Thoughts and dreams in Iceland

Iceland is a fascinating place with extreme weather conditions.  The light is always changing as is the mood of the weather.  It is not uncommon to have sun one minute and rain the next.  The wind can blow hard and then quit moments later.  The Arctic sea is always battling the coastline and creating wonderful clouds that come ashore and rise up over the mountains.  It is a quiet and remote land where the everyday world vanishes.  I enjoy quiet places where the land is in its nature state, showing no signs use.  It gives time for reflection and a focus on the real values in life.  It seems our technology has imprisoned us and we have become separated from fundamental things in life.  In someways the technological world has become our real home and the nature world is foreign to us.  Sadly I see most young people living their lives 12" from their nose staring into a screen focused on meaningless information.  So much life and youth can be squandered with such constant distractions. I am not immune to the technology trap we live in, but thankfully I have a greater desire to explore the nature world and seek out the wonders that exist there. 

Exploring the swamp

Florida has been under a drought for several months and the water levels are down throughout the state.  Many of the trees in the swamps are showing their roots that normally would be under water.  I made my way into the swamp looking for the best group of trees with exposed roots.  The light was soft and provide a nice glow to the entangled roots.  The swamps are an intriguing place to photograph because of numerous plant life that thrives there.  It is easy to get drawn into concentrating on photography and forget about my surroundings.  I always move slowly and make noise to let the creatures of the swamp know I am in there.  Alligators are always lurking about and it pays to keep a keen eye out for them knowing I am in their environment.  A few days ago I was deep in the scrub photographing and had seven small wild piglets with their mother past within a few yards of me.  Luckily the wind was blowing in at me as I stood frozen behind a large oak tree waiting for them to move slowly pass me.  Florida offers many opportunities for some great photography.  Learning the about the wildlife and their habitat is important when venturing off into backcountry of Florida.