THE LANDING.

A trip from the West Coast to the East, cutting through Arthur’s Pass.
We found an impromptu campsite just below a ridge—fresh water, big views, and a welcome stop on tired legs.

As the sun started to dip, we heard the calls of two kea somewhere behind the ridge. Dinner went on hold and I grabbed the camera.
Flashes of light started catching the underside of their wings as they moved through the air, glowing in the last of the sun.

They came closer, darting around each other in a bit of a cat-and-mouse game, and for a brief moment everything lined up—light, movement, timing.
I managed to get the shot, capturing a glimpse of the kea’s playful nature and the kind of energy you only really see up there.