Posted by Ed Cooley on December 26, 2007 at 4:28 PM
I'm from the Central States forum and am planning a few weeks in FL Jan/Feb time frame.
Can anyone suggest and/or comment on a few photographer guides for the everglades and gulf side of FL. Our interests are both landscape/scenics and wildlife shooting but not necessarily at the same time.
I am currently thinking Sanibel, Captiva, Ding Darling, Big Cypress, and Everglades.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Ed
Posted by Lance Warley on December 27, 2007 at 12:56 PM
Hi, Ed.
I'm not familiar with these areas, but if you are in the Ft Lauderdale - Boca Raton - West Palm Beach area, I can certainly guide you throught Wakodahatchee, Green Cay, and Loxahatchee.
Please just send me a note if you plan to cover these areas.
Hey there, Ed. I shot Ding Darling at Sanibel this past October. The birds were in and staying on the ocean side of the pathway you have to follow (it's a one way road). It cost all of about a dollar to get in. If you drive through, you can finish and go back around again as many times as you want without having to pay again. So, you could go in the AM and come back for the PM. You can get there right before closing and get in and stay as long as you like - the exit is not closed off! I think on Friday's you have to walk in - but it is not a long walk unless you go all the way through - not advised on foot. There seem to be two main large areas the birds like. If the first large opening is bleak, then go down the road a little and try the next large opening. If the birds are on the ocean side (which they were for me) of the road, you need to shoot at sunrise to get good light on your subjects. In the afternoon, the light is behind your subjects and silhouettes are all you might get. There are very little ditches alongside of the road. Several birds allowed me to get very close and they were not spooked by my presence. Works in the AM and PM. So, walk quietly and keep a sharp lookout for what's in the ditches! If you get there earlier than the gate opens, you can walk around it...they don't seem to care since you will be on foot and won't disturb the sleeping birds with motor sounds. You can drop your dollar and your name on a note in a box at the gate. I would call ahead and see what birds are there this time of year. Right after you enter the gate (I think it is after the gate), there is a nature walk on the right hand side of the road. You may get some surprise shots in there. You can walk it and back in about 10 minutes (it's kind of a circle) depending whether you see anything to shoot. You will want a LONG lens with tripod for the main areas and a shorter lens handheld for those birds that fly in across the road at head level! My shots from October are here:
http://www.southeasternphotography.com/gallery/3666673
If you go to Sanibel/Captiva, you HAVE to go eat at the Mucky Duck on the ocean side of Captiva (right on the beach - incredible sunset and very neat restaurant and bar!!). Tell the owner (he's always there), Victor Mayeron, that I sent you and tell him hello. He's an old school chum of mine. For all sakes, do NOT tell them it is your birthday!!!! If you tell him that, somebody better have a camera ready!! Have a good shoot where ever you go!
Troup Nightingale
Posted by Ed Cooley on December 27, 2007 at 9:26 PM
Thanks for the great feedback!
I'll post a follow-up when I return from the trip.
Ed
Posted by Mike Poe on December 29, 2007 at 12:18 PM
Hi Ed,
You might want to check out Arthur Morris' "Photographic Site-Guides" that he offers in pdf format from his website birdsasart.com. First of this year I travelled down to Fort DeSoto and decided to bite the bullet and spring for one since I was totally unfamiliar with the area. It did give me a few days jump on what to expect and where to be at certain times of the day. The advantage of a digital guide over a published book is conditions can change and the digital guide can keep up with them better. Hurricanes, construction & development, vegetation removal, etc can make a once desirable location a bust. I think if you buy a guide you will get updates to that guide sent to you or at the least can contact him for the latest changes. Although the guides are weighted more toward birds there are some useful wildlife / landscape tips in them. IMHO I think they are a little overpriced for the amateur but are probably a bargain for the working professional. I was very satisfied with the one I got for Fort DeSoto. I think if you peruse his site you might find an excerpt from one of the guides to give you some indication of the content.
Discussion
4 repliesCan anyone suggest and/or comment on a few photographer guides for the everglades and gulf side of FL. Our interests are both landscape/scenics and wildlife shooting but not necessarily at the same time.
I am currently thinking Sanibel, Captiva, Ding Darling, Big Cypress, and Everglades.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Ed
I'm not familiar with these areas, but if you are in the Ft Lauderdale - Boca Raton - West Palm Beach area, I can certainly guide you throught Wakodahatchee, Green Cay, and Loxahatchee.
Please just send me a note if you plan to cover these areas.
http://www.southeasternphotography.com/gallery/3666673
If you go to Sanibel/Captiva, you HAVE to go eat at the Mucky Duck on the ocean side of Captiva (right on the beach - incredible sunset and very neat restaurant and bar!!). Tell the owner (he's always there), Victor Mayeron, that I sent you and tell him hello. He's an old school chum of mine. For all sakes, do NOT tell them it is your birthday!!!! If you tell him that, somebody better have a camera ready!! Have a good shoot where ever you go!
Troup Nightingale
I'll post a follow-up when I return from the trip.
Ed
You might want to check out Arthur Morris' "Photographic Site-Guides" that he offers in pdf format from his website birdsasart.com. First of this year I travelled down to Fort DeSoto and decided to bite the bullet and spring for one since I was totally unfamiliar with the area. It did give me a few days jump on what to expect and where to be at certain times of the day. The advantage of a digital guide over a published book is conditions can change and the digital guide can keep up with them better. Hurricanes, construction & development, vegetation removal, etc can make a once desirable location a bust. I think if you buy a guide you will get updates to that guide sent to you or at the least can contact him for the latest changes. Although the guides are weighted more toward birds there are some useful wildlife / landscape tips in them. IMHO I think they are a little overpriced for the amateur but are probably a bargain for the working professional. I was very satisfied with the one I got for Fort DeSoto. I think if you peruse his site you might find an excerpt from one of the guides to give you some indication of the content.
Good Luck and let us know how your trip went.