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Yesterday I got up early to look for some epic shots of the sunrise. Probably because I had an agenda it didn’t work out. I had a location in mind but the weather didn’t cooperate and no matter where I walked I couldn’t find a good composition. I walked back to the parking lot a little defeated and noticed a flock of White Ibis feeding in the shallow waters of Sarasota Bay in front of the car. So I just sat down on the ground to relax and watch them as they worked the shore. I guess the lesson is to keep an open mind because you never know what you’ll see. I think sometimes with photography its better to let the world come to me rather than marching out to find something in my head. Beside it was a much more enjoyable experience just sitting here watching these cool fellas in the morning.
Nokomis Lifeguard Stand
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My how time flies, I was last here a little over two years ago. I shot from almost the exact same location at around the same time, but the results are quite different. For one, I used a different lens. For another, I used textures on this. My style and inclinations change over time and so I’m finding that if I go back to some of my favorite locations a shoot again, the results are quite different. Here is a link to the old version.
Nokomis North Jetty
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It’s been a while since I’ve been to the north jetty so yesterday evening I headed down here. It’s about 35 minutes from home along the gulf coast and every evening people flock here to watch the sunset. The minute I drove up a couple of dolphins swam by as they meandered about. These shells were deposited on the beach from recent storms; you could just scoop up a handful. The jetty connects the gulf to the intercostal waterway where most folks dock their boats. Evenings like this are a reprieve from the August sun as the breeze coming off the water is oh so nice. Somebody wake me up; on second thought, let me dream on.
Everglade Impressions
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Exactly one week ago I was in the middle of the Florida Everglades on a swamp boat. The most remarkable impression, at least for me, was the reflection of the clouds in the swamp. Of course there was much else to see by way of beauty including all manner of wildlife including Egrets and Cranes. But for me the next biggest impression after the reflection was the enormity of the space. Hundreds of square miles of natural swamp. I’m one of those people that has to see something to really get it. I get it now about the Everglades. We really need to preserve this natural ecological wonder.
Palmetto Afterglow
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Yet another dazzling display in the sky above my home in Palmetto Florida. You must be getting tired of all my sunsets. However it’s that time of year when every night we get crazy colors in the sky and water. This evening I headed out to get a sunset shot but the sky appeared so flat I turned back home. From my living room I continued to watch the sky and only fifteen minutes later it started turning all crazy like this, so I jumped back in my car again and headed for the water. These high altitude clouds appear flat and featureless when the sun is up, but after it sets they turn into filigree wafts of color enough to turn many a head. They certainly had me running around like a chicken with my head cut off.
Ledo Beach Afterglow
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This was the scene a few hours ago at Ledo Beach in Sarasota Florida. After the sun went down it illuminated these clouds with a peachy yellow glow. It had the effect of a lantern, making everything brighter. A phenomenon I’d not seen before that lasted for about fifteen minutes. Anyway, I was fortunate to see it and have my camera ready. From what I could tell, the other people on the beach were just as amazed as I was.
Venice Pier After Sunset
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This evening I debated whether I should venture out on account of the thunderstorms in the area. Optimism won out and I headed down this way. All the way I thought it would be a waste of a drive but I continued nonetheless. When I got out of the car there was thunder, lightning and light rain. I stuck through it and for about an hour the weather held off. This is a twenty-five second exposure I took about a half hour after sunset. Tonight the cloud colors were best when the sun was well below the horizon. I shot several of these until the rain started up again then drove home through the pouring rain. Chalk one up for optimism.
Sanibel Causeway
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After a day in Sanibel we headed back over the causeway just in time to catch the sun setting as the clouds rolled in. A few minutes later I was running for the car as the rain came down in buckets. If I didn’t have to get home I could have just stayed put and it would have cleared up to reveal a starlit night. I think in my next life I’ll be a seabird so I can just sit here and enjoy the scenery.
Afternoon Thunderstorms
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Death, taxes and afternoon thunderstorms are among the few certainties of life. At least it is here in Florida during the summer. I think I would be more surprised if we didn’t get a storm in the afternoon. Like when I lived by the tracks then moved away and couldn’t sleep because there were no trains going by. Thunderstorms are a little like that. We ignore them. They make noise but we tune it out. But lucky for me I’m a photographer and I’m always on the lookout. I didn’t ignore this one. And now, I’ll lay back in bed and wait for the sound of the midnight train. Goodnight all.
Sowing Seagrass on the Seashore
Planting seagrass like this protects the beach from erosion of storms. Communities up and down the coast of Florida are always looking for ways to preserve the beaches. In some places they dredge up the sand from just beyond the shoreline and place it back on the beach. That’ll last for a couple years depending on the storms and then it needs to be done again. Plants are a natural approach, only they are usually used to protect only the entrance to the beach which usually involves some type of dunes like these.