Did you ever spend a day in the Everglades and both marvel at what you saw but wonder what you missed? The American Bittern might be the answer. 1- Audubon says they’re in the Heron family but you’ll find they display very different behavior. Bitterns are famous for standing statue like, bill to the sky [...]

How about a fun way to spiff up your summer photos?  Whether its travel photography, a family vacation or just a trip downtown try these tips: 1- People:  That can mean posed shots of friends & family but how about some candids taken while your subjects are unaware and at their natural best?  Travelling?  Be [...]

As a first time visitor to the tropics have you ever cast an unsure gaze above at that prehistoric looking creature known as the Magnificent Frigatebird?  Here’s more on this trivially rich, fantastic flier:   1- One of 5 worldwide species, the Magnificent Frigate which can be seen almost daily over the Gulf of Mexico [...]

3 Tips For Getting Started- Would you like to confidently and correctly finish your digital photos?  Gone for the most part are the darkroom days so today’s photographer has the need for and luxury of utilizing photo editing software like Elements.  The newest version is Photoshop Elements 9 but the older versions are very similar [...]

… make the menu work for you.  If you’ve just got back into photography and your digital camera is a Point and Shoot here are some ideas to simplify the settings for easy operation:                               1) Point and shoots/pocket cams are [...]

… while most birds names are suggestive of their appearance this one is accurate in its simplicity.  Here we have a mid sized shore bird easily identified by bright yellow legs.  Easy…   1- Yellow legs are mid sized shore birds who ply local marshes and mudflats on legs that are not only a very [...]

How’s this for a photography tip?  How about a way to keep the kids busy this Summer with something Mom or Dad can feel good about and that won’t break the bank?  A camera could fit the bill nicely.   Ideas for teaching children to take pictures:   1- Forget the rules of composition and [...]

You’re interested in photography so how would you like to get in the habit of taking better pictures?  As I’ve written before even the simplest digital camera allows for great picture taking so establish these habits for better photos:   1- Don’t leave home without it.  You can’t catch fish watching TV and you can’t [...]

What is shaped like our white ibis, has a taste for escargot but is quite rare?  One of our least common “Birds of Florida” for sure, see if you recognize the limpkin:   1- Shaped very much like a our white and glossy ibises but larger with a less curved bill and clothed in a [...]

… several ways work!  Based on reader feedback, I tried to help last week with a post on backing up your digital files.  This week here are a few tips on getting your photos organized: 1- Establish folders titled by event and date.  If you’ve been taking pictures less actively then set up your folder [...]