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Riverhouse

The Riverhouse Reef and Grill is a local eatery in Palmetto Florida that sits right on the Manatee River. Every time I come here it's crowded, but somehow we always get a table with a good view. It's not uncommon to be sitting here and have our conversation broken by something passing us by along the river, be it dolphin, manatee or just a family on a sailboat. Its way out at the end of a pier and so they pick you up with one of those golf cart shuttles if you don't feel like walking the length. All in all, a pretty good deal.

The Riverhouse Reef and Grill is a local eatery in Palmetto Florida that sits right on the Manatee River. Every time I come here it’s crowded, but somehow we always get a table with a good view. It’s not uncommon to be sitting here and have our conversation broken by something passing us by along the river, be it dolphin, manatee or just a family on a sailboat. The restaurant is way out at the end of a pier and so they provide one of those golf cart shuttles if you don’t feel like walking the length. Regardless, I always walk back since I’m usually full and need to stretch my legs.

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Shades of Blue

This is little pond at Emerson Point in Palmetto. Because it's close to home I come by here to walk along the trails. The problem is that I want to take a picture every time. A little alarm bell goes in my head off and warns me that I may be repeating myself. However, on second thought, no two pictures of this pond are the same. The light constantly changes and this time there was an abundance of blue. When I win the lottery I'll travel most of the year and take pictures of exotic places all over the world, but until then I'll be happy to just find different ways to take pictures of the beauty in my back yard.

This is little pond at Emerson Point in Palmetto. Because it’s close to home I come by here to walk along the trails. The problem is that I want to take a picture every time. A little alarm bell goes in my head off and warns me that I may be repeating myself. However, on second thought, no two pictures of this pond are the same. The light constantly changes and this time there was an abundance of blue. When I win the lottery I’ll travel most of the year and take pictures of exotic places all over the world, but until then I’ll be happy to just find different ways to take pictures of the beauty in my back yard.

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Shimmering Water

This is the Marina in the small town of Palmetto Florida where I live. The marina is along the Manatee River which as you can see is quite calm around dusk and dawn. Because the river opens into the Gulf of Mexico is common to see dolphins and manatee swimming by. If I didn’t know better I’d say this is a nice place to live. But I know better, it’s a great place to live. Not to say we don’t have the usual problems like everywhere else, but you have to take the good with the bad. In fact, I prefer to pay attention to the beauty around me. That way it seems stronger than the bad stuff. Just my way of looking at things.

This is the Marina in the small town of Palmetto Florida where I live. The marina is along the Manatee River which as you can see is quite calm around dusk and dawn. Because the river opens into the Gulf of Mexico is common to see dolphins and manatee swimming by. If I didn't know better I'd say this is a nice place to live. But I know better, it's a great place to live. Not to say we don't have the usual problems like everywhere else, but you have to take the good with the bad. In fact, I prefer to pay attention to the beauty around me. That way it seems stronger than the bad stuff. Just my way of looking at things.

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Fogged In

When I manage to get up early to shoot photos around the water, I notice that’s when Pelicans are out and about. They seem to be flying somewhere just after dawn, as though in a morning commute. However when I took this it was just after dawn and extremely foggy. My guess is the pelicans were fogged in, in the same way aircraft get fogged in and the airport closes. They just seemed to be sitting here waiting for the heavy blanket to lift so they could be on their way. At least someone was smart and decided to sleep in.

When I manage to get up early to shoot photos around the water, I notice that's when Pelicans are out and about. They seem to be flying somewhere just after dawn, as though in a morning commute. However when I took this it was just after dawn and extremely foggy. My guess is the pelicans were fogged in, in the same way aircraft get fogged in and the airport closes. They just seemed to be sitting here waiting for the heavy blanket to lift so they could be on their way. At least someone was smart and decided to sleep in.

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Morning Fog

This is the draw bridge to Longboat Key on a foggy morning in Manatee County Florida. As I understand it, we get fog when the air temperature rises or falls relative to the water. So it seems we get that in Florida a few times in winter. I look forward to it not only for photography, but because I get to wear warm clothes. During these time I think visitors look at me kind of funny, bundled up in a jacket when it’s only fifty or sixty degrees. But I digress.

This is the draw bridge to Longboat Key on a foggy morning in Manatee County Florida. As I understand it, we get fog when the air temperature rises or falls relative to the water. So it seems we get that in Florida a few times in winter. I look forward to it not only for photography, but because I get to wear warm clothes. During these time I think visitors look at me kind of funny, bundled up in a jacket when it's only fifty or sixty degrees. But I digress.

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Fort De Soto Sand

This beach is at the end of Fort DeSoto State Park in St. Petersburg Florida. This area is a particular favorite as it seems remote, yet accessible with a short drive. With any luck I’m coming up here in a week or so to see what I can see. Seems every time I come up I discover something new, some forgotten beach, old pier or trail. And as you can see the sand here is indeed white. In fact the beaches in region of Florida have powdery white sand which is soft and inviting. However unless you brush it off it makes a mess of the car floor mats, a small price to pay. Floor mats aside, is it any wonder the population of Florida doubles this time of year?

This beach is at the end of Fort DeSoto State Park in St. Petersburg Florida. This area is a particular favorite as it seems remote, yet accessible with a short drive. With any luck I'm coming up here in a week or so to see what I can see. Seems every time I come up I discover something new, some forgotten beach, old pier or trail. And as you can see the sand here is indeed white. In fact the beaches in region of Florida have powdery white sand which is soft and inviting. However unless you brush it off it makes a mess of the car floor mats, a small price to pay. Floor mats aside, is it any wonder the population of Florida doubles this time of year?

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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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Shaded Path

This is a shaded path through Leffis Key on Anna Maria Island in Florida. For all intents and purposes its hidden as I’ve driven by it for years and never noticed. So it was a pleasant surprise when I happened upon it early one morning. The entrance is small and easy to miss and the first thing you do is walk through this shaded path. When you reach the other side you are in a quite world surrounded by the mangroves and wildlife. The bulk of it extends out away from the highway into the inter-coastal waterway. This pathway reminded me of a passage to a secret garden. In a way I suppose it is.

This is a shaded path through Leffis Key on Anna Maria Island in Florida. For all intents and purposes its hidden as I've driven by it for years and never noticed. So it was a pleasant surprise when I happened upon it early one morning. The entrance is small and easy to miss and the first thing you do is walk through this shaded path. When you reach the other side you are in a quite world surrounded by the mangroves and wildlife. The bulk of it extends out away from the highway into the inter-coastal waterway. This pathway reminded me of a passage to a secret garden. In a way I suppose it is.

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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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