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An afternoon at Sarasota Island Park is a nice way to let the day wind down. Everyone is friendly and willing to stop and chat and say hello. Kind of unusual but I guess some places are like that. This afternoon there were photographers working on portraits with clients, people walking their dogs, sailors tending to their boats and others just sitting on a bench watching the sunset. Like I said, not a bad way to let the day wind down.
This evening I waited way too long to capture this. It’s not a good idea to stay outside when the clouds look like this. As I waited for the sun to appear in the break above the horizon, a thunderstorm approached from the east. Most everyone else scattered but I wanted to capture the combination of colors before me. Nonetheless, I lived to tell about it and I have the image that I made a bad decision for. Not sure if that’s good or bad.
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A Friday afternoon scene near Battery Park in lower Manhattan. I was in NYC to take photos and only a few minutes before was over at the South Side Sea Port. My friend mentioned that the sun was going down and so we quickly made haste to this side of the island facing west. As it was the end of the week, most people were out relaxing and sitting at outdoor cafes. This, and a dozen other reasons, is why New York is one of my favorite cities.
It always amazes me to see people leaving when I show up at the beach before sunset. To my way of thinking the best is yet to come, yet to scores of others it’s time to load up the car and leave. I guess that’s understandable especially if you have small kids or commitments. After the exodus there are two types of people left, folks like me who came for the sunset and, the rest of the beach stragglers that will not leave until they’ve seen the final act. In the end I suppose all that matters is that we all had fun and got what we came for.
The best time to get out and take photos of nature is right after it rains. There are pools and ponds to create reflections and of course everything feels refreshed. I’ve posted other shots from this exact spot but lucky for me the clouds are always different. Clyde Butcher, perhaps Florida’s most well known photographer, said that the clouds are our mountains. It’s true, the clouds here are spectacular and ever changing throughout the seasons. The main thing is to get outside after the rain and you will not be disappointed.
I believe we are so much more than we think. That we are intrinsically light and that while here in this life we have an affinity with things that remind us of that. We stare at the fire, watch the sun go down and marvel at the colors of the clouds. It’s more than just that, I believe that the light is love and so we are drawn to reminders of love also. I see love in eyes. Eyes of people, but undeniably eyes of animals. My best friend passed today, my four legged sidekick named Marley. He gave me and so many more unconditional love. And today he returns into the light.
The last rays of the day before dusk at Fort DeSoto park in St Petersburg Florida. Everything was idyllic on this evening and I thought this is a moment I want to remember. Of course I was busy taking pictures, but I have this souvenir. For me, just being there to take the picture was enjoyment enough.
This is one in a series of broken down piers in Bradenton Beach. Actually, there are big barriers in front to keep people off, but I’m sure that doesn’t apply to fishermen or photographers, right? In any case, this is one of the last shots you’ll see because they are deconstructing and removing them all. I think that’s kind of sad because I feel they add character, but that’s just me. I’m sure the beach will look even more pristine once they’re gone. In general, I’m all for piers, they give us all a chance to go out over the water with very little effort. And of course I like taking pictures of them at sunset. I guess I’ll just have to focus on something else.
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Last Friday, Battery Park in lower Manhattan was the place to be as the week ended with a warm breeze and spectacular sunset. I was busy clicking away when this couple came up and asked to take their picture and email it later. When I got home I realized that I had them out of focus. Arrrrg!!! Lucky enough I had taken this shot with them in it a few minutes earlier. It was an amateur mistake, but hopefully they can take this image as a memory of that moment together during one of the most romantic sunsets of the season.
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Getting stuck on a drawbridge is not necessarily a bad thing. I was headed to the beach to watch the sunset and got “stuck” here while the bridge lifted to let a sailboat pass. The first thing you do is kill the engine, roll down the windows and enjoy the scenery. Or, in my case, grab my camera and take a few photos. In fact, truth be told, I secretly hope I get stuck on a drawbridge. Just one of life’s happy little surprises.
