Floridiana Gloriana

"A Rusty Pelican Sunset" by Ralph Orona | Used by Permission

I love photographs of Florida cities that reveal to those who don't know just how closely the beautiful natural Florida obtrudes on, and glorifies, its sometimes stark urban realities.  This shot has got everything:  radiant sunlight; delicate sunset tones shading from violet and apricot to a translucent blue; a city skyline; a bridge; palm trees, cloud, and boats.  Love it. 

A Rusty Pelican Sunset by Ralph Orona | To see other photographs in his Flickr photostream, click here | Website:  Ralph Orona Photography | To see the largest version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

Used by permission---all rights reserved to the owner.  Please do not save or use without his express written permission..

'Miami Vice' by Ralph Orona | Miami | Used by Permission

Here's a breathtaking shot of Miami by Ralph Orona:  "A wide shot of the MacArthur Causeway in Miami Florida...it reminds me of Miami Vice. All it needs is a White Ferrari Testarossa with Crockett & Tubbs standing next to it."

 Miami Vice by Ralph Orona | To see other photographs in his Flickr photostream, click here | Website:  Ralph Orona Photography | To see the largest version of this photograph at Flickr, click here

This photograph is used with the express written permission of its owner.  Please do not save or download it without first obtaining his permission.  You can write to him here.

 

'Winter Haven Sunset Celebration' by Josh Hallett | Winter Haven | Creative Commons

A sunset enormous lake in the little Central Florida town of Winter Haven in Polk County Florida, home of Cypress Gardens.  Having once been engaged to a man who was living there---and who lived right on the lake--- I spent quite a bit of time there back in the early Nineties.  Josh Hallett, who wonderfully captures the towns of Central Florida, took this radiant sunset scene, complete with all those Florida peach and apricot tints. 

Winter Haven Sunset Celebration by  Josh Hallett |   To see other photographs in his Flickr photostream, click here |  Website:  Hyku | 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 compliance with a restricted Creative Commons license.  Please do not download or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. The link to the license is here.

'Brass Door' by Sara Mooney | Lake Wales | Creative Commons

Here is the magnificent golden door to the Carillon Tower (see a photograph here) at Bok Sanctuary Gardens in Lake Wales.  There's an almost dreamlike aspect to this photograph, with the reflecting pond, the jewel like green of the ferns, the darker palm branches, the delicate rose tints and blues of the stones, and that magical golden door, very like the one that Alice went through. 

Brass Door by Sara_Mooney   |  To see her photostream at Flickr, click here | Website:  Stage Domain | To see the full-sized version of this photograph, click here

I do not own the rights to this photograph, but am using it in compliance with a Creative Commons license that permits restricted use.  Please do not save or download it without first consulting the terms of the license.  A  link to the license appears here.

'Downtown St. Pete' by Artanis Knarf (Kurt) | St. Petersburg | Creative Commons

Here is a gorgeous photograph of downtown St. Pete just after sunset.  I love the contrast between the jewel-like effect of the lights along the causeway and the high-rise buildings against that very soft pinkish-violet and the clear blue of the sky.  The red and yellow boat (where is it heading??) adds as a touch of warm color to the icy diamond-like lighting effects along the causeway. 

'Downtown St. Pete' by Kurt (Artanis Knarf)  | To see his Flickr photostream, click here | Website:  Artanis Knarf.com | To see the largest 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.  Please do not save or use it without first checking the terms of the license here.

'Orange Beach Sandcastles' by Kevin 'Elvis' King | Pensacola | Creative Commons

The flags are a nice touch:  they look like an add-on.  There's a weird 3-dimensional effect to this photograph in consequence.  It's a surreal effect:  everything in the picture seems much more 'present' and much more detailed than it would look in the real world.  Magic realism?

'Orange Beach, Sandcastles' 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

'Downtown Miami' by James Good | Creative Commons

"A view of downtown Miami, from underneath the MacArthur Causeway bridge," the photographer explains.  I love everything about this photograph, especially the magenta and violet tinted light on the arch and the glittering toy city in the background.

'Downtown Miami' by James Good |To see his other photos, click here | To see the full-sized version of the photograph, 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. 

'Biscayne Bay in the Mist' by James Good | Miami | Creative Commons

To be honest, I have grown tired of looking at sun-over-water photographs.  There are so many of them and they are all so similar.  I have already found some of Flickr's best, but how many photographs of rolling waves or serene Gulf with the sun behind them does one site need?

But then I saw this, illustrating how in Florida nature regularly transforms even the most workaday commercial landscape.  I love the watery effect of the sun behind the mist and the even waterier (well, naturally) effect of the reflection.  I love the pastel tints infusing the urban landscape.  Look how you can see the city's towers in the distance.

What you have to remember about Florida is that everything single thing here is beautiful at the right time of day.  You just have to find that right time.  Is that true everywhere else?  Maybe.  It's only since moving here that I've noticed it.

'Biscayne Bay in the Mist' by James Good | To see his other photos, click here | To see the full-sized version of the photograph, 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.

'St. Petersburg Police Station at Dusk' by Caleb | Creative Commons

Here is a remarkable photograph.  I could see from the various versions of this photograph---it was really hard to pick the best---and from other photographs in his photostream at flickr that he's as entranced as I am by that slanting late afternoon Florida light.  I love that golden-pink intensity gilding the front of this building against the much softer and quieter sky.

'St petersburg police station, Central Avenue, at Dusk' by Caleb | To see other photographs in his Flickr photostream, click here | website:  calebism; subtropicalnoir.com | To see the full-sized version of this photograph, 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 first consulting the terms of the applicable license.  The license is shown here.

In the next one, the numinous light is further intensified.  Look at how the sun shines off the sides of the buildings and in the flags, while the foreground and the ground are already dark.

'St Petersburg police station, Central Avenue, at Dusk' by Caleb | To see other photographs in his Flickr photostream, click here | website:  calebism; subtropicalnoir.com | 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.
 

'Color Fest' by Lucian Badea | Lake Wauberg, Gainesville, Florida | Used by Permission

A lavish sunset taken by photographer Lucian Badea (Twisted Visions) from across Lake Wauberg (just outside of Gainesville, Florida).  These are the colors of a Florida sunset that's still just gearing up:  the crystalline blue of the sky is still visible behind clouds that still have just a touch of gold dust mixed into their colors.   
 

'Color Fest' 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.