Floridiana Gloriana

'Tram stop (HDR)' by Yevgen Pogoryelov | Tampa | Creative Commons

Here's a color fantasia of a view of a Tampa street car terminal.  It looks like a futuristic toy train set.  I love the colors of this---the sunset pinks and purple in the background, the saturated spring-green of the trees and grass, that ice-blue glass like a giant aquamarine, and the glossy little orange train....

"The photographer writes:  "Finally I set my foot on the land of the North American continent :-)) I came here for a few days to attend the scientific conference in Tampa, Florida.  On the photo a fragment of the view from my room on the 22nd floor of the Marriott hotel.  It's a terminal stop of the tram, or as it is called here - street car."

'Tram Stop (HDR)' by Yevgen Pogoryelov  | To see other other photographs in his Flickr photostream, click here | other: See the collection of photographs he has selected as 'most interesting'  here |  Website:  Country of the Rising Sun     | To see the full-sized version of this photograph, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it pursuant to a restricted Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license.  The license can be viewed here.

'Cement Library' by Vince (Kitsu) | Mount Dora | Creative Commons

"Books formed in cement at a closed bookstore in Mount Dora, Florida," the photographer explained.  I'm really grateful to the photographer for preserving this fascinating detail.  I would love a world in which commerce united with art in the external details of buildings, but I suppose it's not practicable.

 

"Cement Library" by Vince/Kitsu (website:[relax]). 

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Before saving or using it, please consult the terms of the applicable license. The license is here.

'Palm' by Lucian Badea | Used by Permission

I love all of Florida, but Northern Florida is where I'm from, so naturally I am particularly moved by photographs which portray its beauties.

Photographer Lucian Badea of Twisted Visions has created some beautiful and artistic photographs reflecting his own special vision of  North Florida.  I loved this one because of the way he managed to capture the light reflected on the palm leaves---each one has its own reflections against the violet/indigo sky. 

'Palm' by Lucian Badea |  See his work at Twisted Visions (!):  Landscape Photography, Fine Art Photography, Black and White Photography, Nature Photography, Abstract Photography, Experimental Photography, and More! | 

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it with the express written permission of its owner, Lucian Badea.  Do not save or use it unless you first obtain his permission.

'Mind Blur' | Ginnie Springs, Florida' by Lucian Badea | Used by Permission

Here's another place I've visited, strangely transformed by the photographic art of Lucian Badea (Twisted Visions Photography).

This photograph has deservedly attracted a great deal of attention at Flickr. Notice how the gold of the trees---a winter color here---is strangely reflected among the green within the river---a beautiful juxtaposition of seasonal color.  Or is the gold really the pale green of an early spring?  Is it vernal or autumnal?  Note that you can see the reflections in the water of a bright blue sky---yet the mist among the trees is an autumn or winter phenomenon.  But this is what Ginnie Springs is like in my dreams, where I can have the best of all the seasons. Magic realism, indeed.

  

'Mind Blur' |  Ginnie Springs, Florida' by Lucian Badea |  See his work at Twisted Visions (!):  Landscape Photography, Fine Art Photography, Black and White Photography, Nature Photography, Abstract Photography, Experimental Photography, and More!

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it with the express written permission of its owner, Lucian Badea.  Do not save or use it unless you first obtain his permission.

'Orange and Blue' by Lucian Badea | Lake Alice, Gainesville | Used by Permission

Photographer Lucian Badea, of  Twisted Visions Photography, has taken some fascinating photographs of the landscapes in and around North Florida.  I became fascinated with them because of the way they are simultaneously totally familiar and totally not.  They are like the versions I see in my dreams:  with details and colors picked out that I wouldn't have noticed in the real world. 

I've often passed this place.  And North Florida has its share of orange skies.  But it took a moment or two to process what I was seeing all the same.  So painterly----and please take note of the swatch of blue sky and yellow cloud reflected in the lake. 

Entrancing.

 

Orange and Blue | Lake Alice, Gainesville, Florida' by Lucian Badea |  See his work at Twisted Visions (!):  Landscape Photography, Fine Art Photography, Black and White Photography, Nature Photography, Abstract Photography, Experimental Photography, and More!

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it with the express written permission of its owner, Lucian Badea.  Do not save or use it unless you first obtain his permission. 

Red Glass, Rocks, and Cactus by Miz Shoes | Miami, FL | Used by Permission

The amazing photographer Miz Shoes has more astonishing imagery from the Chihuly exhibition at the Fairchild.  Just imagine:  till I saw her photographs, I did not know about Chihuly.  And then---through one of those pieces of synchronicity which form the stuff of life---a young person I know referred the very next day to Chihuly glass and this specific exhibition. 

Just fascinating.  As is this photograph:

She writes:  " I loved the contrast of the rock, the cacti and the brillliant red glass."  Yes:

Photograph by Miz Shoes | click here to see her other photos | website: Girly Shoes.  | Click here to go to Flickr for the larger version

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it by permission of the photographer (to whom all rights are reserved). Please write for permission before saving it or using it.

Sarasota Sandcastle by Miz Shoes | Creative Commons

Inspired by this photograph, I just started a new category:  Florida sandcastles.

"Sarasota Sandcastle" by Miz Shoes (click here to see her other photos) |
Website:  Girly Shoes.

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use this photograph without consulting the terms of the applicable license.  The license is here.

Fanciful Florida: The lifeguard tower reconsidered.

I love this picture---the original is in my Nature Coast photographs---and I thought I'd have a go at a different treatment.   It's the lifeguard tower at Fort Island Gulf Beach in Citrus County.

For photographs of Fort Island Gulf Beach, click here and scroll down!

Fanciful Florida: Fernandina Beach Jazz-Style.

Here's a fanciful version of the gorgeous town of Fernandina Beach, located on beautiful, beautiful Amelia Island. 

I love its main street.  In reality the buildings are made from brick and the colors are not quite this intense and saturated---but nearly so. 

It's a place where a Floridian would vacation in Florida.  Compared to the places you've heard of, it's quiet and very free of the typical "attractions" that make Central Central Florida so appealing to visitors and such hell for Floridians to live in.  Instead, it has actual attractions.  Anyone who doesn't know the difference has never visited my beautiful state.

Here's how the street actually looked.   Is that not beautiful?

I fell in love with it the first time I went there.  I walked up and down the street in a trance.  I adored everything I saw or ate.  I didn't want to leave. 

Amelia Island, like Cedar Key, is a Florida secret we should probably keep.  I won't say too much more.  But I just had to pay humble tribute to this jewel of the Space Coast.  Enough said....

Fanciful Florida: Florida house by night.

Every Florida town has its "historic district" and every historic district has one or more houses like this.  It's typical Deep South architecture. 

This was an impressionistic picture because I wanted to make people really see the palm trees.  The palm trees make all the difference.

To the best of my recollection, this house is in a North Central Florida town.