Waimangu Volcanic Valley

As the person charged with keeping Waimangu Volcanic Valley’s Social Media pages and its website listings fresh and updated, I’m always on the look-out for new and different images to use. So early in December I challenged myself to come up with just what I’m always asking for.

We chose the perfect day for a photo shoot and, even at an early hour, were joined by other visitor groups.  Images are much more interesting with people in them so I approached some walkers who generously agreed to be included in photos - specially when I promised I wouldn’t hound them, long lens camera in hand, like the paparazzi! 

During the time I’ve looked after Waimangu’s social media pages I’ve seen fantastic visitor photos that prove beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.  Our visitors look at Waimangu through a camera lens from so many different angles that there’s never a lack of variety in the photos.

Keeping that in mind I tried to see Waimangu as a new, inquisitive visitor and found that it’s not only the iconic geothermal features that make the valley such a special place – it’s also the myriads of patterns and colours hiding in its surroundings.  I poked my camera into the bush, squinted to the bottom of Hot Water Stream, peered into Frying Pan Lake and zoomed over the waters to Cathedral Rocks. Stream beds, crater lakes, thermal soils, ferns, thermal plants, trees flowers, weeds  - everything was fodder for my camera’s colour palette.

Almost 400 photos later I’m really pleased with my morning’s work and have begun uploading the best to the Agent’s Trade & Media section of www.waimangu.co.nz . I’ll be sharing as many as possible on Waimangu’s social media pages too, so keep an eye out for them and let me know what you think.

Stay at any of these great Kiwi Holiday Parks while touring the Rotorua area.