inspired photography with just enough perspective
If I knew the slightest thing about fishing it would be twice what I know now. That being said, I think this is a good fishing spot. I only know that on account of the numbers of fishermen that show up here after the sun goes down. And by fishermen I mean humans, pelicans, herons, …you name it, they all show up for the party. This is the Longboat Key Bridge as taken from the dock in Bradenton Beach Florida at night. And if I was into fishing, this is were you’d find me tonight.
This is the clock tower and pier in Bradenton Beach Florida. I was trying to get a good picture of the moon as it sunk into the beach just before dawn, but that didn’t work out too well. Moons are hard. So I turned around and walked around this deserted beach village just before sunrise. The local bartender on Bridge Street was still sweeping up from the previous night and gave me a sideways glance as I walked the empty streets with my camera. I need to give up on moons and try this a little more often.
This is a shaded path through Leffis Key on Anna Maria Island in Florida. For all intents and purposes its hidden as I’ve driven by it for years and never noticed. So it was a pleasant surprise when I happened upon it early one morning. The entrance is small and easy to miss and the first thing you do is walk through this shaded path. When you reach the other side you are in a quite world surrounded by the mangroves and wildlife. The bulk of it extends out away from the highway into the inter-coastal waterway. This pathway reminded me of a passage to a secret garden. In a way I suppose it is.
When I lived up north in the cold and then visited a warm place, I would savor the last remaining moments of my vacation. I think that’s what was happening when I took this shot. A couple enjoying a last swim in the Gulf of Mexico one evening under a beautiful sunset in Bradenton Beach Florida. All good things come to and end, and fortunate for me I was here when it happened.
Whenever I need a break I head down to the beach for a walk. I just made that up, I don’t really, but it sounds like a good idea. When I head down to the beach it’s usually to take pictures. I see a lot of other people taking a break and it looks so serene and peaceful I have to take a picture of it. I know there’s a lesson or commentary in there somewhere, but hey, it is what it is. This is one of the old piers in Bradenton Beach in Manatee County Florida and while I was taking it’s picture the other people here were sitting in beach chairs and enjoying the scenery.
I’m not complaining but, …it got a little chilly here the last couple of days, about 50F/10C. I got so stoked I dressed up for the occasion with a sweatshirt, socks and shoes. My sandals took a well deserved day off. They were calling for snow in the Florida panhandle so I was hoping against the odds we might get a whiff, no such luck. Had to recycle the makeshift cardboard sled, maybe next year. This is another broken down pier busy protecting white sand on the beach from washing away. You know, white sand. No, not that stuff you sled on. But I digress, …what was I talking about?
For whatever reason the clouds like to sit just off shore just to tease me. They know I’m here for a sunset shot yet I don’t always get what I want. But like the song says, if you try some time, you get what you need. So I guess I needed the sunset to look crazy on fire like this with a layer of grey clouds on top. This is the remnants of a broken down pier at Coquina Beach in Manatee County Florida. And that bird? That’s his pier.
The waves we get here on Florida’s gulf coast are gentle as compared to the east coast or even California. I rarely hear the thunder as they hit the shore, maybe after a storm, but very infrequent. I suppose that’s frustrating for surfers, but the east coast is only a couple hours across the state. I think the west coast is more for just kicking back and relaxing. Any one want to join me?
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Florida has a lot of things and Christmas tress aren’t one of them. If you need a Christmas tree it’ll be imported or plastic. On the other hand, we have plenty of Christmas Palms. Everyone down here is frond of decorating the palms with lights, it’s quite the sight. In fact, this evening we’ll probably do our annual drive down Longboat Key to see all the decorated palms. It seems to me that Santa might get a little warm in that big red coat down here, but then he flies at altitude and with the wind chill and all, … I’ll bet Florida is a nice stop for him, long enough to warm up, throw back a couple of Mohitoes and then off to colder climes. Merry Christmas to All.
I shot this just two nights ago near the appropriately named Sunset Park along Bradenton Beach in Florida. Unlike the white sand blowing in snow squalls up north, this is the real stuff. I love taking pictures of sunset at Bradenton Beach, each time I go there I seem to find a new section that I’ve never noticed before. And of course no two sunsets are the same. Head down here around sunset on any given day and folks have their lawn chairs out waiting, as if for the final act. I’m always busy taking pictures, one of these days I’ll try putting down the camera and just watching it myself. Or not.
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