A morning reset at Kaitoke

25 Jul

A man (Bradley) sits on a camping chair, looking up at the trees, while holding a coffee. Trees and ferns almost entirely block the sky out of the picture and a river runs down the back-left side of the image. — The most wonderful place for a cuppa.

As a photographer and videographer in Wellington, I spend a lot of time behind screens, behind lenses but rarely behind schedule.

Last week, I made a deliberate choice to pause.

No deadlines.

No shoots.

No pressure to post.

Just a quiet morning to reset.

I packed a container with the essentials: water, my cooker, a bag of coffee, sausages, a few slices of bread and, of course, my camera.

I’d decided the night before, after seeing the weather forecast, it was time to take some time.

After dropping my wife, Jacinta, at work, I grabbed supplies and drove north from Wellington.

Kaitoke Regional Park felt like the right spot and is one of my favourite places to create and relax.

It’s close enough to reach easily, but far enough to feel like I’d really gone somewhere.

A river gently runs under a swing bridge which connects two sides of forest with each other. Three people walk across the bridge under blue skies, — The view from the coffee camp - Kaitoke Regional Park’s accessible swing bridge.

I arrived mid-morning and found a spot by the river. First brew on the stove. No rush.

There’s something underrated about making coffee outdoors. The hiss of the gas flame, the steam in the cold air, the first sip with birdsong and flowing water in the background.

I made three coffees (not because I needed them, just because I could).

The tūī were calling in the trees above and I had a light-hearted moment chatting with a curious duck who stopped by (totally unhinged yarns).

I brought the camera but had no brief.

No expectations.

Just light, water and time.

That’s when creativity starts to feel effortless again.

If you work in creative production, or any high-output role, it’s easy to get caught up in always making, always doing. But sometimes, doing nothing is where the good stuff starts to grow.

Nature has a way of clearing your head (the way Lightroom can clear noise from a photo). I walked part of the loop track and visited Rivendell, the film location from The Lord of the Rings.

I didn’t make it to the new bridge this time. That’ll wait for another morning like this.

A man (Bradley) with black glasses, a dark brown/ginger beard, dark hair wearing a black long-armed top, holds his hands towards an archway in the forest. The archway has markings in it and the sun is shining through the trees. — Me and the iconic archway of Rivendell.

A closer up view of the archway, where it takes up the entire photo and focusses on the light hitting the inside of the archway and the trees of the forest in the distance. — The light coming through the arch sent me…

A mid shot of the archway where the light flares around the corner of the structure. — Standing tall through the ages - such an icon.

So here’s the low down:

Taking time off isn’t lazy. It’s not slacking off. It’s investing in yourself and your wellbeing. If you do something you genuinely enjoy, you’ll come back stronger.

Make it a regular thing, not just a reset when you're burning out (that’s something I’m working on too).

Go somewhere green.

Touch grass.

Make coffee slowly.

Don’t feel the need to turn everything into content.

That space matters.