White City Park

Live oak trees and water lilies in pond at White City Park

Looking Up, Black and White

As I walked down a trail along Lake Hancock in Circle B Bar Reserve (Lakeland, Florida) I saw this beautiful anhinga bird sitting gracefully in a tree with Spanish moss in the background. I took the photo in color and edited it in black and white to look infrared. This photo is also available in color (See "Looking Up").

Live Oak At Myakka River State Park, Florida

This is a live oak tree in Myakka River State Park. I like how it reaches out to the view of the prairie. The spanish moss and lighting add to a dreamy feel. Resurrection fern grows on the thick trunk of the tree, turning green overnight after the rain. In May the prairie fills with yellow wildflowers, it's so beautiful. Myakka River State Park is one of the largest and oldest parks here in Florida with 37,000 acres at the Myakka River near Sarasota, Bradenton, and Myakka City. The park is known for its wildlife and alligators and its boardwalk into the river which is good for birding. Myakka River State Park is a beautiful area full of large oak trees. It feels like Old Florida where you are walking back in time.

Dreamy Oaks in Myakka, Florida

Myakka City is a rural area east of Bradenton, Florida that has some of the most beautiful countryside I have seen in Florida. Thousands of acres of open space are filled with cattle ranches and farms. Many areas of have live oak trees with spanish moss hanging down creating that Old Florida look that people love so much. Crane Park is filled with live oaks and sits next to the Myakka River. During the rainy season the river floods most of this park creating wonderful reflections. I took this photo just as the dry season started, so the park was not flooded. However this pond created a wonderful dreamy reflection. This photo was edited with a black and white dreamy infrared look.

Banyan Trees, Heritage Park, Venice, Florida

Venice is an amazing city in Florida. It sits on the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast and has a beautiful beach, jetty, and pier. You have a couple places at the coast to watch beautiful sunsets each night. Venice is just south of Sarasota and is near Englewood, Nokomis, and North Port. This are very large banyan trees at Heritage Park near Venice Beach.

Heritage Park Banyan Tree, Venice, Florida, Black and White 3

Venice is an amazing city in Florida. It sits on the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast and has a beautiful beach, jetty, and pier. You have a couple places at the coast to watch beautiful sunsets each night. Venice is just south of Sarasota and is near Englewood, Nokomis, and North Port. This is a very large banyan tree at Heritage Park near Venice Beach. I also have a color version of this photo. And another version that is horizontal including more of the scene. This photo is an HDR.

Banyan Trees in Heritage Park, Venice, Florida at Golden Hour BW

Venice is an amazing city in Florida. It sits on the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast and has a beautiful beach, jetty, and pier. You have a couple places at the coast to watch beautiful sunsets each night. Venice is just south of Sarasota and is near Englewood, Nokomis, and North Port. This is a very large banyan tree at Heritage Park near Venice Beach. This photo is an HDR. I also have a color version of this photo.

Foggy Sun Rays in Myakka City, Florida

A gorgeous misty sunrise in Myakka City, Florida. The sun is peeking through a live oak tree creating strong sun rays in the misty fog. This is near the Myakka River and the entrance to Myakka River State Park. This rural area is east of Bradenton and Sarasota.

Banyan Tree, Heritage Park, Venice, Florida

Venice is an amazing city in Florida. It sits on the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast and has a beautiful beach, jetty, and pier. You have a couple places at the coast to watch beautiful sunsets each night. Venice is just south of Sarasota and is near Englewood, Nokomis, and North Port. This is a very large banyan tree at Heritage Park near Venice Beach. This photo is an HDR.

Oaks and Wildflowers at Myakka River State Park, FL

This is a large live oak tree in Myakka River State Park. I like how it stretches out to frame the view of the prairie with yellow wildflowers. I also have a black and white version of this image. Myakka River State Park is one of the largest and oldest parks here in Florida with 37,000 acres at the Myakka River near Sarasota, Bradenton, and Myakka City. The park is known for its wildlife and alligators and its boardwalk into the river which is good for birding. Myakka River State Park is a beautiful area full of large oak trees. It feels like Old Florida where you are walking back in time.

Myakka River State Park Prairie, Florida

This image is an HDR panorama I created by merging 9 photos together to capture the entire scene and all the details in the bright and dark areas. This is a pair of trees in Myakka River State Park. I like how they come together to frame the view of the prairie with yellow wildflowers. I also have a black and white version of this image. Myakka River State Park is one of the largest and oldest parks here in Florida with 37,000 acres at the Myakka River near Sarasota, Bradenton, and Myakka City. The park is known for its wildlife and alligators and its boardwalk into the river which is good for birding. Myakka River State Park is a beautiful area full of large oak trees. It feels like Old Florida where you are walking back in time.

Mirrored Cypress Trees, Florida

I also have painterly versions of this photo. Tucked away in Sebring, Central Florida is Highlands Hammock State Park, which has a beautiful cypress swamp and other trails. A narrow boardwalk leads you to the center of the swamp where you can see many tall cypress trees reflecting in the water. Their tall reflections with the sky are an optical illusion, making it appear as if the sky is below you and you are standing high above the water, when you are actually only one foot above water. This was a very peaceful and quiet place, serene and soothing to the soul.

Mystical Cypress Swamp, Florida

I also have a painterly version of this photo that has brush strokes. Tucked away in Sebring, Central Florida is Highlands Hammock State Park, which has a beautiful cypress swamp and other trails. A narrow boardwalk leads you to the center of the swamp where you can see many tall cypress trees reflecting in the water. Their tall reflections with the sky are an optical illusion, making it appear as if the sky is below you and you are standing high above the water, when you are actually only one foot above water. This was a very peaceful and quiet place, serene and soothing to the soul.

Foggy Boardwalk at Cypress Swamp, Florida

I also have a painterly version of this image. Tucked away in Sebring, Central Florida is Highlands Hammock State Park, which has a beautiful cypress swamp and other trails. A narrow boardwalk leads you to the center of the swamp where you can see many tall cypress trees reflecting in the water. Their tall reflections with the sky are an optical illusion, making it appear as if the sky is below you and you are standing high above the water, when you are actually only one foot above water. This was a very peaceful and quiet place, serene and soothing to the soul.

Clyde Butcher's Tree, Myakka River State Park, Florida

This image is an HDR panorama I created by merging 12 photos together to capture the entire scene and all the details in the bright and dark areas. This is a large live oak tree in Myakka River State Park. I like how it frames the view out to the prairie with palm trees and yellow wildflowers. I also have a black and white version of this image. I was inspired by Clyde Butcher, a well known photographer here in Florida who photographs nature and the Everglades. He took a photo of this tree in black and white. Myakka River State Park is one of the largest and oldest parks here in Florida with 37,000 acres at the Myakka River near Sarasota, Bradenton, and Myakka City. The park is known for its wildlife and alligators and its boardwalk into the river which is good for birding. Myakka River State Park is a beautiful area full of large oak trees. It feels like Old Florida where you are walking back in time.

Banyan Trees in Heritage Park, Venice, Florida at Golden Hour

Venice is an amazing city in Florida. It sits on the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast and has a beautiful beach, jetty, and pier. You have a couple places at the coast to watch beautiful sunsets each night. Venice is just south of Sarasota and is near Englewood, Nokomis, and North Port. This is a very large banyan tree at Heritage Park near Venice Beach. This photo is an HDR.

Foggy Morning in Myakka City, Florida

It's an early morning in Myakka City, Florida. Myakka is a beautiful area of Manatee County outside of Bradenton and Sarasota. There are thousands of acres of open space filled with animals grazing under the curved branches of live oak trees covered with spanish moss. There are four horses grazing near this live oak tree. On this cool winter morning, fog hugs the ground and hangs below the clouds. The sky is pink from the rising sun. It's a very peaceful place to be in the morning! This photo was taken down the road from the entrance to Myakka River State Park.

Foggy Cow Pasture in Myakka City, Florida

It's an early morning in Myakka City, Florida. Myakka is a beautiful area of Manatee County outside of Bradenton and Sarasota. There are thousands of acres of open space filled with animals grazing under the curved branches of live oak trees covered with spanish moss. There are three cows grazing in this pasture. On the far right of the photo a cow is hiding under a tree, and he is peeking out at the cows in the foggy distance. On this cool winter morning, fog hugs the ground and hangs below the clouds. The sky is pink and orange from the rising sun. It's a very peaceful place to be in the morning! This photo was taken down the road from the entrance to Myakka River State Park.

Colorful Parrot in Bright Sunlight 2

A colorful parrot basks in the bright warm sunshine at Gatorland in Orlando, Florida. Bright greens, reds, and blues make this image very happy and tropical. A nice soft bokeh and bird of paradise branches are in the background. You can feel the warmth of the sun in this little piece of paradise in Florida.

Spectacular Sunrise in Myakka City, Florida

This is one of the most spectacular sunrises I have seen in Florida. My husband and I drove out to the countryside before dawn to capture the sun as it rose, and as we drove across a bridge over the Myakka River the sky burst with bright rays of the sun. I love how it reflected in the calm and peaceful water. This area is near Myakka River State Park in Manatee County near Bradenton and Sarasota. There are thousands and thousands of acres of open space. It's very tranquil. The rainy season has started and the water levels have risen as it does every year, flooding this area to the other side of the fence. Cattle often graze here and sometimes stand in the water. The morning I took this photo a large alligator around six feet long swam from the distance towards me and went under the bridge. This is one of the most scenic areas of Manatee County.