Sarasota Archives - Page 6 of 16

March 9, 2017March 9, 2017

Section of Sarasota

This shot is from a section of Sarasota where I was taking pictures at sunset. When doing that a good rule of thumb to turn around. During that time of day the light is typically good in all directions. This scene is enhanced by the soft light of the golden hour.

Daily Image

The tallest building on the right is the Ritz Carlton hotel. It’s distinctive architecture is part of the Sarasota skyline. I ate dinner here a couple of times and for desert had the chocolate martini.

This section of the town is one of the most iconic. I’m standing adjacent to the main bridge which connects the city to Lido Key. Runners, walkers and bikers all use the bridge for exercise. Behind me is the pier and a park were folks come to fish or view the sunset. On the other side of the street is the main marina where sailboats and yachts are anchored. Finally, straight ahead is the downtown section with restaurants, shops and entertainment.

sarasota gallery

So this is an area where there is much to see and do. That’s the main reason I come here to take pictures. But this time I decided to turn around and ignore the obvious for just a minute. By doing that I found a new composition. But to tell the truth, that’s easy to do in any direction around here.

February 24, 2017February 24, 2017

Burden of Beauty

When I see a scene like this I want to capture it with my camera. That’s great if I have my camera, it’s stressful if I don’t. Its what I call the burden of beauty. Photography has opened my eyes so I am more aware of what’s around me. When I see something interesting or pretty the inclination is to take a picture. So now I not only appreciate more, I want to capture it. As problems go I suppose its a good one to have.

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Burden of Beauty — The burden of beauty demands that I capture scenes like this

I took this in Sarasota last week as the rain clouds were clearing. There is a special quality to the light at times like this. I feel the need to capture elusive light. Sometimes the photos are simply clouds, water and sun. Generally they never make it to my collections, maybe they lack that little something extra of interest to a wider audience. That’s okay, I’m glad I captured it all the same.

“Capture” is a funny word. We cannot capture anything as ephemeral as light, we record it. But I try to convey a little of what I felt or saw at the time. So when I say I capture an image, that’s shorthand for recording a scene and trying to convey a sense of the moment. It’s not easy but I try.

Sarasota Gallery

Have you ever been away from home, seen something you’ve never seen and then call home to talk about it? That’s how I can feel even just walking the dog, I want to share it. It happens all the time. I think that’s because I have a heightened appreciation for moments like this; that’s the burden of beauty.

January 11, 2017January 11, 2017

Sarasota Skyline from Afar

The Sarasota skyline from afar is something I never get tired of. This is about a mile away. I took this while standing near a boat launch on City Island.

Daily Image

This happened to be one of the few times of the year it was cold and windy. That’s great for this type of photography because the air is crisp and the clouds blur against the sky when the exposure is long. The only difficulty is getting the camera to remain steady against the winds. I have a good tripod but sometimes that’s not enough. In this case I shielded the camera on one side of my SUV so that the car acted as a windbreak.

I take a lot of pictures of Sarasota. Its close and has views across the water, something I favor. A long time ago I made up a rule, let’s call it the rule of fourths. The idea is to get as many of the four elements in the picture as possible. Using fire, air, water and earth, I compose an image, the more the merrier. The rule doesn’t always work, its more of an idea than a rule. However I’ll find myself working with it in an image almost subconsciously.

sarasota gallery

Each time I come here to take a photo the conditions are different. The last time I came it was in the morning, it’s a good sunrise spot because it faces east. Once I captured a big thunder cloud over the city on a summer afternoon. Each time I show up at the same location there will be something different, the trick is to notice; that’s the idea, not a rule.

January 5, 2017January 5, 2017

Lido Key

I don’t know what I was thinking when I showed up early one morning at Lido Key. By Florida standards it was freezing with a cold wind. I almost turned around to leave but forced myself out of the car to get a few images. I ended up liking this image enough to save it from the dust bin.

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Normally this is a beautiful beach, a secret hideaway. Its close to an inter-coastal inlet and has trails and mangroves to explore either on foot or kayak. And being at the end of the key it’s less crowded. All that aside there was not a single soul in sight on this morning.

I took this early in December, ever since then we’ve had warm weather, so I just picked a bad day. I’ll come back and look again for a nice sunrise shot from here. Persistence is my co-conspirator.

Even though this somewhat remote, its just a few blocks away is the Ritz Carlton and St Armonds Circle. That’s the nice thing about Sarasota, it has a mix of low key and upscale. You can pick and choose what you want.

Sarasota gallery

In any case, I’m posting this image to remind myself to come back on a warmer morning and try again for that perfect sunrise shot.

December 7, 2016

Sarasota Skyline One Afternoon

This is a two-minute long exposure of the Sarasota Skyline one afternoon last month. Looking at the file info for this image I see it was taken at 5:43pm. This was obviously before we set the clocks back because now the sun goes down at 5:30. Funny thing about photography is it causes me to notice little details like that.

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On one level photography is a mechanical process, take a picture and preserve a moment. On another level the practice of photography is a way of becoming present in the moment and aware of my surroundings. One way to reconnect to the environment is through art, and for me that means the art of photography.

It’s nice if I can make a photo that other people like. But more important to me is to make a photo that I like. It’s an exploration through experimentation that leads to discoveries. To start with, discovering what aesthetics I like. Also discovering how to convey a vision through an image. A vision is in our minds and an image is a thing we look at. Connecting the two is an art.

see more images in the gallery

I could go on about what the pursuit of photography is, at least for me. But perhaps I’ll cut it short today and let the picture do the talking. That should be worth at least another thousand words.

November 30, 2016

The Other Morning

The other morning I came here to a little park by the bridge. There are nice views all around despite the urban setting. I had the new wide angle Laowa 12mm f/2.8 lens. I used it to pull a lot of the scene into the frame. Wide angle lenses are good for that but we have an even wider angle of view with our eyes. I was wondering why don’t we see things this way all the time.

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It was early and I had the place to myself. I took a lot of photos in various directions. The lens gives the water and clouds equal prominence. The texture of the clouds this morning was balanced by the texture of the water and creates an interesting effect.

This is the bridge to Siesta Key in Sarasota. Its sunrise and were facing east so I crossed the bridge to get to this spot. As soon as I finished I crossed back. Bridges like this are the lifeblood of Florida communities. They make living on small islands possible for people without boats.

bridge images from the gallery

Anyway, I’m still learning about the new lens and so far so good. I’m reshooting old locations for a new perspective. That’s probably something I’ll be doing for a while.

October 26, 2016

Lights Reflecting in Sarasota Bay

Lights reflecting in Sarasota Bay on a recent evening. I’ve taken similar images but of course each one is a little different. This is a long exposure panorama of three separate images; the exposure is about ten-seconds and it makes the water look smooth. Panoramas over the water work well only if the water is smooth. Otherwise there are noticeable lines where the wave patterns are stitched together. That’s because the waves from each picture are in different positions and don’t match when combined. A little tip for the day.

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I’m addicted to long exposure photography, I love how it transforms a scene, making it seem almost serene. I’m also addicted to night or low light photography, I like how the mood shifts when the bright light of day fades. When I get to combine the two I’m in my happy place. It’s a lot of fun and I never quite know what I’ll end up with. The main thing is to keep experimenting and, of course, having fun.

panoramas from the gallery

Anyway, now that the weather here in Florida is finally cooling a bit from the long hot summer, an evening outdoors can be refreshing. A cool dry breeze is something I haven’t felt around here in about six months, so now that thats starting I think its time to get out and enjoy the weather. Not that I need an excuse but for me that means doing more long exposure panoramas. Stay tuned, more images to come.

October 24, 2016October 24, 2016

The Old Pier

This is the old pier in St. Petersburg Florida. I took this a couple of years ago before they began tearing it down. In fact, they just removed the last piece of it couple of days ago. A new pier will be built in two years, but in the meantime pictures are all we have. It’s a little sad.

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I liked the old one, it had a certain charm to it. But St Petersburg is a thriving city and they want something new that reflects a more modern aesthetic. Two years is a long time to wait for the new pier.

From a photographic perspective I’m a pier fanatic. When you stand next to one it creates a leading line out into the water. When you stand on top of one it’s more symmetrical. This pier is (or was) the largest in central Florida. It’s the only one I know of that you could drive on. I suppose that’s why the new one will take so long to build, it’s a large project.

sunrises photos from the gallery

I just happen to notice this image at about the same time as I read about the completion of the demolition. A coincidence I suppose, or maybe it’s the ghost of the old pier reaching out for one last hoorah. Whatever the case, may she rest in pieces.

October 19, 2016October 19, 2016

Sarasota Bay Last Sunday

This is a long exposure of Sarasota Bay last Sunday afternoon. The exposure is a little over two minutes so you can see the movement of the clouds and the water appears still. In a normal exposure you would see boats in the water. Because the boats are moving they are not exposed and it appears deserted and serene. In reality the scene was serene but not deserted. On a Sunday afternoon everyone is out on the water, and I do mean everyone.

Daily Image

This is another one in a series of photographs I’ve taken of the Ringling Bridge. Close to home it’s one of my favorite subjects. I’m always looking for new perspectives and different angles of it. In this case I was a couple miles away at a little park called Nora Patterson Bay Island Park which is at the entrance to Siesta Key. Use of a telephoto lens allows me to frame end to end like this. I think the next time I come here it’ll be in the evening so I can get this scene after dark; I’m curious to see how that will look.

This is the best time of year to be here in Florida. Its low season before the population expands with visitors and snowbirds. It’s also the time of year that we get a break from the heat, the weather is perfect, not too hot or too cold.

sarasota gallery

So it was this perfect day with the perfect weather that I had this little park to myself. Imagine that, having this view to yourself, alone with your thoughts. I suppose its a common thing because its such a small park, but still, it’s quite the thing, don’t you think?

October 17, 2016

When we are Happy

When we are happy we’ll do all kinds of things. I am reminded of my little dog who, when he gets happy, puts on all kinds of antics. Like my little doggy I am prone to a little silliness as well. And if no-one else is feeling the same, I can always count on him to join in the fun. We are very similar in that respect, when we feel a flow of energy things are good.

Daily Image

For me this image is a metaphor for breaking through and getting a shot of good energy. Just a few minutes before I took this it was raining, then the clouds began to break up and the sun created this display in the sky. Life is full of these kinds of moments and weather has a way of demonstrating this with natural displays of the elements. Lucky for me I was here to capture this display with a camera.

This is in Venice Florida on Florida’s gulf coast. It’s one of my favorite places. It’s an area a little removed from the hustle and bustle and a good place for me to walk the beach and take pictures. Actually there are a lot of places like this in Florida, but I have a few favorites.

sunset gallery

Anyway, it’s the beginning of another week and I was thinking I needed a little good energy to start the week. Looking at this reminds me of the feeling I had when I took this image. This is a metaphorical Monday morning cartwheel to get us through the week.