A field of flowers? Sorta...it's actually part of a nature preserve provided by a water treatment plant. It's a well known place to view a myriad of birds and plants. Reuse in action.....

Gainesville, FL

I was taking pictures for a group of runners during a 1/2 marathon. While waiting for them, I had the opportunity to capture some early morning shots. This looks like a Pegasus; the head is on the left and the wings on the right.

The tall clouds are blocking the brilliant sunrise, but it just adds more character to the picture. Getting up early isn't always on my weekend list, but times like these make it worth it. It's most always quieter in the early morning. A great time to just air out.

Walking along a park one afternoon, I found this less traveled area. I enjoyed the larger area (not in view) and left it undisturbed.

This was taken at sunset just after a controlled burn in a preserve. The lingering smoke with the sunset colors gives it a unique touch. Once the sun fully set and the temps dropped, our neighborhood was filled(literally) with this lingering smoke. The cool air and smoke reminded us of camping. All we needed was some marshmallows...

Taken on a windy morning, the sea was very alive and expressive.

While this looks like just a normal lake at a state park, this has become a popular picture. Drought conditions have dried up the water and you can literally walk across this same area today, creating a dust cloud as you go. Since this large body of water is gone, so are all the birds that lived in or around it. Our Christmas bird count really showed the decline in numbers. You don't realize how important something is till it's gone.

Another view from Savannas Preserve State Park canoe lanch area. It's dry as far as you can see today.

The ocean is awake early. Early mornings at the beach are a great way to start the day. Clears the head and on days like this, gets you wet:)

I went to the beach to take pictures and the day was overcast and stormy. Everything was grey, not great for pictures. I broke out my square filters (which I love!) and combined a graduated ND and a sunset to add some color.

Take an otherwise unassuming scene, add two square filters to your lens:(a neutral density & a sunset) and tada....something very different. No post processing involved either; I'd rather be behind the camera than in front of the pc.

I've seen this bridge numerous times in this park, but this day the lighting was creating the perfect mood. Just a calm day in the woods with a gentle breeze.

This is the scene opposite the bridge in the previous picture. I've been here numerous times, as well as kayaked the river. It's not an unusual scene for Florida. Change it to B&W in the camera and it takes on a much different view. Sometimes you just have to look at the normal differently.....

When I see distinct cloud formations I always wonder if that's just wind currents or is there something more to it.

Sunset in Naples, Florida. You can't tell because of the orange glow, but the beaches here are of a smoother texture and have white sand. Every place is a little different, which is why its good to explore.

Closeup of the Australian Pine branches. The needles are very graceful.

The draping, flowing needles of an Australian Pine. A beautiful tree that provides lots of shade. An invasive species to Florida because it soaks up the water from the wetlands.

This water is probably only knee deep, but there was an 8 foot gator wandering by so I stayed on higher ground to capture the photo. Beyond the trees is a wide open space you can kayak and explore.

This is what's left of this dead tree after a prescribed burn. You can tell something has been eating at the bottom of it.

Just a unique shot of a tree blocking the sun.

Look at that big sky and incredible clouds! Taken from on observation tower at a local state park. Not in the picture, but directly opposite, you can see the ocean. What range of scenery......

A beautiful Fla sunrise that was only around for a couple of minutes. Once the sun broke the horizon, these colors disappeared.

Numerous wildfires in the area cast a haze over everything. Combine the smoke, with early morning fog, and you have an interesting effect. I captured the sun breaking through the haze just before I left for work.

I found this little oasis while bike riding in Mayaka River State Park. Located near Naples, a nice place to ride bikes, kayak, and enjoy a wealth of wildlife.

Florida is known for sunshine and blue skys, but when a storm comes the sky takes on a whole new appearance. Flat terrain provides for a large pallet of creativity. Fortunately, these were clouds only appeared for admiration.

This day was unbelievably windy! I enjoy diverse weather so I had to check it out. The ocean would hit the rocks below this fence and shoot spray high into the air. Imagine looking out your home windows and having this view.

People always guess this beach as somewhere out west, but this rocky beach is in Stuart Florida. This day the ocean was making a full out assault on land.

As the waves blasted over the rocks and then retreated, the leftover water formed a river on the beach. About ankle deep, it would get replenished every couple of minutes.

Located in J.D. state park's Kitching Creek trail, this is a scenic view of the river. Tons of rain made the hiking trail ankle deep in places, but since no one else was out, this was a very peaceful place to sit for awhile.

This looks like a river, but it's actually a hiking trail after days of rain.

I've been here numerous times and the water is always reflective, but it's usually too dark for a decent exposure. About an hour before sunset provided the perfect lighting.

Another interesting shot of a tree and a reflection. This section of the park is always photogenic.

This is a reflection shot, the water is at the bottom. I couldn't decide if I liked it better in B&W or color so I did both:)

Early mornings are great for capturing water shots, especially on the river. This is the Lost River and it is very pretty to kayak or canoe.

Reflections on the water are always fun to photograph. This early morning shot of the river was captured just as the sun was burning off the fog.

I love to take pictures of boardwalks especially with the shadows. This one winds through the trees and then deposits you into a shaded, junglesque area.

Even not so scenic trails have their hidden beauty. The fun part is seeing and capturing it.