Floridiana Gloriana

'The Florida Theater' by Craig O'Neal | Jacksonville | Creative Commons

Here is a beautiful night shot by Jacksonville photographer Craig O'Neal.

 

The Florida Theater by Craig O'Neal | Craig O'Neal does photography for Jacksonville.com.  To see more fabulous photographs, click here or take a look at his albums at Jacksonville.com! |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph, click here |

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of a restricted license.  Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license (here).

'Nature Walk Crab' by Kevin 'Elvis' King | Pensacola | Creative Commons

Check out this little gal.  Could she be more adorable?  "Catch a Falling Star," I imagine she's humming.  Kevin 'Elvis' Smith takes amazing nature photographs and this is just one of them.  LOVE it. 

'Pensacola Fun' by Kevin 'Elvis' King |  Website | To see his other photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

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

Gulf Coast Treasure Trove by Miz Shoes | Sarasota | Used by Permission

 "A week's worth of swag, from the Sarasota beach ," says this collector.  Man, I need to do a hunt for oceanside treasure.  I love this photograph even more because the disk on which the shells are shown seems to be floating in the air--note the foot and the green chair alongside it. 

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.

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

 

When I was a child back in the Sixties, my parents used to play a song on the old "record player" called "Pearly Shells."  My mom would sing along with it:  "Pearly Shells/by the waaaaa-ter!/How I love those little pearly shells!."  It was sort of corny, I guess, but I loved it.  I always think of that song when I look at shells, or photos of shells, but it's seldom quite so literally true as it is here.  Click on the larger version to see the subtle pearlescent shine of these tiny treasures up close!

"In the summer," says the photographer, "the coquinas are plentiful on the Gulf beaches. When the water recedes, they are visible for a moment, and then burrow into the sand. They are small, no more than an inch long, and all colors."

 

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.

A Florida Winter Scene (Creative Commons)

This photo beautifully conveys the pure, transparent quality of the Florida winter light and the varied tints of the winter sky. 

"Winter Beach" by Fortune Cookie | To see more of Fortune Cookie's photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here |

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photo, but am using it in compliance with the applicable license.  Before saving or using it, consult the terms of the license (here).

Baby Alligator (Creative Commons)

And I thought my baby alligator photo was cute!

"Alli Baby" by Stefano | To see more of his photographs, click here | To see the full-sized version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

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

Seashells in Sand and Sun (Creative Commons)

These Creative Commons photograph celebrates the north Florida space coast----a part of the state that few tourists seem to penetrate (maybe that's a good thing). 

  These are just the most ordinary, commonplace shells, and they therefore illustrate extremely well that strange transfiguring quality of the Florida light.  Shining in the pinkish gold light of the morning sun they look like jewels.  Photography is a sort of miracle in itself because of the way it captures and holds a single moment in time and a single person's vision of it.

The photographer took this picture one morning as he was driving home to South Carolina from Florida (see photo page)

"JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA" by Kruger (Kruggg6) |  See his other photographs here |  See the larger version of this image at Flickr here

I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph.  Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license (here).

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park | Cross Creek

  This is a photograph from a visit to Cross Creek, Florida, the location of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park.

Rawlings, the author of The Yearling and Cross Creek, wrote beautifully about North Florida, her (and now my) "land of enchantment."

I think this photograph gets across a little (though only a little) of the mystique of the place. It shows the area outside the entrance to the house and grounds that belong to the museum. The creek leads out into the lake.

If you're a Floridian, you really should make a visit to the park and the museum. Here is some further information from the state park website, just to encourage you to click on the link:

"No Animals Allowed!" | Fort Island Gulf Beach

    This is another view of Fort Island Gulf Beach.  This bird obviously isn't a gull---I don't know what he is---but he obviously hasn't read the sign. He was the only non-gull I saw that day, but doesn't he look very triumphant with that sunbeam shining down on him overhead? Hundreds of gulls were whirling around, snatching french fries from people's hands. He was just standing on this sign flapping his wings and squawking.  It's so easy for me to believe when I look at this photo that birds are descended from the dinosaurs.