#5. Artist in Residence - Conservation Foundation - Walton Ranch

Sean, Clyde, Chris

Our trip to the Walton Ranch with Sean - Director

of Land Protection & Robin - Director of Programs,

from the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf

Coast was a day filled with great photographic

opportunities...we just had to be prepared to

photograph in the rain!

As we drove into the ranch we ran into Chris

who is a land manager from Sarasota County.

Chris showed us a map of the ranch and pointed

out areas he thought might be of photographic

interest to us. Due to the struggle of trying

to photograph in the rain we didn't get to

see much of the ranch...but what we did see was

beautiful. Would love to go back and do more

exploring!

Sean and Clyde

Clyde with Robin holding umbrella

to protect the camera from the rain.

Fourpetal St. John's Wort

We found a beautiful palm hammock, so we stopped

and everyone got out and followed Clyde.

Before he took the camera gear into the hammock

he wanted to make sure it was photographable.

Palm hammocks look wonderful from the outside,

but when they are dense and have little sunlight,

the inside has no ground cover...just fallen palm fronds.

It means a good foreground hard to find.

However, this one had decent light and so after walking

around for a bit, Clyde returned to the car

and grabbed his gear.

Clyde setting up his camera

Sean, Clyde, Robin

Robin holding the umbrella

over the camera to keep

off the rain.

Since Clyde had all kinds of help

I took a short hike. I have always

wanted to see what the inside of

a palm hammock was like...truly

a beautiful place! I felt like I was

in some other country!

In the distance Robin is holding an

umbrella over the camera as the

rain comes down.

We left the hammock and found another

spot at an oak hammock. The rain let up

for a brief moment and we were able

to do some more photography.

Clyde showing Robin how the

light meter works.

Sean protecting the camera from the rain

An umbrella for the camera and

an umbrella for Clyde!

Rain rain....

Trying to capture one more photo

and then the heavens opened up

and it was time to leave...

The rain just didn't seem to want

to stop, so we packed up the car

and headed home.

What a wonderful adventure searching

for photographic opportunities on such

a beautiful ranch! It was a great day and

even though we had lots of rain, the light

was perfect.