10,000 Islands

We were camped on Chokoloskee Island a couple of weeks ago to do some kayaking and photography.  This area has thousands of mangrove islands called the Ten Thousand Islands.  Being fairly new to Florida we were excited to explore a new region of the state.  As always when venturing out into a new wilderness area, we gather as much useful information as we can from the local people to help us with our plans.  This first thing we were told is that the tides are very strong in this area, and it was suggested  that we should paddle out with the out going tide and back with the incoming tide.   This approach worked very well and gave us plenty of time out on the water.  As we wandered around the various island it was easy to see we could get lost very quickly.  Everything looked the same so we tried to identify landmarks to remember to guide us back in the direction we needed to go on our return trip.  When I am photographing I take a lot of time composing and setting up may camera gear.   My wife Linda, who often travels with me on these trips, will explore around by herself when I am involved with photography.  I beached my kayak on a little sand bar and Linda paddled around the end of the island as I climbed in among the mangrove trees is search of a photograph.  After about thirty minutes of photographing I returned to my kayak to see it was gone.  I didn't realize the tide had come up and the water had covered the little beach area where my kayak was sitting.  Looking out I could see it about a thousand feet from shore and I was a little startled because Linda was nowhere in sight.  I started wading out and soon realized the water wasn't more than waist deep so I was able to retrieve my kayak with no problem.  If the wind was blowing and I was out there by myself it might have been a different story.  From now on I will always secure my boat with a rope when kayaking where there is a tide.  I have learned over the years that a trip turns into an adventure when something goes wrong. 

Expectations vs. Reality

All of us go through life with a certain amount of expectations, but often times the reality of a situation doesn't match our anticipated plans.  As landscape photographers, we travel to an area with a hope and expectation of finding the right conditions and subject matter to make an interesting photograph.  Many times the reality doesn't match our hopes. Often times the light or the weather is not right for doing photography.  I remember in my early days with photography I would become upset at wasting a day without making an image because the conditions didn't co-operate or I just couldn't find anything I was interested in photographing.  Today I don't get as alarmed with the failed visits to an area and coming away empty handed.  I know from experience that the good images will come and the hard work to find them will never be an easy task.  I made this image a couple of days ago on the east coast of Florida.  My expectations were to revisit the rock jetty that is featured in my banner image on my blog's main page.  I have been wanting to return to this location and repeat the experience to see if I could create another new and interesting image.  I started out my day by checking the motion weather radar map to see if any storms would be moving through the area.  It showed that early afternoon storms were going to be in the region so I decided to make the trip.  I arrived early and scouted the location and waited.  In a couple of hours the storms appeared with some magnificent clouds but the storm failed to go out over the ocean and left the jetty with a blank blue sky behind it.  As I watched the storm moving north up the coastline I felt like I just wasted another trip.  My plans and expectations faded into the reality of the situation.   As I returned to my truck I noticed a small hiking trail going through a hammock of dense trees.  I figured I would make a hike before making the drive home and explored the area forest.   Although this area was only a short way from the beach it was extremely quiet in there and the storm clouds made for some really nice soft light.  I came across this fallen palm frond and instantly knew this was going to be my image of the day.  As I came away I realized the short quiet walk in amongst the trees was the place I was meant to be that day. 

Storm at sunrise

We recently spent some time down in the Florida Keys.  It is a good place to photograph if you are looking to be surrounded by sky and water.  We camped at Long Key St. Pk. and had this view looking out over the ocean from our campsite.  On this particular morning I saw a thunderstorm out over the ocean as the sun was coming up.  I grabbed my camera and tripod and made a quick setup.  I made a few exposures as the storm moved across the horizon.  As I was reviewing my images I noticed that the  limb on the right side of the tree merged with the water so I lowered my tripod and made two more exposures before the sun broke through the clouds.  To me this small adjustment makes a big difference in the final image.  Some of the earlier images had better storm clouds and light shafts but I choose this image because the tree is separated a little from the background.  There is so much to think about when the light is changing quickly.  It is easy to overlook things and make mistakes when hurried.  Most of my work is done in a more contemplative approach where I work slowly and organized.  It takes constant practice to be able to setup your equipment, determine exposure, and find the proper composition in a hurry.  Sometimes you get rewarded with an image and others times it is just a practice for the next time you come across a quick changing scene. 

Fisheating Creek

We just returned from camping in the Everglades in south Florida.  This fall season has been hotter than normal with temps in the 90's each day.  It can be a challenge to be outdoors hiking and kayaking in the swamps with summer temperatures.  We were able to visit some great locations for making photographs and plan more visits to that area in the future.  On our way back through central Fl. we camped at the place called Fisheating Creek.  It is old Florida at it's best with a large strand of old growth cypress trees along the creek.  Making photographs in these locations can be difficult because of the elements that surround you.  Wading through the swamps is the only way to access many of these locations and with it comes caution to be looking for alligators and snakes.  The mosquitos and spiders are a constant nuisance but are rarely life threatening.  Living in Florida we have come to value nature's beauty that can be found here.  I have been told many times that there is nothing to photograph in Florida, but I have found that is not true. I will say this, there is nothing easy to photograph in Florida.

http://myfwc.com/viewing/recreation/wmas/lead/fisheating-creek
http://www.fisheatingcreekoutpost.com/

"The ghost of Edward"

We visited Point Lobos a year ago and spent the day photographing.  This area has wonderful rock formations along the Pacific coastline.  This was a place where Edward Weston made many of his fine photographs.  I was attracted to photography at an early age when I first viewed his work.  I was fascinated with his artistic style of black and white photography using a large view camera.  I have to credit his work for my early interest in photography.  Certainly it is apparent that with the help of digital editing I enhanced  the human figure in this image.  I could have easily done so in the classic darkroom process by using a selenium toner solution painted directly on the emulsion side of the negative  to increase the density in that area of the rock.  Seeing this image was taken in an area that Edward frequently visited I guess I should title it "The ghost of Edward"

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=571
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/travel/29footsteps.html

Walking among the ruins

Walking among old ruins and graveyards always brings a sullen feeling and especially on a rainy day as in the case when this image was taken.  I guess it is because we can sense the mortality of our own lives in these places.  Life is never well served with frequent revisits to the past or the incessant worry of the future, but most of us spend more time there than we should.  Today is where life is lived and no place else.  We don't own one day from the past nor can we be guaranteed to have one more day of the future.  You need to ask yourself what things are you dragging around with you from the past and what fears are keeping you from the future, and discard them all.   We all have these three areas in which we live, the past, present, and future.  Where do you spend most of your time and why?  When I work on an image for numerous hours I usually find out why I stopped to take the photograph.   I don't take pretty pictures, I like to think I take interesting pictures.  I enjoy seeing pretty pictures of sunsets and beautiful landscapes.  They inspire us to travel and visit wonderful places.  My images are more personal and reveal some of myself and possibly might provoke a response in you.

Some pictures are hard to take

Some photographs are hard to take.  This one disturbs me because of the despair and sadness it reveals of the person.  When we were in Mexico I would often go to the the central plaza in the little town we were staying and have an afternoon cup of coffee mocha.  It was always quiet at that time of day because the local people were usually having a siesta.  On this particular day I saw this lady sitting nearby and noticed she never looked up or moved the entire time I was there.  She amplified the feeling I was having sitting in this quiet space.  I turned my camera toward her and made this one image, finished my cup of coffee, and moved on.  I didn't know her situation or life circumstances, but it reminds me of how blessed my life has been and how I need  to remind myself of that.