Earlier this year I visited florida again. It is starting to feel like a second home despite being there for only two week out of a year. I came across some amazing people both local and foreign. It really makes the difference to a trip when you can meet such friendly people especially with a common interest.

Photographic oppertunities were few and far between at times, which pushed me to visit new places. Some of which I will be sure to visit again.

Here are a few favourites from my trip, I hope you like them too.

image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
image
Source: https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timhuntphotography.co.uk%2Ftim-hunt-photography%2Frecent-images%2Falbum%2Fflorida-2015&t=NjMzMWQ1NzYxNDA2ZmE3NTBiODY3M2I0MjE2NTc4MzAwZWRjNjBiNCwxMjE1ODUzMTE2MzU%3D&b=t%3AY9B9a8FYPMh2DO1dbj-WSA&p=http%3A%2F%2Ftimhuntphotography.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F121585311635%2Fearlier-this-year-i-visited-florida-again-it-is&m=1

There is only one way to settle this... FIGHT!

Most wildlife will disappear or distance themselves from a potential threat, such as people getting too close for comfort. Depending on the situation, fear is surpassed by some animals and they become oblivious to what is going on around them. I have seen two robins having a scrap outside a cafe in the street - they just seem to be lost in their own little world and unaware that they risk getting trodden on by morning commuters. A sparrowhawk can be so engrossed with its prey that it doesn’t notice approaching people as a threat. This type of behaviour is mostly likely to arise as a result of food, rival males or defending territories. 

These two willets were fighting in the surf on Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Despite people playing in the water and others walking by along the beach, they continued to fight.  After several minutes, the fight was over and the birds went their separate ways. 

Nothing like a bit of free entertainment whilst on the beach. 

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

Florida 2014

What seems to be a never-ending barrage of bad weather, has driven me go in search of some inspiration to keep the photographic passion alive. So taking advantage of the January flight sales I travelled to Florida.

A day into my trip I soon realised that the bad weather back home had come back to haunt me. Pouring rain and skies so grey the sun never made an appearance. So much for being the ‘sunshine state’. Some parts of florida had nearly 2 feet of rainfall in 24hrs. A knock on effect from all the rain meant that the swamps and pools that were usually teaming with wildlife, were now too deep for all the wading birds. Even the Everglades National Park seemed awkwardly quiet. I had hoped to spend four days there but Instead only spent an evening and a morning, before deciding to head back west. 

Many other photographers that I met were also feeling the shortage of wildlife and bad weather this year, so I was not alone. It is a constant reminder of the challenges that come with this type of photography. You just have to adapt and move on.
To sum it up, I didn’t get as many images I was hoping for.  Despite the bad weather I did manage to have a few productive days and I met some great people along the way, which made the trip a lot better, so thank you, I hope to stay In touch.

Here are a few favorites from my trip

For a better viewing experience please follow the the link; 

http://www.timhuntphotography.co.uk/untitled/recent-images

Osprey with fishimage

Armadillo foragingimage

Ospreyimage

Alligatorimage

White Ibisimage

Tricolored heron using its wings to create shade in order to reduce reflectionsimage

White ibis with crabimage

Fort Myers beach after all the rain image

Brown Pellicanimage

Great blue heron with nesting materialimage

An alligator basks on a dirt road in front of my hire carimage

Tricolored Heronimage

Playful willetsimage

Snowy egret chasing off a tricolored heronimage

FEP Emerging Talent Award 2013

Earlier this year I entered the ‘Emerging Talent Award’ run by the Federation of European Photographers . The European award is for graduating students and young photographers and involves submitting a unified collection of fifteen images, which In my case were all natural history themed. (See selection below)

The results are now in and I’m delighted to say I have received a merit award for an outstanding submission. The award ceremony is to take place at Photokina 2014 in Cologne, Germany.

Congratulations to Anna Rasmussen as the Overall winner and also to the other students who received merit awards!

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

Alligators basking

image

Alligator lying in wait

image

A great egret stalks its prey through the swamp

image

The old seven mile bridge on the Florida Keys is a real spectacle. As we drove out of the Keys we were faced with dark skies and dramatic light from the setting sun. The old bridge really came to life, but it was a race against the setting sun to find a shot before we lost the light.

image

image

High resolution images can be viewed with the following link:-

http://www.timhuntphotography.co.uk/untitled/recent-images/album/southfloridaandtheeverglades?p=1

South Florida and the Everglades: Part 1

I have very recently arrived back from a two week trip to florida. My time was spent exploring the natural history of the south.
It truly is a remarkable place to visit if you get the chance. This is the first of several uploads to come, so watch this space!

Double crested cormorant

Tricolored heron

Sunrise over the Everglades

Burrowing owl at first light

American alligator 

Anhinga 

Anhinga plumage 

Pied-billed grebe

Raccoon wading through the swamp

Red shouldered hawk

Reddish egret with fish

Least sandpiper

Eye of a cormorant 

Hope you liked them!

High resolution images can be viewed with the following link:-

http://www.timhuntphotography.co.uk/untitled/recent-images/album/southfloridaandtheeverglades?p=1