The Resilient Coast

“The Resilient Coast”

 

This morning while scouting for our workshop, we stopped at the Apalachicola Coffee Company for breakfast. I noticed a poster they had on one of the counters that had the words, “The Forgotten Coast” but the word Forgotten was crossed out and in its place was the word Resilient. That truly sums up the personality of the people here. A resilient person is one defined as being able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.

 

As we continued our scouting we went to Eastpoint where the oyster boats were docked previously. We found one of the old docks that either someone had placed or the storm placed a Flag. It has been worn and tattered from the storm. We had to use a longer lens to isolate the flag and post since it was out in the water about 6 feet from the shore. I then chose to desaturate ever thing but the red and blue to make it stand out a little more. These are a resilient people and are doing great in their recovery, and that is why this coast could never truly be forgotten.

 

Tamron 70-210mm f4 Di VC USD lens on a Nikon D-850, Manual Exposure mode, f4, ISO 64, shutter speed of 1/160th of a second, Sirui SR 3204 tripod and K40 ballhead, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #SiruiUSA, #SiruiProfessional, #BearWoodsPhotography

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Joe Taranto Seafood Co.

Joe Taranto Seafood Co.

 

I have photographed this building many, many times as well as taking every workshop group to it during our workshops here. It has been photographed and painted hundreds if not thousands of times in all likelihood. I don’t know if I have ever shared the history of Joe Taranto Seafood Co. though. Joseph Taranto met his wife, Madeline, in Apalachicola and opened the Taranto Seafood Company in 1923. A son, Anthony, was born in 1932. As a child Anthony worked for his father in the seafood house and eventually took over the business as an adult. The current building was built in the 1940s and was operational until the late 1990s when Anthony retired and no one in the family wanted to take it over. The building still stands on Water Street and survived Hurricane Michael. You can see some of the roof was damaged, but the structure survived the surge and winds. Years ago my group photographed a man named Mike who was at one time the Harbor Master for Apalachicola during the “good years” of fishing. He told us the story of how the fishing industry started failing when fresh water didn’t flow down the Apalachicola River like it used to flow. Towns up river in Alabama and Georgia, with rivers like the Chattahoochee empty into the Apalachicola River, and without that perfect combination of fresh and salt water the estuary suffered. The fishing industry started to disappear in the late 80s and 90s. He told us how he had been living behind Taranto Seafood building for many years on the boat dock. He remembered it closing with the decline in the industry. Today, Apalachicola’s fishing and oyster industry is suffering greatly and many of the oyster houses there actually process oysters from as far away as Galveston. How long will it be before one of our greatest gifts, the Apalachicola Bay, will cease to exist as a fishery?

 

Tamron 18-200mm Di-III VC lens on a Canon M100, Manual Exposure mode, f5, ISO 100, shutter speed of 1/100th of a second, handheld utilizing the Vibration Compensation feature of the lens, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #BearWoodsPhotography

The drive to St George Island

The drive to St George Island

 

I truly didn’t know what to expect on the drive down to Apalachicola yesterday. I had heard that the damage to the small towns along the way in south Georgia and northern Florida were pretty devastating. As we drove down Hwy 27 through Bluffton, GA you could really start to see the destruction from the winds of Hurricane Michael. So many trees were uprooted and snapped, Blue tarps visible on top of roofs, and the several barns collapsed or without their roof. The pecan groves had many trees uprooted as well. When we got to Colquitt the devastation was even worse. Our route took us through the outskirts of Bainbridge and then eventually Quincy, FL. The farther south we went the more damage. Streets in Quincy were lined with piles of limbs and trees waiting to be picked up. We saw several Relief Centers set up in the towns and the recovery seems to be going well. We boosted the local economy a little outside of Bainbridge with a fill up and a snack box of fried chicken livers.

 

The last little town we passed through before arriving to the Apalachicola Bay was Sumatra. Damage was pretty bad, but it seemed there was a line of different damage that we could see. It was almost possible to see whether damage was done by the leading edge of the storm vs the backside of the storm by the direction the trees fell or were snapped. The closer we got to the Bay, we could see the results of swollen rivers and creeks from the storm surge. Debris scattered along the edges and on the roadsides. Once we arrived in Eastpoint storm surge was very apparent wiping out most of the boat docks that lined the shoreline. I didn’t stop and photograph yesterday but will get out today and do a little. The one obvious thing we saw was how these communities work together to overcome the challenges they have faced. That is one of the reasons we love this area so much. Not only is it beautiful down here, but the people add to the lore of the Forgotten Coast. This image was one I did several years ago of the St George Lighthouse during a full moon. To me, it represents the spirit down here that the folks find light in any way they can and that light serves the purpose needed to survive but also thrive.

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD lens on a Nikon D-800, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 3200, shutter speed of 1/250th of a second, processed in Lightroom. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #BearWoodsPhotography

When does Fall become Fell?

When does Fall become Fell?

 

There are so many thoughts this morning running through my head. Some of those thoughts normal, some odd. One of my closest friend’s dog crossed the Rainbow Bridge last night. She was a sweet dog and when I visited became my best friend as long as I was there. These folks are some of the best people I have ever known and I know their pain.

 

Today is Veteran’s Day in the USA. Originally known as Armistice Day, celebrating the end of World War I, it was renamed as Veteran’s Day in 1954. It is a day to recognize those who served in the Armed Forces in America. Often the holiday is confused, by some, with Memorial Day, which recognizes Serviceman who died during service to our country. People often will come up to me, and others, and thank us for our service. It is great to hear someone recognizes the efforts and potential sacrifice a Veteran could make. I watched a video of Dan Crenshaw accepting an apology from one of the cast members of SNL and he said something I couldn’t agree with more. He said, get to know a Veteran, say to them, “Never Forget”. He said it lets them know you are there with them whether they are here or away, you won’t forget those who died and those who serve. Deployments as a Serviceman can be tough as you are so far removed from everything that is familiar and from friends and family. Tell them “Never Forget” so they know their sacrifices are appreciated. Think about the loneliness of some 17 year old kid on an island in Pacific Ocean in World War II not knowing if he would ever see his family again. Think of the guilt they felt wondering why they were one of the lucky ones who made it home. Those thoughts run through the mind of everyone who has ever served. Let them know you will “Never Forget”

 

Lastly, on a much lighter note, when does Fall become Fell? The leaves are rapidly losing their grip on the branches they have called home for the last few months. Their color has mostly faded to brown and they are decorating the ground. They will provide so much life for the things around them as they decay and they will be the life that appears next spring from the trees and plants. I know technically the end of Fall is Winter, but I think we should also have a season for the in between season. We should call it Fell.

 

“Never Forget” We are all in this together.

 

The 3 Chairs at sunrise, Tamron 18-200mm Di-III VC lens on a Sony a6300, Manual Exposure mode, f5.6, ISO 200, shutter speed of 1/30th of a second, Sirui W2204 tripod and K20 ballhead, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #SiruiUSA, #SiruiProfessional, #BearWoodsPhotography

Operation Avoid Raking

Operation Avoid Raking.

 

I am usually able to avoid raking or mulching the leaves for a little while by using the logic that I need to photograph them and I need to wait until they are perfect models. We used to rake all the leaves and put them in a compost bin, and we still do with some of them, but with most, we simply set the mower to mulch and it becomes fertilizer for next year. It has all become part of our natural approach to our yard. It does attract insects, the insects help with the breakdown of the leaves, which in return attracts birds getting the insects. Most of the decay has occurred by spring, but the small insects that are there become the food source the nesting spring birds and their young. Remember nature knows what it is doing if we don’t interfere, plus I rake less.

 

Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 Di VC USD 1:1 Macro lens on a Canon M100 via the mount adapter, Manual Exposure mode, f11, ISO 100, shutter speed of 1/2 second, Sirui W2204 tripod and K20 ballhead, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #SiruiUSA, #SiruiProfessional, #BearWoodsPhotography

Just watching the rainbow

Just watching the rainbow.

 

The rainbow the other night was so incredible. I must have seen a hundred or so images from friends and neighbors that photographed it and then shared it. I have talked with many who saw it, and the common statement from everyone one is it was the most intense light and vibrant rainbow they had ever seen. I would agree. The quality of the light and crisp edges to the rainbow lasted 10 minutes although it seemed to last 30 minutes or more. After I photographed the horses and the rainbow, we were walking back to the barn and Evelyn agreed to pose for me for a few quick images. She said “make sure you get the barn in the frame”.

 

Canon M6 with 15-45mm lens, Manual Exposure mode, f3.5, ISO 200, shutter speed of 1/250th of a second, handheld, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #BearWoodsPhotography, #AngelsOnHorseback

Horses and Rainbows

Horses and Rainbows.

 

Yesterday was our turn to go down to Angels on Horseback and do their evening feeding. There was a storm coming in as we drove down, and it was a steady rain while I gathered the horses to come into the barn. When we finished feeding them and were letting them back out to the pasture, I noticed a nice break in the clouds to the west. The sun dropped below the cloud line and I immediately looked back to the east. I saw the one of the most vibrant double rainbows I have ever seen. I ran to the car and grabbed the camera, remember I always try to carry a camera with me, and then ran to the hill below the horses. I wanted to capture a few images of both the horses and the barn if possible. I thought I would have only a few minutes to capture images, but it felt like the rainbow lasted for 10 minutes or more. One of the horses, Two Hawk, decided he wanted a close up and walked down to where I was standing. After giving him a nice scratch behind his head, he posed for me. I have never seen such a vivid and more vibrant sky and rainbow than the one I saw last night. The blues in the sky were so intense it was surreal. On a side note, I love LCD screens that tilt like my Canon M6. It allowed me to hold the camera inches above the horse poo and still capture the image, a couple years ago I would have been forced to being doing a load of laundry as soon as I returned to the house, due to having to get down to that angle of view. This was truly being in the right place at the right time, but also being prepared by having a camera with me.

 

Canon M6 and Canon 15-45mm lens, at 15mm, Manual Exposure mode, f3.5, ISO 200, shutter speed of 1/100th of a second, handheld, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #BearWoodsPhotography, #AngelsOnHorseback