Landscape/nature near Orlando, FL

[Lon Overacker]

Hi all,

Mostly a reader of these forums, but now looking for some location advice. I have the "opportunity" to attend a conference for my "real job" June 11-15 near Orlando, FL; actually I'll be staying in Kissimmee (gotta love the name.) I should have oppurtunities in the afternoon and evening for some shooting. I shoot 4x5 and color trannies and would be interested in beach/sand/sunset locatations or whatever might have the best opportunities. Haven't checked the maps yet, so I'm not sure if Orlando is closer to the Atlantic coast or the gulf coast and how long of a drive it might be.

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions for a location within an hour or two driving time from Orlando, I would greatly appreciate it. Not too excited about the conference I'm attending and would like to steal some photo time while I'm there.

Thanks in advance,
Lon
www.capturingtime.com

[Brian Ellis]

As you might be able to tell from the lack of responses, there isn't much in the way of landscape photography in the Orlando area or in much of central Florida for that matter. Everything is green, everything is flat. Kissimmee is about an hour and a half from the Atlantic as best I recall, about two hours from the Gulf. But once you get to either place you mostly see condos, motels, and white sand. Not a whole lot of photographic interest. There are a few things on the Atlantic farther south but not within two hours of Kissimmee that I know of. The only specific location within two hours of Kissimmee that I can think of is the rapids and surrounding areas at Hillsborough River State Park near Tampa. It's about an hour from Kissimmee and the rapids are pretty nice especially if you're not used to that kind of thing. You can get directions to the Park from a map or by going on line and at the entrance they'll give you a map showing the rapids. The North Beach area at Fort DeSoto in Pinellas County (across the bay from Tampa) has some pretty interesting places in early morning or late evening light but that's getting pretty far from Kissimmee. If you're interested send me a PM and I'll give you more specific directions. I lived in Tampa most of my life and I've racked my brain trying to think of other landscape things for you but that's all that comes to mind (one reason I now live in Oregon).

[Lon Overacker]

Brian,

Thanks for your response. I've sent you a PM with more detail and questions, but is there anyone else familiar with central Florida that can add to Brian's response?

Thanks in advance,
Lon

[Doug Howk]

Going East, Canaveral National Seashore for sunrise/beach & wildlife. Going West, areas North of Tampa/Clearwater up to Cedar Key provide nature & sunsets. Bok Tower SE of Kissimmee is worth a visit. Florida Southern College in Lakeland has some beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright designed buildings.

[Brian Ellis]

I didn't think of Bok Tower in Lake Wales, that might be good, it's certainly close to Kissimmee. The landscaping and gardens around it are quite beautfiul. It's very much a "cultivated garden" look as opposed to anything very wild looking but if you're into gardens, flowers, etc. it could be worthwhile depending on what's in bloom this time of year.

The other areas mentioned by Doug may very well contain some good photographs but you'd have to seek them out on foot I think, if they're there they haven't been obvious from the road. I didn't mention either area because I don't know any specific locations in them to tell you about. You'd just have to drive along seeing what you see and and I'm not sure that would be a good use of your limited time.

Florida no doubt has some interesting landscapes, certainly Clyde Butcher has done well with it, but it isn't like parts of the southwest, Pacific northwest, or other areas where you can see some great things just driving along the road. In Central Florida for the most part if you want landscapes you'd have to do something like Clyde Butcher does, i.e. know the area intimately and work hard, otherwise you just spend all your time driving and looking at buildings of one kind or another. The whole area is very developed and I found it more conducive to architecture than to landscapes.

[Bill_1856]

Florida has virtually three parts: 1) undeveloped, 2) agriculture, and 3) overdeveloped and overpopulated. There is little of the undeveloped part left, mostly in State Parks and the Everglades. Almost all agricuturial is fenced off along all roadsides, and there's generally little safe area to park at the side of those roads. The Overdeveloped part can be great, but LF will be a problem. And have a nice trip.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I was down there in November. My wife was there for a conference, so while she was at her events, I attended a large birding and wildlife festival that was happening in Titusville, along the Space Coast, and went with a couple of workshops with Milton Heiberg and Joanne Williams, since that was the easiest way to find interesting locations on a short trip without much time for planning. They both have websites, so you might google them and see what they are up to while you're there. Bird photography was the main event at the workshops, but I had my 4x5" Gowland along for a few landscapes. Milton is an old New York studio photographer, so he was enthusiastic about having someone shooting large format on one of his birding tours.

Here are some suggestions from an APUG thread on the same area--

http://www.apug.org/forums/showthread.php?t=21149

Here's a sunrise we caught on Biolab Road--

[Louie Powell]

As a native Floridian, I wholeheartedly agree with Brian's assessment of the landscape possibilities.

But don't despair - there are possibilities. We took the kids to Disney many years ago, and took a side trip over to the Cape for a day. We were driving south on A1A and found a beach with a fishing pier - I made an image that is one of my longtime favorites of footprints in wet beach sand. That's a landscape, but the total area photographed was only about 18" across. My recollection is that the area under the pier was also interesting (if not possibly over-photographed).

I have also found that the theme parks offer some interesting possibilities if you stay away from the touristy and trite. Don't know how receptive the management would be to LF and tripods - especially in June when the kids are out of school and the parks are mobbed.

And while we are on that point - - - the reason I chose to remain in upstate NY when I retired rather than go back home to Florida is that the weather is miserable this time of year. Hot and humid don't even begin to describe what its like!

[Brian Ellis]

And while we are on that point - - - the reason I chose to remain in upstate NY when I retired rather than go back home to Florida is that the weather is miserable this time of year. Hot and humid don't even begin to describe what its like!

Well gee Louie, you didn't have to tell him about that. : - ) I wasn't going to mention heat and humidity because I didn't want to discourage Lon any more than I already have. But if the truth be known, when I lived in Florida I pretty much put my LF gear away in May and didn't take it out again until October. It gets very hot and sweaty very fast under a dark cloth when the temperature and humidity are both in the 90s.

[j.e.simmons]

You people are obviously air conditioner addled wimps. The heat is good for you. Learn to develop Efke and JandC Pro 100 film in 80F developer. Sweating is good for the body, and such learning is good for expanding the mind. Ha.

Florida now is not the west. You have to adjust your expectations when photographing in this state. Clyde Butcher told me that he photographs what is here now. You have to adopt that attitude (of course, Clyde's here is usually a place the rest of us can't get to.)
juan

[Joseph O'Neil]

Florida now is not the west. You have to adjust your expectations when photographing in this state. Clyde Butcher told me that he photographs what is here now. You have to adopt that attitude (of course, Clyde's here is usually a place the rest of us can't get to.)
juan

-snip-

I stopped in his studio in the middle of the swamp, and that area of Florida is pretty neat to look at. Have a wee bit of bug spray in hand.

As for neat spots in Florida, after spending a week in the Kissimee / Coco Beach area (after you've driven 3,000 miles to reach a place, anything within a 2-3 hour drive is "local" to me. :) ) Didn't find much that grabbed me until I left the area.

Also, in some places you might think are neat to go - well, security is so tight around Cape Canaveral in the post 9/11 era - well, it just isn't much fun.

My answer is get up real early, and take a long drive down to the Keys. There's a million and one sites to shoot down there. Worth the effort, IMO.

joe

[Brian Ellis]

. . . of course, Clyde's here is usually a place the rest of us can't get to.
juan

Or wouldn't get to even if we could. How he's still alive, given the alligators, snakes, and lightning he regularly encounters as he stands in swamp water up to his chest is beyond me.

[Ralph Barker]

Or wouldn't get to even if we could. How he's still alive, given the alligators, snakes, and lightning he regularly encounters as he stands in swamp water up to his chest is beyond me.
I think you're right, Brian. I'll admit that I'm one who lacks Clyde's "dedication". Walking in another man's shoes can be instructive, but I draw the line when they're filled with swamp muck. :p

[DavidFisk]

To add injury to insult, late in the day when you would normally shoot is when the hordes of blood-sucking insects come out. Take lots of repellant.

[Lon Overacker]

Thanks Brian and all for your responses and suggestions. Initially I wondered if it would be worth the hassle of lugging around everything, but have decided there are photographic opportunites where ever you are. I'll probably check our Hillsborough St. park and will check online for many of the other suggestions.

Humid conditions I can do without, but then perhaps June isn't as bad as August? :-) Just something I'll have to deal with, along with the mosquitos.

Turns out I've scheduled things so 2 of the days I'll be there I'll be free after lunch so I should have time to explore and reach either coast. The furthest east I've ever shot LF is Tucson... so I'm looking forward to exploring. And at least for me, it's the exploring, the persuit and "being there" that I enjoy the most out of photography; getting a nice image is bonus!

Thanks again for the discussion and if anything turns out, I'll try and report back.
Lon

[reellis67]

Try the Disney Wilderness Preserve (http://disney.go.com/disneyhand/environmentality/environment/preserve.html) which is right outside where you will be. Check in a the office and they can tell you how to get to various parts of the preserve. There is really a lot to see (and photograph) there.

The Summer heat is a bit much if you are used to Northern conditions, but getting out in what's left of natural Florida it can be very rewarding. Any of the state parks are worth visiting, they've won a number of awards, and for good reason.

I get out quite a bit in the wilderness here in Central Florida, but you have to be ready for it to be different than the rest of the country. Our forests are different, and the general lack of hills is a bit off putting at first, but you get used to it. It is a different, and quite rare, wildness here, but it is rapidly disappearing so come and see it while it still exists because next week they are putting in another suburban enclave and two Walmarts!

- Randy

[Lon Overacker]

All,

Thanks again for all the tips... humidity, mosquitos and all - thank goodness it's only 80 degress. But a big no thanks to ALBERTO... my visions of at least attempting photography today was thwarted by wind and rain. I hope to venture out Wednesday when things have hopefully passed. I hope to visit Hillsborough St Park then.

Thanks again,
Lon