On a foggy morning, I walked a path in a local park. In the mist, everyday things seem different, almost mysterious.
Daily Image
Taken in the fog on a recent morning at Robinson Preserve
Nothing could be more ordinary than ducks in a pond, yet the fog added an element more akin to a painting than photography. I recently mentioned the idea that simple images can resonate. For me, this is an example of that.
This was taken at Robinson Park in Bradenton. It’s in a new section that recently opened to the public. I never know what I’m going to see or, how I’m going to see it. But with the fog, no matter how ordinary, chances are it will add a whole new dimension to the scene.
Dawn Across the Pond at Riviera Dunes in Palmetto Florida Buy a print
A view at dawn across the pond at a development known as Riviera Dunes.
This morning I was driving around at dawn and noticed this scene, I’d seen it before but this time I had my camera. The pond is home to fish, egrets, herons and of course ducks. I’ve also seen water moccasins along the edges and, there may even be an alligator, if not in this pond another one near by.
Alligators are common here in Florida, the ponds are not for swimming. They’re known as retention ponds because their purpose is to retain the water from the rains. They allow the silt and particles from the roads to settle down at the bottom before the water washes into the mangroves and river beyond. Retention ponds are everywhere in Florida. Thats one of the reasons alligators find it so easy to live in populated areas. They find a nice retention pond to settle down to raise a family, or eat one (just kidding). They lay around eating fish or ducks or poodles on a rope. You need to be alert when walking small dogs next to the water here, just a fact of life. Alligators will migrate from one pond to the next depending on their needs and availability of food.
I didn’t see any alligators this morning and truth be told I rarely do. Even though they’re around they are wary of humans and stay out of sight as much as possible. If you really want to see an alligator in a pond I recommend playing a round of golf. Golf courses always have a lot of ponds and you will usually see them sunning on the edges. Many have pet names and their pictures posted on the club house walls. Bottom line is that most locals respect our alligators and we all do out best to coexist, each keeping our distance.
