blog posts

The Chipola can be accessed via car or foot in the state park.  Here it is seen flowing through the park at a pull off area that includes canoe rentals.

fl caverns chipola river

Awesome park located in the far north central portion of the Florida panhandle.  The park is known for it’s caverns, but offers an abundance of outdoor activities and natural surroundings.  The Chipola river cuts through the park, and can be approached via car, canoe or hiking.  There are numerous trails, excellent camping facilities and service.  Canoes can be rented, and firewood purchased at the park entrance.  Definitely worth a trip to this award winning park:

fl caverns bluespring

A foggy spring morning taken in the Kisatchie National forest in northwest Louisiana.  A real jewel in Louisiana, the national forest consists of multiple districts and is literally covered with roads and trails.  The feel is rural and back country.  Additionally, especially in the Red Dirt section, there are many sweeping vistas, unusual for the generally flat landscape of Louisiana.

kisatchie misty morning

Looking at the French Quarter in New Orleans from the Westin Hotel on the Mississippi River.  The St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square can be seen to the right.  What a wonderful city that is active 24 hours a day and offers fun and adventure for all age groups:

French Quarter New Orleans

The Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella) is common all across Florida and is an attractive specimen.  A Conradina (Conradina) species with blue blooms can be seen at the top of the picture.  Its native range is central and north Florida to eastern Alabama.

Blanket Flowers

Fog made way for the clouds last week as the sun peeks through early am on the Ochlockonee River in northwest Florida.  As is common with most Florida rivers, sand beaches abound.  The still morning and low clouds make for a great reflection in the river.

Ochlockonee River Sunrise

A widespread storm blew across the southeastern US, bringing heavy rain, winds and spawning tornados in parts of Mississippi and Alabama.  Pictured is the leading edge of the clouds as they push south to the Gulf of Mexico on Pensacola Beach.  Very low clouds with possible rotation detected.  Wide angle (14mm) shot at f/9 and 1/100 sec:

Ominous Storm Clouds at Pensacola Beach, FL

The last of this seasons winter colors seen at the Blackwater River in northwest Florida:

Blackwater River Winter Color

Blackwater River Winter Color

A few posts from a weekend mardi gras parade at Pensacola Beach, FL.  A good mardi gras parade can provide a host of great photo opportunities.  Bright, contrasting colors and camera hams generally abound in and around the parade route.  Depending on the time of day (this one is during the mid-day sun) lighting may not be ideal.  However, a few clouds can help as well as positioning yourself between the sun and subjects.  A polarizing filter, and tightly cropped shots can be of benefit as well.

Tomahawk throw in flight

Big Hair and Green Jacket

Daisy Dukes

Florida Daze- woops.. did that hurt?

Sister Golden Hair

More camera hams- krewe of havoc

Throw me something, mister

Setting the shutter slow enough to capture motion, but fast enough to maintain sharp focus on the subjects face and clothes will add “action” to the picture.  The above photo was shot at 1/100 sec on f/18 with 140mm focal length.  Aperture could have been wider, and still captured enough depth of field.

Psuedo walk down Bourbon Street

Pink Hair, Blue Sky

Happy Mardi Gras 2011

Peace, Love and VW's

According to the book Classic Fishing Lures, by Russell E. Lewis, the lure pictured below is the Bayou Boogie.  Apparently the company started in Monroe, LA but later became a part of Hawk Fish Lure Company is St. Louis, MO.  The lure pictured below is from a later date, after the company was either purchased or transferred to Whopper-Stopper out of Sherman, TX.  Looks like it comes from the old shad series line, this one is color number 6501:

Bayou Boogie