Travel
First Day of Summer
01/12/09 20:09
The first day of summer has arrived and I look with dismay that my last update was almost two months ago. Not good for any sort of blog and for this I must apologise. Work is increasing here at Hobbiton Movie Set and that is my only excuse.
I must admit I am also trying to finish my Blurb book covering our trip to England last June and July and that is also running behind schedule.
My last two months have been gathering an image library of The Shire - some of which I have listed below. Media groups continue to visit on a weekly basis from around the world and it is just so wonderful to share the experiece of the set with them. By way of repetition a link to some text which I wrote a few weeks ago for the folks at Weta for their newsletter. Apologies if you have read it already.
In the meantime some images of the area and my first attempt at a poster for us.
And one from England.
I must admit I am also trying to finish my Blurb book covering our trip to England last June and July and that is also running behind schedule.
My last two months have been gathering an image library of The Shire - some of which I have listed below. Media groups continue to visit on a weekly basis from around the world and it is just so wonderful to share the experiece of the set with them. By way of repetition a link to some text which I wrote a few weeks ago for the folks at Weta for their newsletter. Apologies if you have read it already.
In the meantime some images of the area and my first attempt at a poster for us.
And one from England.
0 Comments
From Wings to Rings
04/07/09 03:53
This blog update is for those of you that have not caught up with my news.
A few weeks ago I handed in my notice as Director of the New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum.
On the 1st September 2009 I commence my new position as Media and Communications Manager for Hobbiton Movie Set & Farm Tours in Matamata.
The last seventeen years of my life in Wanaka have been amazing and I have thoroughly enjoyed my work and all the wonderful people I have worked with. I will miss you all.
I will continue to undertake my work for Warbirds Over Wanaka so will still be able to keep in touch with many of you.
However, I felt it was time for a change so now I move from one passion to another. The Alexander Family in Matamata have become good friends and I am really looking forward to working with them, Henry Horne and the rest of the staff.
Please excuse the brevity of this blog but I am currently half way through a journey of commentary around the English Airshow Circuit. I will be in touch with many of you upon my return late July.
For those of you who want to follow my experience of living with hobbits you will be able to check here, the Hobbiton page, Facebook and Twitter. Once I commence work I will be updating all of these regularly.
With my best regards,
Ian
A few weeks ago I handed in my notice as Director of the New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum.
On the 1st September 2009 I commence my new position as Media and Communications Manager for Hobbiton Movie Set & Farm Tours in Matamata.
The last seventeen years of my life in Wanaka have been amazing and I have thoroughly enjoyed my work and all the wonderful people I have worked with. I will miss you all.
I will continue to undertake my work for Warbirds Over Wanaka so will still be able to keep in touch with many of you.
However, I felt it was time for a change so now I move from one passion to another. The Alexander Family in Matamata have become good friends and I am really looking forward to working with them, Henry Horne and the rest of the staff.
Please excuse the brevity of this blog but I am currently half way through a journey of commentary around the English Airshow Circuit. I will be in touch with many of you upon my return late July.
For those of you who want to follow my experience of living with hobbits you will be able to check here, the Hobbiton page, Facebook and Twitter. Once I commence work I will be updating all of these regularly.
With my best regards,
Ian
Wings Over Wairarapa
14/01/09 10:31
This morning I fly to Wellington and catch the train up to Masterton. The next few days I will be “hanging out” with my great friends Phil Makanna, Trevor Graham and Jim Hickey.
Then the weekend will be spent commentating at the Wings Over Wairarapa Airshow.
Really looking forward to the show. Some special aircraft will be flying, including three SE5A WWI fighters.
I believe this will be the first time three of these fabulous little aircraft have been seen in the air together since about 1925.
In the meantime, my photography has been a little sparse over the last few weeks but here is an image taken of sunset over Lake Taupo taken when we drove to Auckland last December.
Then the weekend will be spent commentating at the Wings Over Wairarapa Airshow.
Really looking forward to the show. Some special aircraft will be flying, including three SE5A WWI fighters.
I believe this will be the first time three of these fabulous little aircraft have been seen in the air together since about 1925.
In the meantime, my photography has been a little sparse over the last few weeks but here is an image taken of sunset over Lake Taupo taken when we drove to Auckland last December.
Link Catch-Up
22/12/08 11:57
As we approach Christmas I looked at the desktop of the Mac and found some links I had put aside to post on my bog. So, without further ado here they are!
I also would like to thank all visitors to my website for your support. Have a wonderful Christmas and all the best for 2009.
NZ On Screen
A fantastic resource to help you discover the best of New Zealand television and film.
UK Photo Guides
A great idea. Personal and intimate guides to locations through England and the best places to photograph them from.
The Hunt For Gollum
This film will be free to view on the internet next year. Has a nice look and feel to it.
THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM - FULL Trailer 1 from Chris Bouchard on Vimeo.
Born of Hope
This film is currently in production and is a 60 minute Lord of the Rings inspired film that will be released free to view on the internet.
Born of Hope - 2008 Teaser Trailer one from Born of Hope on Vimeo.
I also would like to thank all visitors to my website for your support. Have a wonderful Christmas and all the best for 2009.
NZ On Screen
A fantastic resource to help you discover the best of New Zealand television and film.
UK Photo Guides
A great idea. Personal and intimate guides to locations through England and the best places to photograph them from.
The Hunt For Gollum
This film will be free to view on the internet next year. Has a nice look and feel to it.
THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM - FULL Trailer 1 from Chris Bouchard on Vimeo.
Born of Hope
This film is currently in production and is a 60 minute Lord of the Rings inspired film that will be released free to view on the internet.
Born of Hope - 2008 Teaser Trailer one from Born of Hope on Vimeo.
Ian Brodie's New Zealand
27/11/08 10:09
After many months of waiting I am thrilled to announce the release of Ian Brodie’s New Zealand. It is now available in all good bookstores in New Zealand or from Amazon in the UK.
I am so pleased with the book, and very proud to have a book that shows the diversity and uniqueness of our country.
Over the next few weeks I will be promoting the book via television and radio in many towns. One interview I am really looking forward to is with Kim Hill on National Radio. If you would like to listen please tune in at 11-00am on Saturday 06 December.
I am so pleased with the book, and very proud to have a book that shows the diversity and uniqueness of our country.
Over the next few weeks I will be promoting the book via television and radio in many towns. One interview I am really looking forward to is with Kim Hill on National Radio. If you would like to listen please tune in at 11-00am on Saturday 06 December.
Rievaulx Abbey
28/08/08 10:31
Rievaulx Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey, headed by the Abbot of Rievaulx, located in the small village of Rievaulx (pronounced 'Ree-voh'), near Helmsley in North Yorkshire, England.
When Rievaulx Abbey was founded in 1132 by twelve monks from Clairvaux Abbey as a mission centre for the colonisation of the north of England and Scotland, it was the first Cistercian abbey in the north. With time it became one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire, second only to Fountains Abbey in fame.
Image processed with Photomatix Pro and Lightroom 2.
When Rievaulx Abbey was founded in 1132 by twelve monks from Clairvaux Abbey as a mission centre for the colonisation of the north of England and Scotland, it was the first Cistercian abbey in the north. With time it became one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire, second only to Fountains Abbey in fame.
Image processed with Photomatix Pro and Lightroom 2.
England Revisited
26/08/08 15:03
Since the release of Lightroom V2.0 and Photomatix Pro 3.0 I am starting to revisit a lot of the images I took in England in 2006. The combination of these two very powerful software tools allow you to realise a depth of image and colour balance that earlier versions just did not allow.
Both photos below were initially processed with Photomatix as a single HDR image and then the colours were tweaked and balanced in Lightroom.
In Photomatix I tend to subtly adjust the colour range as I am not out to create a full blown HDR rather just add some colour contrast. I find I use a number of presents within Lightroom - especially those produced by Matt Kloskowski and obtainable from his website.
Neither of these images have had any work done within Photoshop.
Shaftesbury
Hay near Pickering
Both photos below were initially processed with Photomatix as a single HDR image and then the colours were tweaked and balanced in Lightroom.
In Photomatix I tend to subtly adjust the colour range as I am not out to create a full blown HDR rather just add some colour contrast. I find I use a number of presents within Lightroom - especially those produced by Matt Kloskowski and obtainable from his website.
Neither of these images have had any work done within Photoshop.
Shaftesbury
Hay near Pickering
Lincoln Cathedral
18/08/08 10:56
Consecrated in 1092, Lincoln Cathedral is one of those “must see” places when travelling in England. I spent a night in Lincoln a few years ago and found myself drawn there in the evening, the next morning and then back again for a tour inside.
These two images were captured as single frames and then processed straight from RAW as single tone-mapped HDR. Saved as a Tif file they were then imported into Lightroom V2.0 for final processing.
Away from time, always outside of time!
Between east and west, between dawn and sunset,
The church lies like a seed in silence, dark before germination.
Silenced after death, containing birth and death potential with all the noise and transitation of life, the cathedral remains hushed, a great, involved seed whereof,
The flower would be radiant life inconceivable,
But whose beginning and whose end are the circle of silence.
Spanned round with the rainbow, the jeweled gloom folds music upon silence,
light upon darkness, fecundity upon death, as a seed folds leaf upon leaf
And silence upon the root and the flower,
Hushing up the secret of all between its parts,
The death out of which it fell, the life into which it has dropped,
The immortality it involves, and the death it will embrace again.
Here in the church, “before” and “after” are folded together.
DH Lawrence 'The Rainbow'
These two images were captured as single frames and then processed straight from RAW as single tone-mapped HDR. Saved as a Tif file they were then imported into Lightroom V2.0 for final processing.
Away from time, always outside of time!
Between east and west, between dawn and sunset,
The church lies like a seed in silence, dark before germination.
Silenced after death, containing birth and death potential with all the noise and transitation of life, the cathedral remains hushed, a great, involved seed whereof,
The flower would be radiant life inconceivable,
But whose beginning and whose end are the circle of silence.
Spanned round with the rainbow, the jeweled gloom folds music upon silence,
light upon darkness, fecundity upon death, as a seed folds leaf upon leaf
And silence upon the root and the flower,
Hushing up the secret of all between its parts,
The death out of which it fell, the life into which it has dropped,
The immortality it involves, and the death it will embrace again.
Here in the church, “before” and “after” are folded together.
DH Lawrence 'The Rainbow'
No 10 Downing St Visit
23/06/08 09:45
The Prime Ministers Office has posted a You Tube video of our visit to No. 10 Downing St to promote the Spitfire.
A Proud Tradition
17/06/08 14:48
A brief update. We return to New Zealand today but I just had to post these two images taken at the wonderful Kemble Air Day last Sunday.
One of the highlights of this trip has been commentating the amazing Typhoon which is now in service with the RAF. The aeroplane is special in itself but what makes it amazing is the display pilot this year. Flight Lieutenant Charlie Matthews is from Wanaka, New Zealand. This is cool as well but the really special thing is that Charlie is the nephew of my closest friend Tom Middleton.
Tom was sadly killed in a tragic accident in Wanaka. He would have been so proud of Charlie but as I commentated I could feel Tom standing beside me with one of his favourite quotes - this is fantastic matey.
What a magical moment to see Charlie carrying on the proud tradition of his family and aeroplanes and the proud tradition of New Zealanders flying with the RAF.
What a wonderful time it has been. More updates when I get back to NZ.
One of the highlights of this trip has been commentating the amazing Typhoon which is now in service with the RAF. The aeroplane is special in itself but what makes it amazing is the display pilot this year. Flight Lieutenant Charlie Matthews is from Wanaka, New Zealand. This is cool as well but the really special thing is that Charlie is the nephew of my closest friend Tom Middleton.
Tom was sadly killed in a tragic accident in Wanaka. He would have been so proud of Charlie but as I commentated I could feel Tom standing beside me with one of his favourite quotes - this is fantastic matey.
What a magical moment to see Charlie carrying on the proud tradition of his family and aeroplanes and the proud tradition of New Zealanders flying with the RAF.
What a wonderful time it has been. More updates when I get back to NZ.
The Best Beer in the World
12/06/08 04:53
There are a lot of things I really like about England. One of my real favourites though is the beer. None of this Fosters or other imports for me - give me real English ale. Yesterday we visited Hook Norton; a beautiful village in the Cotswolds that has the added advantage of having a real ale brewery. Hook Norton produce a number of different brews and it was a real treat to see where they are made. A fine old building steeped in history and a great little pub around the corner. What more could you ask for.
The Biggin Hill Air Fair
10/06/08 03:44
Well, what a show. Two days of non stop action with aeroplanes from a 1909 Bleriot to a 2008 Eurofighter Typhoon. I've had an absolute ball commentating, looking, soaking up history, meeting wonderful people. A sell out crowd of over 85,000 attended the show just on Sunday and looking at the quality of the event I am sure there will be no complaints.
Working a bit meant I couldn't take many photos of the show itself so below is a selection of those I took before and after the flying commenced. Highlights for me? Well, the biggest was meeting Flight Lieutenant Charlie Matthews - the Eurofighter Typhoon display pilot for 2008. Where does he come from? Wanaka, New Zealand. Made me very proud to be a Kiwi.
A few days off now in Oxfordshire staying at our favourite inn, The Coach & Horses at Chislehampton and then off to Kemble for the airshow next Sunday.
A close look at the awesome Apache Helicopter.
Working a bit meant I couldn't take many photos of the show itself so below is a selection of those I took before and after the flying commenced. Highlights for me? Well, the biggest was meeting Flight Lieutenant Charlie Matthews - the Eurofighter Typhoon display pilot for 2008. Where does he come from? Wanaka, New Zealand. Made me very proud to be a Kiwi.
A few days off now in Oxfordshire staying at our favourite inn, The Coach & Horses at Chislehampton and then off to Kemble for the airshow next Sunday.
A close look at the awesome Apache Helicopter.
First UK airshow appearance of the British Army Apache Helicopter.
Avro Lancaster from the BBMF.
Avro Lancaster from the BBMF
The sound and commentary team
Sunset over the historic skies of Biggin Hill.
No 10 Downing St
06/06/08 09:10
Today, the opportunity of a lifetime. To visit No. 10 Downing St and the Prime Minister. The feeling of walking through the doors was amazing, all the most powerful people in the world had walked through them. History inside breathes from the walls; Churchill, Thatcher, Blair. It was great to meet Prime Minister Brown but unfortunately no cameras allowed inside so will have to wait for the official photo from the Prime Minister's Office.
London in Summer
05/06/08 20:48
London in summer is a fantastic escape from the winter chills of Wanaka. To recap, travelled across from Hong Kong to London with
The 12hr 45min flight seemed to pass by in a blink. There is just so much room in these huge seats with multiple recline positions that it really does feel you are on a magic carpet. After take off the meal starts to be served and with such attentive service and expertly prepared and cooked food there is no way this feels like you are on an aeroplane.
Then it's time to watch one of the many hundred films available on your own personal screen before an English afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones and clotted cream.
The lie flat bed provides an easy afternoon nap before dinner is served and then in the twinkle of an eye our descent begins.
I should add that whilst all this is happening in the air, outside the window is a continuing geography lesson. China, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands and then the North Sea glide by with easy pinpointing of landmarks provided by the on-screen navigation system.
The above does not even start to adequately explain what Business Premier is like. After this all other forms of travel will be a disappointment. Thanks, Air New Zealand for the flight of a lifetime.
Our arrival in London was typical of their summer I guess. Drizzle, low cloud base and mirk everywhere.
We had another day of this on Tuesday but spent the day quite easily exploring the shops of Oxford Street. I must admit, being a bit of a country boy the number of people were totally overwhelming. Yesterday was more my style. We awoke to clearing skies so decided to take a stroll in Hyde Park. Sun, flowers and coffee by the lake are much more my idea of a holiday. A visit to the New Zealand Memorial at Hyde Park Corner was a highlight. Placed gently beside one of the memorial stones was a tribute to a New Zealand fighter pilot. Warrant Officer Burke from Matamata, killed in France flying a Typhoon and remembered in London. Truly from "The Uttermost Ends of the Earth".
We had a commentator meeting last night for the Biggin Hill Air Show this weekend and what an eclectic mix - an American, an Englishman and a Kiwi. I can see we are going to have a lot of fun.
Today the sun shines again, time for a coffee al fresco I think.
Land of Hope & Glory
02/06/08 00:04
Off to the UK again! I can't wait. This time we have decided to travel via Hong Kong. Never been here before and it has been an interesting diversion. Really a cross between Singapore and Bangkok. The Air New Zealand flight on Friday was excellent. Wonderful staff on board and the joy of traveIling Premium Economy. For not a lot more that normal economy you get a cabin of your own with much more room, the seats recline a LOT more and you get great food. Highly recommended!
We arrived yesterday morning in Hong Kong and spent the normal first day walking zombie-like around as the jet lag clicked in. Today much better and the opportunity to actually photograph something.
Tomorrow morning on to Heathrow. This trip is a bit of a busmans holiday as I will be commentating at two airshows. Biggin Hill this coming weekend and Kemble the following. A great opportunity to see some different aeroplanes and see how things run on the other side of the world.
Early start tomorrow as we leave at 0845hrs . In the meantime some images from today.
We arrived yesterday morning in Hong Kong and spent the normal first day walking zombie-like around as the jet lag clicked in. Today much better and the opportunity to actually photograph something.
Tomorrow morning on to Heathrow. This trip is a bit of a busmans holiday as I will be commentating at two airshows. Biggin Hill this coming weekend and Kemble the following. A great opportunity to see some different aeroplanes and see how things run on the other side of the world.
Early start tomorrow as we leave at 0845hrs . In the meantime some images from today.
Intersection near Nathan Road
Red
Travelling the Typhoon Shelter at Aberdeen.