Here are a few finished prints of my driftwood photos from the Ten Thousand Islands after they got my sandpaper and shoe polish treatment.
Myakka Oaks
Mayakka River State Park is a trip back into what the real Florida looked like before golf courses and gated communities. It’s beyond me why all the developments bulldoze down all this beauty before they build homes. This looks more inviting to me than a manicured lawn.
The Z tree in Everglades (or is it an N?)
I photographed this Z tree in Everglades National Park when I was the artist in residence four years ago. I went back to it last month with my pinhole camera. In the park it is referred to as the “Z” tree. Although I’d say it’s more of an “N”. If this dwarf cypress could talk I’d love to hear how it grew like this. It must have an interesting story.
It makes for a great photo and is right along the park road down to Flamingo on the north side. But watch carefully. It’s easy to miss because it’s probably only about 5 feet tall.
Sunrise on the beach in Key West
Here’s a few new pinhole photos from Key West. Of course I got up early to get to the beach for nice light and to avoid the crowds. Although a touristy place like Key West presented another challenge. The beach is raked every morning with tractors pulling farm equipment to smooth out the sand right around sunrise, and a raked beach makes for lousy photos. So my window of opportunity was pretty short. I had the homeless people sleeping on the beach wondering what I was doing with the box on a tripod so early in the morning.
Dr. Seuss Trees
The thing I’ve always loved about the Everglades is it’s such a foreign place to a Minnesota native. Everything is different from what I’m used to, the trees, the birds and the insects. (except for the mosquitoes, they are just like Minnesota) I call cypress trees and mangrove trees Dr. Seuss trees because of the unique shapes they form. Which makes for great pinhole photographs!
Some mangroves near Gullivan Key I took on my 5 day canoe trip.
Some Cypress tres in Big Cypress National Preserve.
Okay, a banyan tree is not native to Florida, but the massive banyan tree in downtown Bonita Springs made for some great images.
Sanibel
Of Course a place like the Sanibel lighthouse attracts aspiring photographer trying out their new camera gear all day long, every day. While doing the Sanibel Art Festival I swung by a couple of mornings to take a few shots with my Brownie converted to a pinhole camera. The looks I got from the other photographers while I shot with a 1950’s Brownie were priceless!
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