| |
| |
|
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
Photography Business: Taking Baby Photos - for Professionals & Families Babies make the best and the worst subjects to photograph. They are the best for two reasons, people are more tolerant at looking at baby photos, as well as the fact that babies are not aware their image is being captured, and therefore they do not tend to put on the "camera face" so typically used by elder children and adults. 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. Creating Personalized Photo Calendars About Personalized Photo Calendars:Photo Calendars are 12-month, wall-hanging calendars that you can create using your own digital photos and captions. As you customize your own photo calendar, you can start the calendar on whatever month and year you wish. The Truth About Pixels, Part 2-1: Printing 4x3 Inch Photos Why is a 3 megapixel camera better than a 1 megapixel camera? It really depends on how you intend to reproduce the picture. The reason cameras produce pictures at 72 pixels per inch is that this format is standard in video uses such as television and DVD. Market Your Photography Business Setting up your own photography business it easy, you don't need office space in can be done from your own home. However this is not the easiest type of business to market, especially if you are new to the business. Digital Camera Memory Cards A digital camera accessory you should purchase is a spare memory card. Most cameras are sold with a 'starter' memory card that is usually a low capacity card that's enough to take a few sample photos on, but not enough for day-to-day use. Becoming A Digital Artist On A Budget So, you want to become a digital artist but paying several hundred dollars for Photoshop seems too much. Don't worry, there are dozens of very inexpensive tools you can use available on the Internet. How to Shoot Video of Your Kids Sports Team So That Anyone Else Will Watch It! Break out that video camera, there is a game this weekend!1. You bought a video camera2. Tips for Better Vacation Photos Photos are a great way to share your travel experiences with family and friends. Here are a few suggestions to help you capture vacation memories you will treasure for years to come. Taking Panoramic Landscapes - The Easy Solution I love panoramas. There's something very appealing about their shape. Top of the Line Digital Cameras If you think that digital cameras are for snapshots only, then you obviously haven't heard about SLR (Single Lens Reflex) digital cameras. SLR is a type of camera which has one lens for composing the frame and capturing the image. How to Create a Great Video - a Simple Guide on How to Shoot Home Movies with a Camcorder So you have bought a camcorder and have shot some footage, but truthfully you don't much like the results. Maybe I can help. Infrared Photography and Big City Crime One of the major problems of the larger cities of the word these days is crime. It appears that the larger the city the more-acceptable serious crime seems to be. Get Closer to Your Subject Almost any shot will look better if you take two or three steps closer to your subject. Filling the frame entirely with your subject will make a terrific difference to your photos. The Primer on Digital Camera Printers Once you have clicked photos through your digital camera, then the next step is to turn these 'virtual' images into real photos. One way is to send the memory card to a digital photo laboratory and get the images developed there. Basics of Photography Understanding light is one of the very basic principles of learning to be a photographer. When you have a group of people in front of you with smiling faces ready for you to say 'cheese' or if you are taking a shot of a scenic area, the most important consideration is the light factor. Picture Framing for Photographers - Part 2 There are two sources for obtaining the moulding for making a frame. You can firstly start with a straight piece of timber, and using a home routing system make your own moulding shape with a rebate to take the art work. 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. A Guide to Underwater Cameras There are two types of underwater camera systems: an ""amphibious"" camera, which is a self-contained waterproof system, and an SLR land camera with waterproof housing. Amphibious systems are small, compact, and easy to travel with, while SLRs offer more advanced features, such as auto-focus, advanced exposure control, and through-the-lens viewing. 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.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
