I must have fallen through a rabbit hole and found the little gold key. These places in Central Florida are like Wonderland, but looking back, I know I was not dreaming. – Marie Goff
Ballast Point Park is just a few blocks away from MacDill AFB. With stunning views of Tampa across the Bay, it’s an excellent location for sunrise photos. That was just the beginning of 14.5 hours in paradise with Kathi at Tampa Bay Photography Tours. From then until long after dark, we photographed beautiful scenes in Tampa and nearby.
The view from Ballast Point Park is gorgeous just before sunrise. The water is inky blue before dawn, and the pink Belt of Venus highlights the city at sunrise.
Eddie was stationed at MacDill AFB at the end of his military career. I was in West Columbia but visited him enough to fall in love with Tampa and the surrounding area. Usually, we headed west from Tampa to Florida’s beautiful Gulf Coast. But with Kathi, we headed east and discovered other hidden gems of natural beauty.
We drove 35 miles east of Tampa to Circle B Bar Reserve, located on the northwest shore of Lake Hancock. With 1,267 acres of protected land, forests, and water, it is perfect for wildlife photography and walking in nature. Walking along the beautiful footpath, we felt like we’d entered an enchanted forest. The animals played along, unafraid and curious.
Circle B Bar Reserve is part of Florida’s five-hundred-year history of cattle ranching. Polk County Environmental Lands Program and the Water Management District acquired and restored the original hydrology. Today, it provides a floodplain for Lake Hancock, home to several ecosystems and a vast bird and animal population.
We’d hear a noise, look behind us, and see animals looking back.
We encountered a vast expanse of open water on one side. It was Lake Hancock. The birds continued with routine activities with us just a few steps away. Cormorants caught fish for breakfast before drying their wings in the breeze.
A Grey heron hunted food but drew closer to us every time we turned our backs.
The path opened to a vast forest on the other side, with cypress trees standing in pools of deep green.
These wooded areas inspire mystery and intrigue—the stuff of fairy tales!
The deeper we penetrated the forest, the more striking its beauty became.
Our next stop was fifty miles northwest to Hillsborough County, where we entered Hillsborough River State Park. We climbed down a bank to get close, hoping to capture unique images called water flow. Water flow is a photography technique for capturing water with a smooth, silky appearance. It adds a sense of wonder to a composition.
At this point, we were halfway through 14.5 hours in paradise. After eating a quick bite, we headed to Redington Beach for sunset. Photographers love this area for its unusual rock formations. Eddie captured a picture of Kathi and me.
We arrived at Tampa Riverwalk after dark but found it lit by a dazzling winter show. The University of Tampa’s Moorish minarets are in the Winter Village’s background.
Alas, our photo tour of Central Florida ended, and Eddie and I agreed that we’d spent 14.5 hours in paradise.
Kathi has lived in Tampa for 33 years and knows the best spots for photos. Her knowledge includes landscapes, cityscapes, sunrises, sunsets, and wildlife. Spending 14.5 hours in paradise with Kathi was the best! See more at Tampa Bay Photography Tours.
As Kathi and I worked, Eddie captured beautiful images with his iPhone 7, including a selfie of us with Kathi.
Eddie and Marie with Kathi
Equipment
- Sony a7 III camera
- FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens
- iPhone 7.
Find more images of this photography tour at Gallery: Tampa, Florida.
For more stories about working with photography guides, go to:
Tack Sharp Photos of Birds-in-Flight, the easy way
Lowcountry Photography and a Little Civil War History
Learning Photography with the Professionals – Expedition to Jordan
Travel Notes
Eddie and I occasionally hire photography guides. They teach us new techniques and compositions and, most importantly, get us to the right places at the right time. Sometimes, we like to be in nature without doing anything but listening and observing. Wilderness, The Gateway To The Soul by Scott Stillman is one of my favorite nature books. He does a beautiful job of conjuring nature and why spending time in it is essential.
“At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint, or even remember it. It is enough.” – Tony Morrison.
Florida friends gave us a gift: A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith, “ranked #1 Best Florida Book.” It’s a beautiful novel about three generations of cattle farmers in Florida. The story gives you the feel of this time in Florida’s past.