Seaside

September 2010
In the little village of Seaside.

In the middle of Seaside overlooking a tasty gelato shop.

Seaside has an appreciation for art and culture.

Just around every corner are little nooks of prettiness.

The classic white church.

The simple but effective architecture of the square.

Suspended lamps create a criss-cross effect that makes even everyday wiring attractive.

Some of the private rental houses of Seaside.

White geometric lattice work against bright colors make this house eye catching.

A itty-bitty circular window overlooks a balcony.

One of my favorite houses in the town.

Grayton State Park

September 2010
Sunset over Grayton Beach and some of the trails

The sun starts his journey below the horizon.

I managed to capture the rays of the sun filtering through the clouds, making fingers.

A solitary seagull soars through the picture.

 Bringing out the true color of the sun fades the darkening sky to black. It makes the wispy clouds stand out all the more over the ball of light.

Last bits of light scatter though the atmosphere. The fading light makes the sea look restless and stormy.

Some very tiny mushrooms growing up along the trails in between footprints in the sandy soil.

Swarms of beautiful dragonflies greeting us every evening on the dunes. They were amazing droning over, almost silhouetted against the pastel clouds. I manages to capture a few good pictures as they darted to and fro over our heads.

Some sea oats along the board walk with some lovely beach houses just out of focus in the background.

Amazing sparkling water in the bright sun, just at the perfect time of day for ocean photography.

Destin, Florida

July 2010

Photos of Destin's public beaches this July.  Also, don't forget to check out the previous post of Grayton Beach.

A sign proclaiming no swimming beyond the booms, one of the few reminders of oil I saw on the trip.

A stately seagull in his summer hood.

The waves crash against the boulders in the bay.

A great blue heron comes in for a landing.

He comes quite close and I'm able to take several pictures of him and he strides along.

A great blue looks on at a lady on the shore.

Why they call it the emerald coast.

A small dune with a dusting of sea oats.

A wonderful piece of driftwood embedded in the sand.

Sea oats bending in the breeze.

Grayton Beach State Park in Florida

July 2010

I have been to Grayton Beach State Park, FL so many times I feared I would have trouble finding things that I hadn't photographed before. However, the truth is every day is vastly different from the next - this is true of any given place. This was my first time on the beach in the summer.

-- Sunset --

 

I love the lighting that occurs at sunset: soft shadows, rosy glow, reflections in the damp sand, and a sense of peace.

Sunset is the perfect time for portraits. In this photo I had to deal with backlighting from setting sun but I think the end product was worth the hassle.

Water, feet, and sand - three things meant to be together.

I love the piles of sand she has created while burying her feet in the tide.

Almost silhouetted and softly blurred, she looks out at the vast ocean. The ocean can always be counted on to make you feel both small and all-encompassing at the same time.

The girl in these photos pointed out her footprints and said I should take a picture of them. I'm glad I followed her advice as it turned out very nice, with the waves just overtaking them.

The coffee cup adds an element of surprise to this photo of man and ocean.

The moon peeks out over the ocean, making the water come alive with shimmering reflections.

The ocean at night with the waves feathering the sea. And the day as ended.

-- Sunrise --

The blur suggests to me the blending of man with nature and the waves, witnessing the dawn.

Wandering along the edge of the sea, watching the sun rise.

In the fall and winter on the Emerald Coast, the sun rises and sets over the ocean, which is magnificent. However, the sunrise over the dunes carries its own majesty.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The dunes in the soft glow of the morning, looking pure white as ever.

The clouds are a rosy pink in the glow from the freshly arisen sun.

A sky fish in the clouds. And the next day has begun.