florida swamps
Hand in the swamp
I made this image while out in the swamps here in Florida. I love the cypress tree and it's intriguing root system. I often find myself resting under the shade of the trees during the mid day heat. The song of the Mockingbird over my head and the cry of the osprey circling high above is the music in nature.
I live near Blue Cypress Lake in Florida and spend many days photographing on the lake. The lake is in a remote area and have as numerous old cypress trees growing in the lake. I started photographing the trees from my kayak and quickly learned that the mornings are the best time to photograph to avoid wind that usually starts blowing by 10 o’clock.. To successfully photography from a moving kayak it is important not to forget where you are and the expensive equipment you have with you. It is easy to get distracted with your photography and trying position the moving kayak and you could flip over and have a disastrous day. I use a couple of water tight float bags that are tied off to the kayak. My equipment is divided into groups. One bag will have things like my vehicle keys, cellphone, extra camera batteries, and filters. The other bag will have the one or two of the extra lenses I bring along. I pad the bags with foam rubber to protect the equipment when moving around in the kayak. The bags remained closed and water tight other than accessing them for equipment. When photographing from a kayak it is best to work slow and not get overly excited of being in a new location. I used a Sony A7Rlv and keep the camera setting on steady shot with a shutter speed no less than 1/30. I used manual exposure most of the time but on occasion I might use a custom setting to set a minimum shutter speed with auto ISO setting. If you decide to photograph on Blue Cypress Lake you can put in at Middleton’s Fish Camp, the only lanch site on the lake. The lake has plenty of large alligator and a good variety of birds to photograph. The lake is uninhabited other than a small community near the fish camp. Once on the lake you will pretty much have the place to your self. It is important to follow all the boating safety regulations and let someone know where you if you go alone.
https://www.middletonsfishcamp.com
Morning glow
I had the chance to get out on the Santa Fe River in my kayak this fall to make some photographs. I like to start out early just as the first light is coming on in the morning. The kayak let me get into shadow water and access some areas that a larger boat couldn’t get in. When I find an interesting location, I park the kayak and wade around in the swampy areas looking for a nice grouping of cypress trees. The early morning stillness and the cypress trees create a special moment and being there is always a satisfying experience.
Fisheating Creek
The summer rainy season in Florida offers a great opportunity to explore wetlands and swampy areas that fill with water that normally are dry. I made this image on a rainy summers evening in the last few minutes of daylight. The swamps with the rain soaked trees and vegetation take on a wonderful glow at this time of day. I waded knee deep in water searching for the right composition to show the soft light that was present. I had to completely cover my entire body, face and hands to fight off the army of mosquitoes from attacking me as I made my way though the swamp. It is gratifying to be able to come away with an image that reveals the beauty of the swap in these conditions. I cherish the times that I get to these locations and enjoy a time of quiet and solitude.
Morning Fog
I was out on a lake in my kayak before sunrise a few days ago. The morning had a heavy fog and in the darkness it was a bit difficult to find my way at first. The winter time in Florida can produce some wonderful foggy mornings for landscape photography. It can be hard to know which nights will produce a good fog, so I find myself getting up a few hours before sunrise and going outside to to see if any fog has developed. The fog event can lasts a couple of hours and the light is constantly changing once the sun has risen. This was the last image I made from my morning kayaking trip and the light was still soft and moody.
Blue Cypress Lake, Fl.
I enjoy getting out in my kayak to do some photography. One location that I like to photographing in is Blue Cypress Lake here in Florida. The shoreline of the lake is filled with century old cypress trees that have weathered many powerful storms over the years. I find the best way to access these location is with my kayak. I have a small boat of about 10' with an electric tolling motor. It allows me to cover a fair amount of distance when the lake is calm. I use a Sony A7R111 camera that has a 5 axis stabilization system in the camera body. This is the prefect camera when photographing out of a boat that is constantly moving.