Everglades Photography | Lee Smith Photography

Everglades Moon with a Sunrise

Got up at 4am to meet my friend in the Everglades, We met at Long Pine Key in the parking lot around 5:30am. I got dressed for the occasion with long pants, long shirt sprayed with Deet, vest, boots, buff neck guard, hat with head netting. I also used a set of golf gloves for both hands because the mosquitoes nailed my hands last time – even with bug spray! I was ready for those blood suckers this time. I could hear them buzzing relentlessly trying to get to any flesh they could find.

So when my friend arrived, I walked over to his truck and he hops out in shorts and a t-shirt! Then asks “how are the bugs?”, he instantly became a Latin gourmet for the mosquitoes! He was back in that truck so fast!!!!

Anyway, my friend stayed in his truck putting on his bug gear while I went over to the lake to setup. I took a series of shots and this was one of the first ones. At Long Pine Key with the moon in the sky and the sunrise on the move.

I took a series of shots, this was one of the first ones. With the moon in the sky and the sunrise on the move. — Everglades_2601

Barred Owl of the Everglades

I saw a Barred Owl at the top of a cypress tree while I was driving through Everglades National Park. I pulled over, because I do not see owls very often and never did I see a Barred Owl in the wild along the road. It did allow me to walk up to about 30 feet of it, but flew to the road to eat something then back to the trees. I just followed it on foot for a while till it allowed me to get close enough (about 25 feet) to grab a few good shots. I took a few more shots and backed up and went on my way. That alone made it a terrific day!

Barred Owl in the Everglade National Park — Everglades_LSP6774

The Everglades National Park Sunset

The Everglades National Park is a huge expanse of native Florida with wildlife and natural fauna with plenty of gators.

Everglades at Night

I traveled with my friend Ivan to a spot in the everglades to catch a Sunset and hopefully shoot some star trails. Our journey began great traveling till we got to the Florida Turnpike! What a nightmare! what should have taken an hour, took what seemed two!

We luckily got to our spot just at the right time! Got our gear and walked to our location. The wind was almost still and the clouds looked amazing over the reflections of the lake. As the sun went down we took loads of landscape shots and as soon as the show was over we walked back to the car to eat the subs I bought earlier for dinner.

After we ate, we donned the mosquito nets, bug spray and I wore gloves – trying to protect every square inch of skin. Those little creatures were everywhere. We walked along the lake in the darkness, I had to use a head lamp to see where I was going because there was no moon. The reflection of the lake was just beautiful. We got to our spot on the other side of the lake and began shooting. . There was a bit of light pollution on the horizon, but the final result was cut short because I forgot to change batteries before I started. Even with 280 images, the short video came out pretty well – enjoy!

Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Walkway

Corkscrew’s famous 2.5-mile boardwalk through pine flatwoods, wet prairie, marsh, and the largest old growth Bald Cypress forest

Reflections of the Sky

Reflections of the sky along Alligator Alley in the everglades