Floridiana Gloriana

'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.

'Life Guard Chair at Sunrise' by Craig O'Neal | Ponte Vedra | Creative Commons

Here's an amazing scene from Ponte Vedra, one of the beaches near St. Augustine.

'Life Guard Chair at Sunrise' 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).

Two Bridge: Bridge #2--St. Augustine

The second is the old Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine (of which there are some much better photographs here).  The Bridge of Lions is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

Two Bridges: Bridge #1--Jacksonville

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

St. Augustine Waterfront (Creative Commons)

This is a lovely panoramic photograph of St. Augustine.  It seems to have been taken from a boat looking in towards the waterfront.  I love the soft pastel tints of the clouds and the rose colored roofs in this one.

"St. Augustine skyline" by Mosesxan | click here to see other photographs by Mosesxan | click here to see the full-sized version of this photograph 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).

Lifeguard Chair by Penny (Pengrin) | St. Augustine Beach | Creative Commons

I photographed a lifeguard chair at Fort Island Gulf Beach, but compared to this it's exceedingly amateurish.  This is beautiful and complex like a painting.  I love the way the red looks soft but still comes right off the page at you.  I also love the contrast of the threatening slate-blue sky. This is a gorgeous photograph---so painterly.

"Lifeguard Chair " by Pengrin/Penny (St. Augustine Beach) | click here to see her other photographs | click here to see the full-sized version of this photograph 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).

St. Augustine: The Old Bridge (Creative Commons)

"The Bridge of Lions" over the Matanzas River is one of the famous sites of St. Augustine and specifically of the Old City.   For a virtual tour of the bridge and photographs of other local bridges, see this site [free registration required; worth it.]  For information about the bridge rehabiliation project and the bridge's history, see this link.   My  hotos of it were pretty bad, since they were just scanned from old photographs.  I deleted them in favor of these gorgeous photographs from the generous donors to Flickr's Creative Commons.

  I love the softness of the light on the towers and the way the red stands out against that nameless color I love so much, the silvery violet of the sky.  This is the way I always remember the bridge.

 

Photograph by Dolan Halbrook | click here to see other photographs by Dolan Halbrook | click here to see the full-sized version of this photograph 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).

Here's another beauty, clearly taken out a time of day when the light was at that certain slant.  The colors of the boats stand out so brilliantly against the water; they look as if they have been gilded.  Don't know what time of day this photo was actually taken, but it reminds me of many late afternoon walks along the waterfront.  It's magnificent.

"Bridge of Lions" by Uncle Bucko | click here to see his other photographs || click here to see the full-sized version of this photograph 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).

This last is the bridge seen from a different angle still.  It looks as if it's been painting, so intense are the reds and oranges.   The sky is that cerulean blue, subtly streaked with violet clouds with a rosy tinge.  It's a heavenly contrast to the earthier colors of the bridge and the city beyond.

 

"St Augustine Bridge 2" by Bill Frazzetto | click here to see his other photographs || click here to see the full-sized version of this photograph 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).

Florida Winter Color--Dawn at St. Augustine Beach 2.

  This is the second of two beautiful photographs I made of the sun coming up at St. Augustine Beach one December morning a long time ago.

Florida Christmas Color.---Dawn at St. Augustine Beach.

I took this photograph at dawn one morning in early December a few years ago.   I was at the beach with my husband and his children;  he and they were still asleep, so I grabbed the camera and went out before the sun had even started to come up.   Something prompted me to get out of bed early one morning.  These photographs ended up being a gift I made to myself, completely inadvertently.  It was one of two photographs; here is the other.

I didn't have much hope when I took them they'd come out.  The water---it was high tide---looked much darker, roiling under the rising sun;  I didn't notice that the dark gray surface was glazed with reflected sunlight or that the foam on the waves was pale blue.  It was a gorgeous moment I'll always remember.

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.