Not sure how well this one is going to work - haven't downloaded a Panorama before... lets me know what you think, you may have to view large to get the big picture eh? This is 3 photos stitched together and yeah you can see some changes in light but meh, I kinda like how this one panned out!
For those who have read some of my previous posts which talk about geography of PNG, here's another brief (use that term loosely) lesson. New Guinea (the whole Island) is shaped like a Dragon, it has a little head, smallish shoulders, a Big Fat Arse and then a tail, that is looking at it from left to right. The Fat Arse and tail is the Papua New Guinea bit. Running all the way along the middle is huge mountains and they gradually taper off along the tail. The bit along the tail is called the Owen Stanley Range, and Sogeri (behind me in this photo) is as far as you can drive up and into the Owen Stanley Range, from Port Moresby. So right down that valley and off to the left is the capital city of Port Moresby.
Just off to the left you can see the snake road that winds its way up to this point, the Rouna Lookout, the snake road was there before the war so that Plantation and Cattle owners could get their produce to the wharfs, but it was during the war that the road was developed. On that left hand side just around the corner is the Varirata Escarpment where we saw Robert and his big Gun from the B-24 Bomber crashsite.
Over on the right is Hombrum's Bluff, local legend story says that a handful of Japanese Troops made it that far in their push across the Kokoda Track, but who knows? They definitely made it to Ioribaiwa Ridge, we know that much. To my right out of view is the Rouna Falls and Hydroelectric Powerstation, providing Moresbians with power and water... sometimes.
One time, me and a friend walked up that point right at the end of Hombrum's Bluff there, the track was so steep and skinny and perilous that our guides said "one way track only", and that meant only up. To get down we then walked all the way along that ridge on the right to the point where I took this photo (or close behind here). It is 11kms along that ridge. From this point, some nice Policemen offered us a lift back to my friend's vehicle, back down in the valley below. Didn't the locals love it to see two white guys in the back of a Police Car! Especially the girls playing Volleyball at 17-mile. That gets me singing a song...
"Ox and Palm, Ox and Palm, Ox and Palm...." but I digress...
Hopefully this panorama works. Photo taken in February, 2006 at Rouna Falls Lookout, near Sogeri, CP. Title reads: Sogeri and the Snake Road.
I am loving the peek into PNG, that I really didn't know much about before...this is an excellent shot...and I think you should definitely be paid by the PNG tourist board !!
Yes I think you are well deserving of a pay check, if I eve go to PNG I will copy and paste your guide :) to my laptop. Great view it looks amazing. I have my laptop hooked to my TV and WOW great job Jason.
Beautiful shot. Love the composition and the way it leads the eye from left, down into the center. As I said before, than ks for the post as well. It's always great to learn about places I haven't yet had a chance to see for myself.
@sharonaddison - Thanks Sharon. I am currently working my way through 3,000 photos taken in March for the 31 days coming up next month, and I have nailed it down to around 360. It is starting to get tough to work out which shots to leave out, and I definitely think PNG tourism should give me a call when they see the 31 that I will post for my March component. It is driving me crazy... I also know that September and November will be a nightmare too! This project is tough knowing that you have the shots in the bag.... its the digging around that exhausting!
@belphenstone - Cheers Beauregard, thank you. I too do like the way that your eyes get shifted around by the contours in this image - even the powerlines in the middle are co-operating.
I am looking at it n my 46 inch LCD it is really amazing, I could perhaps move to the 67 and it would be like I was there. What ever P&S it is it did you well.
@rumonkey - Oh WOW! That's Homermungus! The little PNS was an Olympus C-370, and I really enjoyed the shots it used to take. I have been on top of Mt Olympus using their cameras ever since. A friend of mine in PNG had the C-570 which was the same camera but larger file size and I was always envious.
Unfortunately, my C-370 had swimming lessons in the ocean, near a volcano. By the way, stick around, Volcano shots in March will be awesome to see on your kick-arse 67inch beast!
This panoramic view not only works, it's gorgeous! Did you ever figure about how many miles you hiked while you were in PNG? You had to have been in awesome shape. Not that you aren't now!lol I was looking at that snake road and thought how interesting it would be to travel down it. Love this photo, Jason! FAV
@buttercup - Just out of view on the left, is a HUGE Rock that landed on the road, making it just one lane around the big stone... they had to eventually bust it up!
As far as miles go in PNG? Hmmm let me think, I once walked 60miles across the Owen Stanley Ranges, that took a week... I once walked 20miles from the highest point down to the beach, that was a fun trip... I did a lot of 5 - 10 mile hikes on Sundays to prepare for the 60mile hike. And once I walked for 9 hours uphill, that nearly killed me... thank heavens for Coke Cola! But they're all just other stories.
@murnane - oh thank you Marg, the thing to look out for is the position of the sun. See in this shot how the clouds go grey and then white, well yeah I didn't quite get the light right. I'm sure cameras of today take a better then panorama then this old one....
I think you have stitched it together brilliantly. It's a great shot. I've tried this before, when I had a film camera, but nothing seemed to line up when I got the photos back. Paul has just bought a new Sony p&s, and it makes a panorama in the camera....press the shutter and move the camera across the scene - instant panorama
@gark - No disgust on my face Gark, I was enjoying the ride down the hill and revelling in the cheers and jeers from the local!!! I had a smile as wide as this panorama!
@onie - this old point and shoot had frames and screens to sort of guide you in the panorama setting, but if the light is predominantly from one side, you get a bit of a mess!
@cjwhite - Thank you Carolyn and thank Olympus for the camera setting and stitching software.
That was three photos? No way!! Exceptional job. That greenery is so lush I feel I want to wander around and lose myself in it. (Which is probably what would happen so I won't even try!) And the sky.... whoah. Off for another look.... :)
gorgeous panorama, I think the colour change is very subtle and wouldn't have noticed if you didn't mention it, love all the tracks snaking their way along the hill sides
OK, you are all in for a treat. I have finally made 3,000 March photos ready for the 31 days of March. You will get Boobs, Politicians, Volcanos and Skulls. Just stick around. Got a few days left of Feb to go eh?
Grreeeeaaaaattttt Ppppaaaannnnnnaaarraaammmmaaaaaa. l am anxiously awaiting March. But l don't want to miss anything in February either. You are fantastic Jason.
@swguevin - I simply drove up the road. It usually took around 40-45 minutes to drive to this point from the City. That valley below is well populated; the area known as 6 and 7 mile is usually known as the edge of the city suburbs. 8 mile is growing and like 9 mile, is more settlement then suburbia. 12, 14 and 17 mile are smaller communities...
@hillcrest - this is "dry-tropics" and Port Moresby and surrounds are in a Rain Shadow. So the green in this shot is Kunai Grass which grows only during the wet season. In the Dry season, all these hill will be set on fire and ergo they will look all brown and black. Quite ugly and depressing really.
@beckys - Why thank you BeckyS :)
@kimmistephens - thank you thank you thank you Kimmi S :D
Unfortunately, my C-370 had swimming lessons in the ocean, near a volcano. By the way, stick around, Volcano shots in March will be awesome to see on your kick-arse 67inch beast!
As far as miles go in PNG? Hmmm let me think, I once walked 60miles across the Owen Stanley Ranges, that took a week... I once walked 20miles from the highest point down to the beach, that was a fun trip... I did a lot of 5 - 10 mile hikes on Sundays to prepare for the 60mile hike. And once I walked for 9 hours uphill, that nearly killed me... thank heavens for Coke Cola! But they're all just other stories.
@will_wooderson - Cheers William!
@httpgeffed @danig @hellcat @cfitzgerald - Thank you ladies :)
@pngmeri - Can I ask what your history is with PNG... I have forgotten if we have already discussed this I'm sorry... Mi lus tingting.
@loztsoul - Thank you Trevor :)
@gark - No disgust on my face Gark, I was enjoying the ride down the hill and revelling in the cheers and jeers from the local!!! I had a smile as wide as this panorama!
@onie - this old point and shoot had frames and screens to sort of guide you in the panorama setting, but if the light is predominantly from one side, you get a bit of a mess!
@cjwhite - Thank you Carolyn and thank Olympus for the camera setting and stitching software.
OK, you are all in for a treat. I have finally made 3,000 March photos ready for the 31 days of March. You will get Boobs, Politicians, Volcanos and Skulls. Just stick around. Got a few days left of Feb to go eh?
@sebella @michelleyoung - Thanks Sebella and thank you Michelle :)
@veekay - Why thank you Vicki K :)
@brumbe - I still think it needs to be viewed large!