More Florida Wildflowers

I came upon some of the later blooming members of the autumn wildflowers during quiet walk along the boardwalk before 8 a.m. I accidently walked through several of the webs the local orb weaver spiders created during the night, perhaps forgetting that people will return come daybreak. I concentrated on one or two still beautifully blooming, ignoring those clearly past their prime. The light on this Cardinal Flower, alone in the middle of a small wetland, became the only shot I really liked.

Later, sitting at our campsite enjoying a cup of tea and book under the awning, movement caught my eye. The patch of Spanish Needle, a native wildflower that most consider a noxious weed due to the needles produced to carry the seeds to other locations, attracted a couple of Long Tailed skippers. The iridescent blue-green coloring flashing in the light caught my eye. Their natural quick flight meant a lot of shots before I got one in the focus I wanted.

Birding Again

Since “they” canceled the citizen science birding project almost two years ago, we bird infrequently. We took part in that particular study for eight years; every two weeks whether rain, shine, cold, or heat. In between we read guidebooks and textbooks, took courses, listened to recordings of bird calls, and participated in other activities such as bird banding to increase our knowledge. Unfortunately, our enthusiasm waned with the cancellation, and the fact that several of our birding friends find the long hikes more difficult now as the years passed.

Recently I reviewed some older photography, taken nearly ten years ago as we built our portfolio. We set out twice on hikes with the intention of birding, and realized we missed it. While I doubt we will go back to the frequency we once enjoyed, I look forward to sharpening my skills once again.

One hike took place in a thick fog, and I took the shot of a Red shouldered hawk. Shortly afterwards we started out only to be sent back by a flooded trail. I did get a shot of an American Kestrel watching us from atop a snag.

Alligators!

I found some alligator photos I took a year or so ago. This alligator was quite active, so I was able to get some interesting shots.

These were taken with a 400mm lens. I was not that close!

October Photography Hike at Brooker Creek

Close-up of Spores on a Fern with zoom lens

This Saturday, October 28, we lead our monthly hike at Brooker Creek Preserve, Tarpon Springs, FL. Our hike coincides with the 2nd Annual Owl-O-Ween Festival at the Preserve, so photo opportunities may include some of the festivities.

The winter residents returned over the past month, and plenty of Gray Catbirds can be seen and heard. The cooler and less humid weather makes hiking far more comfortable, and the wildflowers still bloom.

If you are in the area, please join us. As Interpretive Naturalists in addition to professional photographers, each hike takes on a different theme and direction depending upon the season, the weather, and of course the hikers.

Cropping for a New Image

“Making” a photograph rather than “taking” a photograph started coming into vogue as a photography trend more than a year ago. As with most trends, it repackages something photographers do all the time and did from the time photography started. Before digital photography, photographers developing their film cropped, dodged and burned, and ‘made’ the finished print from a photograph negative they took. Digital photography gives everyone the ability to emulate those processes in their software.

A recent botany hike inspired me to start cropping closer on some of my flower photography. Botanically, that which we see as a flower may in fact be many smaller flowers crowded on one head.

Autumn wildflower season seemed the perfect time to start. I plan to start shooting some flowers specifically with cropping for a new image in mind, but to start I looked at what I took last week and chose one for experimentation.

I liked how my original shot of a flower head turned into a field of flowers upon close crop.

Animals We See Everyday

How many times do we skip taking a shot of a squirrel, or rabbit, or other subject familiar to us? After all, they don’t fall into the ‘special, look at this!’ category.

Getting a special shot of something common or known to us can be as rewarding as the shots of things we regard as special. 

Pygmy Rattlesnake

This is not a great, or maybe even good, photograph. The background is cluttered, and you can barely see the subject. In the middle of the photography, just to center right, the grayish snake with black splotches can be seen. The snake blends in well with the fallen branches and browned leaves.

That is the point of the photograph.

When hiking we always give a warning that in a natural area here in west central Florida, venomous snakes make their home. We have in the past come upon these snakes on trails, not moving but watching us. Humans don’t concern them as much as they concern other types of snakes, who usually move away fast when they sense us.

I almost didn’t take this shot, which with a Canon 85mm prime (no zoom) and the distance of the snake I knew would make a cluttered shot. Then I switched from photographer to naturalist mode and realized this illustrates a good example of a pygmy rattlesnake for those who never saw one, and also shows just how difficult they can be to find in their native surroundings.