The Beauty of Florida - Year In Review 2016

The Beauty of the Treasure Coast

Last year I vowed to get out more and photograph the beauty of my new home here in Florida. Unfortunately, most of my travel plans which included a trip to St. Augustine, Florida and a return trip home to California were postponed because of health issues with my dog Logan. (He's making great progress but he is getting older).

The year started off with a trip down to Fort Lauderdale for a couple nights. While I was visiting I had the opportunity to check out Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Pampano Beach. Both have terrific piers. One of my highlights was dining at Casa Fida Mexican Cuisine. If you haven't checked it out, it's worth a visit. Very good eats and vibe.

Most of the year was spent photographing local area locations that I've found along the Treasure Coast since relocating from California. Some of my favorite go-to spots are in Sebastian (Sebastian Inlet State Park), Wabasso (Rock City Gardens), Vero Beach (McKee Botanical Garden), Fort. Pierce (Fort Pierce Inlet State Park), and Stuart (House of Refuge & Bathtub Reef Beach). Below is a round up of images taken this year that I haven't added to the portfolio page plus a couple newly processed images. Hope you enjoy!

Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year!

Intentional Camera Movement Photography - Ocean Wave Series

Earlier this year I started experimenting with a technique that I wasn't too familiar with. The technique is called "Intentional Camera Movement Photography" or ICM. The idea is to introduce blur into the photograph using a slow shutter speed (Somewhere between 1/4 of a second up to a few seconds) while moving the camera vertically or horizontally.

Ocean Seascape - 0.4 seconds at F8

Intentional camera movement photography is different from long exposure and camera panning photography. Generally, long exposure photography involves the use of a tripod to avoid shake while producing a sharp, in-focus image of fixed structures. Night shots, car headlights, fishing docks, etc. Camera panning photography uses a low shutter speed while following a moving car, bicycle or surfer.

Some photographers may frown on ICM as they do at HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography but I find it quite fun to do and pleasing to the eye. I've only experimented with ocean seascapes but look forward to trying it on other subjects. My philosophy is to try something new, experiment, learn, have fun, repeat.

Ocean Art Wave Photography Series -

This morning I went to the beach and tried a slight variation of the intentional camera movement photography technique. Rather than moving the camera vertically or horizontally, the lens is either zoomed in or out while the shutter is open. While this is nothing new, I had yet to try it. Interesting results. Let me know your thoughts.

Beach Seascape Abstract - 0.6 seconds at F22

Atlantic Surfing Championships Drop In at the Sebastian Inlet

The 2016 Atlantic Surfing Championships finally got underway this weekend. The surfing competition, originally schedule for October 7-9 but was postponed until November 11-13 due to Hurricane Matthew making his way up the East Coast. Here are a few shots from Saturday.

FINAL RESULTS OF THE 2016 ASF CHAMPIONSHIPS:

BOYS/GIRLS U10

  1. KEPA MENDIA

  2. BRAEDEN KOPEC

  3. MAKO MUSILUNAS

  4. PALLADIN PELLICCIA

BOYS U12

  1. WILLIAM HEDLESTON

  2. STERLING MAKISH

  3. KANOA WONG

  4. CHARLES OBLINGER

BOYS U14

  1. WILLIAM HEDLESTON

  2. STERLING MAKISH

  3. LOGAN HOFFSTETTER

  4. REID LARGIN

BOYS U16

  1. CHASE MODELSKI

  2. REID LARGIN

  3. TYSON ROYSTON

  4. SHAWN ARTHUR, JR

BOYS U18

  1. TYSON ROYSTON

  2. CHASE MODELSKI

  3. CHRISTIAN DANIELS

  4. SHAWN ARTHUR, JR

GIRLS U12

  1. ZOE BENEDETTO

  2. BREE SMITH

  3. SOPHIA KALANTAS

  4. AUBREY PRESTI

GIRLS U14

  1. CORAL SCHUSTER

  2. ZOE BENEDETTO

  3. TAYLOR GREEN

  4. HANNAH WALTMAN

GIRLS U16

  1. ZOE BENEDETTO

  2. MADDIE MALIZIA

  3. HANNA WALTMAN

  4. RACHEL WILSON

GIRLS U18

  1. MADDIE MALIZIA

  2. CORAL SCHUSTER

  3. HANNAH WALTMAN

  4. MADDIE ZUELI

  5. RACHEL WILSON

BOYS U14 LONGBOARD

  1. MACK WILLIAMS

  2. FICHER McCLAIN

  3. MAKO MUSILUNAS

  4. GAGE JACKSON

  5. AJ JACKSON

BOYS U18 LONGBOARD

  1. SEAN BRENNAN

  2. TRISTON FINLEY

  3. GAVIN SILVER

  4. STANTON McDUFFIE

GIRLS U18 LONGBOARD

  1. MADDIE MALIZIA

  2. RACHEL WILSON

  3. CAMDEN HOOVER

  4. ASHLEY KLIENSMITH

MENS

  1. TANNER CAULK

  2. IAN SCHAFFER

MASTERS

  1. MIKE ROSA

  2. MATT LEE

  3. PHIL JACKSON

SENIOR MENS

  1. BRAD BAILEY

  2. MIK MUSILUNAS

  3. SHAWN ARTHUR, SR

  4. DAVID ROLL

LEGENDS

  1. SCOTT BRADLEY

  2. THOMAS COOK

  3. WILTON JORDAN

  4. BRYCE FRANCIS

WOMEN

  1. SOLOME ABERGER

  2. TERRY GREEN

  3. VIVIAN JORDAN

OPEN MENS

  1. CHASE MODELSKI

  2. JAKE HEMBREE

  3. TREVOR FRANCIS

  4. TRISTON FINLEY

ADAPTIVE ASSIST

  1. VERONICA TARIO

  2. BROCK JOHNSON

  3. CC ROBERTS

  4. ERNIE JOHNSON

ADAPTIVE TANDEM

  1. TERRELL RAWSON

ADAPTIVE PRONE

  1. JEFF RADVANSKI

DIRECTOR/PRO SUPER HEAT

  1. BEN GRAVY/AARON CORMICAN

  2. PHIL JACKSON/PETER MENDIA

  3. MATT KECHELE/RANDY NOLAN

NIXON HIGH WAVE SCORE OF THE EVENT

         WILLIAM HEDDLETSON 9.17

Florida 2016/2017 surfing contests and schedule

  • December 3-4, 2016 Paradise Park / Melbourne Beach

  • January 14-15, 2017 Fort Pierce / Fort Pierce Inlet

  • February 11-12, 2017 Spessard Holland / Melbourne Beach

  • March 11-12, 2017 Paradise Park / Melbourne Beach

  • April 15-16, 2017 Ponce Inlet

  • May 6-7, 2017 Sebastian Inlet

Fine Art Photography & Ocean Art Print Store Now Open

I'm pleased to announce that my seascape and ocean photography is available for purchase through my direct checkout Fine Art Photography & Ocean Art Print Store.

Fine art photography for your home or office are available as prints, canvas gallery wraps and metal prints in many various sizes. If you don't find what you're looking for; ask. I'm happy to help with special requests.

For larger projects , images are available through Fine Art American, Great American Art and American Business Interiors. They provide expert design solutions for your office or facility. Professional framing, matting and installation is available.

Regular Joe Surf Festival 2016 - Sebastian, Florida

The Regular Joe Surf Festival continues all day today at the Sebastian Inlet in Sebastian, Florida . Heats run up until the awards ceremony at 6:30pm tonight.

Yesterday, I was able to start the day with a sunrise shoot and caught a couple hours of surfing heats. Below is what it's all about.

"Sebastian Inlet Surf & Sport and the Sebastian Inlet chapter of Surfrider Foundation are proud to announce the 4th Annual Regular Joe Surf Festival.
Taking place on Saturday and Sunday in Florida’s prime surf season, the Regular Joe Surf Festival promises a unique opportunity for dedicated recreational surfers to enjoy all the trappings of a big time contest … without big time surfers!
Mix in a raging Surfer Stomp with live music, unique awards, a chance to put together your own heat and Florida’s most famous wave and you have all the ingredients of a great weekend, smack in the middle of hurricane season. Join us for a contest for the rest of us."

See you at the Atlantic Surfing Championships - October 8-11 also at Sebastian Inlet State Park, Sebastian, Florida.