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)

'St Augustine Lighthouse' by Allen Whitson | Used by Permission

Allen Whitson made this magnificent photograph of the famous St. Augustine Lighthouse.  The lighthouse has a reputation for being haunted and I've seen a most intriguing documentary revealing the results of a tape that was left running there overnight. 

'St Augustine Lighthouse' by Allen Whitson | Click here to see his other photos | Click here to go to Flickr to see the full-sized version

 I am using this photograph with the express written permission of the owner. All rights to this photograph are reserved to him.  Please do not save or download it without his express written permission.

Bottle at Sunrise by Judy Malley | Tampa | Creative Commons

Even a discarded or a forgotten bottle can make art for a photographer who has the artist's eye.   Without the bottle to pull this together, would we notice the reflection of delicately tinted sunrise clouds in the reflected blue of the water or the weathered browns and greys of the dock?  The slight unsteadiness of the bottle's position keeps you looking, as does the flash of green in the label (subtly picked up by the post on the right. 

The one that follows is, of course, the same bottle.  I couldn't decide which I preferred so I decided to use both. 

The photographer took these photos in the course of a day of recording her life in Tampa.  She took this one and the one after it at sunrise at Davis Island. 

'Bottle' by Judy Malley | To see her 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 (linked here).

'Someone Liked Smirnoff Ice' by Judy Malley| To see her 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 (linked here).

"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..

'Stand Firm' by Ralph Orona | Miami | Used by Permission

The photographer wrote:  "This guy was battling the wind all day!"  I love the petals blowing in the wind like hair, and I don't think I really need to say anything about the effect of that brilliant yellow against that celestial cloud-streaked blue, do I?

'Stand Firm' 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.

'Florida Keys Sunset' by James Good | Creative Commons

When I visited the Keys a couple of years ago, we drove through a sunset much like this one, but for some reason neither of us can now remember didn't pull over to take a photograph.   If we had, our camera could not have rendered the scene with this delicacy of detail.  For me, it's the pattern of the leaves against the serene blue of the sky that really sets this one apart from other Florida sunsets---that and the shimmer of apricot in the water.  This is another of those Florida sunsets you have to be careful of.  The ineffable beauty just might be too much for you. 

 

Florida Keys Sunset 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, but am using it in compliance with a restricted Creative Commons license which allows limited noncommercial use.  Do not save or download it without consulting the terms of the license (shown here).

'hazy, hot, and humid' by Joiseyshowaa (B. Katz) | Gainesville | Creative Commons

Here is a breath-taking photograph of palm trees on a summer night.   It was apparently taken in Gainesville, so the title is apt; don't let the cool, silvery color fool you.  Note how each tree is surrounded by a ghostly silver aura, but of an aura of what?---reflected moonlight?  Electromagnetic energy?  An exudation of heat from the day? A distillation of moisture from the leaves?  My imagination? 

No--they're quite distinct.   Perhaps the photographer has an unsuspected gift for photographing auras.  I never really believed they existed till I saw this.

A magnificent shot, which has deservedly received much praise at Flickr.

"hazy, hot, and humid" by joiseyshowaa (B. Katz) | To see his Flickr photostream, click here | To see the larger 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 restricted Creative Commons license which allows limited noncommercial use.  Do not save or download it without consulting the terms of the license (shown here).