Mililu Photography

❮ ❯ These photos were taken during another visit to the New Zealand Maritime Museum in Auckland City. I took my usual route into the city, visited the museum, and wandered around the nearby docks. It was a fascinating place that gave me a glimpse into New Zealand’s seafaring history. Personally, I don’t know much about boats or fully understand their significance, but I couldn’t help but admire the sheer skill and craftsmanship behind the various types of boats and naval equipment across the different eras. Museums like this really make you appreciate the significance of simple things — like anchors, periscopes, and ropes — things you might normally overlook if they weren’t being presented in a way that shows just how essential they’ve been. My favorite photo has got to be the one of the sunset over the Harbour Bridge.

❮ ❯ Here are some more random photos. The first two are of a small park I have an emotional connection to — I always pass by it on my walks to Clendon Park, so I felt like I had to take a photo. The picture of the stray cat was taken during my walk to Weymouth Beach. There were actually three stray cats, but I got too close and they scurried off. This one, though — whom I have named Zig — came up to me when I made the “spspspspsp” sound. Zig was still cautious, but it mustered up the courage to come a little closer. The last two photos are of a park near where I live. It was one of those days where it’s sunny, but every now and then it rains. So, when the sun comes out, flocks of birds gather on the field. The land there is also a bit sunken — just deep enough to form a small pond when it rains.

❮ ❯ These photos were taken during my visit to another beach called Weymouth Beach, which is pretty close to where I live. My favorite is probably the photo with the bench facing toward the ocean. These kinds of photos have got to be my favorite. To me, it kind of personifies the object — like it's a lonely bench gazing out at the sea. It also guides your eyes, telling you where to look. I’m a frequent user of the rule of thirds, incorporating it into almost all my photos. It has helped me immensely in capturing the mood of a shot. What is the rule of thirds you may ask? it's basically a tic-tac-toe grid that you can enable on your camera or phone’s photo app. Where the lines intersect is where the focal point of the photo should be. If you have a subject, placing it where those lines cross helps draw the viewer’s eye directly to it. So, using the rule of thirds, I made the bench the focal point — making it more likely to be seen first. Once t...

Orakei: Mission Bay Beach: ❮ ❯ These photos were taken during my visit to Orakei and Mission Bay Beach. I first stopped at Orakei by train and visited the Orakei Basin before taking the bus to Mission Bay Beach. My favorite is probably the photo of the fountain—I love the rainbow that reflects off the stream. I actually had to stand in a specific spot to get the photo of the rainbow, because from certain angles, it wouldn’t be visible. I also really like the photo with the man sitting on the small cliff, looking out at the ocean. The photo kind of speaks for itself: the sunset, the silhouettes, the man sitting, the container ship. All of it comes together to make such a serene scene. Here’s an excerpt about my experience: "... I decided to travel to Mission Bay Beach. I mainly wanted to go just to relax, and because the weather was perfect: sunny and windy. So I hopped on the bus, then the train, ...

❮ ❯ These are photos of the famed Sky Tower. Whenever I decide take a photo of it, I try to be as creative as I can—everyone’s seen the Sky Tower, but have you ever wondered what it looks like from below? What about from the reflection of a glass building? Or maybe from the surface of a puddle? If not, which one’s your favorite?