inspired photography with just enough perspective
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Between Coquina and Bradenton Beach is this walkway with shade and picnic tables. On account of the rain and wind it wasn’t too busy today, nevertheless it was pretty warm and quite a few were at the beach anyway. I walked along this between the two beaches and then along the beach for a spell watching the waves and enjoying the warm wind blowing in off the Gulf of Mexico.
Earlier today I read that this beach was rated number five in the “Top Ten Island Beaches for Perfect Sand” by Conde Nast Traveler. I thought to myself, hey, that’s MY beach. Fortunately we had nice clouds so I headed down this evening for a shoot. I’ve taken a lot of pictures of this beach, it’s by far my favorite. No matter how many times I come here the results are always the same, I go home relaxed and feeling much better.
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I’m working on a couple of long term projects that involve showcasing the county that I live in. One of the most notable aspects of Manatee County is the beach and so every now and then I walk the white sand looking for iconic shots. The more I do it the more I’m realizing that beach photography is a little like street photography. I try to catch people doing what they do without attracting a lot of attention. One technique I use is use a long lense and walk along the back of the beach. By shooting from the back or side I’m not in the faces of my subjects as they are situated in the landscape. In any case, I’m a little bit introverted and so shooting people in the “wild” doesn’t come easy, but once I get out there and in the zone it gets a little easier. In any case, this is one such shot on one such occasion.
I took this one afternoon with the sun beating down. Would you riding a bike when it’s 95 degrees outside? Summer is nearly over but in Florida we have another six to eight weeks left. The tropical storms start brewing about now and you never know what to expect. Our weathermen and women become a little animated this time of year, and no wonder, this is what they live for, unstable air masses. So rest of us worry a little less knowing someone else is on the ball with the “Kilstron 9” weather radar. This is also the time of year I start paying attention to the NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, me and about ten million others.
A little while back I captured this at Coquina Beach near my home just as the sun was setting behind the lifeguard stand. Used to be lifeguard stands were an elevated chair, now it seems they’re little condos on the beach. Can’t say that I blame them, sitting up there all day, at the beach, I’m sure it’s hard. Okay, I’m being a little sarcastic, just a little.
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Last night after Easter dinner I headed to the beach to grab a few shots. This is the vegetation on the dunes. It’s amazing what you can do at f9 and a tripod. 😉
A couple of weeks ago I captured paddle boarder off shore during sunset as he was surrounded by a few curious dolphins. Whenever I come to Coquina Beach there’s always something new to capture. Happy Friday everyone.
One of the many things I love about taking pictures at sunset in Florida is that it’s a great time to view wildlife. This bird, while he had his eye on me, was more concerned with his next meal. Just to the left of the pier were some fishermen and pelicans, wherever there’s one the others are close at hand. In any case, my buddy was ignoring the pelicans and patiently waiting for his prey and after what seemed like an eternity, swooped down and caught dinner. It requires a bit of patience but watching a Heron fish is a lesson in stealth, stillness and surprise. My rambling aside, this was another perfect evening at Coquina Beach in Manatee County, Florida.
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This is such a popular spot for family picnics that it can be hard to get parking on weekends. However, I took this in the middle of the week when few locals were out. I came here the other night to take some more pictures and saw a pod of dolphins frolicking in the waters pictured on the left. The water drops off just a few feet from shore and the current is quite strong, just right for dolphins to play and catch a meal. I never get tired of watching them in the wild. It’s an amazing feeling to stand just a few feet away from animals that may be smarter than me. And that’s just my dogs. I’m pretty sure dolphins are indeed smarter than me.
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This is a shot of the walkway to Coquina Beach on Anna Marie Island in Florida. This is a favorite beach of tourist and locals as the water is turquoise and the sand is like silk. When I shot this, just off camera to my right, a local had backed up his pickup truck and was enjoying a pot of crabs and shrimp while watching the sunset. Now tell me honestly, does life get any better than that?
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