Snell Isle

2010 Winter Solstice Moon Reflection Snell Isle Florida

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Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/8 ISO 200 13sec tripod mounted (knee high) with cable releaseI first saw the winter solstice moon as I was driving home from the dog park with Kiki.  It looked very large in the sky rising over the tower of the Vinoy Golf & Country Club.  I knew as a photographer this was something I should photograph.  I quickly fed Kiki dinner (Taste of the Wild dry dog food) then got my Nikon D300 ready for long exposure shooting, i.e. attach the cable release and mount it on the tripod.

I was in time as there was still some light left in the fading twilight sky.  Without this light my shot would not have turned out as colorful.  The water of Smacks Bayou was very uncharacteristically like glass, but even the slight water movement can be seen in the shape of the moon's oblong reflection.  

Did you photograph the winter solstice moon?  If so, please share your links in the comments below.

Snell Isle Series - 03 - Bird of Paradise Flowers of Snell Isle Florida

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Nikon D300 Nikkor AF-S 105mm VR micro f/2.8G @ f/4 ISO 200 1/160th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/16th power with diffuser cap on tripod backlighting flower triggered by Yongnuo radio remotes

I had been wanting to photograph these Bird of Paradise (strelitzia) flowers in my neighborhood for at least six weeks.  Day after day I would be walking Kiki past the flowers thinking, "maybe this evening I will come photograph them."  Then there would be no good ones in bloom.  By that I mean already dying petals on the flower or they were too low to the ground and therefore I could not photograph the flower with a clean (no distractions) background.  Finally, after a heavy rainstorm, everything came together two evenings ago and I was able to accomplish a photography goal and continue the Snell Isle Series.  

Nikon D300 Nikkor AF-S 105mm VR micro f/2.8G @ f/22 ISO 200 1s Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/16th power with diffuser cap on tripod backlighting flower triggered by Yongnuo radio remotesBird of Paradise flowers secrete a nectar that ants love to eat.  Even just a short time after a very heavy rain, the ants were already back out to the nectar trough.  I did not even think to sample the nectar myself until just now!  Maybe next time I pass by.

I cannot help but think if one of these is really angry that the other totally invaded its space . . .The type of Bird of Paradise flower that grows in my neighborhood are part of medium-sized long-leafed plants that make for very attractive landscaping even without any blooms.  I will still keep my eye out for a particularly good bloom for future photographs, especially one with a lot of ants feeding on the nectar.

Snell Isle Series - 001 - "Eyebrow Cloud Sunset HDR"

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Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/11 ISO 200 9-bracket HDRThough I live in one of the nicer areas of St. Petersburg, I have photographed it very little in the 14 months I have lived here.  So this gave me an idea for another photography series simply titled Snell Isle Series.  The photographs I have made, like the one above, have mostly been from the area behind my back patio.  In fact I have made similar shots to this one in the past (a, b, c).

So now I plan on taking more than ten steps to photograph Snell Isle.  I am looking forward to going to this personal photography project taking me to local areas I might never visit otherwise.  I may even do a lot of shooting by bike as I can be more mobile that way and less hesitant to stop the car to get a shot, I can just hop out of the saddle.  

From May through July the sunsets over Smacks Bayou can be pretty outstanding.  I definitely feel lucky to be able to gaze upon them every evening, but then luck has little to do with it as I always try and choose a place to live that has a sunset view from it.  I last lived in Tokyo for six years before moving back to Florida, and in Tokyo I had exceptional views of the sunset over the western part of the city year round.  

I look forward to continuing this series and making it as diverse as possible.

White Ibises in Flight

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White Ibis return to their island in Smacks Bayou in Snell Isle Saint Petersburg

I had scouted out a corner of Smacks Bayou a few weeks ago with a seawall close to where pelicans were flying past just above the water.  Since then I had been envisioning making a photo of a pelican doing just that, skimming over the surface of the water made from as close to its eye level as possible without a kayak.  After 650+ shots this late afternoon, and 30 minutes of lying on my stomach right on the concrete seawall, I was not successful in making the shot I had imagined.  

My consolation prize (hardly) was the above photograph of a flock of white ibis heading back to what I call the "bird island of Smacks Bayou."  It will have to do for now.  

The next time I go back to that spot it will be at sunrise to see if light from the opposite corner of the bayou is any better.

Photo Story: American Carnival still lives

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American carnival experiences still live in Snell Isle Florida

To my surprise, only a five minute walk from where I live, a small carnival suddenly sprung up.  Like most children, I loved carnivals and everything about them from the unusual rides to the games to the cotton candy too of course!  

This photo was made using my Nikon D300 with Nikkor 50mm 1.8D lens while walking up the stairs to the tall burlap bag wavy slide ride.  Yes, I was able to slide down at great speed and still keep my kit safe.  

When going on the standing centrifugal force ride, however, I laid the D300 down behind the scenes of the ride with the blessing of the entertaining ride operator.  He spoke of how he wanted to visit Japan some day.

The basketball game pictured next to the ferris wheel got $5 of my money.  For sure on my third shot I thought it was money, but it only clanged off the front of the rim.  Long, long ago I spent nearly $50 trying to win at the same game at a different carnival!  

No doubt nothing more mysterious and exciting can come to one's own backyard than a carnival.  Overnight an amusement park can replace a little used soccer field.  These thoughts bounce through my head:  who dreamed up these kinds of rides?  when were they last inspected for safety?  do I like the sense of danger of possibly hastily assembled rides?  and I sure hope they have funnel cake!

Free desktop wallpaper: Golden Twilight

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Jason Collin Photography is offering the image "Golden Twilight" as a free desktop wallpaper. If you use it as your desktop wallpaper, please let me know in the comments.

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All desktop wallpapers are provided without any technical support.  All images are Copyright Jason Collin Photography, All Rights Reserved.  Removing the watermark by digital alteration or cropping is prohibited.  You are granted a single use, non-exclusive, perpetual license to install this wallpaper on any iPhone or iPod Touch personally owned by you. This license grants you the right to use the wallpaper for non-commercial/personal use only. You may not re-sell, distribute, print or otherwise publish the image without the express written consent of the Copyright owner: Jason Collin Photography