You can’t help but love the “sea potatoes”.  They’ve always been at the top of my photography hit list.  I’ve been shooting them for years (see past images under the IMAGES page), so this time, I was really trying for a few specific images that I had in my mind’s eye.  First, I still had never really had the chance to get that perfect clear blue water shot of a mother and calf.  This is simply a matter of environmental conditions and luck.  Unfortunately, my luck was not there this time either.  A second thing I was lacking in some previous shots was the trees in the background.  CHECK!  Got ‘em.  My favorite of that style is the 9th in this series.  And the last thing I was really hoping for, is some dramatic light rays cutting through the water to really give the images some punch.   On day 2, the water was perfect for it - bright, and with just the right amount of particulate funk in the water.

Its amazing how the two different locations produced images of such drastically different color.  Day 1 made for a blue-grey background inside 3 sisters of Crystal River, and a green-grey tone outside the spring, while day 2 gave a green tone to every shot in Homosassa, just 10 minutes away.   I spent quite a bit of time looking for the manatees with the worst propeller scarring, and I’m hoping to put these images to good use with the environmental agencies.  Sadly, after inspecting over 120 manatees, not a single one lacked at least some man-made wound.  But the most memorable moment was on the 2nd day in Homosassa, where an adult swam directly up to me, grabbed on, and gave me a hug  . . . . . for 4 hours straight!  Its a rare moment when a full-time pro photographer actually puts down his camera, and enjoys the moment for what it is.  Without the camera, you can truly enjoy the love that this animal is expressing, and instead of pulling the shutter, you just hug back.  Yes, for 4 hours straight.  Some might get bored after 10 minutes or so, but not me - that’s the stuff I live for!