Tag: Pahayokee Overlook

Everglades on Ice

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While looking at the weather forecast yesterday afternoon I came up with an idea for what could be a unique photograph. Yesterdays forecast called for the coldest weather South Florida has seen in more than 4 years. The lows in the interior were thought to dip to the mid 20’s to low 30’s and a freeze warning was issued by NOAA. I envisioned trying to capture an image in the everglades with white frost within the landscape. A unique image that would be hard to repeat unless you had the right conditions. I called a friend of mine, Robert Chaplin, and asked if he was interested in tagging along with me. He said yes, so we headed out this morning at 5:30 AM to see what we could create.

Unfortunately for us, but good for the local farmers, the temperatures were running some 4 degrees higher than forecast and the wind speeds also stayed higher than forecast limiting the formation of frost. I had hoped to have widespread white frost on the ground to set my scene but now I would have to find something else. We ended up at the Pahayokee Overlook Boardwalk. Man made objects, especially those raised off of the ground tend to freeze/frost faster than living plant matter. Luckily for me the Payhayokee Boardwalk was iced over when we got there from top to bottom.

I set up my shot to use the Boardwalk as my leading line and main subject matter since I was hoping to accentuate the icing. This proved problematic since prior to the sunrise there was no light to reflect off the ice and make it recognizable as ice. I ended up using my flash and flashlight to try and make the ice more visible. I never did end up with exactly what I was hoping for but I still managed to capture an image that is captivating and has visible ice. The only problem is that without the background story one may not realize that the white color is ice and not the normal color of the boardwalk.

Luckily as a bonus I captured a few other good photos both prior to the sun rising and afterward. I even got a visit from one of the local owls. All in all it was a successful trip even if not exactly how I planned it.

On the way out I stopped back by the Cypress Dome with the blooming Everglades Daisy’s to give it one more try. I know there is a good photo in there I just am having a hard time finding a way to capture it with my camera. So far I like this effort the best. I will see if it continues to grow on me.

Weekend Photography Fun

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It has been almost three (3) months since my last photography trip.  Over the last twelve (12) months I have been so busy it has kept me from finding time to go shooting as often as I would like.  This past weekend I finally found some free time to grab my camera and head out into the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve and the Big Cypress National Preserve.  My primary purpose for going was to check on the ghost orchids this year.  The ghost orchids I know about were only in the early stages of blooming and still have a few more weeks before producing a flower.

One of the highlights of this trip was stumbling across a mama bear and her three (3) cubs in the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve.  They crossed Jane’s Scenic Drive about fifty (50) yards in front of the truck.  I also saw the usual number of alligators, a few dear and a couple of water moccasins.

This trip I also had the opportunity to take a swamp buggy tour and airboat ride to get a different perspective than my normal hiking on foot would provide me.  It was great to get back out into the Everglades for a few days and take a couple of pictures while I was out there.

The Air Boat Ride was through Airboat in Everglades.  The guide was a friend of mine named Ozzie.  I had a great time and he put me up close and personal to a few alligators and birds.  He also taught me some things about the everglades I did not know.  I highly recommend the company to anyone interested in seeing the Everglades by airboat.  It was a unique experience and different than any other airboat tour I have ever been on.

The swamp buggy ride was through Wootens on Tamiami Trail.  I had never been on a swamp buggy before but enjoyed the experience and the perspective  one gets from sitting so high up.  The guide’s name was Shelley and she was very informative.  Her family has lived in the glades for generations and I enjoyed the history and stories she had to tell.

My favorite photo of the weekend was of a lone cypress tree with a building storm system behind it.  The sun was behind me and low causing great light on the tree and surrounding foreground.  I decided to use HDR to capture the full range of lighting conditions.  Unfortunately, I did not have my tripod with me and had to take the shots handheld resulting in a little extra work to align all three shots together.   I was happy with the final result and will be adding the image to my website.

Everglades National Park Afternoon Photography Trip

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After work yesterday I ran out to Everglades National Park with my camera to check on the water levels after all of the recent rains we have been experiencing here in South Florida over the last 3 weeks.  I found that the water levels have risen a good bit since I was out there last but still not at there normal rainy season levels.  Either way,  I found alligators everywhere.  They were crossing the park road, sitting in puddles, and occupying the walking trails that are now underwater.  I found a five footer in a deep spot in the middle of one of the trails I was hiking.  Luckily the water was clear and I saw it before I stepped on it.

I did get a few good shots of the blooming string lilies despite the windy conditions causing the saw grass and flowers to move back and forth.  Although, I did have to hike a couple hundred yards out into the saw-grass to get the shot I envisioned.  The water was about thigh deep but clean and clear.  I also captured some good rainbow pictures from some storms that were offshore in the Atlantic.