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!

Landscapes can take you places

I was recently showing a new client some of my work. She had visited the exhibit on imperiled birds at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature but was more enamored with my landscape photography. She was particularly fascinated with the black and white landscapes for what they reveal and what she saw in them.

We discussed the textures, the focal point, the mood, the sky, the horizon, the things you might miss in a color photo. We also talked about the memory of place, how a photo can take you to a certain time or event in your mind. She had grown up on Longboat Key and worked in Sarasota for decades. I showed her my photo titled Longboat Light and she immediately went back to her childhood and sitting under the trees at Beer Can Island reading books. Her story reminded me that there is power and emotion in place.

Because I have the exhibit on imperiled birds, I have spent much of 2019 more focused on my bird photography than my sea and landscape photography. In some ways birds are easier. They can be comical, they have personality, their colors are vibrant and they usually are active. While getting those shots can be tough, I always come back with something I am willing to share.

Landscape photography is a different sort of challenge. So much depends on the mood, the perspective, the light and the scene. It takes patience and care to find just the right shot. When I come back with a landscape or seascape photo, unlike bird photos, there is usually just one that stands out — only one I will print from a day of shooting.

I love landscape photography for several reasons. The first is that landscapes change, so I know that when I get that shot I want, it won’t be duplicated. The light will never be exactly the same against the plants and grasses; the water levels ebb and flow; there may be footprints next time where there were none. The second reason is that landscape photography is as much about preservation as my bird photography is. The birds are disappearing because their habitats are disappearing. Part of my mission as a photographer is to raise awareness about our environment so we all have the good sense to preserve it for the future. My third reason is that landscape photography evokes emotion. It can bring a sense of serenity, prompt memories and take you away from the chaos of the moment into some place wild and wonderful and can cause people to reflect on what’s important..

The conversation about landscape photography prompted me to think about what I love and it got me itching to go back out there and look around Florida for something I want to bring home and print.

The photograph below was taken in Myakka River State Park with a Nikon 810 using a Nikkor 19mm PC lens. It is two photographs stiched together using Photomerge in Photoshop. What you do not see is the mud that I am sharing with tripod.

As a Photographer, No One is a Stranger For Long

One of the cool things about being a photographer is that you get to meet some of the best people. It’s rare that I go out in nature and not run into someone who is interested in what I am looking for or what I have found that day. They often have stories to tell of the sights they have seen and I get to know them a little as we share stories of nature and wildlife.

While I am mostly focused on landscape, nature and wildlife photography these days, I still can’t resist taking photos of unusual scenes or just going into a downtown area and getting photos of life in the city. On a recent trip to the Everglades, my wife and I decided to stop for lunch in Goodland, a small fishing village (pop. 267) off the beaten path on Marco Island. We met someone on the trail in the Everglades who suggested we go to Stan’s. She was a fellow photographer and had been documenting the 10,000 Islands area for a while.

We grabbed a table next to the water and ordered our lunch. I had my back to the bar and my wife nudged me to turn around. We hadn’t noticed when we walked in that there was a dog sitting at the bar. It was one of those photo moments I couldn’t resist. I grabbed my camera and headed for the bar. There I met Wilson, a terrier mix, who had been coming to Stan’s for 11 years. He was a fixture at the bar. So much so, that Wilson’s 18th birthday party will be held at Stan’s on Dec. 14.

I talked to Mark Bromley, Wilson’s traveling companion/bar mate/designated driver, who clearly enjoyed a bit of celebrity status thanks to his pup. Wilson had his own super-sized mug that he brings to the bar. It is filled with water these days, although at one point Wilson had a penchant for a bit of the hard stuff, but he had to give it up. A woman on the other side of Mark, delivered a treat for Wilson. The terrier wasn’t about to wait for someone to get around to opening the package so he helped himself.

Mark told me Wilson was famous around Goodland, his picture was hanging at several bars. The framed photo at Stan’s was a beat beat up after hurricanes and repairs and pressure washing but Mark was ready to print and frame a new photo for the new season.

We chatted long enough to get an email address and to score an official invitation to the Dec. 14 birthday party. If you don’t see us around that day, you can be sure we’re having some cake…I wonder if it will be peanut butter or carrot.

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.

Extra Eyes Always Appreciated

Recently a friend of mine called to tell me the Caroline C had sunk in the Manatee River. As a sailor, I knew exactly what they were talking about and where it was. I also learned that SeaTow was working to get the boat floating so that it could be moved out of the river. As a photographer, I knew the effort could make a great photo story.

I hopped on the sailboat with my wife well before sunset and we motored over to the Caroline C. When we arrived, SeaTow was already there preparing to raise the 90-foot trawler. She was still on her side, the barnacles thick on her bottom and possibly the thing that held her together for so long before the rusted-out ship finally gave way to the river.

The opportunity for photos was everything I had hoped. I was able to shoot photos of the ship on her side and as she was being raised. I was even able to get video on my phone of SeaTow pulling Caroline C up off the river bottom. The sun set right after SeaTow got her out of the water, so I used the light to my advantage to get some gorgeous images of a rusty old boat. I shared the video and images with Duke Overstreet, SeaTow’s owner, and he edited them into this video.

I was able to get all of this because someone let me know what was going on that afternoon. When I was working at the newspaper, we frequently got tips and we would gather information from public sources. Now that I am on my own, I depend on folks in the area alerting me to what they see. I can’t always make it out immediately, but knowing what’s out there allows me to make choices about where I should be.

People have alerted me to where plovers are nesting and great places to see a variety of birds. All of that information is valuable to me in finding and sharing my photos. It also helps me gather and convey information on conservation and related issues important to Florida. So if you see something you think I need to photograph, please don’t hesitate to call or text me at 941-773-8558. If you have suggestions on a great place to see wildlife on any given day, you can also leave them in the comments below. And if you can help me find a Snail Kite, I’d be eternally grateful!!!