Floridiana Gloriana

'Palm & Shadows' by Zen Sutherland | DeLand | Creative Commons

Here is a piece of art created by a North Carolina photographer who visited DeLand on vacation.  It's one of those photographs that just makes me gaze and gaze. As I've often said, I'm all about the strange lighting effects.   

 'Palms and shadows' by  Zen Sutherland |  Website:  Zenscription  | To see his Flickr photostream, click here | To see the largest version of this photograph available on Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a restricted Creative Commons license.  Do not save or use it without consulting the terms of the license (link shown here)

'Americana' by Greg Turner | Micanopy | Creative Commons

Here's a wonderful shot by Greg Turner of the American Cafe in the beautiful little North Florida town of Micanopy (accent on the third syllable).  Micanopy is Florida's oldest inland settlement and---as the link will tell you---an excellent place to see alligators as well as to shop for antiques.   I particularly love the touches of color added by the umbrellas, the stained glass, and the flag....

'Americana' by Greg Turner |To see his other photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized photograph at Flickr, 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.

'Blue Heron' by Judy Malley | Tampa | Creative Commons

I've posted several photographs of Blue Herons---my favorite Florida bird since a couple of them adopted my family back when I lived in Kissimmee---but this one by Judy Malley shows in perfect detail the beautiful silvery blue of its plumage and the no-nonsense tint of its navy racing stripe.  Is he not precious?   

"Blue Heron" originally uploaded by Judy Malley | To see her other Flickr photographs, click here |  | To see the largest version of this photograph on Flickr, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it pursuant to a restricted Creative Commons license.  Do not save or download it without first consulting the terms of the license.  The  link to the applicable license is shown here. 

 

'Sunset' by Don Jones | Bunnell | Creative Commons

As I've mentioned before, photographer Don Jones has a real eye for the contrasts and contradictions that constitute the real 'Old Florida' that people who stick to the expressways and attractions never see.   The reality of Florida is complex, involving strange juxtapositions of old and new, beautiful and derelict.  The recognition of this is one reason I'm so drawn to Don Jones' dreamlike photographs of abandoned houses and lost or abandoned objects.  I've tried myself to photograph similar scenes, but had little luck with it.  I think you have to have a special gift to make those shots transform all that chaos into order. 

Here's a well-ordered domestic scene from Bunnell in Flagler County, caught at one of those Florida moments.  This photograph struck me because of the sheer over-the-top magnificence of this sunset in contrast to the sheer matter of fact day-to-dayness of the scene it illuminates. It's a perfect example of the power of photography to capture these momentary transformations of reality----those moments when ordinary things seem fraught with some mystical significance.  If you look carefully at the photograph, you can see each tin-roofed structure reflecting the apricot tint of the sun.  Even the leaves are reflecting it.

'Sunset' by Don Jones |  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.  It is subject to a restricted Creative Commons license, permitting certain limited noncommercial uses.  Before using or downloading it, consult the terms of the applicable license.  You may view it here.

A Florida Bench by Miz Shoes | Used by Permission

 "This little bench sits below a rainbow eucalyptus and the bark of the tree contains all the same colors as the tiles on the bench," the photographer says.
 

"Miami Fairchild Bench" 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 by permission of the photographer (to whom all rights are reserved).  Please write for permission before saving it or using it. 

'Monkey' by Gerald Schmidt | Miami | Creative Commons

You don't even have to be human to love Florida oranges. This was apparently taken at "Monkey Jungle" in Miami (Slogan: "Where Humans are Caged, and Monkeys run Wild!")

'Monkey' by Gerald Schmidt |  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 Creative Commons license.  Please do not save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license.  The license is shown here.

Backyard Rocking Chair, Clearwater FL by John Swords | Creative Commons

This lovely photograph is from Clearwater, Florida, one of the beautiful cities on Tampa Bay. 

 

"Mandalay Avenue in Clearwater FL" by  John Swords |  To see his other photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image 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, please consult the terms of the license.  The license is here.

Rainbow Springs (Dunnellon, Florida) --Creative Commons

Other people's vision of the paradise that is Rainbow Springs.

Photograph by Ashleigh |  To see more of her photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr, click here

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

Photograph by Jessa | To see more of her photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr, click here |

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

3.  "Paddling the Rainbow" by  Ashleigh | To see more of her photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr, click here

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

Photograph by Jessa |  To see more of her photographs, click here |  To see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr, click here |

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

A view of the Rawlings house near sundown | Cross Creek

The original photograph of the house from which I scanned this image was dark, hazy, and rather out of focus, partly because it was so late (you can see that the flash went off). Thanks to the wonders of modern technology I was able to tweak it so that you can get a sense of the look and feel of the house (we didn't go in that day; we arrived too late) and can even ssort of see the individual oranges on the tree. The pinkish-gold sunlight on the side of the house was really there. You can see it in the alternate version of the house which I included above.

I don't think any photograph can really capture the look of the Rawlings House; it looks completely different from every angle. 

I really feel that every Floridian should make a pilgrimage to this place once.  It's a trip back in time and will give you that feeling of place that makes you know you are---or, like me, have become---a Floridian.

The light in the pines and the purple grass | Somewhere along a North Florida Highway One Winter Afternoon

I'm not sure of the exact location of this photograph. The light sparkling off the pine branches was what really caught my attention, then I saw the purple weeds (?) and yellow wildflowers in the background. The tree in the foreground and the yellow color of the grass show that it was wintertime and I am pretty sure that we were somewhere not too far from San Felasco State Park and the shell mound.   I made Don stop the car so we could photograph this scene.  It's not well composed or anything, but I love it.  Maybe it's because I can remember so clearly how it looked in real life.  One benefit of photography is that it tends to instill the original image in your mind.