Sun set with a twist…
One of my all time favorite places to be…photo taken with my iPhone
It is a bit cooler here today, the wind strong and cold…this reminds me the warmer days are on the way!
barnacles…
These fellows are from the arthropod family, apparently there are 1,220 species of barnacles…this particular one is related to the lobster and crab…who knew?
North & South
We didn’t stay on South Beach this year, but managed to visit…have to say I missed not staying along the coast.
North…
South…
Sunset off Key West…
tranquility…
I was looking through the hundreds of photos I took while away and realized 95% of them are of my granddaughter! The other 4% are of family with her and 1% is of sites while away! I didn’t realize I did this…was always taking a photo so thought there would be many to post but it turns out there isn’t…
Here is a simplistic one, but one that speaks to my heart!!! While I don’t/can’t sail, I love the water…
dramatized!
I didn’t care for colors in this photo, they were very dull, but I really loved the cloud formations. Someone told me never to delete a photo that I didn’t like…to work with it, there might be something that can be done to it to improve the appearance…so I gave it a bit of color to dramatize it! I don’t usually do that to photos but I like it much better…
treasures of the sea???
It all depends on how you look at things, what you see…right? I’m sure many see these as nothing of importance or worthy of a second look. To me these are interesting finds…especially the beautiful empty intact shell! Just look at the Nacre, or Mother of Pearl as it is known in the jewelry world… it is smooth, an even color, without damage. For those who aren’t familiar, Nacre is the white inner lining of the shell, the outer layer of pearls is also Nacre. This would make a beautiful piece of jewelry if you were into making something from raw materials such as this…
look what was washed up on shore after a windy day…
.
after the sunset II…
when your condo is facing west it is difficult not to be obsessed with sunsets or the after glow…here are two more photos…I particularly liked the contrast between the dark wispy cloud and the colorful one!
close up…
It is great when I’m able to get close…there is so much detail to see! This fellow along with a few friends was at a Marina on the North East side of Marco.
I got the feeling food tossed their way at this Marina, there were a few people fishing from the dock & something smelled tasty!
gray scale sunset…
when I take a photo of the sunset, sometimes the colors look right to me and sometimes they don’t…when they don’t I try the grayscale…I rather like it!
would you give it a try?
This is something I would like to do but won’t…my body would rebel! I always thought it looked like fun though. We saw boat drawn para-gliders each day, but only this motorized para-glider …as in the second photo, during the two weeks there.
fascinating clouds…
Our condo in Marco Island faced west, so of course I saw my share of sunsets…I do have to say the most beautiful sunsets were when there was some interesting cloud formations! The Gulf of Mexico sky does seem to offer strikingly beautiful clouds!
Family outing…
On the beach, Marco Island…not sure but I think these are Willets? If anyone thinks differently let me know…
surfer dude…
the first couple of days it was windy…one of those days we saw a few fellows out catching a few waves…this fellow did well, I managed to capture one attempt.
I don’t know anything about surfing but I wouldn’t have thought the waves large enough for a descent ride?
He seemed to enjoy himself and make the best of it managing a few rides!
All be it short rides…
different…
this vacation was much different from what I’ve done for the past eight or so years…I’ve not stayed at the ocean for two weeks, nor in a anything higher than the first floor, for that long…we generally rent a condo in Key West in a complex which is only two stories, and always choose the ground floor. Last year in Marco we rented a house, so being on the 5th floor was different…it was so awesome to sit on the deck and look around, watch the people, the water and the sky. So much to see from one view point. I do have to say I’m not a fan of highrises…but that was the only option if we wanted to be on the beach…
this is looking right/north off the balcony, it looks like a short walk, but in reality it is much longer than it appears…
this was our first day, a bit cooler for some, around 18c I think, but for us it was fabulous
this is looking left/south of our balcony…the beach ends there as a rock formation which would make it difficult to walk on.
Photos weren’t taken on the same day as you can tell from the sky…
sunset…
Boring name I know, but I don’t really have a way with words! I had a difficult time while away trying to capture the sunsets…our condo faced west so I saw one most evenings, but was rarely happy with the photos. Not sure why, someone said I should have used a tripod and a longer exposure and I’m sure he was correct, I honestly don’t know enough about my camera, at this point, I’m enjoying taking photos but not yet feeling like I want to jump head first into the workings of the camera. I couldn’t bring my tripod on the plane, too much to carry…I was with my daughter so I wasn’t about to take the time to begin reading to find out what to do!
These are the same photos of course…but the colors in the colored are not accurate! I’m showing one B & W along with its color counterpart simply because even though the color isn’t accurate I like the photo!!!
brrrrrrr….
This fall, we have had very cold weather…generally this type of weather is in January or February, not November and December. I know…it is what it is! For the last week or so the wind chill has made it biting cold…today it is -32C or -25.6F…darn cold for December 14th!!! So another shot from the south for today…a Key West sunset taken last winter. Makes me feel warmer just looking at it!
makes me smile…
the last couple of days have been cold, very wet and windy…typical fall days…but I decided I’d rather look at something else…the beach at Fort Zachary State Park, Key West! The sand is very pebbly and hard on the feet…definitely need flip flops. All three photos were taken in the winter of 2011 with my iPhone…
water day…
I’ve not had a chance to get out and take new shots so for today, two of the photos will be ones I took two Saturdays ago, the other one is from Cocoa Beach that I took this winter…I love the water so never get tired of see or taking water photos! I wanted the whole pier so had to stand way back then crop the photo to bring it in…not thrilled with it though.
the pier at Cocoa Beach…only visited for a few days but enjoyed it…on the pier I think there are 4 restaurants…only visited one but enjoyed the food and music!
this is another part of the waterfront here, if you look closely you can see the Chief Commanda I, restaurant in the background.
and of course Chief Commanda II, from a different angle…
one of each…
I must say, I”m liking the black & white more and more, maybe because I’m finding photos that work? This ship is at Key West…near Fort Zachary Park…for the last few years there was an older Naval vessel docked there, one that was used as a museum… this year the Coast Guard claimed the spot.
There you have it, black & white, sepia, and the original…I’m actually liking the sepia that has been desaturated slightly.
to sepia or not to sepia?
here is a not so great photo(in color) of the sunset at Key West…I’ve done it in black & white then tried sepia, which I de-saturated…not sure if I did the desaturation correctly as it looks very much like grey scale, or is this the way it is supposed to look?
this is the grey scale…
this is sepia, without desaturation…I went too far on the first sepia I did…wasn’t sure what to do with it? this one is rather interesting…a warmer tone in comparison….
and this is sepia, completely desaturated…
things I like…
emerald green moss…it looks and feels like velvet at this stage…
gnarly wood used as a top layer for a railing on the deck on a wharf…
and of course ocean, beach, water…
bud n mary’s…cocoa beach
today was dreary, it drizzled, rained and darn well poured…hard…all day long, so that means today is another beach/water day on the blog…always makes me happy. the photo directly below was taken on the way back from Key West…in the Keys, but not sure which one…I don’t know Bud n Mary, but I liked that they named their Marina that way…this was taken from my moving vehicle so not the greatest shot…I played around with this one a bit…was interesting to see what I could achieve with the colour…
the two photos below are in Cocoa Beach…the sky was very strange this day, ranging from white fluffy clouds to wispy nothings and the colour of the sky was unusual as well…pretty but different… this is a long shot of the beach facing the Pier…it is a great place…people fish of it near the end but the main attraction are the 4 restaurants there, ranging bars type establishments to a classy type place…
the photo below was the day before the one above…confusing I know…I was surprised at the number of people who tried their hand as surfing on this shore line…I watched them on and off most of the day…looked like fun!
my view…
on the way back from Key West, we stopped so I could take photos of the old rail bridge on Bahia Honda Key,
I post them another day…but when I looked behind me I thought that view deserved a couple of photos as well…but then that is just me and my love of the water…both views are looking back towards Key West…
the shore line wasn’t great here, but then it isn’t in some places in the Keys…not a big deal for me…
if I wanted a beach I would be going to the Caribbean… not Key West.
a vision…
today we are having what amounts to a mini snow storm…I know it won’t last long and the snow won’t stay, but it is one of those beach photo days folks…here is a long shot of Cocoa Beach…stopped there on the way back from Key West before going to my Mother’s place in Leesburge…I liked it, there, it reminded me of a mini Daytona Beach when it was thriving…I didn’t realize that Cocoa Beach was a surfing destination, in fact there was some kind of tournament happening during my stay…didn’t venture there but managed to get a few photos from the beach…
before, during & after…
on any given night you will see many boats off the coast of Key West waiting for the sunset…it is definitly a favourite pastime for anyone visiting…the first two boats are heading out to wait for the sun to set, the third photo is as the sun is setting, I thought the gray scale added an interesting touch to the sunset and the final one is sometime after the sunset..
sunrise…sunset!
for the most part I don’t see the sunrise…I don’t have a clear view so I don’t bother…besides, for the most part I’m not up then! this sunrise was captured through the vehicle window as we were driving home…between Windsor & London…I rather like the silhouette of the trees…
the next two are sunsets from Key West…a bit dark…I had trouble with the first one in particular…couldn’t get it right! 
this one is somewhat better…
fishing…
fishing used to be a favourite thing to do at one time…not anymore…I spotted these people on Cocoa Beach…enjoying the sun, and a day of fishing! doesn’t this look relaxing?
that same day I spotted a number of small birds…not sure what they are…they wouldn’t let me get close enough to them to get a good close up, there were a couple of different types…they never flew away just ran…it was rather funny to watch their tiny legs go…
this photo was taken on the way to Key West…I didn’t like the colour so I did it in grey scale not sure what they were fishing for…most likely just doing manoeuvres…looking for heat…
today is one of those days when I’m thinking of Florida…so I’m posting three photos from there…
this is one of the beaches at Naples, at the end of 5th Avenue…there was a person laying on the sand that was rather close so I used the cloning brush and brushed him out…kind of a cool process…this was my first attempt…I think it is rather visible but I’m sure my technique will improve over time…
this is the same beach but if you look way down on the right you will see the white of the condos/high rises farther down…again I used the cloning tool to eliminate a body I didn’t want in the photo…very nice beach and not busy at all!!!
a US Navel ship docked at Fort Zachary, Key West…
do you know why?
I found this photo of a Key West sunset and it is rather pretty but there is a very large halo above the sun…can anyone tell me why this happened? did I have the flash on? I’ve also had photos with circles in them…again not sure why this happens…
for those of you who enjoy the snow photos here is one of a tree that pretty much obliterates the house with the snow on it!
more warm weather shots…
Daytona Beach, 2008 or 09 not sure which…I used to enjoy visiting…was rather disappointed the last time I was there in 2011… 
Daytona Beach…found these two photos, figured they would make good warm weather shots 
PS…it is considerably warmer here today 9F, a balmy day… 🙂 so I’m going to walk today, will take photos but they will be snowy winter ones!
warm weather thoughts…
it is still very cold here…-24F with wind chill right now! it is expected to warm up in the next few days…I’m looking forward to it…but for today my photos will be “warm weather” shots…
this is a view from the vehicle on the way to Key West…although slow going the trip from the mainland to Key West is beautiful…so much to see along the way…so far, we’ve been fortunate to have perfect weather during the drive to and from…
below is a very small part of Shipyard Condominiums, Truman Annex, Key West Florida, it is a great complex of condos…all are individually owned many rented out to winter vacationers…by the week, month or season, which ever is preferred…this complex is beautifully landscaped with a pool in the centre…only two blocks from Ducal Street…what ever you are looking for is within walk distance…
this is a small shopping area to the south of Mallory Square…have visited it numerous times and never found it any busier than it is below…not sure why it is a pretty area, nice shops…the cruise ships dock just to the right and in front of this area maybe people don’t venture here as they think it will be terribly busy???
summer photos in honour of the snow!
I’m late again today…we had at least 10 inches of snow Friday over night and we are expected to have close to the same again tonight! Ok…I really think it is time for someone else to take a turn…seriously, I won’t mind… 😉
In honour of all that snow I’m posting summer photos…
above is a small view of a few of the great shops on 5th Ave., Naples, this was early in the morning when it wasn’t busy… 
this photo is of Callander Bay, east end of Lake Nipissing(approx. 3 kilometres in diameter) but something I’ve not shown before as I don’t have many photos of this area…I will have to take more as it really is very lovely, more so in the summer! 
above is on the drive to key west…coming up to a abridge, not sure if it is the long bridge or not…excuse the antenna…
clear skies and ocean…except one!
I have many more snow photos but I thought maybe I should show you something else…we did get some snow last evening…not sure how much…enough to need to shovel!
this is in new town in Key West…it is not far from where you come on to the island…pretty but I prefer old town, it is much more quaint!
Key West marina…there is a nice boardwalk, with restaurants, in case you need to keep your strength up…
this is Lake Nipissing when the water has been drawn down, the left hand point is called Cheery Point…they draw down the water every fall to avoid flooding in the spring…I used to live to the right of the photo…we had a huge sand bar, often similiar to this, most falls…in the twenty years we lived there I remember a couple of times we had flooding in some areas along the shore line…we had damage done to our break wall and water came up very close to the house…I moved from this house in 2010…
just after sunset…
haven’t been on a boat of any kind in too many years to count…just after the sunset…west coast of key west
fort zachary park beach…key west
key west doesn’t have wonderful sandy beaches as they are all man made…this one… if you look closely you can see the beach is small pebbles…very hard on the feet…walking in sandals or water shoes is a must…as mentioned before I don’t go there for the beaches…having said that south beach has a much nicer sandy beach, although very small…there is also higgs beach, which I don’t have any photos of, rather small but the sand is better there & smathers beach, the couple of times I ventured there I found the shore line littered with weeds…
here it comes…
when I began this blog I consciously didn’t write…my thought was keep it simple…only show the photos, not who I was as a person by writing…I think my photos are very much a part of who I am, but sometimes I feel the need for words…I’ve been visiting a couple of photography blogs since I began this blog…the people have inspired me a great deal, to do what is in my heart..here goes!
west side of Fort Zachary State Park…Key West
south beach…key west
this is as you can see a tiny beach at the southern end of Key West…I’ve stopped by and took a few photos, but never actually sat down for the day…in all honesty, in my opinion, Key West isn’t the spot to go for a fabulous beach…although this one is not bad…I enjoy Key West for the smallness, the sun, & the friendliness of the “natives”…having said that it isn’t a place for everyone…I think you will enjoy it if you are somewhat of a “hippy” at heart…or a bit artsy… :~)
passing by…
this cruise ship is passing by the beach at fort zachary state park in key west…
after the snow we had today, I couldn’t resist posting this!!!
South Beach, Key West
Heather Cote... 