Shootout at Robinson Preserve Designed to Raise Awareness

I am hosting a Shootout at Robinson Preserve Jan. 4 and 5 to help raise awareness about this beautiful preserve and about conservation in general. Manatee County has some beautiful parks and preserves, but not nearly enough, especially given the rapid pace of growth. Charlie Hunsicker, Director, Parks and Natural Resources for Manatee County has said that Manatee is behind others in terms of setting aside land for conservation. We can do better all along the west coast of Florida. These lands are vital habitats for birds and wildlife, but also necessary for our own mental health and general well being.

The Shootout is also an opportunity to promote a wonderful local nonprofit, “Give a Kid a Camera.” The nonprofit works with underprivileged children locally and internationally to teach them communication and photography skills. They work with children on introducing themselves to people — looking them in the eye, shaking their hands, telling them their names and talking to them about their projects — and on storytelling. Sometimes it can be intimidating to go up to a stranger and talk to them. Give a Kid a Camera helps them get past that fear and helps instill a sense of pride in their abilities.

Photography is an amazing tool for story telling and it helps to build bridges with people. For example, this past summer Tom O’Neill, the founder of Give a Kid a Camera, worked with teenagers who were refugees from other countries and now living in Kentucky. He worked with the young photographers on their skills and gave them the assignment of telling their stories through the theme, “My Kentucky Home.” The project helped get the teenagers out in their communities and to show people how Kentucky had become home for them.

This nonprofit also helps keep the art of photography alive. It helps the students focus on others, on their surroundings and on what makes this world special. Tom has kept up with students he taught a decade ago. While they are not professional photographers, they have told him the skills they learned helped them in the careers they chose.

The Shootout at Robinson Preserve is an opportunity for photographers to tell a story about wildlife and conservation while just having fun. I am pleased that the most outstanding photo from the weekend will hang in the Valentine House this spring, showcasing an element of the preserve and why it matters to the county, I am grateful for the opportunity to promote conservation and to raise money for a worthy cause. I hope you all can join me.

Photo Provided/Tom O;Neill

Robinson Preserve, Manatee County, Florida

Robinson Preserve, Manatee County, Florida

Light can transform a familiar place

Our morning dog walks at Robinson Preserve have become habit. Photo Dawg Duke insists on getting out soon after the sun rises, so I’m used to shooting in the morning light. It has a crisp quality and is great for photography. It’s also a nice way to start the day.

Recently after a morning filled with meetings and planning, we threw the Photo Dawg a bone and took a late day walk. We arrived at the park during that “Golden Hour,” when the day turns into a canvas of reds, purples, yellows and oranges. I walk Robinson Preserve at least 6 days a week and know it like the back of my hand. That afternoon it was transformed into another place. The trails glowed with the light and the birds were theatrically lit stars on nature’s stage.

I remind my students to learn to shoot photos in any light, so they don’t get discouraged when they can’t get out at that perfect hour. You go when you can and make it work. But too often, we get so busy, we forget to make the most of the perfect time of day. In photography lighting is vital, it is your paint brush. When you can take advantage of the perfect conditions you should — and see the magic that can happen. Even I was reminded that the “Golden Hour” is not to be forgotten.

The one thing I did forget…bug spray. Those No See’ums like this time of day too, I think they call it suppertime!

Follow through is vital to catching great photos

I’m often asked how I get so many photos of wildlife doing something special, such as two birds dancing or a kingfisher diving for a fish and coming up with a delicious morsel. Like in baseball, it’s all about anticipation and follow through. In baseball you’re not done when the ball touches the bat, and in photography, that first strong photo doesn’t mean you’re done shooting a subject.

I do spend a lot of time waiting for something to happen. I wait for the sun to move the shadows, for birds to get into the perfect spot for the shot I envision and I wait for the birds to complete whatever action they may have started. If you don’t have patience, you may watch a perfect moment get away from you.

My photo of two birds dancing that was featured in the exhibit at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature and that is included in my 2020 calendar, was actually part of a series of photos. It starts with a close-up of the male with the feathers up on his head, seemingly styled to attract a mate. The next photo is him bringing a fish to the female that caught his eye, then the dance begins, head to head and a foot in the air. While that’s the shot that is most popular, just like the male bird, I continued with the follow through and have a shot of him sealing the deal with the female bird, who he nests with for the rest of the season.

That series of shots tells a story. And that’s what makes photography interesting and allows your best work to stand out. This morning I watched an anhinga fishing for his breakfast. I know, I know, fishing shows don’t always have a lot of action. You have to be patient, but patient tends to pay off. I saw the anhinga come up with his breakfast and then toss it in the air, before he swallowed it. That was the shot I was hoping for, but I knew I wasn’t done. I stuck with him as he tried to catch the fish. This time it was a throw and a miss! The one that got away. He was one unhappy anhinga, but I walked away with a satisfying story.

Protecting Florida's Swamps Saves Rich Resources and Amazing Biodiversity

Someone recently told me to take a hike, in the nicest way possible. The person offered me an opportunity to go on a Swamp Walk outside of Clyde Butcher’s photo gallery in the Big Cypress National Preserve. Naturally, I jumped at the offer. It’s not like I haven’t hiked through a few swamps in my lifetime, but I did want to see what a Clyde Butcher-branded swamp walk was all about. It didn’t disappoint.

The walk was for two people, so my wife came along. She had to overcome a fear of frogs to join me, but she didn’t want to miss the walk. Our guide was Scott Randolph, a certified Florida Master Naturalist, who clearly had studied the life in the swamp, both plant and animal. He was particularly knowledgeable about making medicines from the plants. Big Cypress Swamp offers myriad indigenous plants and Scott made sure we didn’t miss anything, from the tiniest orchids to the most voracious swamp plants. The freshwater trail was clear and cool, helping my wife relax and forget about her fear of swamp creatures.

We were the only two people on the swamp walk that day, so Scott tailored it to our interests. I wanted to take photos and that means the pace is sure to be slow. He pointed out great areas for photos and stood back while I took the lead on the walk to get the photo I wanted without disturbing the water. He would let us stray off the path a bit to see interesting swampscapes. All the while, he told us the story of the Big Cypress Swamp and his relationship with the Everglades.

I mentioned Scott is a naturalist, but he’s also a photographer. He knows what it’s like to set up a shot and to take the time to get the perfect angle and lighting. He also was happy to talk about photography and places outside of the swamp walk to get photos. I asked Scott where I might be able to see a Snail Kite. I have been hunting for one for nearly two years. Scott admitted he had never seen one, but suggested a spot to look.

At sunrise the day after the swamp walk my wife and I trekked to the spot he suggested and within an hour, we spotted a raptor. I didn't believe it would be the Snail Kite, but in the 10-second fly by, I took as many photos as I could. Sure enough, I had seen a female Snail Kite. I wish I could say the swamp walk was the highlight of the trip. It was close, but because of that walk and our guide who pointed us in the right direction, I celebrated a highlight for the year.