Getting Lost - December

Back in January I wrote about the 15:3:1 Project.

In a nutshell, this approach is about nurturing wairua and hinengaro - our emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing - by intentionally making time for ourselves in three different ways:

• 15 - something you do for 15 minutes every day to support your wellbeing

• 3 - something you do for 3 uninterrupted hours once a week

• 1 - something you do for 1 full day each month

For me, that looked like this:

• 15 minutes a day journaling

• 3 hours on a Saturday morning doing something creative just for myself

• 1 day a month devoted to Getting Lost

Over the course of the year, both my “15” and my “3” evolved - and I think that’s exactly how it should be. But I’m really pleased to say that I made it all the way through 2025 keeping my one day a month, using the Photography Getting Lost cards.

For December, I chose one of my favourite places in Rotorua: the Redwoods Forest.

I actually ended up visiting the forest twice in one day… because the photos from my first visit were pretty awful.

I was shooting in auto mode (landscape), but the images came out washed out and flat. So I did what many of us do - I started pressing buttons and changing settings to see what would happen. Thanks to poor eyesight, rain, and reading glasses that kept fogging up, I somehow landed on a setting that gave beautiful colour… but when I got home and uploaded the photos, almost all of them were out of focus and completely unusable.

Out of 144 photos, only 58 were even in focus - and most of those still felt dull and uninspiring.

I knew I could do better.

So I turned to ChatGPT (say what you like - AI can actually be pretty useful). I fed in where I was going, the weather, the type of photos I wanted to take, and what had gone wrong the first time. It spat out a set of camera settings for me to try.

Alfie and I headed back to the forest.

This time, I took 157 photos, and almost every single one was usable - although don’t worry, I’m not about to make you look at all 157 of them.

To show just how big the difference was, here’s a comparison:
first visit vs second visit, of the same seat in the forest.
No editing. Just different camera settings.

 

Sometimes getting lost - and starting again - is exactly what’s needed.

So, let’s get on with the December prompts.

Prompt 1: Spell your name by photographing items that start with each letter.

I tweaked this one slightly. Just after we arrived in the forest, I spotted a pile of sticks someone else had left behind. Instead of hunting for objects, I grabbed the sticks and started writing my name on the forest floor - all while holding Alfie’s lead in one hand.

Naturally, Alfie decided this was a game just for him.

He kept stealing my sticks. I was lucky to get as far as “Shell” before he made off with the “ey”.

This photo was taken on the first visit… and yes, you can probably tell.

Prompt 2: Take a photo of a living thing.

I can’t remember ever taking Alfie to this part of the Redwoods before. We usually head to the dog park side where dogs can be off-leash, so this was all new territory for him.

Alfie was in absolute heaven - so many smells, so many things to investigate, and far too many pauses to take it all in properly.

The only moment of drama came when someone had closed their umbrella and leaned it up against a tree. Apparently, this was deeply suspicious. Terrifying, even. We were completely unable to move forward on the track until the umbrella was retrieved and removed by its owner.

Once the forest was safe again, Alfie happily continued his explorations.

Prompt 3: Leading lines or the rule of thirds?

If ever there was a place made for leading lines, the Redwoods is it. Tracks and trails branch off in every direction, constantly drawing your eye forward and deeper into the forest.

This particular photo was taken on one of the boardwalks that crosses a stream - a perfect example of how the lines naturally guide you through the frame and into the scene beyond.

Prompt 4: Drive until you see water, then stop and photograph the reflections.

There was no driving involved for this one - and no reflections either - but there was water, so I’m counting it.

This photo was taken further along the boardwalk, where it crosses a stream. The water here is surprisingly warm, bubbling gently from the geothermal activity underneath. As you walk past, there’s a definite geothermal smell in the air - a quiet reminder that this forest sits on very active ground.

Prompt 5: At the next direction signpost, take a photo - then head that way.

The Redwoods is criss-crossed with an incredible variety of tracks. There are easy paths for those of us who just want a gentle stroll, slightly more challenging tracks for a bit of exercise, and more demanding routes for hikers looking for a proper workout. There are also dedicated tracks for mountain bikers, and even some specifically for horse riders.

Whatever your fitness level or pace, there’s a place for you here. If you’ve never been to the Redwoods, I highly recommend it.

Prompt 6: Stop, look behind you, and take a shot.

Despite the drizzly rain, the forest was surprisingly busy. There were plenty of people out walking the tracks, and lots of friendly greetings exchanged as we passed each other.

For this photo, I waited until someone walked past me, then turned around and took the shot. I did this a few times, just to see what I might capture- and this group, with their bright splash of red umbrellas, quickly became my favourite.

Prompt 7: Find a busy spot. Set a 10-second timer and see what wanders into your shot.

There are a few major tracks in the forest that are always fairly busy, so I didn’t have to wait long for something interesting to wander into frame.

For the truly adventurous, there’s Redwoods Altitude - a treetop experience 25 metres above the forest floor. That’s a firm no thank you from me; I don’t do heights. For those who do, it involves navigating 25 jungle bridges and 3 ziplines, very much in an Indiana Jones style.

I spotted the next group of adventurers gearing up and was more than happy to capture them just as they set off on their own forest adventure.

 

Prompt 8: Use a camera setting you wouldn’t normally use for this type of photo.

To be honest, my second trip was all about using different camera settings, so I could have chosen almost any photo for this prompt. In the end, I chose this one because it felt a little unexpected.

It’s just the end of a tree that’s been cut down - but the circles, the missing pieces of wood, and the contrast between the deep browns and the vibrant greens of the forest really caught my eye.

I remember seeing this photo for the first time on my screen and thinking, I took that photo.

Prompt 9: Get macro and portray the season you’re in using just a leaf or a flower.

I’m not entirely sure that a koru from a fern frond represents any particular season - I’ve seen them year-round in the forest - but I couldn’t go past this image.

The droplets of water, the tightly spiralled koru, and the delicate feathery “hairs” all came together beautifully. It’s another one of those photos that I took purely for myself.

Prompt 10: Find a building. Zoom your lens to the widest angle, then move in close to create dramatic angles.

I’ll admit, I hadn’t been to the Redwoods for a few months - we usually stick to the dog park side, so I was genuinely surprised to stumble across these strange-looking metal “igloos” tucked into the forest.

It turns out they’re part of the latest activity on offer - Redwoods Glowworms. I had to Google when they started, and thankfully I’m not too far behind the times; they only launched in September/October this year.

In the end, I didn’t even bother moving in close. Those igloo-like shapes create dramatic angles all on their own.

Prompt 11: Take as many steps as you have battery percentage left, then frame your shot.

This is always a fun prompt, because you never quite know where you’ll end up.

For this one, I wandered a little off track trying to avoid the crowds gathered around the more touristy part of the forest. Quite unintentionally, I ended up on the other side of the glowworm igloos.

It’s a spot I’d like to come back to - preferably when it’s a little quieter.

Prompt 12: Take a photo from the perspective of a flower.

There aren’t many flowers in the Redwoods, but the prompt said from the perspective of a flower, not of a flower - so I interpreted that as getting low and looking up.

From ground level, the trees feel even taller, stretching skyward in a way you don’t fully appreciate when you’re standing upright.

As with previous months, I needed a title card - and once again I found it hard to choose just one image. This one, though, really stood out.

I love the vibrant greens, and I still can’t quite believe that simply adjusting my camera settings took my photos from flat and washed out to bold and alive. It’s a good reminder that I need to spend more time behind the camera, really getting to know it and what it’s capable of.

So that really is the end of my year of Getting Lost.

Back in January, I wrote: “None of the photos have been edited in Photoshop etc. I just want this to be a fun ‘take it as it is’ project.” (I definitely stuck to that!)

I also said I was thinking about turning the photos into a coffee table book at the end of the year.

Now, with 2025 almost at a close, that idea feels just right.

Apart from January, all of the monthly cards now feature one of my own photographs, so I’ll be replacing that original downloaded image with one of mine. After that, it’s time to collate my selected photos and turn them into a book. 

It’s been a huge amount of fun - taking me as far north as Waitangi and as far south as Whanganui, and giving me the chance to take photos alongside family and friends.

All in all, it’s been a really meaningful and enjoyable part of my 2025 - one I’m very glad I said yes to.

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