Each time I visit this preserve, I try to view it from a different perspective. With each head turn, squat, and lighting change, this preserve takes on a new appeal, like an ever-changing chameleon. While I'n sharing a mix of color and black & white images, black and white was screaming! That's not a shocker to those of you that have been following along. Nature preserves, like Perico, are best shown in a simplified image. The textures and shadows enhance the story.
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After living in Manatee County, Florida now for four and a half years, I've heard year after year that I must attend the Manatee County Fair. Well, I finally attended last evening. I, along with my wife, entered the Arts & Crafts competition along with 100s, maybe even over 1000 others. She entered a crochet collection of Winnie the Pooh Characters in a basket. I'm proud to say we found a first place blue ribbon on that entry as we walked through the Arts & Crafts building.
I was presently surprised to find that there was a blue ribbon on one of my photography entries, "Downtown Blues" (shown below). I entered two other photos that also received runner-up honors. It's quite humbling to put your work before the public. Needless to say, we walked the rest of the fair with smiles on our faces, We reminisced the old days when we walked, holding hands, the many fairs of New Hampshire in the fall. There was a bit of a chill in the air last night, but nothing to compare to September evening in the north. Industrial isn't typically my style, but black & white is my favorite. I captured this scene in Apollo Beach, Florida while visiting the area to document the migration of manatees to warm waters generated by this power station. I won Photo of the Day from Florida Center for Creative Photography for this image on November 29, 2018.
I like contrast in photography, just as I do in my life. If I'm not finding peace and my center along the shoreline, I'm finding it on a trail in the mountains. The photos shared in this post are from a road trip and some hiking north and east of Asheville, North Carolina. The drive began by getting on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville and then winding through the Pisgah National Forest. There are a number of pull-offs to take photos of the beautiful mountains and valleys. The clouds can take over the peaks, but if patient, you will get pockets of clearing skies. If you make this trip, dress in layers. The temperatures are wide ranging depending on cloud cover.
The natural morning light always helps produce the best photography. On this early morning, I decided to use it to my advantage while shooting these black and white photos. The contrast is spectacular. I love the turquoise waters in the Gulf of Mexico. That can never be taken away. That said, I'm quite excited with these black and white photos of the beach, taken with my Samsung smartphone. They have a retro-postcard feel that is quite appealing. All captures in this series were taken at Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island in Florida.
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