South Florida Landscape & Nature Photography – Click on each image title to order
Photos by Lee Smith
The House of Refuge at Gilbert’s Bar, Stuart, Florida
Photos taken by Lee Smith
Traveled to Chokoloskee, FL to take a kayak tour with my friend Don McCumber from the Everglades Area Tours company. The area is alive with beauty and it is vast. An August trip does have a few set backs as far as heat and the mosquitoes, but if you plan carefully it is all doable. We traveled a few miles from the Everglades Area Tours store back to 41 to a location called Turner River where there is a secluded boat launch. We loaded our two man kayak and set off on our short trip as we traveled a few miles down stream through the tree lined river shores and the Mangrove Tunnels that opened to a sea of sawgrass. It was a very comfortable trip on this day with a small breeze, but in some areas there were fierce mosquitoes & slow branches almost blocking our path. My guide, Don, knew exactly what to do and how to travel through the dense areas. I sat up front and was taking photos as Don paddled guiding us over the river. It was an awesome area full of beauty. I saw many birds and only one small alligator, but in the beginning of the morning we heard the growling of the larger Everglages gators as they were waking up. I look forward to doing another Kayak trip – the Team at Everglades Area Tours were awesome – I rented my kayak, vest and paddle from them as well. Contact the Everglades Area Tours to arrange a kayak tour, they have plenty to choose from!
Photography by Lee Smith
Got up at 4 am to visit a special place to photograph – Hutchinson Island, Stuart, FL. A favorite location due o the shoreline of Anastasia Limestone formations. The limestone formations run along the east coast of Florida from Palm Beach to St Augustine. The make a beautiful foreground for any photographer.
Photos by Lee Smith
Traveled to a location to photograph Downtown Miami at night. I took a series of photos to catch the transition from sunset to night time.
Photos by Lee Smith
I traveled with my friend Ivan to visit Kirby Storter Park in the Big Cypress Preserve of Highway 41. It was a long ride to the interior region of the Everglades. After waiting till the sun went down, the stars started to shine through the blue skies. The darker the skies got, the more stars appeared. It was amazing. This is my first attempt at a Milky Way capture and it was a challenge. The key is to focus your camera before it gets dark, otherwise you have to do it by feel.
Be sure you got some really great mosquito repellant – I highly recommend a product called Repel – Lemon Eucalyptus – Repel 94109 Lemon Eucalyptus Natural Insect Repellent, 4-Ounce Pump Spray – Order it from Amazon
Click on an image for a larger view
This is a definite must for being in the Everglades at night!
Coghlan’s Bug Jacket, Medium
