A couple of evenings ago, somewhat before sunset, I was sitting at my computer writing after I had spent a perfect afternoon at the beach. It was a glorious day — sunny, breezy, dry, with temps in the low 80s. Now that we're more than halfway through April, I don't expect we'll have many more days like that in Florida until winter.
I knew I had to get back out there and enjoy — writing could wait until after dark. I grabbed my camera this time, figuring I could get a few shots of the sunset over Sarasota Bay. By the time I began to drive, there wasn't a whole lot of daylight left. I was still five minutes or so from my planned spot. I glanced out my right passenger window and saw hundreds of seagulls flying over the bay. *Light bulb goes on in my head.* By then, it was nearly sunset and I realized that particular location was a boat ramp. People would be coming in with their boats after a day of fishing, hence all the gulls.
I made a quick right, found a parking spot, and started shooting. The wind was slapping my face, the salt air smelled divine, and the birds were calling to each other, diving for cast-off fish, and making a perfect spectacle against the now changing sky.
Not only was I pleased with what I got, but I had a blast. Remember to enjoy your surroundings as well as your photographs when shooting nature. Spend some time looking through the viewfinder, but don't forget to put your camera down for a while and take it all in!
10th Street Boat Ramp, Sarasota, FL at sunset
