Everglades - Lone Mangrove

Lone Mangrove Tree, Everglades

A few years back I became interested in our National Parks after watch the documentary by Ken Burns. As a kid growing up in Atlantic City and Da Bronx these treasures were something that never entered my mind - and actually going to one was, well, just would have never entered my mind. I was much more obsessed with Yankee Stadium and Coney Island.

After watching the 6 DVD's it became quite clear that I needed to get out of the house and visit as many of these parks as possible with my camera  in tow....To date I have been to Yosemite, Death Valley, Zion, Olympic and Everglades - there is also Caddo Lake in East Texas which should be a National Park. My intentions are to try and hit a few more of these treasure this year and continue on until I have seen them all -all 58 of them.

One day my friend Tom Fielder called me and said Clyde Butcher was giving a two day workshop in the Everglades.  Clyde i s known as the Ansel Adams of the Glades, and, of course I jumped at the chance to meet Clyde and take his workshop.

On the first afternoon we went out to photograph the Mangroves.The surprise was that we would be making images while standing in almost waist deep water, which, at certain tides could be chest high. At any rate long story short we get out to the Mangrove's, get out of the boat and make images for about two hours. This was a truly unique experience very different from the Bronx and Atlantic City and I plan to go back at some point and explore this area a bit more.

Me , the boat and Mangrove Tree, Everglades

Everglades National Park

As most of you know the Ken Burn's mini-series on The National Parks was a huge influence on my photography. Having grown up with little or no knowledge of these great American treasures it was quite inspiring to finally see the history of what he called 'America's Greatest Treasure'. Needless to say this immediately gained a high spot on my 'bucket list'...

Today's image was made while cruising out on the 10,000 lake area of Chokoloskee Bay, a part of our Everglades National Park. Obviously a very spontaneous moment, but then there are so many of these moments at this type of location - the images are regularly some of my favorites.

Photographed using a Canon 5DMKII, 70-200MM Lens

White Pelicans

White Pelicans, Duck Rock, Everglades

Yet another image from last year's Everglades road trip. This particular day I had rented a boat and was cruising out in the 10,000 islands when we came upon what the Captain called Duck Rock. Love the little guy down front -


Captured with a Canon 5DMKII, 70-200MM Lens

Everglades

Moon Setting, Mangroves,  Chokoloskee Bay, Everglades

Funny story on this image. I drove down to the Everglades last year to go swamp walking with a photographer named Clyde Butcher. Went a day or so early and rented a boat with a guide to investigate a few of the 10,000 islands in Chokoloskee Bay.

First morning we get out there before sunrise and upon arrival at this location the guide tells me to get out of the boat and prepare for sunrise - 'the best images are made standing out on the oyster bed' he says. I was planning to shoot from the boat but soon realized he was right about getting out on the oyster bed. Very difficult to get a crisp sharp image on a moving boat in low light - lesson learned.

Needless to say I got over the fear and over the next few days found myself walking in swamps and waist high water in the bay - camera in hand. Never saw one alligator or Anaconda....

Everglades Workshop

Yesterday was the first day of the Cyde Butcher Workshop. We were swamp walking in the morning (murky and muddy) and in the afternoon, well, look at the photo below.

On the morning walk I slipped and fell into the swamp but managed to save my gear, except for my iphone which is now located at the bottom....Lost a phone and a good camera.

On Sunday Captain Gary Thompson is taking us to a less traveled location about 90 minutes south of Everglades City - hopefully we get some cloud cover that day -

Here are a few images from today...