As some of you may already know I have made a move to Tampa, Fl recently. I have been so busy with the move that I haven't had the chance to move around a little and take some photos, but an old friend of mine helped pull me from my photo lull. A mentor photographer of mine, Robertlafollette(.com), whom I have learned from on two photography workshops lives in Clearwater, so he offered to show me around Honeymoon Island which is one of his favorite spots. He was a huge help for me because in new areas I often find myself completely overwhelmed by my surroundings and I end up coming home without snapping a single photo. Robert helped me to focus and find some amazing areas to shoot.
Not only did Robert show me around the area, he gave me an introductory lesson in bird and wildlife photography as well as teaching me about the local wildlife. We happened upon an Oystercatcher which, according to Robert, isn't a sight often seen. The beach was busy so the little bird was easily startled, but Robert showed me how to walk out and around to get the shot and we ended up with some fantastic shots of the little bird.
After spending the late afternoon getting accustom to my beautiful surroundings Robert decided to go get setup for a sunset HDR shot. The shot came out pretty well, but I have to admit, at times photography is harder then I remember. I had my camera very low to the ground to get the sunset framed correctly so I had to lay down across sharp limestone and hold as still as possible while I took my shots. This left me a mosquito's dream, and as I vocalize my discomfort I hear a, "Welcome to nature photography!" I had forgotten that sometimes you have to do what is necessary even if you are a feast for every insect in 5sq miles.
(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)
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