OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

You might consider this read before you go...
http://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Ultimate-Travel-Photography/dp/1426205163/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1357732872&sr=8-2&keywords=travel+photography

katbandit Loc: new york city

i have been to new zealand around 15 years ago..be prepared to take lots and lots AND LOTS of breathtaking shots..anywhere is an opportunity to take a shot..even while driving you may stop and take photos of men and women throwing sheep off the back of a truck ..or while driving taking shots of views that look as if you are on the edge of the earth..i have a brother in law there that we went to visit..he was able to take us to places most tourists don't get to see..but just their lifestyle is so different than ours..we went to the northern and southern islands..just snap away..you won't need suggestions..you will be blown away with the views alone...enjoy it all you lucky stiff...lol

vickimachale

Spent 3 weeks there last year and are heading back this Fall. Took some great shots. Milford sound is wonderful but would do a day trip not over night. Enjoyed Queenstown. Go and have a Ferburger, best hamburger I've ever eaten. Christchurch, unfortunately, is or at least was, rather restricted due to earthquakes.

Trevor Dennis Loc: New Zealand (South Island)

We've had a few problems with the weather just lately, with some roads being closed for a while. I think the road to Milford Sound is closed at the moment, and some 80 trampers are trapped on the Milford Track. This will because the last section out to Sandfly Point will be impassable (I walked that section ankle to knee deep in water most of the way with the entire valley wall like one big waterfall!)

We've had a bridge wash out on the West coast south of Hokitika, meaning you could get from Grey mouth to Wanaka etc. In fact at one point the Arthurs Pass road was closed as well because of flooding, meaning a huge detour north back to the Lewis Pass across to the east coast if you wanted to head south to Queenstown etc.

How old are you Ron, and how adventurous? 10 days is a very short time to do the South island, but if you give me some sort of rough itinerary I can help with some details and suggest some photo spots.

I live in Marlborough in the heart of wine country, and am surrounded by bloody grape vines! But I know most of South Island and have done most of the tracks.

rps Loc: Muskoka Ontario Canada

There are great picture possibilities everywhere, from the antique trams in Christchurch to the spectacular scenery in Milford Sound. Queenstown is well worth visiting and if you go be sure to go to the top of the mountain and to take the antique steamship. There also are great shots with the Maori art. Auckland is also a very photogenic city. It's a wonderful place with delightful people. I kept telling the Kiwis to keep quiet about what they have down there and keep it a secret. Have a great trip!

Trevor Dennis Loc: New Zealand (South Island)

Yes, not looking flash at the moment, but February is a way off, and usually a good time here

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10858052

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8155779/Cut-off-Coasters-and-tourists-soldiered-on

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1301/S00145/sh94-milford-road-likely-to-re-open-tomorrow.htm

Trevor Dennis Loc: New Zealand (South Island)

Blimey. We call them JAFAs (Just Another F#####g Aucklander) and folk from up there tend to introduce themselves as "I'm from Auckland, but please don't hold it against me".

Way down south we have Invercargill which has a very colourful mayor called Tim Shadbolt. Tim is probably behind the giant hording on the road into Invers which reads:

Invercargill. As far from Auckland as you can get.

It's generally true that the further south you go in NZ, the friendlier the people.

gessman Loc: Colorado

Is there a museum or shrine to my hero, Burt Munro, in Invercargill?

ggttc Loc: TN

My wife took her daughter to NZ a few years ago...she had a speaking engagement there (which took 3 hours)...and they just rented a car for the next six days and drove around.

We have been to Tahiti, Moscow, Alaska...but by far and away she enjoyed NZ best...she took 1200 pics in 6 days...with a 189.00 kodak P&S...

Here are a few...

You will have the time of your photographic life.

lhdiver Loc: Midwest

We spent a month on the south island in Feb. 2002, still not enough time! There were many stands selling fresh produce so we enjoyed lots of it, especially the apricots. Photo ops everywhere so plan extra time where ever you go. We must go back!

TrishV Loc: Now living on Whidbey Island, WA

I am originally from Christchurch (now living in the northwest of the US) and have read the suggestions and all of them are great. In ten days you will be hard put to see everything the south island has to offer and it has a lot to offer. The main thing is if you are driving to pay particular attention to which side of the road you are on - it is so easy for Americans to turn a corner and automatically revert back to what they would do back home, so please be careful. Make sure you take a jacket because being so close to the south pole weather can change very quickly. Enjoy yourselves and have fun.

Daryl New Loc: Wellington,New Zealand

A shame you are not coming to North Island,could have driven you around the highlights of our capital,Wellington.Never mind next time eh?
Previous posts have covered south Island well,it's the more scenic of both islands.Sure you will enjoy.

Fisher Pete

South Island New Zealand is incredible. Follow your nose and you will not go wrong. Fishing can be world class. Driving is interesting. When we were their did not see a two lane bridge. Enjoy!

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

We spent 10 amazing days in New Zealand in March 1995. We rented a Camapavan in Auckland and set off with no plan except to see Rotorua, Taupo, and the Bay of Islands. We had an absolutely amazing time and never got beyond the north side of the north island. On a whim we went to see the black beaches at Kawhia (sp?) and watched a record blue marlin being brought shore on a stretcher, got invited to the Yacht Club for supper and met some of the friendliest people on earth. If they get friendlier further south you'll have a great time. We were there at harvest time and its a real treat to step outside your camper and pick a kiwi off the vine for breakfast. Its on our short list to go back, but next time for a couple of months!

david48lindsay Loc: New Zealand

One of the problems in replying to this is that there is just so much - the whole of NZ is awesome and spectacular photos are everywhere. It all depends as ever on the conditions, the light, etc etc. It is a beautiful country, and one of the real advantages of the whole of our country is that it is compressed, there are no vast distances to cover to get from one spectacular place to another. Think of travelling through an ever changing picture postcard with everything changing quite frequently and photos are just everywhere waiting to be taken.