This photo was taken from a preserve adjacent to Highway 41 in Palmetto. If you look close, you can see an eagle sitting on a branch just to the left. It's a spot that's within walking distance of my home. However, I always end up driving because I'm trying to capture a sunset or something last minute. In this case, the sun is behind the tree illuminating the leaves and, causing them to glow. I didn't notice the eagle until after I took the photo. However, when I did notice, I walked a little closer to take a picture, and it flew away. But I've seen it here before, so if I really wanted to get the photo, I could just come back at dusk. We have a lot of eagles in our area, but having grown up when they were endangered, it's still exciting for me to see one.
I'm a sucker for reflected lights on the water. But to get this glassy effect I had to get up and cross the bridge at an ungodly hour. I make it sound harder than it was because I regularly wake up at an ungodly hour to go to the gym. So on weekends when I don't workout, taking photos is a good alternative. I took this picture of condos in Palmetto from the Bradenton side of the river. I've been waiting for the right time to capture this scene. It needs to be somewhat dark, the building lights on, and the water still. During the day it's a boring scene, but just before dawn, it seems to work. On this morning I got them all together so now I can check this one off the list.
This is probably my favorite perspective of the memorial in New York. This time I took several vertical images and combined them into a panorama. I tend to repeat myself when I re-visit this site; however, I get a slightly different perspective each time. Repeating photos is a way of honing the craft. Another reason I like to come back here is the sense of quiet reverence that surrounds it. Just a few steps away are the sounds of the city, but in this particular spot, the noise is muffled, and people talk in hushed tones. In any case, this is a popular spot to take photos, so once I get the shot, I move along to make way for the next person.
