic angles.

No problem - I was already at the airport, so why not make the most of it? The weather was still gorgeous, so I wandered outside to explore. I even spotted a wonderful vertical garden along the way. I took a few photos, but I didn’t quite get what I wanted until I noticed the batten wall out front, proudly displaying the airport’s name. I loved the mix of wood and metal - it created the perfect combination of textures and angles for this prompt.

#12 Time to start editing all those photos - head for home.

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud when I pulled this prompt from the pack. It doesn’t come up very often, but this time it appeared at the perfect moment. I decided to make the airport my subject once again - this time focusing on a model airplane. It felt like a fitting way to wrap up the prompts and mark the end of a wonderful trip.

 

Of course, I needed a title card for October - and what could be more perfect than a photo of Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae, taken just after our pōwhiri on Wednesday morning. It felt like a fitting image to capture the spirit of the trip and set the tone for the month’s prompts.

 

Reflecting on the trip, I feel so grateful for the rich cultural heritage we experienced, the amazing food we shared, and the wonderful people we met along the way. It was a fantastic opportunity to gather ideas and inspiration for both professional and personal projects, and to see familiar places with fresh eyes. Now that I’m home, it’s lovely to take a moment to reflect on all the experiences, the photos captured, and the memories made - a truly unforgettable journey.

Thank you for stopping by my little corner of the internet.
Until next time,
Shelley