Red-shoulder Hawk

I was watching traffic one day recently and noticed that I wasn't alone. Sitting on the cable vision line trying to find that "next" meal was a red-shouldered hawk.  He checked me out cautiously as I approached. The idea is to shoot, take a few steps, shoot, take a few more steps. Once you hit that imaginary "too close" line, the game is over and he flies away. He did. Plantation Key.

Flora found

Photographer Ed Cale, aka back country fishing guide, guided me to a private estate for a little macro photography. We worked the property separately and then compared final images later. Needless to say, the results were great. Above is the calliandra surinamensis, Pink Powder Puff a Brazilian import. Botanist I am not, but, Luis Canedo from Audubon could help and did. 

Snake Creek as seen from the Atlantic side.  On the west side of the creek is the subdivision of Venetian Shores, created from the canal dredging spoils. The green areas of mangrove are what help to protect the island chain.

There is a fragility to the Keys too. Above, open sandy areas can easily be seen amongst the sea grass beds. The thin white line in the bottom left hand corner is a prop scar from a power boat passing over the sea grass at too low a tide. These ocean front estates are on Upper Matecumbe, Islamorada.  — Pete

Aerials begin here

I fly with two of the best pilots I know, Jay and Henry. Both have qualities like Alaskan bush pilots and make easy work of landing or taking off from Tavernaero Airport, a grass strip 2075 long and just 10 feet above mean sea level. Runway 08 departure has Tavernier Creek at the end along with mangroves and the communication tower on the FKEC property. Runway 26 departs to the west over stilt houses and Florida Bay.  Simply breathtaking.  — Pete

7/27/08

This blog is about digital photography in the Florida Keys from Key Largo to Key West.

The image above is an aerial shot of Indian Key. US-1 traverses from left to right with Miami 50 or so miles to the left and Key West 77 miles to the right. 

— Pete Bacheler