Waterlilies at McKee Gardens in Vero Beach

This was my second visit to McKee Gardens and it was also their annual Water Lily Festival. Due to the festival, they opened earlier which was positive for photographing the waterlilies. This year it was either too late for the Egyptian Lotuses or maybe too early, but there weren't many in bloom. I used a 70 -200 mm lens with a 1.4 teleconverter since most of the blooms are a distance in the water. Snakes patrol the ponds to keep photographers at a safe distance.

Cars - Disney Style

Downtown Disney held a car show last weekend. Several of the cars were styled like the characters in Cars animated films. Most of the "real" cars were hot rods and muscle cars. This time I brought a knee pad so I could from a lower point of view. It was challenging to get a clean shot with the crowds, but patience pays off.

Mater from Cars

1959 Chevy Impala

Close to Home (Longmeadow Version)

I spent Memorial Day weekend in Longmeadow, Mass visiting my Dad. I have discovered that you don't have to travel great distances to find interesting photographic subjects. This wildlife preserve is actually only a few miles from our home. I really had no idea that it was there and how different it was from everything else around it. It is next to the Connecticut river and west of I-91. There are trails, boardwalks and wetland areas. I will definitely return there on my next trip.

Stitched Pano of Fannie Stebbins Wildlife Preserve in Longmeadow, Massachusetts

Bleeding Hearts

Small Lake at Fannie Stebbins Preserve

Another place I had never been to is The Botanical Gardens at Smith College in Northampton. Springtime is the perfect time to practice some flower photography. My dad helped hold the diffuser disc to cut down on the harsh sunlight on the flowers. He was a great assistant and it was fun sharing our love of photography. Here are a few shots from the outing to Smith College. I am afraid I don't know the names of most of the plants since they don't grow in Central Florida.

A neighbors garden clock with Nik's Glamour Glow filter

Peony Bud