Tag: anhinga trail

Anhinga Trail Special Project

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I was recently commissioned by a friend to try and capture a captivating photo of the Anhinga Trail. She had a relative whose father had helped to build the Anhinga Trail back it the 1960’s but unfortunately, had recently passed away. She wanted me to capture a photo that she could then have printed in large format and present to her relative as a memento to remember her father by. I spent a couple days scouting the location and taking some test photos from different angles and different times of day to see what I thought would best accomplish the goal. I ended up capturing three (3) good images. One was a sunrise, one a sunset and one late afternoon thunderstorms. My favorite was the sunset with a sunburst. Turns out it was her favorite one as well and the one that got printed and presented as a present. I really enjoy commissioned work as it forces you to think creatively and capture images or location you might not otherwise attempt. I have walked the Anhinga Trail hundreds of times but never saw it as a good landscape location. However, because it was the location she wanted, I made the attempt and ultimately got one of my all time favorite images.

City of Homestead National Parks Trolley

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Today I am excited to announce that the City of Homestead launched its free National Park Trolley Service.  The National Park Trolley will provide free transportation from Downtown Historic Homestead to both Everglades and Biscayne National Parks.  The trolley will also make stops at Homestead-Bayfront Park.  I have been working on this project for the past two (2) years and I am excited that this concept has now been implemented.  This project is a collaboration between the City of Homestead, the National Parks Service and the National Parks Conservation Association.

Riders of the National Park Trolley will not have to pay admission fees to enter any of the parks.  Also, there is a tour guide on board each trolley that will give a presentation about the history of Homestead and the National Parks as well as the surrounding agricultural lands while traveling between each destination.

The National Parks Trolley stops at the Ernest Coe Visitor Center in Everglades National Park as well as the Anhinga Trail.  In Biscayne National Park the Trolley stops at the Dante Fascell Visitors Center and also at Homestead-Bayfront Park.  The National Park Trolley operates every weekend from January through April this spring.  In the fall, the National Park Trolley will begin running in November and run through April of 2015.

For more information on the Homestead National Park Trolley or to plan your trip to any of the parks you can visit www.cityofhomestead.com/gateway.  I personally am thrilled about utilizing the trolley for photography excursions into both national parks this spring.

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Everglades National Park Photography

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I finally got some free time to take a dedicated photography trip.  It has been almost four (4) months since my last photography trip.  I chose to run out to Everglades National Park to catch a sunrise and then see what other photo opportunities I could find.  I was hoping for some dense fog in the morning based on the weather forecast the night before, but alas no fog was present.  I did find a little layer of fog across a lake but not the dense fog I had hoped for.  Either way I was able to capture a few decent shots across a nearby lake.  I captured one before the sun came up and then a few sunbursts as it broke the horizon through the trees.  I would have preferred some more dramatic skies but it was still a productive shoot.

Once the sun had gotten to bright to shoot, I packed the truck and headed to the Anhinga Trail to check on the wildlife.  I have not been to the Anhinga Trail since last March and wanted see if I could find a few animal shots to add to my collection.  I succeeded in capturing a Great Blue Egret eating a catfish and an Anhinga in Mating colors drying his wings.  When I left I encountered about five (5) vultures eating various parts of my truck.  Luckily they did not cause any major damage.

From the Anhinga Trail I went exploring to find a place called Movie Dome.  It is a cypress dome in Everglades National Park within walking distance of the main road.  To get there you have to traverse the wet and muddy saw grass for about .25 mile or so.  Once there you are surrounded by cypress trees and shin to knee deep water.  The Cypress Trees are covered in Bromeliads and other air plants.  This time of year only a few were in bloom.  Later in the year it will be much better.  In the middle of the cypress dome is a deep gator hole a couple of feet deep in which no trees grow.  It looks like a lake in the middle of the trees.  I captured a few shots of some blooming bromeliads before heading back to the truck.

I left around noon to head home.  I plan on heading back to the cypress dome when the bromeliads are all in full bloom.