Trees hold the wisdom of ages

I recently took a long hike with my wife and another photographer through a 5,800 reserve out in east Manatee County. It was the first hike I had taken in a long time where there was very little water and few birds. Instead, this hike held ancient trees, a rare commodity in this part of Florida, where developers are tearing down trees at an accelerated rate to build houses and shopping centers, and the government follows behind building wider roads and all the other things development entails..

We set out on our hike through Edward W. Chance Reserve’s Gilley Creek Tract along County Road 675. We hiked past a field of saw palmettos interspersed with trees. We noted the ruts from recent wild boar activity and we found a path bordered on one side by a farmer’s field and by the reserve property. We spotted a rare American Kestrel flying in the distance, and we kept walking. We were looking for a creek, but then I got distracted by the trees. Lovely old oaks and other hardwood trees. I saw a couple of snags in the distance.

I saw branches of the old tree poking through layers of vines and debris. Old trees are one of my favorite subjects so I set out across the field to make a picture. When I arrived and set up my camera, I couldn’t seem to find the right shot. The light was wrong and for a moment I thought the majestic tree was too far gone. But as I looked through the mess surrounding the tree, a beautiful form caught my eye. Almost at a crawl I worked myself, camera and tripod to the massive old trunk, worn by the years, and I found my photo.

I spent time with the tree, and then in my excitement, I called out to my hiking companions, who were out chasing hog photos — and who had already seen the tree — come here, i yelled, you have to SEE this tree. I wanted them to appreciate this old tree for what I had seen and for its part in nature. This tree had been home to birds, a solid hunting spot for birds surveying the fields and in the past shade to all of the wildlife that had passed under her branches. And here she is now, still solid, even though mostly naked of her own wardrobe, but covered in Spanish moss, vines and other debris. I hope you can appreciate this rare Florida beauty as well.

Expressions add life to photos

Last month I had fun with a photo of an eagle on facebook. The eagle had his talons in the air and a certain expression on his face, so I asked people to caption the photo. The captions people submitted were all clever and funny. I love a good sense of humor. I am especially grateful when people get inspiration from wildlife and nature.

Good photos are meant to be thought-provoking. Sometimes birds and wildlife are so expressive they make it easy to get a reaction. Take the eagle, or the owl posted here. I love these guys for the way they show me they are full of life and on a mission here on this earth. Wildlife, whether it’s birds, fish or mammals, are busy building homes, raising families and teaching their young. And while some may say we humans anthropomorphize them by giving them our thoughts, I like to think we are trying to understand them and through that, we build empathy for the creatures around us. In some ways, it’s them teaching us.

These creatures need all the empathy we can muster. Their habitats are disappearing and their populations are dwindling. The more humans can connect with them and their expressions, the more likely we are to think twice about tearing out trees or filling in wetlands that are vital to these creatures. In that vein, I’d love to see your thoughts about this young burrowing owl in Cape Coral. They are on the imperiled species list, but a population of them has learned to live around the library. ball fields and even on some lands cleared for development. Post your captions in the comments below or on Facebook.

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.

What My Students Have Taught Me

Over the past year I have been giving private lessons in photography. I knew I had plenty to share about photography and the places to find great art, but I have been surprised by how much I enjoy working with photography students and how much I have learned from them.

I have a student who knows more about birds than I may ever know. She can identify them from their songs without ever setting eyes on them. She gave me a lesson on birds and maybe even one in humility. (I thought she couldn’t possible be able to tell a scarlet tanager from just hearing a song in the woods. She and the tanager quickly proved me wrong). She has traveled the world and is well-versed on our feathered friends. It’s been nice to get to know her and to share her excitement about Florida’s birds and the migratory birds that visit the Sunshine State.

Another student has proven to me that the art of photography hasn’t died with the advent of the iPhone camera or the selfie — and that it will likely always have a future. A young student who was recently accepted into Rowlett Academy for Arts and Communication, began developing her artistic vision through her incredible drawings. Now she is interested in photography. She has a great eye and has taught me young people are enthusiastic about photography. She is open to all sorts of photography, from taking pictures of her brother playing baseball to going out into the preserves of Manatee County to get photos of wildlife and landscapes.

Finally, I have a student who has reminded me what’s it’s like to be new to photography and to be passionate about it. She taught me how to nurture passion. She has also taught me patience. I guess that comes with the passion. Once she realized she had a talent for photography, she invested in some good equipment and her photos got dramatically better. I have seen this student improve tremendously in a short time. She has posted some photos that made me say, “I wish I had shot that.” She enjoys sharing her photos, so check out what she’s doing and like her page.

After a photography presentation, I took the Suncoast Camera Club out to one of my favorite Audubon spots for bird photography

A juvenile Night Heron gives his fans the once over.

There is Always Something to See

I recently spent a morning with my friend and fellow photographer Steve Nelson. After debating several options for places to photograph, we settled on Robinson Preserve in Manatee County, Florida. We figured it was pretty reliable and we only had a couple of hours in the morning to allow Steve to try out his new video equipment and for me to get some nature shots.

When we arrived at the preserve we were greeted by a frustrated photographer who told us there was nothing out there that day. We decided to give it a try anyway: Here’s what we found.

My best advice to fellow photographers is to not get discouraged if you don’t see what you came out looking for. There is always something out there to see. Sometimes you just have to change your perspective. When I don’t see wildlife, I look at the landscape. Sometimes I look up, sometimes I get low to the ground. The world is an amazing place and there is always something there that others might not see. Sometimes they’re just not looking for what someone else might find fascinating.