Photographers, Master Naturalists, Interpretive Naturalists
The British Soldier lichen (Cladonia cristatella) showed mostly green or brownish tops on this section of tree. I shot this in the early morning, a slightly overcast morning, using the macro on a zoom lens. The lighting and the angle make it look very much like its own world.
This Saturday, October 27 starting at 8:30 a.m. we lead our second and last hike for the Fall season. The good news: Fall weather arrived finally so the weather should co-operate. Our first Autumn hike last month felt more like August.
If you find yourself near Brooker Creek Preserve in Tarpon Springs, FL, please join us. The last hike was fully booked and everyone had a wonderful time.
I almost stepped on these two as Karl and I started our hike. Karl noticed them and stopped me. I took several shots and since they didn’t move I went in for a closeup. I used the Canon 24 – 70mm, my go-to lens and the one on the camera. I didn’t have time to switch to anything else.
I look this shot lying down on the concrete, extended to 70mm. As I shot, they noticed me, looked, and then turned away.
It was a bit rude of me to interrupt a moment like that I guess!
I took this photograph of a chestnut vendor in Hyde Park London in 1989 with my Nikon FE, fully manual and either Kodak or Fuji film in the lowest ISO I could find. The rain provided the softness of the focus, giving the entire scene the look of the early romantic period of photography. We scanned it several years ago along with others of that era of our work.
Two weeks ago I purchased film for the first time since 2004, when I discovered that my trusty Nikon FE (due to an unexpected spray of salt water and a cleaning that didn’t work) no longer functioned. Karl convinced me at that time to try the then new digital SLRs and bought a Canon 20D for my birthday.
Just this week our favorite independent camera store, and actually the only one left in the area, emailed those of us on the mailing list asking for working classic film cameras for consignment. My beloved Nikon FE made the list, as did Karl’s still working Pentax K series, the one I intend to begin using again. We tried to sell these numerous times and no one including this vendor would take them on consignment. Why are they suddenly back in the spotlight? The younger photographers want to use film.
Digital remains my primary camera, and I don’t see that changing. But I slowly plan to re-integrate film. We will see how that works and I hope in the next few months to have something worth posting here.
Looking northwest toward the Gulf as Hurricane Michael passed by offshore
We stood outside and looked at the color of the sky over the Gulf, the swirling colors from the rising sun reflected on the storm’s cloud trail, and the trees blowing in the strong wind. We awoke to early to rain, and immediately checked the storm’s path to make sure it still remained offshore and heading north. The rainbow extended from our neighbor’s house, in the photo above, across the sky, interrupted in places by cloud cover.
The sun didn’t last long. Within a short time the darkness returned, the wind picked up, and it started raining. The long arm-like rain cloud trails of Michael would pass over us all day long.
We knew what the Panhandle was experiencing. We evacuated for Irma just 13 months ago, one day before the mandatory evacuation notice for our neighborhood. For more than 24 hours, we didn’t know if we still had a home. We were very lucky, no flooding in spite of our proximity to the Gulf and minor damage to a fence.
We vacationed in the Florida Panhandle for many years when we lived in Hendersonville, TN in the early 1990s. We often visit and camp there now that we have been residents of west central Florida for decades. Looking at the news footage, we saw not just the damage but recognized many of the places.
This photograph started with the bread. We visited Ireland several years ago, a place we not only visited before but where we lived for three years in the late 1980s for Karl’s business career. We rented a stunning apartment for one of the weeks, overlooking Youghal harbor. The traditional brown soda bread of Ireland appealed to both of us from first taste all those years ago, and became part of our diet while living there.
I found this bread in a bakery down the street, and had to have it. We followed that purchase with a stop at a local store for Irish butter, the only accompaniment needed and a taste you need to experience. As I made tea in the kitchen that afternoon, I gazed over the harbor scene. I already photographed it, wrote about it, and experienced it, but wanted to imprint it in my brain also. As I picked up the knife to cut the bread, I started formulating this shot in my head. Needless to say, Karl waited for his tea while I went through the kitchen to find what I pictured, set it up, then arranged the camera for the shot. It brings back memories of the trip, the bread, the tea, and all our years there.
A photographer or writer needs to be married to someone similar, or someone very understanding. The urge to create a picture whether with a pen or a camera often supersedes whatever task happened to be in progress when the idea hit. And I waited many times for Karl when the same thing happened to him.
We recently presented and judged at a photography club. Before our semi-retirement from the photography business the start of this year, we presented, judged or both for a variety of clubs and venues all around west central Florida. As we also belong to this club, most members know us. At least, we thought they knew us.
We both noticed the last few times we judged most of the participants leaned toward nature photography. This time, a friend and officer for the club asked the question of us in front of everyone: “Since you are nature photographers, do you choose nature photography over others?”. She noticed that depending upon the judges, people chose photography that they felt reflected the interests or business of the judges in hopes of being selected.
When we hang photographs with this group, we DO NOT hang nature photography. Until we pointed that out, most never realized it. You see, over ten years ago as naturalists we gravitated toward a portfolio heavier in nature photography. Nature photography resulted in us getting “discovered” and of course a lot of business for us, and a lot of opportunities. We found ourselves with little time or opportunity to show the rest of the portfolio since our nature photography kept us so busy. As master naturalists, and volunteers in natural places, nature photography remains an interest, and perhaps a passion, for both of us. But, we do far more.
I actually prefer to judge non-nature photography, as I run into a mental comparison of how I would do, or in many cases have done, the same photograph. Lack of opportunity to hang and publish the rest of our portfolio partially led to our recent decision to semi-retire.
This blog started almost ten years ago, as people taking our classes, joining our hikes, or interested in our photography frequently asked where we went and what we saw. It started as nature, but we added travel and other aspects. We tried to expand beyond just nature photography, and this question and the ensuing discussion led me examine recent posts and realize I need to work harder on showing our other work.
Sometimes the light hits just right, or you stand in a slightly different place, or maybe you are just more observant that day. I see this cemetery a couple of times a week. This time I looked up, and saw two of the statues apparently in conversation, with a beautiful golden early sunlight surrounding them.
I saw the Fall wildflowers blooming along the trail in in the wetland area, so knew we had some good photo opportunities for this hike. A good crowd of photographers came along, some who hiked with us before, some for the first time, and some for the first time at Brooker Creek Preserve.
The hike starts at 8:30, and even then we felt the heat and sun. One of our hikers mentioned that the temperatures might hit a record high for the day. It felt like it already. We thought of cutting the hike short, but with photographers along and plenty of photographic subjects, that just doesn’t happen. Thank you to everyone. We love the company and learn from you, and always hope you learned something about photography or Brooker Creek Preserve from us, or just had a great time.
We lead one more hike at Brooker Creek Preserve this year, on October 27. We finish that one just as the Owl-O-Ween event starts, so plenty of opportunities not only for nature photography, but maybe to get a shot or two of the event. Hope to see you there!
After ten years in the photography business, and decades before that as a casual and sometimes semi-professional photographer, I don’t leave the house without a camera. My daily purse/bag/pocketbook always contains a camera, and before I purchase them they must pass the camera test: will it fit? I occasionally use a smaller point-and-shoot, or the camera on my mobile, but usually I carry a Canon 7D with Canon 24 – 70 mm lens. This configuration is my go-to when I am not sure what subjects or type of photography I may find.
Through the years I advised beginning photographers and even more experienced to occasionally take a walk or hike without a camera, and just observe. I followed my own advice occasionally, but realized not lately.
During a recent trip we left for a morning hike, and I deliberately did not take my camera. My first observations of several chickadees calling out and posing on branches made me regret my decision, and I entertained the thought of going back for it. I calmly (maybe not so calmly) decided to continue. The second part of my advice to other photographers always included taking a notebook and pen to record the images they would take. This exercise strengthens observational skills and helps with composition variations.
My observations:
The results: it works, but I did not take the detailed notes I always encouraged my students to take. Obviously it is time for the teacher to start following her own advice again.
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