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).

Light on the St. Johns | Jacksonville

This photograph was taken---I think by my late husband, Don, meaning pre-2000) from a water taxi on the St. Johns (<correct spelling!) River in Jacksonville in Duval County (along Jacksonville Landing).  I don't think there is a photograph in my personal collection that is more illustrative of how ordinary sights---the rather standardized urban landscape of the 21st century---can be transformed by the fall of the light.

More Fabulous Jax: Photograph by Tim Vo | Used by Permission

You know I love the bright lights along Jacksonville Landing....You see a million photographs of Miami, but what about this night-time waterfront scene on the beautiful St. John's River?

 

"Jacksonville, Florida" by Tim Vo | To see his other photos, click here | website:  Patterns of Nature | To see the full-sized version of this photo, 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 it, please consult the terms of the applicable license.  The license is here.

Jacksonville Skyline, Jacksonville Lights (Creative Commons)

This is a gorgeous feast for the eyes and brain.   Jacksonville is usually not considered by friends of mine who live there as the world's most exciting city, but this photograph suggests possibilities they might not have considered...

 

Jacksonville Lights Up 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 the license.  Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license (here).

City Lights, City Bridge (Creative Commons)

This is a much more beautiful photograph of Jacksonville's Main Street Bridge than any of mine!

Jewel tints against this soft silvery violet sky...Jacksonville strikes many people as a pretty mundane city by day, but along the waterfront---especially at night---it is magical. 

Jacksonville:  Main Street Bridge by Stephen Sizemore |  StephenSizemore.com| click here to see his other photographs | click here to see the full-sized version of this image at Flickr

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

Two Bridges: Bridge #1--Jacksonville

The first bridge is in Jacksonville across the St. John's River, a river which flows north to south.

Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier (Creative Commons)

This photograph captures the lightness and clarity of this blue and platinum day.  The colors are neutrals:  greys, blue-greys, tans, white, khaki, and beige---all the colors of sand, sea and wood---against the sky (that clear blue that is soft rather than brilliant).  I love the way it shades into that silvery violet near the horizon.   This is an effect I always wanted to capture and never succeeded in doing.

'Jacksonville Beach, Florida' by Kevin Trotman/The Rocketeer | 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, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license.  Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license (here).

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).

Florida Winter Color---Jacksonville Landing.

This was taken right around mid-November at Jacksonville Landing.  Locals tell me they don't think much of it; it's one of those places that's really for tourists.  Whatever; It's a gorgeous place to walk around and take photographs.  Click on the link above to see more.

This was right before sunset when the colors are particularly intense.  The silver and gold effects of the bridge always reminds me of jewelry.  The windows under that red roof are glazed with late afternoon sunlight, but you can still see through them

Dawn at St. Augustine Beach | St. Augustine

As I've said before, people normally don't think of the "rockbound coasts of Florida," but when thinking of North Florida, maybe they should.  This is St. Augustine Beach just after dawn.  It is incredibly beautiful in the early morning light.  I don't think I'll ever forget this walk I took one morning in late autumn.  The gold and blue tints really were paradisical.

You really can't walk along the beach at high tide, as you can see.  I once got caught on the beach at high tide at Jacksonville Beach and had to scramble up the rocks.  Not a good idea.  I don't know what it's like at St. Augustine Beach; we left that morning.