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Giovanni Allievi

5 Years Ago

Florida Photographic Locations Suggestions?

Hi, hopefully I'll be visiting Florida around October or November and I'd need suggestions on where to shoot. I'm mainly into classic landscape images but open to anything worth seeing and photographing. Thanks!

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Roy Erickson

5 Years Ago

Stay away from the interstates - no place to stop if you saw something you liked. And then - Florida is a big state, 400 miles or so north to south and about the same east to west. Around the center of the state - further south than Orlando is some great farm country. Highway 70 east to west with a change off to 72 at Arcadia takes you through Myakka State Park. Highway 17 north to south - especially once you get past Lakeland.

Everything, of course, depends on the weather. It will still be 'warm' and humid, even into November.

 

Bill Swartwout

5 Years Ago

If you make it to the Keys - especially Key West - photography opportunities abound.

I'm hoping to get back to Key West within the next year - it's been several years since we were there for (only) a day.

---------------
~ Bill
BillSwartwout.com

 

Toby McGuire

5 Years Ago

Florida is a really big state... Any idea which areas you'll be visiting?

Sanibel Island is awesome, Naples/Fort Myers is beautiful, Key Biscayne is amazing, South Beach lends itself to beautiful art deco/neon light photography. Pompano beach is nice. As Bill said Key West is beautiful (and the keys in general, love Key Largo too), def recommend the drive over the 7 mile bridge.

I only visit Florida so often though so I don't have a really broad view of the whole state.

 

Edward Fielding

5 Years Ago

Check out this Florida photographer's portfolio for ideas - https://clydebutcher.com/galleries/

BTW - I was just on Sanibel last week. Couldn't stay on the beach for more than 10 minutes due to coughing from Red Tide and trying not to step on dead fish. Hopefully it will be gone by the time you visit.

The Gov. just declared a state of emergency. You can check the beaches here:

https://mote.org/pages/florida-red-tide1

 

Bradford Martin

5 Years Ago

Having lived in Florida for 22 years, I wonder exactly what is a classic Florida landscape? I guess the closest thing we have to an Ansel Adams here is Clyde Butcher, who wades knee deep into cypress swamps with a view camera. So what else defines a classic landscape? A beach with coconut palms in the foreground? Well that's a myth. A view of a swamp with an alligator? A field of yearlings? Easy enough in Central Florida Cattle country. Maybe a view of the old fortress at St Augustine. Or perhaps a view of some of the botanical gardens, which seem to restrict photography. The closest thing we have to a rocky coast would be blowing rocks preserve in Jupiter, which is probably one of the more under photographed places.

Most photographers are taken in by the large wading birds. They are not timid, but it is helpful to have a telephoto lens of 400 to 600mm.
I have to agree with Bill that Key West has a few very classic views looking out to the ocean at sunset. Maybe you can catch the green flash.

 

Rich Franco

5 Years Ago

Giovanni,

Drag your feet coming here. End of October okay, but November and later, better. Both coasts have great places for images, and also most of the Keys. I would stay out of Key West, unless you want people everywhere shots and by then, not a cheap place to stay, since the visitors from up North begin to arrive and rents go up. Many places North of Key West, like Bahia Honda Park and all along the Keys, going North. There are even places, I think still here, where you can rent a houseboat, maybe with a captain and on the Westside, Gulf side, travel from island to island. The closer you go towards the Everglades, the greater for mosquitoes if the wind is blowing from the North to the South and if close to land, TERRIBLE! Everglades should be the next stop and I would make sure you visit our own Ansel Adams photographer, Clyde Butcher, who has photographed the Everglades and has these HUGE B&W prints, 8-10 wide of more. Plenty of info on where to shoot on the Internet, just find a blog or two. West Coast is really nice for sunsets and plenty of places to shoot from. East Coast, great too, North of Miami, less crowded and usually great looking water, like the Bahamas water! Blowing Rocks is a bit further North. The West coast has some of the most beautiful beaches and ranks in the World's Top Ten Beaches every year. Some can only be reached by boat. North of Naples, there is Sanibel Island and a great place to see shells and great sunsets/palm trees, etc. but the rents will be going up, but can always find a place for the night. North of there, Sarasota and surrounding areas have many islands that offer opportunities.
On the East Coast, one of my favorites, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is open from sunrise to sunset and is on Cape Kennedy Space property, NASA. LOt's of birds by then and of course, gators too. Visit my site and look for the Merritt Island Gallery, where I have a few images, most were shot on film and I never scanned them. Merritt Island also has a great beach area, usually deserted, especially during the cooler months(under 150 degrees...LOL!) and can get some really nice shots, again, on any of this stuff, do some research first.

Orlando of course, if you want touristy stuff. BUT North, MANY beautiful SPRINGS and worth a day or two. A few, Alexander Springs, and Juniper Springs, you can rent a canoe and travel down the crystal clear spring water for a few miles! And at the end, they will come and pick you up and your canoe! Further up the East Coast, nice long areas of pristine beaches, but the water gets a bit murky, the further North you go. Next, probably St. Augustine and again, look at my site for a few images.

Almost done now, but one more place you need to see and research, Cumberland Island, which is basically on the border of Florida and Georgia and you can camp overnight, wild horses there and a few mansions that are in ruins, but pretty neat. There is a HOTEL there, but VERY expensive, small and you need to DRESS for dinner..... Again, they were back in my film days.....

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll see if I have any more suggestions.

Rich

 

Jon Glaser

5 Years Ago

buy a mosquito jacket and look on Google Earth for Opportunities along coast line

 

JC Findley

5 Years Ago

Yupp, the big question is WHERE in FL are you going? It would take me less time to drive to TX from Pensacola than it would to drive to Key West.

For the most part the classic landscapes fall into one of two catagories. Wetlands or beaches. There are a handful of waterfalls there as well.

Photography PrintsPhotography PrintsArt Prints

 

Robert Potts

5 Years Ago

The cypress strands are gorgeous, as are the prairies. Definitely hike off the roads at Big Cypress National Preserve. I like the hammocks at Everglades NP. Also visit the boardwalks at Corkscrew Swamp. Tropical skies can be dramatic. Mangroves are neat too. I am envious.

 

Giovanni Allievi

5 Years Ago

Thanks everyone so far! I appreciate your help!

 

Roy Erickson

5 Years Ago

Giovanni Allievi - much of it depends if you want something that everyone else is photographing or something different. Central Florida, out in the center of the state below Interstate 4 is cattle and citrus country - some open vistas. East coast you get beaches and sunrises, west coast it's more beaches and sunsets, really beautiful beaches out in the panhandle. Except for storms - the water around Florida is usually pretty flat and calm, there'll be little chance of big crashing waves on a rocky shore. I haunt the more back country roads looking for photo ops. Most of Florida is relatively flat - there are no mountains.

Our trip to the Everglades a couple of years back was not a lot more than ok for me. Wish we had turned down Shark Valley: https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/svdirections.htm but we passed it by. Key West is Key West - I think you'd spend less than half a day with the camera - looking for any kind of "classic" landscape. The drive down from the mainland is much more interesting than the end of the road, so to speak.

As far as I know - there are only two "natural" waterfalls in Florida - one drops down into a very deep sinkhole and the other drops about 15 feet or so - both depend on rain to make them work. This one is about 10 miles from my house in north Florida: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/falling-creek-falls-columbia-county-park-rd-erickson.html

Besides where in Florida you will be (If flying in there are only a few airports that are really "international")? How are you getting around, driving?, and how much time will you have?

 

Toby McGuire

5 Years Ago

This thread is good luck, I sold two prints today from my Florida collection.

 

Giovanni Allievi

5 Years Ago

RD Erickson, I'll be around Miami visiting friends. Still not sure how far I'll go since I'll be hanging out with them and don't think I'll drive myself. So basically around Miami 15/20 days.
Edit: still evaluating options and in case I'll drive myself.

Toby, you owe me a beer! ;-)

 

Edward Fielding

5 Years Ago

Funny, I sold a couple vintage Orlando shots today. And a Fort Myers one on the 12th.

There is a monastery outside of Miami and a monkey place. The Redland has interesting agricultural opportunities. All kinds of exotic fruits are grown down there. Great smoothies.

 

Rudy Umans

5 Years Ago

Not sure what "around Miami" means. Miami metropolian area is about 50 miles north to south and 35 or so east to west.

Giovanni, I live in Miami on and off for the last 30 years. About 3 miles from the Redlands and that "Monkey Place"(Money Jungle) Edward mentioned. Both are overrated.

Forget the Everglades this time of the year. Not much to do there right now. No wildlife unless you count 10 million mosquitoes, Yellow flies, horse flies, and a bunch of other flying wild beasts that look like miniature B52 bomber airplanes as wildlife. 80% is pretty much inaccessible this time of the year for most people. (I like to go in the summer during thunderstorms, but I am a little crazy and I dress up like a beekeeper sort of). Almost all of my landscape pictures here are in the Everglades or Big Cypress National Preserve.

Stay in town, visit old neighborhoods like Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and Miami Beach. You can also visit the Vizcaya estate, The Deering Estate, and Fairchild tropical Gardens, with their new Butterfly enclosure. Or visit the Old Spanish Monastery as Edward also mentioned, but you might have enough of those where you come from. Another option is the Bill Baggs State Park with its Lighthouse on Key Biscayne.

You can also visit the Micosukee Indian Village and go for an airboat ride on the Francis S. Taylor Water Management Areas. (Go west on 8th street aka Tamiami Trail that goes from Miami to Tampa,- hence the name)

A classic Florida Landscape, as somebody asked, would be Slash Pines Trees with Palmetto Palms.

Brings lots of fresh underwear and baby powder. lol It will be very hot and humid everywhere. like the tropics. Miami only has two seasons, wet and dry, and right now it's the wet season

 

Edward Fielding

5 Years Ago

I took a celebrity night time dinner cruise once on a business meeting trip. Chartered boat with about 20 people. They showed us a bunch of famous people's houses from the water on the islands in the bay.

You might want to look that up, it was fun and the you saw the lights of Miami on the way back.

There are probably several variations like this one - https://miamitourcompany.com/celebrity-homes-boat-tour

 

Giovanni Allievi

5 Years Ago

Thanks Rudy & Edward!

 

Edward Fielding

5 Years Ago

Definitely start watching some old episodes of Miami Vice and CSI: Miami to get ready. ;-)

 

Drew

5 Years Ago

The best photos spots in NE Florida for wildlife and landscape are the Trails in the Timucuan Preserve.
I would recommend the Fort Caroline National Park, Spanish Pond, and Willy Brown trails (all in one location). This time of year is hot, humid and there's lots of biting bugs!
I hike these trails in the late fall, winter, and early spring. Welcome to the jungles of Florida!
https://www.nps.gov/timu/planyourvisit/hiking.htm

 

Roy Erickson

5 Years Ago

Miami - I don't know much about - Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a 'Renaissance" villa that was brought over from Italy (I think) block by block and rebuilt on Biscayne Bay. It's sort of interesting and there are certainly some photo ops there.

Search "Miami, Florida" and things to do (almost everything costs money). Since you are visiting friends - they will know places where not to go because they are unsafe.

BTW - I live in the 4th most dangerous city in Florida.

 

Giovanni Allievi

5 Years Ago

RD: "(almost everything costs money)"

I live in Italy, I know something...;-)

 

Drew

5 Years Ago

Here is another north Florida trail within 10 minutes of the last trail I recommended. Just walked it this morning.

https://jagardens.smugmug.com/Arboretum-Photo-Tour/The-Arboretum/

 

Suzanne Powers

5 Years Ago

I believe there is Cuban influences in Miami which might be of interest although I am not from FL so I can't give locations of restaurants, etc. Visited Miami once in summer, very hot and yes there are coconut groves in the Everglades with a swarm of insects driving us out.

 

This discussion is closed.