This is from a series of photos I shot with my old camera recently. The camera I normally use was in the shop and to my surprise I really liked the handling of my old reliable friend. I always tell people that it’s not the camera that matters but the person behind it and even a cell phone camera can take great pictures. Even so I was surprised at how much fun I had with my old camera. I guess I my likes and preferences changed in the last year and when applied to the old equipment seemed to yield different results. Or, …this is all just in my mind and much ado about nothing. Whatever. 😉
Sunrise Over the Pond
The night before I took this I was at the same spot taking a picture of the sunset in the other direction. When I got home I realized I lost my lens cap. It’s only a few minutes from my house so I got up this morning to come back figuring I dropped it on the ground. It was nowhere to be found but nevertheless the clouds were crazy good and so I resigned to the loss and captured this sunrise. After watching it for a few minutes I walked back to my car and put the camera and in the back seat and there was the lens cap on the floor. Such a silly thing, but thanks to “losing it” I was here first thing in the morning.
Egret on a Pier
These little guys are not shy. For the most part they’ve become accustomed to humans and you can usually get within a few feet before they skitter away. I was about ten feet from this fellow as he fished from a pier at the beach. One day I came out of a store only to find one standing on my car. I walked up and got in and he never even moved. We have a tall one that lives near our house and I usually spot him on our driveway in the morning. As soon as I walk up with my dog he nonchalantly skips to the next driveway. One of the fun things about living in Florida.
Tugboat Sunset
A tug in the Gulf of Mexico just off the beach in central Florida as the sun sinks. When I looked closely I noticed the tug was from Texas. That’s probably about five hundred miles north west of here. Then I noticed that it had a satellite dish and several decks. It occurs to me the occupants can live on this for quite some time. It was probably here on a job as I was standing next to a large barge on the beach which is being used to dismantle an old pier. Anyway, all that aside I positioned myself to catch the tug close to the sun as it went down. The end of another day of work for the crew as they watch satellite TV and eat dinner in the galley.
Sanibel Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm the other day along the Sanibel Causeway. It’s all the more spectacular when the last rays of the sun can peak out during a thunderstorm. By the time I finished taking this the heavens had opened and I ran for the safety of my car. After it passed the skies once again cleared up as though it never even happened. Typical Florida afternoon.
Letting Time Pass
Another day comes to an end on Anna Maria Island. Sometimes it’s nice to just sit down on the sand and stare out into the water and let time go by. Nothing wrong with passing a little time on the beach.
Sarasota Island Park
Order Print
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.
Heron on a Palm
Herons like to find a perch up high to preen and watch. I know because we have one that sits on an oak branch out back. He typically shows up in the afternoon to scratch and decide what to do next. This one however I found at Emerson Point which is a local preserve. We are fortunate to have these birds in such close proximity. Years ago when I lived in Canada, Heron sightings were rare and a “big deal”. It’s still great when I see them down here in Florida, just not so rare.
Sunset Thunder
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.
Florida Polytechnic
Just outside of Orlando on I4 is the Florida Polytechnic University. Honestly, I don’t know a thing about it, yet the architecture of the main building is nothing short of amazing. I managed to stop over on one recent trip and capture a few images. This is a study in symmetry and lines. I think if I was a student I would feel right at home here.