Sitting on the Dock of the Bay….

If the title of this post reminds you of that great Otis Redding song you might be, ...um, experienced. Okay, I was trying not to say old. I'm experienced, enough said. When I saw this guy paying his guitar at the end of the dock that song started playing in my head. In any case, I took this last week with my Sony camera. I normally shoot with a Nikon but it's being repaired so I picked up a Sony and went to the river to practice. As that song continued to play in my head I started to get the hang of it and got a few I liked, this being the first. Tip of the day: Whether you're old or young, go listen to a little Otis Redding, you'll be glad you did.

If the title of this post reminds you of that great Otis Redding song you might be, …um, experienced. Okay, I was trying not to say old. I’m experienced, enough said. When I saw this guy paying his guitar at the end of the dock that song started playing in my head. In any case, I took this last week with my Sony camera. I normally shoot with a Nikon but it’s being repaired so I picked up a Sony and went to the river to practice. As that song continued to play in my head I started to get the hang of it and got a few I liked, this being the first.

Tip of the day: Whether you’re old or young, go listen to a little Otis Redding, you’ll be glad you did.

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Glow of the Grass

I took this a a few months back at Robinson Preserve. Fast forward to now and I'm thinking that maybe as soon as this rain clears I'll come back here to see what I can see. Since it's raining today, the preserve should have all kinds of puddles, and as the rain moves out we should have some good clouds. But that's just me thinking out loud, or in type, ...whatever.  Florida is flat and landscape pictures are all about the ground and / or the sky, no mountains or hills to chime in. So now that I have my idea, I'll be outta here..., happy Friday everyone.

I took this a a few months back at Robinson Preserve. Fast forward to now and I’m thinking that maybe as soon as this rain clears I’ll come back here to see what I can see. The preserve should have all kinds of puddles, and as the rain moves out we should have some good clouds. But that’s just me thinking out loud, or in type, …whatever. Florida is flat and landscape pictures are all about the ground and / or the sky, no mountains or hills to chime in. So now that I have my idea, I’ll be outta here…, happy Friday everyone.

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Riverwalk Sunrise

Across the river from my home is the Bradenton Riverwalk where you can walk, jog, bike or skate. On weekends and evenings it can be quite busy especially when they have food and music festivals. My favorite time to come here is the morning just as the sun is rising. Because it's such a heroic effort for me I'm always surprised at how many people get up and out early for a jog or walk. This was taken right next to an empty skateboard park early one morning a few weeks back.

Across the river from my home is the Bradenton Riverwalk where you can walk, jog, bike or skate. On weekends and evenings it can be quite busy especially when they have food and music festivals. My favorite time to come here is the morning just as the sun is rising. Because it’s such a heroic effort for me I’m always surprised at how many people get up and out early for a jog or walk. This was taken right next to an empty skateboard park early one morning a few weeks back.

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From Here On

So I think its normal when you look at a photo to imagine yourself in the scene. I do that all the time and I think its what creates longing. While this isn't a particular warm picture, it does make me want to follow the tracks into the fog. Something about tracks. When I was a child I used to dream about tracks, the dreams were kind of weird, I can't explain them, but somehow, skipping all the middle pieces I ended up somewhere. Maybe in some vague way, this reminds me of that, a magical journey along the tracks. I'll just need to sleep on it.

So I think its normal when you look at a photo to imagine yourself in the scene. I do that all the time and I think its what creates longing. While this isn’t a particular warm picture, it does make me want to follow the tracks into the fog. Something about tracks. When I was a child I used to dream about tracks, the dreams were kind of weird, I can’t explain them, but somehow, skipping all the middle pieces I ended up somewhere. Maybe in some vague way, this reminds me of that, a magical journey along the tracks. I’ll just need to sleep on it.

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Florida Draw Bridge

Of all the subjects I like shoot in in my  home town, bridges are my favorite. This is one of two draw bridges to Anna Maria Island. Most bridges in the area are draw bridges and whenever I approach one in my car I secretly wish that the sirens would sound and I'd have to stop and wait. There's no better place to be stuck in traffic than on a draw bridge in Florida. Turn off the engine, roll down the windows, and watch the boats floating by. Real stressful.

Of all the subjects I like shoot in in my home town, bridges are my favorite. This is one of two draw bridges to Anna Maria Island. Most bridges in the area are draw bridges and whenever I approach one in my car I secretly wish that the sirens would sound and I’d have to stop and wait. There’s no better place to be stuck in traffic than on a draw bridge in Florida. Turn off the engine, roll down the windows, and watch the boats floating by. Real stressful.

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Swirly Clouds

Another pier at Robinson Preserve in Bradenton Florida. I get so intrigued by the cloud formations in the sky that I have to check myself from time to time. Like this evening I was walking the dogs and even though we didn't get a good sunset, the clouds were all feathery and swirly, a little like this shot. I got to thinking that I was probably the only person in the county looking up at the clouds and thinking how nice they were. Maybe I don't want to go there and what that means, but hey, I'm easily amused and as a photographer, appreciate swirly clouds. I like pizza too.

Another pier at Robinson Preserve in Bradenton Florida. I get so intrigued by the cloud formations in the sky that I have to check myself from time to time. Like this evening I was walking the dogs and even though we didn’t get a good sunset, the clouds were all feathery and swirly, a little like this shot. I got to thinking that I was probably the only person in the county looking up at the clouds and thinking how nice they were. Maybe I don’t want to go there and what that means, but hey, I’m easily amused and as a photographer, appreciate swirly clouds. I like pizza too.

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Empty Pier

This fishing pier is along the Riverwalk in Bradenton Florida. I liked how the thick fog diffused the morning sun. As a photographer I’m attuned to variations in light all around me. It’s interesting because the more I mentioned it, more people around me notice it as well. My wife is now pointing out potential sunsets hours before they happen and even my trainer mentioned the light as it cast a glow into the gym the other morning. I think that’s cool, and of course, a very simple pleasure indeed.

his fishing pier is along the Riverwalk in Bradenton Florida. I liked how the thick fog diffused the morning sun. As a photographer I'm attuned to variations in light all around me. It's interesting because the more I mentioned it, more people around me notice it as well. My wife is now pointing out potential sunsets hours before they happen and even my trainer mentioned the light as it cast a glow into the gym the other morning. I think that's cool, and of course, a very simple pleasure indeed.

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Perico Bay

To get this shot I had to ride my mountain bike to the end of a Robinson Preserve trail, take a few shots and quickly depart before the park closed just a few minutes later. This trail is about a mile of mangroves, roots and dense growth so I was a little winded as I jumped of my bike to capture the sinking sun on the horizon. I snapped away, maybe twenty shots as I only had about sixty seconds of sun left. When I got back home and looked at the shots it was a little amusing because the frames were going up and down due to my heavy breathing. So I settled on this one, perhaps in mid-breath. In any case, Perico Bay is a little bay that feeds into the Gulf of Mexico and is a favorite of kayakers and anglers, and sometimes winded photographers.

To get this shot I had to ride my mountain bike to the end of a Robinson Preserve trail, take a few shots and quickly depart before the park closed just a few minutes later. This trail is about a mile of mangroves, roots and dense growth so I was a little winded as I jumped of my bike to capture the sinking sun on the horizon. I snapped away, maybe twenty shots as I only had about sixty seconds of sun left. When I got back home and looked at the shots it was a little amusing because the frames were going up and down due to my heavy breathing. So I settled on this one, perhaps in mid-breath. In any case, Perico Bay is a little bay that feeds into the Gulf of Mexico and is a favorite of kayakers and anglers, and sometimes winded photographers.

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Foggy Riverwalk

This is a foggy morning at The Riverwalk in Bradenton Florida. Ninety-nine point nine nine percent of the time it’s sunny and warm here, but you know me, I have to get “the shot”, the epic event, the perfect photo. Yes, those feelings of grandeur and more flooded my mind when the weatherman forecasted fog. Fog? In Florida? Say it aint so. Yeah, well… In any case, it doesn’t take a lot to get me excited, just give me a little weather and watch me go, must be amusing to watch. These poor souls where simply walking or biking to work when some crazed photographer showed up with a tripod to capture the moment. I’m sure they’re still wonder about it. But I got the shot so I’m happy.

This is a foggy morning at The Riverwalk in Bradenton Florida. Ninety-nine point nine nine percent of the time it's sunny and warm here, but you know me, I have to get

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