St. Augustine Birding and PhotoFest

Although I only spent one day at the actual Birding and Photofest, I did go back on Saturday and played tourist. I just love St. Augustine because there is so much history. Most places in Florida seem so new compared to other places. Not so much with St. Augustine. We toured Castillo San Marcos since it was  National Parks week and the price was free. We also toured Flagler College. It is an amazing place and they let us take photos as long as we didn't use flash.

Beach at Marineland



I took three classes at the Whitney Lab on Thursday. I was especially excited to take Deb Sandidge's infrared class. Now I am researching the options to convert a camera to infrared. I learned about Action and Flight Photography from Kevin Karlson and De-mystifying Flash from Chas Glatzner.Now, its time to practice the techniques I learned. Can't wait for next year.

Flagler College formerly a hotel

The ornate ceiling Inside Flagler College

This was the largest indoor swimming pool at Hotel Alcazar

1955 Chrysler Imperial parked outside Casa Monica

Texture overlay on photo of the HMS Bounty Tall ship

Photography Workshop in Charleston



Oak Alley at Magnolia Plantation with the Singh-Ray Tony Sweet Soft focus filter



Magnolia Plantation Cypress Swamp




Magnolia Plantation





Slave Cabin HDR at Magnolia Plantation




Botany Bay with Texture Overlay




Cypress Gardens




Folly Beach Pier at Sunrise




Folly Beach Pier at Sunrise


I spent the first week of April in Charleston attending the Tony Sweet Photography workshop. It was an incredible week, with great people, excellent weather and an awesome instructor. I can't wait to do another workshop with Tony Sweet and Susan Milestone.

Bird Babies!!

Great Blue Herons nesting at Viera Wetlands

Great White Egret with babies at Gatorland

Catbird at Gatorland, and they really sound like a cat!

The weather was perfect over the Easter weekend. I finally found the time to get back over to Viera hoping I wasn't too late for some herons on the nest. Patience paid off and I caught the mom visiting the nest to feed the youngsters. I also made a trip out to Gatorland for their early entry to the rookery. Again I waited a long time to catch a shot where all of the babies were visible. This one nest was the only one where the vegetation wasn't obscuring views to the birds. I did clone out a fair amount of branches behind the mother bird.