Photon

Petone, Wellington NZ, July 2012: Scored an original variant of the now famous “Diana” camera recently for just NZD $20. New versions can go for up to $150-$200. The Diana and it’s many clones were manufactured in Hong Kong in the 1960’s. Infamous for their dubious construction, soft focus, light leaks and vignetting, they are […]

The Lost City

Olympos, Turkey, April 2003: While the US and allies were invading Iraq in April 2003, I was making my own sort of invasion route to neighbouring Turkey for the first time. It was a rather circuitous route, island hopping from Athens down to Crete- a long and very rough boat ride east to Rhodes- and […]

St James

Newtown, Wellington NZ, March 2012: When it comes to abandonments, it’s hard to beat the forlorn look of a derelict church. The St James Presbyterian church in Newtown was built in the late 19th century, the foundation stone laid in 1900. It’s exterior suggests this place of worship has been left for the dogs, but […]

Dalí

Figueres, Catalonia, Spain, Jan 2005: In early 2005 while on a break in Catalonia, I visited the Teatro Museo Dalí. The great surrealist Salvador Dali was born in the town of Figueres in 1904. The heart of the museum was originally the town’s theatre, bombed during the Spanish civil war. In the 1960’s it was […]

Arson

Taita, Wellington, NZ, last week: I’ve noticed a few fire gutted houses around the place recently. Spotted the remains of this place last week. A quick google search (confirmed by google maps), found that police suspect this house had been burgled prior to being set alight….

Dorset

Seatoun, Wellington, October 2011: Fort Dorset battery was a former coastal artillery station, built to defend the entrance to Wellington Harbour from a possible naval attack. Construction began prior to the First World War- it was occupied and operational through both wars and up untill the mid 1950’s.

Summit

Midhurst, Taranaki NZ, March 2012: The neglected “Summit-Quinphos” building was a former Taranaki Dairy Company milk powder factory that operated for a brief time in the mid 1970’s. Current occupiers are unknown- the factory seems to be now only used to store fertiliser. The site was virtually abandoned when I dropped by in March…

For Sale

Greytown, Wairarapa, NZ, April 2012: The long-derelict former Greytown Hospital is up for sale. Buildings on the historic 1.5 hectare site date back to 1890 and followed the old Florence Nightingale open-ward plan. Most of the asbestos has now been removed and the main building earthquake strengthened. The hospital (which closed in 1995) had originally […]

Hotel du Commerce

Limoges, France, 2004: This hotel in Limoges had seen better days. Here’s to good times ahead for France… Nous ne manquerons pas vous Sarkozy- félicitations et bonne chance Hollande!