Florida Archives - Page 45 of 84

November 19, 2015November 20, 2015

Emerson Point Vultures

I was driving along the road into a nature preserve when I came upon these vultures perched upon a dead oak. It struck me as such an odd sight, almost scary, and I had to stop and take a photo. While there another gentlemen came along and stopped next to me to take a look. Apparently he watches these carrions closely and said that something wasn’t right because normally they are further up the road inside the preserve. He thought perhaps someone was lighting fireworks and caused the flock to move here. Anyway, the only thing scary about this photo is that presumably these poor birds were a bit unsettled and scared themselves. Seems things are always what they seem.

November 16, 2015

Bean Point End

I took this from Bean Point on Anna Maria Island about a year ago. I was driving by and noticed a water spout which is not all that unusual for late summer. By the time I parked it was disappearing but there were still a few people enjoying the last rays of the day including these three boys. It was one of those moments when everything seems just right and fortunately I was able to get a few images as everything came together to form the perfect end to the day.

November 11, 2015

Walk on a Warm Beach

We are having a rather warm fall season here in Florida. I work in an air-conditioned room and so even I look forward to getting outside just to warm up. There are some beaches where you can just walk along at sunset with a drink in your had and the warm water at your feet. This one is at Lido beach which is just now gearing up for the winter season. As soon as American Thanksgiving is over waves of northerners will migrate south and end up doing something like this each evening. Now if I could just get out of my office, I might just join them.

November 6, 2015

Nokomis Beach Bridge

In the West coast of Florida most of the beaches are on keys which are long barrier islands up and down the coast. The main reason they don’t get washed away in storms is that usually there are dunes with vegetation to prevent erosion. So we have these bridges over the dunes that create a pretty nice entrance to the sea. As leading lines go, these are one of my favorite because they lead to where we all want to be, on the beach and in the sun. Speaking of which, the weekend is about to begin.

October 22, 2015

Plain Old Sunrise

As compositions go we might say this has no subject, no main actor. Having said that, nothing beats a good sunrise and sometimes we just have to ignore the rules of composition and go with what moves us. In this case, the simplicity of the scene was enough for me. This is an HDR image, I combined four images to balance out the range of light to try and convey what I saw with my eyes. For me, getting up early and standing next to calm water like this is like meditation. It gives me a certain calm that I can carry with me the rest of the day. Calm and simplicity, two things I strive for in some of my images, especially those close to the water. Have a peaceful day my friends.

October 20, 2015October 20, 2015

Getting Up Early

I am always surprised at how many people get up before dawn to see the sunrise. For me I think its understandable because I’m taking photos, but a whole bunch of other folks show up at this ungodly hour, park their cars, and walk out on to the pier, takes some of photos and then just turn around and leave. I’m not sure why I find that so interesting, maybe it’s just the realization that there are others doing the exact same thing as me. That’s hard to believe. I’m not really sure what to make of that, I suppose its a good thing.

October 16, 2015October 16, 2015

Night Under the Pier

This is a long exposure of about two minutes under Florida’s Venice Pier at night. The water appears still and the night appears brighter than it is. In fact I had people walking in front of me yet the length of the exposure ensures they are invisible. I shot this same perspective at sunset a few years ago and now it was time to come back. The evening perspective is one I quite like, it just seems less rushed and a bit more dreamy. Dreamy is a good word for a night shot, don’t you think?

October 13, 2015October 13, 2015

Bayshore Boulevard

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I drove around Tampa one hot day looking for photos to take and this is one I found on Bayshore Boulevard. I’m standing here at one of the many vistas that are provided for viewing the city which is located at the far edge of Tampa Bay so that the water is usually calm and glassy. Bayshore has many large homes with this same commanding view of the downtown Tampa core. I got lucky because these puffy clouds were also present to add to the composition. This time of year we get these hanging in the air which makes for an interesting sky when you catch them in the first half of the day. Normally by the afternoon or evening they either dissipate or group together and form thunderstorms.

October 4, 2015October 4, 2015

Boca Grande Seascape

If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times, I love old piers. No, don't put me down as undecided, old piers are awesome. If for no other reason than they provide a leading line into the infinity of the sea. They point outward and beyond, they are metaphors for the journey of life. How's that for heavy thoughts along with my images? I know, as long as it's not heavy breathing then it's okay. As a land lubber a pier for me points outward to sea. However if you are at sea, it's a bridge back to shore. There are so many implications that it just blows my mind. Okay, the men in white coats just showed up, I need to take my meds now. But really, don't you think old piers are great? — Old Pier in Boca Grande Florida

Obtain Print
If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a hundred times, I love old piers. No, don’t put me down as undecided, old piers are awesome. If for no other reason than they provide a leading line into the infinity of the sea. They point outward and beyond, they are metaphors for the journey of life. How’s that for heavy thoughts along with my images? I know, as long as it’s not heavy breathing then it’s okay. As a land lubber a pier for me points outward to sea. However if you are at sea, it’s a bridge back to shore. There are so many implications that it just blows my mind. Okay, the men in white coats just showed up, I need to take my meds now. But really, don’t you think old piers are great?

October 1, 2015October 1, 2015

Skyway at Night

The most iconic bridge in Tampa Bay is the Skyway. I was in Bradenton before dawn and looked over to see it lit up over the calm waters of the bay. As the crow flies I’m about six miles away yet still it commands attention if you happen to look that way. I was standing next to a much smaller bridge that connects to Anna Maria Island and my idea was to take a picture of that bridge instead, but the Skyway won the day. I have a lot of images of this bridge but that’s the way it is with iconic landmarks when you’re a landscape photographer. I just keep coming back for more.