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Sunday at the Beach

I working on my beach shots, so unfortunately that means I have to spend time at the beach. I know, why me, ...somebody's gotta do it. In typical fashion the beach was busy today, but not busy busy. School is starting back up and the majority of tourists have returned home so most of the folks here today are locals and the crowds weren't that bad. Heck, I even found a parking spot in the shade, and that NEVER happens. As I walked down the beach the umbrellas thinned out and here and there were couples enjoying the peaceful harmony of waves, sun and an ocean breeze before another busy week. After all, we locals gotta work too. ;-) Happy Monday everyone.

I working on my beach shots, so unfortunately that means I have to spend time at the beach. I know, why me, …somebody’s gotta do it. In typical fashion the beach was busy today, but not busy busy. School is starting back up and the majority of tourists have returned home so most of the folks here today are locals and the crowds weren’t that bad. Heck, I even found a parking spot in the shade, and that NEVER happens. As I walked down the beach the umbrellas thinned out and here and there were couples enjoying the peaceful harmony of waves, sun and an ocean breeze before another busy week. After all, we locals gotta work too. 😉 Happy monday everyone.

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Monring Clouds

This is sunrise on a thundercloud near my home one morning. I know I talk about the clouds probably way too much, but I'm not sure I'll ever fully get used to them. If you can stand the summer heat here in Florida and get out now and again you'll be rewarded with dramatic scenes in the sky like this. To me these are independence day clouds, as in the movie of the same name. If I were an alien I could park a huge ship in one of these, load up on all kinds of energy from the lightning and then be on my way to the next planet on the map. But I'm not an alien, a little odd maybe, but not an alien.

This is sunrise on a thundercloud near my home one morning. I know I talk about the clouds probably way too much, but I’m not sure I’ll ever fully get used to them. If you can stand the summer heat here in Florida and get out now and again you’ll be rewarded with dramatic scenes in the sky like this. To me these are independence day clouds, as in the movie of the same name. If I were an alien I could park a huge ship in one of these, load up on all kinds of energy from the lightning and then be on my way to the next planet on the map. But I’m not an alien, a little odd maybe, but not an alien.

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Beer Can Island

Why on God's green Earth they call this Beer Can Island I'll never know. It's not even an island, just the northern tip of Longboat Key. Nonetheless here I am sneaking a break in my day to capture a few shots of the beach at midday. I'm more of a sunset guy but I thought I'd expand my horizons a little and see what I could do during the day. Easier said than done, you need a polarizer, exposure compensation and blah-de-blah-blah-blah. I was just happy to get out of the office for a few minutes over lunch.

Why on God’s green Earth they call this Beer Can Island I’ll never know. It’s not even an island, just the northern tip of Longboat Key. Nonetheless here I am sneaking a break in my day to capture a few shots of the beach. I’m more of a sunset guy but I thought I’d expand my horizons a little and see what I could do during the day. Easier said than done, you need a polarizer, exposure compensation and blah-de-blah-blah-blah. I was just happy to get out of the office for a few minutes over lunch.

Click on photo to obtain print.

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Peaceful Afternoon

This is a few feet from the kayak launch in a wildlife area known as Robinson Preserve. I'm enamored with the place, I love the open expanse right in the middle of a city where the waters are calm, the wildlife takes refuge, and the stillness is enough to restore sanity. It's been a few weeks so I'm overdue for a trip back, maybe even with a kayak. Things are crazy all over and it's easy to lose track of what's important(I'm the poster child for that). But if I come to places like this, I have a better chance of finding peace than just about any other way.

This is a few feet from the kayak launch in a wildlife area known as Robinson Preserve. I’m enamored with the place, I love the open expanse right in the middle of a city where the waters are calm, the wildlife takes refuge and the stillness is enough to restore sanity. It’s been a few weeks so I’m overdue for a trip back, maybe even with a kayak. Things are crazy all over and it’s easy to lose track of what’s important (I’m the poster child for that). But if I come to places like this I have a better chance than just about any other way of finding that place of peace.

Click on photo to obtain a print.

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Bridge to Somewhere

I captured this at dusk near the Skyway bridge to St. Petersburg the other day. There's a little highway rest stop and as I pulled up a couple of truckers were sitting in their cabs just watching this scene unfold in front of them. As rest stops go this is fairly scenic and each time I come here get inspired in some new way. If this seems to you like a relaxing scene you'd be right. Which is why I need to file this away before I start my week, otherwise I might not get anything done.

I captured this at dusk near the Skyway bridge to St. Petersburg the other day. There’s a little highway rest stop and as I pulled up a couple of truckers were sitting in their cabs just watching this scene unfold in front of them. As rest stops go this is fairly scenic and each time I come here get inspired in some new way. If this seems to you like a relaxing scene you’d be right. Which is why I need to file this away before I start my week, otherwise I might not get anything done.

Click on photo to obtain print

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Afternoon at the Beach

This is Siesta Key Beach which is a short drive from my home in Florida. A couple of years ago this was rated the number one beach in the United States. Let's just stop and think about that for a moment. Somebody actually has a job to go around and pick the best beach. Really? I very much want that job. But I digress. There's always something fun going on here, I noticed they were setup for a duathlon the next morning and they also have drum circles that gather here every so often. I just thought it was cool how a bunch of friends decided to come here and play volleyball on this afternoon. In any case, I'll leave you with this scene while I go fill out an application for that beach rating job.

This is Siesta Key Beach which is a short drive from my home in Florida. A couple of years ago this was rated the number one beach in the United States. Let’s just stop and think about that for a moment. Somebody actually has a job to go around and pick the best beach. Really? I very much want that job. But I digress. There’s always something fun going on here, I noticed they were set up for a duathlon the next morning and they also have drum circles that gather here every so often. I just thought it was cool how a bunch of friends decided to come here and play volleyball on this afternoon. In any case, I’ll leave you with this scene while I go fill out an application for that beach rating job.

Click on photo to obtain a print.

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Summer Thunder Cloud

This is what a typical afternoon looks like near my home in Florida. These cells contain a lot of energy which lifts the moisture vertically resembling a mushroom cloud. Non-stop lightning is generated such that it will take your breath away if you've never seen it before. The first time I saw it I thought the aliens had invaded as I looked around at the locals who took no notice. As soon as it gets dark the skies light up in every direction as spectacular as fireworks. I just got back from walking my dogs around the block and directly above are stars, yet all around me were these clouds flashing in all directions. Now, I'm a local and I hardly notice.

This is what a typical afternoon looks like near my home in Florida. These cells contain a lot of energy which lifts the moisture vertically resembling a mushroom cloud. Non-stop lightning is generated such that it will take your breath away if you’ve never seen it before. The first time I saw it I thought the aliens had invaded as I looked around at the locals who took no notice. As soon as it gets dark the skies light up in every direction as spectacular as fireworks. I just got back from walking my dogs around the block and directly above are stars, yet all around me were these clouds flashing in all directions. Now, I’m a local and I hardly notice.

Click on photo to obtain print.

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Jensen Beach Snack Bar

Its just after sunrise so I had this place to myself. Jensen Beach is on Florida's east coast and like the west coast where I live the wave are gentle. I expected them to be a little larger, not sure if that was just due to calm weather or what. I don't think there are any places in Florida where we get the waves like California or Hawaii. Even so there are a lot of surfboard shops. Maybe those surfboards are for novices like me. In any case this cool little beach town has a little bit of history and a whole lot of open beach for doing whatever, like maybe gentle surfing.

Its just after sunrise so I had this place to myself. Jensen Beach is on Florida’s east coast and like the west coast where I live the wave are gentle. I expected them to be a little larger, not sure if that was just due to calm weather or what. I don’t think there are any places in Florida where we get the waves like California or Hawaii. Even so there are a lot of surfboard shops. Maybe those surfboards are for novices like me. In any case this cool little beach town has a little bit of history and a whole lot of open beach for doing whatever, like maybe gentle surfing.

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Man and Dog

I took this at a park named after Hernando De Soto. He was an explorer who passed through this way in the 1500s. I love coming to this park but it always makes me think about what it must have been like all those years ago. We have paths in the park and air conditioners in our cars, but back then it must have been difficult to walk through this vegetation in the oppressive heat of summer. I can wear shorts, sandals and a t-shirt, but what if I had to wear leather and wool and hack my way through the growth. Just kind of boggles the mind. I need a lemonade.

I took this at a park named after Hernando De Soto. He was an explorer who passed through this way in the 1500s. I love coming to this park but it always makes me think about what it must have been like all those years ago. We have paths in the park and air conditioners in our cars, but back then it must have been difficult to walk through this vegetation in the oppressive heat of summer. I can wear shorts, sandals and a t-shirt, but what if I had to wear leather and wool and hack my way through the growth. Just kind of boggles the mind. I need a lemonade.
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Gentle Waves

These are the gentle wave of Florida's Gulf Coast. The water is warm, the wave are gentle, what more could you want? This is the stump of an old tree blown down in a hurricane years ago. I suppose when that happened the waves were not so gentle but then it's soon forgotten as the pace of life returns to it's normal pace, which is about two speeds below slow. ;-)

These are the gentle wave of Florida’s Gulf Coast. The water is warm, the wave are gentle, what more could you want? This is the stump of an old tree blown down in a hurricane years ago. I suppose then the waves were big but then it’s soon forgotten as the pace of life returns to it’s normal pace, which is about two speeds below slow. 😉

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