Spring in Florida - don't miss Florida's Birding & Photo Fest...

It's warming up beautifully for spring in Florida!  There are wonderful opportunities to photograph nesting birds and their young in St. Augustine Alligator  Farm. The birds are easy to photograph, patience is key for nice poses and a telephoto zoom doesn't hurt. Many of the birds are nesting right next to the boardwalk, those with compact cameras can get great shots too!

Don't miss Florida's Birding and Photo Fest this April in St. Augustine, Florida this April! Birds will be in abundance at the Alligator Farm, providing great opportunities for photography! There are fantastic events  planned for the photographer, and it's a lot more than just birds! I'll be one of the event speakers again this year covering infrared, HDR, camera creativity, and night photography workshops - follow this link to check the event schedule. I'm excited that some of my BetterPhoto.com students are coming and I can't wait to meet everyone! Hope to see you there! ~ Deb

Hope to meet you at Florida's Birding & Photo Fest in April!

Mark your calendar for April 27 - May 1 for Florida's Birding and Photo Fest in St. Augustine, Florida! This is a great event packed with adventure and fun, and it's not just birds... Take a peek at the presentations, workshops, activities and events scheduled in one of the most historic and photogenic areas in Florida.

I'm very excited to be an event speaker again this year. Look for my presentations:  HDR - Creating Dynamic Images, Digital Infrared Photography, and A Creative Approach to Digital Photography. Plus, I absolutely love night photography, so I hope to see you on my Night Photography workshop in beautiful downtown St. Augustine!

There is a bird rookery that attracts hundreds of birds that are easily photographed from a boardwalk at the Alligator Farm. If you like alligators, you are in luck! Last year was a lot of fun and I met so many fantastic photographers. Come on down for photography, friendship, fun and FOOD! Florida has the best seafood ever. I hope to meet you there!  ~ Deb

Photography Tip - Be a Good Storyteller...

A photograph is an opportunity to create a visual narrative about what you want to communicate to the viewer. Look for elements that will instantly tell a story. Create emotional content through your composition that will connect with others. You can do this through carefully selecting your subject and waiting for the right moment.

I noticed this young egret beginning to preen her feathers in the morning light. What I was feeling when watching her was grace, beauty and a sense of peace. There was something very elegant in the gesture of extending her wing. She seemed to be counting her feathers one by one. I set up my tripod and camera, waiting for the just the right moment to take the photo that would tell my story.

This photograph was taken at the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine, FL. This location attracts a variety of birds and is the perfect location for finding great subjects. Visit early spring for the highest concentration of birds and activity. I hope to see you there next year. I'll also be at Florida's Birding & Fotofest held in St. Augustine - a great event for photographers. Make great pictures! ~ Deb

Pier Bait House (and how to catch a pelican)...

The Pier Bait House in St. Peterburg, FL is a great place to photograph! You can get Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream here, which you'll need for a hot day. Fishing gear, bait, cold drinks, you name it... it's all at the bait house.

There are pelicans everywhere, waiting for a handout such as the wishful thinking pelican below who was keeping a close eye on me. He let me come close enough to get a birds eye view of his world. I rested my camera on the ground, used a 12-24mm wide angle lens to get this beak-to-lens shot.

I couldn't resist using a little interesting texture for a painterly look in this image. Hope to see you down at the pier one evening! Summer clouds are building and there are many great photo opportunities! 

I hope to see you in online at BetterPhoto.com this Wednesday too! Photoshop Enhancing Images & Creating Works of Art starts for the month of June. One of the many things we'll cover will be ways to use creatively use texture in your photos. Make great pictures! ~ Deb

Register now for Florida's Birding and Fotofest, April 22-25! This event is held in St. Augustine, a beautiful location and the perfect time of year to visit Florida. There are many activities, presentations and workshops planned, plus the Alligator Farm will be teeming with birds.
For more information, follow this link. I'll be giving presentations on infrared photography and a creative approach to digital photography. Enjoy everything photo and bird related! Take in a few sunsets, walks on the beach, and treat yourself to some great seafood. I hope to see you there!