Growing up in Manatee County, I was out in nature all the time. You could find me in the woods or on the water. I ate fruit off of trees growing wild, crawled through mud in search of photos and searched for marine life on the sandy bottom of the river, the bay and the Gulf of Mexico. It was a wonderful way to grow up.
I believe that nature offers serenity. It allows your mind to wander, along with your feet. I can truly appreciate all of God’s Creations when I’m in nature. As a visual person, I enjoy the colors, the textures and the light. Being outside also reminds me to listen for the different sounds the birds make, the rustle of the leaves, the sound of an animal running in the underbrush. I love the smells of nature and the feel of the air — yes even the humidity. Yes there are days I combat mosquitoes and yes, I do get hot, especially when carrying my biggest lens and a tripod, but at the end of a day I feel rested, my mind is calm and my spirit rejuvenated
The photos I bring home reflect that. I hope that’s what I offer to people through my images, a few moments of serenity, a time for quiet reflection.
I retired from the newspaper business after more than three decades of shooting photographs of everything, including crime scenes, fires, hurricanes, and all sort of unsettling things. There were days, weeks and years I couldn’t get the things I saw of out my mind. Coming back to nature, to my roots, has helped bring back the peace I enjoyed in childhood. Scenes of beauty help me to remember I am part of something much greater. That’s why conservation is so important to me. We have so many treasures in nature and we too often overlook those treasures in the pursuit of the money development might bring.
Next time you are out for a walk, venture into a preserve and spend some time in nature. Clear your mind and allow yourself to see, feel and hear what’s around you. If you stay out long enough, you’ll notice the tension falling away. You’ll appreciate the sounds and sights, even if they seem familiar (I mean who in Florida hasn’t seen a great blue heron). But you’ll probably see something you haven’t seen before, like a feather stuck in the egret’s beak after he’s been preening or the way he moves or that bug or fish he’s caught for supper.
I believe that preserving nature means preserving ourselves. Our souls need nourishment and there’s no better place to find it than in the great outdoors.
