Sometimes when I’m out taking pictures of the scenery something simple as the stillness of water can affect me most. That doesn’t always translate into an interesting picture. Such was the case a few nights ago when I stood with my tripod in the warm calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and took this shot. No birds, no bridges, no nothing. Just water and sky. Kind of like floating at sea. Kind of like drifting in space. Kind of like a meditation. We might think of this during our hectic day and remember that behind, beyond, and above it all is something simple that matters most.
Rye Preserve
One thing we seem to have a lot of in Florida is nature preserves. I heard of a guy who is on a mission to visit every Starbucks in the US, …there must be thousands, and that’s just in one city. My mission is to visit every preserve in my county. I know it’s a lofty goal, but you gotta aim high. So today I visited Rye Preserve and shot this near the canoe launch. There was a sign just before this saying that the dam (a couple hundred yards upstream) occasionally discharges large amounts of water and if you hear the siren then “prepare accordingly”. …Hmmmm. My wife said she didn’t have a good feeling. With afternoon thunderstorms this time of year the lake upstream can easily get too full. Hmmmm. But, …no sirens, no worries. Later this evening I was watching the local news and, apparently (get this), there are emergency repairs underway on the dam right now, because, …it could give way. I’m switching to Starbucks.
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Terra Ceia Bay
This little pier is at Emerson Point and looks out upon Terra Ceia Bay. I spend a lot of time here, mostly because I like taking pictures. Being a state park in an urban area there are posted hours, basically just before sunrise to just after sunset. Seems reasonable. However, I have a tendency to lose track of time and last week I found myself near this spot about thirty minutes after sunset. I headed back to my car and there waiting for me was the ranger. He saw my camera and tripod, I think he was being polite because he didn’t say a word. He followed me for a bit as I drove out, but I had to drive slow because all the little critters were coming on to the road. I then realized that the posted hours as as much about the safety of the critters as anything else.
Sentinel
This is one of the locations we did a hot stop with the chopper. Basically the pilot keeps the engine running, you jump out, compose, shoot, compose, shoot, jump back into the chopper. We were looking for a water shot and there was one near here but with fishermen so we decided against disturbing the peace and landing in this field about a mile away. I immediately gravitated towards this lone tree which seemed to be the sentinel between the regions of the valley. I think to an observer it would have been quite the sight; landing, jumping out, running, shooting and taking off. Yeah, just another day at the office.
Banff Walking Bridge
Last summer I went to Banff in Alberta and captured this walking bridge over the Bow River. Recently I got back from New Zealand. Now I’m conflicted as to which one I liked best. That’s impossible to answer so let’s just fuhgeddaboudit. But if there was another place on earth as beautiful and either of those I’m not sure what I’d do. That’s the problem with being a photographer. Good problem to have I suppose. And I have a sneaking suspicion there could be other surprises in store, …like maybe Iceland? One day. Nothing wrong with dreaming.
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Lake Placid, Florida
On the weekend we took a drive to the east coast of Florida to see what we could see. A little more than halfway we stopped at Lake Placid for lunch. Picked up lunch at a friendly little diner and then found the public boat dock for a picnic by the water. Later I learned that Lake Placid has a clown college, …okay? So if you’re afraid of clowns you might steer clear, …I’m just sayin. Other than that this sleepy town seems like a nice enough spot and a good place to put your feet in the water to cool off from the Florida midday heat. And besides, the only clowns I saw were these waterfowl playing in and amongst the reeds.
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Shannon Falls
Couple of weeks ago I drove up to Shannnon Falls from Vancouver. At over a thousand feet the falls are too big to capture from the ground, at least for me. Just a short walk off the road you can stand within a few feet of this massive spectacle. And this is only the third largest fall in the province. On this afternoon I walked along the trails under the thick canopy of evergreens with the cool mist wafting from the falls. Something about this is rejuvenating because I left with more energy than I came with despite having traveled from Florida earlier in the day.
Neal Preserve Pond Path
The path around the pond at Neal Preserve in Bradenton Florida. One of my favorite places to watch the local birds and take in the lush landscape of central Florida. I’ve been traveling so much lately and am overdue for a visit in my own backyard to one of my favorite spots.
Half Moon Bay
A couple of weeks ago we stopped in Half Moon Bay and walked the beach at sunset. The beaches, waves and landscape of the Pacific are so much more dramatic than the west coast of Florida where I live. Even though I grew up in California, now when I return it all seems so new and interesting. Perhaps the same is true the other way around, each is unique. In any case, in the states we have a long weekend ahead so maybe I’ll head to the beach again, there’s always something fun there. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
End of the Rainbow
Can you keep a secret? I think I may have discovered the end of the rainbow. I’ll be going back to find the pot of gold, but at least I know where it is. Well, actually I have no idea where this is, other than somewhere in Mount Aspiring National Park close to Mount Earnslaw in New Zealand. Flying through the southern range we experienced microclimates at every elevation and terrain. When we started in the morning up at elevation it was ten or fifteen degrees below freezing (with the helicopter doors off by the way). By the time we got back four hours later it was in the seventies. I was so busy concentrating on my camera settings that I forgot I had this image until last night when browsing through. Anyway, don’t tell anyone.
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