| |
| |
|
Photography Information |
|
|
|
The Venice Rookery
Love is in the air at the Venice Rookery. The birds (and the bees) are there doing the thing they are so famous for, and you can take pictures of it! Seriously, though, the Venice Rookery is an ideal spot to photograph birds mating, building their nests, fighting for territory and feeding their chicks. It's a requisite for bird photographers, and sheer delight for the rest of us. A rookery is a breeding ground for certain birds and animals. At the Venice Rookery, you'll see snowy egret, great egret, anhinga, great blue heron, tricolor heron, night heron, and the like. Active during the months from November to April, the birds are most photogenic showing their breeding colors in February and March. HOW TO GET THERE The Venice Rookery is located in a Sarasota County park within the city of Venice, Florida, about half way between Tampa and Fort Myers on Florida's west coast. It is monitored by the Venice chapter of the Audubon Society. To get to the Rookery, take I-75 to Jacaranda Boulevard (Exit 193). Go right (north) on US Highway 41 until you see the State Highway Patrol Office located at 4000 S. Tamiami Trail. Turn left just past the Office, as if you were going there, but instead follow the road all of the way back until you reach the park in about a mile. Parking is to your left. It is free, plentiful and convenient to the Rookery on your right. There is no entrance fee. The Venice Rookery itself is a small island in a lake, which forms a natural barrier. The island is full of small trees and bushes where the birds build their nests. They fly to surrounding areas for the good nest-building sticks and food but soon return, giving plenty of opportunities for flight shots. When the chicks are born, you will view the wonders of nature as the parents work together to feed them. You also get to see some strange behavior when the anhinga chicks stick their heads all of the way down the throats of their parents to get food. HOW TO GET YOUR BEST SHOTS The best photography can be had during the morning light, when the sun is over your shoulder. The birds also tend to be more active in the morning. While you can hike around the perimeter of the pond for the afternoon light, the photography access is limited and difficult. Instead, stay on the shore next to the parking lot for dramatic silhouette shots in the afternoon. You don't need to worry about a blind at any time because the birds have become habituated to people, who are separated from the nests by the pond. All you need to do is stand on the shore along with the other photographers and birders, and fire away. Although the area is small, it hosts a variety and a tremendous amount of bird activity. For the best shots, you'll need big glass of 500mm or more to photograph the birds on the island, especially the chicks. You can get by with less for the flight shots or for the few times that the birds get close to shore. Discover the place where some of the greatest bird photographers go. If you have big glass, or just want to watch tons of great bird activity in one place that is easy to get to, the Venice Rookery is the spot for you. MISCELLANEOUS The park amenities are minimal. It consists of the parking lot, the pond and portable toilets. There are no food services or attendants. However, because the Rookery is in the town of Venice, there are plenty of facilities close by. A gas station with a mini-mart full of vital snacks is across the street from the Highway Patrol Office. Other restaurants and facilities can be found on US Highway 41, which is a main access road through the city. Some options are Applebee's Neighborhood Grill (4329 Tamiami Trail S.), Bob Evans Restaurant (4080 Tamiami Trail) and the Alpine Steak House (4520 S. Tamiami Trail). Because the Rookery is in the city, there are plenty of lodging options. Make your reservations in advance, especially during the spring break weeks. The entire west coast of Florida is a hot spot during that time. If you don't make your plans in advance, you may have to drive for hours to find a place to stay. Some options are the Days Inn (two miles away) http://www.daysinnvenice.com/, the Motel 6 (4 miles away) http://www.motel6.com/reservations/motel_detail.asp?MotelId=0364&state=FL&full=Florida&city=Venice, the Best Western Ambassador Suites (4 miles away) http://www.bestwesternflorida.com/details.cfm, and the Holiday Inn (4.5 miles away) http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/srqvn?irs=null. The area is not very well shaded, so bring your sun block lotion and a wide-brimmed hat. You also may want to bring a lawn chair to take a quick break and snacks to keep you shooting throughout the morning hours. The photographic opportunities are so great; you don't want to waste time with extraneous items. Another bonus of the Venice Rookery is its close proximity to many other prime places for bird photography. They include the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island http://dingdarling.fws.gov/, the Six Mile Cypress Slough in Ft. Myers http://www.captiva.com/stateparks/sixmilecypress.htm, the Corkscrew Swamp Preserve in Naples http://www.captiva.com/stateparks/corkscrew.htm, and Ft. Desoto Park in Tierra Verde http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_Ft_DeSoto.htm. All of these locations are so great for bird photography, they deserve their own article. Copyright 2005 Carolyn E. Wright --- ABOUT THE AUTHOR --- Carolyn Wright is a professional photographer with an active portrait, event and nature photography business. Shooting for 25 years, her award-winning images have been used in books and corporate marketing materials. Her wildlife photos will be included in the upcoming book, "Captivating Wildlife - Images from the Top Ten Emerging Wildlife Photographers" by Scott Bourne and David Middleton. She also is working with Scott Bourne on "Wolfscapes," a photo book documenting the beauty and strength of wolves. Her wildlife images can be viewed at http://www.vividwildlife.com.. On the faculty of Olympic Mountain School of Photography, Carolyn's passion is enhanced when teaching photography. She enjoys writing and speaking on the subject, as well, and is a regular columnist for PhotoFocus, an online magazine for serious photographers.
MORE RESOURCES:
Photography - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Wildlife Scouting Cameras For years I wondered how big the bucks were that were roaming our property in the dark of night. After all, I knew that monster bucks had to be eluding me during the daylight hours only to roam the woods at night. Sepia Toned Prints from Your Colour or Black and White Photos - 5 Minute Digital Fix Quite often I will have clients bring in old photographs of their "elder" relatives that were taken before colour photography was around.This generally means that the photos in question are either black and white or, in many cases, the photos have been tinted, usually a muddy brown colour better known as Sepia. Photography 101 Part 3 ContentEven if you feel that you already know what kind of photography you like to do, it's always a good idea to try your talent at different aspects of photography.Pictorial, this is a general term but it applies to any photographer who's goal is simply to create beautiful photos. Photo Equipment Lists You arrive at your photo shoot excited about the images you are about to take - that is, until you realize that you have left an important piece of equipment at home. You now will have to improvise, spend extra money or time to replace the item, or go without it for the shot. Nude Art Photography Nude photography is the genre of art photography, whose subject is the representation of the naked (full nude) or partially naked (half nude) human body.The aesthetic value of nude photography and its boundary to erotic photography can only be determined with difficulty and inter-subjectively and is also affected by its numerous overlaps with pornography. Photography Has No Gender Women photographers are fortunate. Unlike other titles, photographer has no gender. Sony Digital Cameras - Always On The Innovation Frontier Sony was the first company to introduce digital cameras into the market. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the digital revolution. Magic and the Photograph It was widely reported in the press (15 September 1997) that a British tourist, who stole a lump of stone from the base of the Great Pyramid five years earlier, returned it to the Cairo Museum with a letter saying that 'it had brought him bad luck ever since'. The Museum authorities were not surprised; several such items had been returned by people who felt cursed {When the Luxor Casino was built in Las Vegas it moved on its foundation so the elevators had a lot of re-engineering to be done, while I lived in Las Vegas. Color Management, the Digital Darkroom, and Adobe Photoshop PrefaceIn order to understand color management, it is important to get your hands around some of the workflow. It is also important to understand a little bit about the ICC itself. How Can I Preserve My Lifetime of Memories in Photographs? Like most folks you have probably have organized and sorted your photos atleast once. The problem is they never seem to stay organized no matter how hard you try, and even if they do they seem to lack that original impact that they had shortly after you took them or if they do, you never drag them out until sadly, someone passes on. Digital Cameras & Resolution While analyzing any camera, one of the most important qualities of a photograph that a person seeks, is resolution. This word itself needs a brief discussion before progressing onto its implication upon a digital camera. Photography 101 Part 2 Basic CompositionNow that you are beginning to understand how your camera works you can begin to understand basic composition. I know that many people that I've talked to think that photography is just pointing your camera and taking a photo but it's more than that. Who Had The Better Brushes Leonardo or Michelangelo? Ordinary photos of dull subjects do actually sell, but the dramatic shots generally have an unusual element that makes them stand out from the crowd. They are well-composed and they carry no excess baggage. The Best Wildlife Camera To Take On Safari Good wildlife camera equipment on safari can make the difference between pictures you will be proud to show your friends and family when you get back and ones where it's difficult to figure out exactly what you were photographing because it's only a fuzzy black dot surrounded by green vegetation.I take wildlife photographs for a living and I have had to quickly figure out what the best cameras and lenses are to get the job done effectively. Where Do Great Ideas Come From? At a Photo Club meeting I attended recently, the President made a comment on another meeting he had attended, where someone in the audience asked the presenter where to find good subjects to photograph. The presenter in question started giving specifics instead of identifying the core issues in question, Attitude and Perspective. History of the Camera Early cameras of the 16th and 17th century were able to project images onto paper or glass but the study of capturing, processing and printing the images took many more years. Up until the 17th century, scientists believed that light was composed basically of the 'white' that is perceived by the human eye. Take Spectacular Nighttime Photos with your Digital Camera - Part I Night photographs express a special something that cannot be seen in normal daytime photography. Whether it is a photograph of a moon and starlit sky over a windy deserted beach, the excitement of a downtown cityscape when the lights go on, or just a picture of you and some friends in front of a favorite hangout, nighttime photos, when done right, are sure to attract attention. The Well-Dressed Photographer - Winter Some of the best images can be captured during the winter months, so don't let the cold stop you. For the best photography experience, wear clothing that will keep you comfortable and safe. Top 10 Digital Cameras - What You Need To Know About Them There are a large number of top 10 digital camera lists available on the Internet today. Each one of them is different and they all have different sets of criteria, on the basis of which these lists are compiled. Choosing the Right Digital Camera Choosing the right digital camera for general use can be more challenging than actually taking a good picture. Like all things technical, digital cameras come in a vast array of styles, sizes and abilities.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |