Ocean, Underwater-Photography, Photography, Marine-Life, Pictures, Images, Nature, Nature-Photogaphy

Secretary Blenny looking out from it home an evacuated space within a coral.                      Secretary blenny (Acanthemblemaria maria). Blennies take up residence in tiny abandoned holes in coral. Most secretive, they spend most of their time hiding inside or cautiously venturing to the opening of their coral home. They are tiny usually less than 8 cm. long. Bonaire

The Living Seas.

This collection of underwater images made at the premier dive locations in the Caribbean and Florida Keys shows beautiful prints of the vibrant marine life within the Ocean.

Human perception of “out of sight out of mind” is a challenge to our insight into nature.  The oceans and seas are particularly vulnerable to our lack of knowledge because the majority of life beneath the surface is unseen and as a result beyond our consciousness.  This gap of knowledge and understanding is an existential threat not only to the health of the oceans but to our lives, livelihoods, and way of life.

This year, 2018, on the Gulf Coast of Florida a major ecological crisis has surfaced.  From within the waters of the Gulf, countless dead fish surfaced washing onto the pristine white crystalline sands of Siesta beach.  Siesta beach has been recognized as having  “the world’s finest, whitest sand”.

Red Tide has been a phenomenon for more than a hundred years resulting in fish kills.  The Red Tide this year has resulted in an extraordinary number of dead fish plus dead turtles, sharks, and dolphins. This year’s red tide event is historic and deadly serious.  It is a serious threat to marine life, human life, and economics.

For those of us experiencing this deadly event, it has been depressing.  I’ve curated a collection of underwater images I made in the Gulf, Florida Keys and Caribbean which are full of life and beauty.  They are offered to show what a Living Sea looks like and to uplift our spirit.

You’re invited to an opening showcasing these prints October 27, 11 am to 4 pm at my gallery Eastep Photography, 1338 Central Avenue, Sarasota, Florida 34236.

 

 

 

Art, Art Gallery, artists, Buy Prints, creativity, Exhibition, Nature, Recent Personal Images, underwater

The Living Seas

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Nature

Perseid Meteor Shower

Perseid Meteor Shower,Photograph

Perseid Meteor Shower, Gulf of Mexico, Florida

Perseid Meteor Shower, Gulf of Mexico, FloridaOne of the things about photography that still catches my attention is that I often see more than I thought I’d see.  Around 4 am this morning I went out to see the Perseid Meteor Shower.  I was delighted to see a few meteors.  I was thrilled to watch a distant thunderstorm move toward me across the Gulf of Mexico.

 

 

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Recent Personal Images

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

Thunderstorm Gulf of Mexico

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