Aloe vera flower, Sarasota, Florida
Final phase of the Aloe vera flower open. No further caption needed.
Category Archives: Recent Personal Images
Alvin Watching Cute Puppies
Alvin, our Bichon Frise, looking at pictures of cute puppies on the computer. And I thought the four year old in the restaurant today hyper-focused on her personal tablet was technology gone too far. I am beginning to think there is no “too much.”
No, I did not put Alvin at the computer – he put himself there. Comments welcomed.
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Fourth of July
4th of July fireworks, Lake Lure, North Carolina
Happy 4th of July from Lake Lure, North Carolina
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Since the beginning of my career as a photographer I’ve been drawn to architecture. The visual vocabulary of photography and architecture share some fundamentals: shape, form, line, and interplay of light. Recently I edited this gallery of images. I hope you enjoy them.
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American Built
America’s No. 1 Beach
The Best Beach in America
America's Best Beach
Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida
This is what happens when people discover you have the “Best Beach in the USA.” They come cover it up and make phone calls. Hang on. Who says it’s the best, and who made them an authority? Well Dr. Beach of course! Yes, there is a Dr. Beach, Stephen P. Leatherman, Director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research.
This is what the doctor says…”Siesta Beach in Sarasota boasts that it has the finest and whitest sand in the world, and I cannot argue with this claim; the powdery sand is nearly pure quartz crystal. The beautiful blue-colored water is clean and clear, making it so inviting to bathers and swimmers. The beach is hundreds of yards wide, attracting volleyball players and beachcombers as well as those who just want to find their place in the sun. Waves at Siesta Key Beach are normally measured in inches and the beach gradually slopes into the Gulf waters, making it very safe area for children.” Consumer Traveler, May 31, 2011
I actually prefer Lido Beach on Lido Key in Sarasota, FL – mainly because it’s closer to my home.
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A brush with the Paranormal
Photographing lightning is straightforward: attach the camera to a tripod, set the lens aperture to f 5.6, the shutter on bulb and focus on infinity. During a period when there is lightning activity press the shutter release and leave the shutter open until one or two bolts of lightning appear. This is normally done at night.
When the storm is during daylight this method does not work because leaving the shutter open for 30 seconds or more while you wait for the lightning bolt results in a washed out image.
One afternoon a powerful storm was developing over the Gulf of Mexico. I went out to the beach and set up my tripod and camera. Eager to photograph lightning during these afternoon summer storms I concentrated on a particular cloud formation just offshore Lido Beach in Sarasota. I watched with what might be called hyper-focus, attempting to connect with the energy in the developing storm and anticipate when the lightning would develop. Another way of saying it is I was guessing. Because it was daylight I set the aperture to f 8, the shutter to ¼ second, the focus on infinity and waited. When I felt the energy was at the instant of release I pressed the shutter. This is the image I made.
Summer storm offshore in the Gulf of Mexico
I remained at the beach trying to connect to the energy in the storm and got lucky again.
Thunderstorm Gulf of Mexico
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Light & Dark in the Florida Everglades
Confrontation of Light and Dark over the Florida Everglades
After posting the image of a recent storm over the Everglades I remembered this image I made a few years ago. The storms in Florida are often matched by brilliant specular light which is often full of color. It’s interesting to me how these images taken years apart suggest how much things remain the same, particularly in nature. That’s a reassuring thought.
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Rain over the world’s largest marsh
A welcome summer storm over the Florida Everglades
Finally rain. South Florida has suffered through a dangerously dry period so the recent rains are welcome. This storm was over the Everglades on Sunday June 26, 2011. One of the features of the Florida Everglades is the way light falls on the Sawgrass creating a magnificent pattern on the grasses. Sawgrass, Cladium jamaicense, is technically not a grass but a sedge. Sawgrass is one of the oldest plant species and perfectly suited to the harsh conditions of a swamp. It represents one of those detail features of nature which we must protect. The horizontal profile of the Everglades creates a visual condition which has a calming and peaceful effect. Take a moment and enjoy. Wayne
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