florida scenes

[jkandjdk]

I live in central florida near disney. there aren't alot of mountains in florida. Does anybody that might live in florida know of any good photo spots in the central florida area that are worthy of overseas photos like you see in some magazine. i want to get beter at photography.

[Bonish Photo]

Depending on what type of equipment you have, I'd head over toward Homosassa Springs and the Crystal River area. We spent a month there this February photographing the Manatee, the Birds, the Dolphins and the coastal beauty.

If I lived there year-round, I'd purchase a good underwater housing for my camera, get a sit-on-top kayak and spend every day on the water. The springs were so clear, you'd think you were in a pool. One day while my wife and I were kayaking back to the truck talking of how many Manatee we had swam with, a Dolphin swam right between our kayaks and proceeded to play for the next 45 minutes only yards from us.

Paddling back to the truck, I spotted an Osprey swoop down and catch a fish right in front of us and then watched it sit in a branch and eat it while I snapped away with my camera.

You dont need the mountains of the West, or the Smoke Filled ones to the East, you have plenty of opportunities right at your nose. Get set up for underwater and around the water and go to work.

Pat Bonish
www.everymilesamemory.com

[Bonish Photo]

When my Husband brought up this topic to me, I asked if I could respond as we lived in South Florida for 8 years.

There arent too many mountain shots in Florida I agree, but it makes up for it with the coastal scenes ten fold. Within a days drive, you can be in the Keys or in the Everglades National Park, where you have unlimited photo opp's with the alligators, migrating birds and waterlife.

Snorkeling in the Keys is World Class, and the West Coast of Florida is loaded with great locations. There are so many different historic locations in the Northern sections of the state and when you get into the Pan-Handle, the rivers become fantastic for photography. The Pan-Handle of Florida is really like a completely different state and will impress the heck out of you. When we first traveled up there to kayak some of the many rivers the area has avaliable, we couldnt believe we were in the same state.

When we used to live down in West Palm Beach, we would have killed for a Digital Camera. Back then only Film was avaliable, and we were really into the storms and lightening shots. We wasted so many rolls of film to just get a few great shots. The state of Florida has more lightening touch downs then all the other states combined. When the hurricane season blows in, the storms can get really nasty and make for some great shore line images. Everyone always wants those perfect blue skies, but a nasty storm will give you much more of an impact then a boring sunset on a clear day will.

Just because all the magazines cater towards Mountains and their photo opportunites, dont get discouraged with the flat geography of the Sunshine State. It has plenty to offer.

Good Luck
Cindy Bonish
http://www.everymilesamemory.com

[stuart888]

I love the scenes and places to take shots around our great state. Every location is special, and I tend to focus on aspects of the area. At the beaches, I like boating shots on the water, near the shore, fishing from a bridge, etc. I have a Florida State Park annual pass, which gets me to all the near Central Florida Parks, and there are many. The weekends are best, as you can get great shots of people enjoying nature. The close ups, with people's expressions are really good inland. Like a family laughing at a park or biking around an area. Yeah Florida!

Regards, Stuart

[irrigator]

There are lots of photo ops in Florida that you don't get in other areas.

[Bonish Photo]

Do you think the turtle is wishing it was a rabbit right now??

Great shot!!

[irrigator]

Actually they are buddies and he was in no danger at all. I've seen them together many times.unfortunately not too long after these were taken someone killed the gator for his tail.very sad.

[gldiana]

Actually they are buddies and he was in no danger at all. I've seen them together many times.unfortunately not too long after these were taken someone killed the gator for his tail.very sad.

That is a sad story. The photos are beautiful.

Luca

[SleepingWolf]

Gary:
I just stumbled on this thread. That photo of the gator with turtle in tow is just priceless.. sad story of course.