Awesome photo Chris. You remembered of be careful with the focus and choose a different kind of weather than the usual, and the clouds gave a good atmosphere to the photo. The high contrast on the sky, in the middle of the photo looks so fine too. I like your other jobs, but this one looks be a little better than them. Keep looking for different weathers and you'll keep doing good jobs.

I agree with GT although I am not a huge fan of the bushes as the foreground. It's just the dead ones or dead-looking ones that are weird. Also, I believe a bit of levels and curves would have made the image a little more appealing:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b104/f8pc/Untitled-1-27.jpg

Still good though. ;)

I don't even notice much of blur; it looks good. Yes, the plants are a little strange but there good-lookin' in their own way.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

@Paul.CK, yeah the bushes aren't the prettiest but there wasn't much else for foreground interest. Thanks for the curves suggestion, I guess it's a matter of taste as to how much processing to do.

Hey Chris, first want to give you kudos for taking all your wonderful photos from around NZ, being from Christchurch myself.

The thistles feel very familiar haha, so its less of a bother to me than perhaps it could be to others. IMO Paul.CK's rebalanced image is a little bit 'candy' like in terms of the grass. I can see why you wanted the thistles there otherwise the image may have looked very plain, so you've done well.

Keep taking great photos.

Appreciate your feedback Maikeru.

I really like this photo and I also like the fact that you prefer not to process things too much. I think when you are photographing nature and you capture something like this it's a shame to 'fiddle' too much as it is just naturally beautiful. I actually think the thistles in the foreground add a nice touch. There are some dead ones mixed in with the ones that are flowering and for me that sort of signifies the cycle of life that's going on even in such a wild place and it literally brings the photo alive for me. My husband wants to move to New Zealand after seeing this and your other photos on my desktop. Apparently the weather here in England is similar to yours?

Thanks Noupette, glad you like it. And yeah, the weather in NZ can be pretty miserable too but don't let that put you off! Actually it's not that bad, really... :)

The original looks like Kodachrome and Paul.CK's looks like Velvia.

Nice Chris. Good to see some shots that aren't Rangitoto.

The Plants are great...It's nature man!!!!
Paul CK likes everything glossy and shiny...obviously an amateur!!!

It's all beautiful to me. It's just another addition to Wallpaper Master to go with my desktop which has no icons. :)

I don't see any blur, and again, I don't see any ugliness. I enjoy this one every time it comes around in the rotation. The colors are so beautiful, and the detail is excellent.