Current Project
Beginning this summer, I will return to Lyonia Preserve to photograph the unique landscape for an upcoming exhibit called "Lyonia - A Florida Upland" opening in October 2012 at The Southeast Museum of Photography.
This second portfolio of Lyonia Preserve will be a much different view of the area. In my previous portfolio "Fifteen Preludes to Lyonia" I focused on the details in the plants and terrain. This new portfolio will highlight the vast landscape of the area. I think this landscape will surprise people because is not at all a landscape people would visualize when thinking of Florida. It is high ground, extremely white sand, small shrubs, lots of prickly pear cactus, sumac, a few low trees, a couple of ponds, and lots of sky. It has a sparse landscape feel to it. I think of it as sort of a Zen experience being out there.
Probably the most famous aspect of Lyonia is it is the habitat to the endangered "Scrub Jay", which has to be the tamest wild bird known to man. It will come and sit on your head if you stay still long enough. It is also home to rattle snakes, which I have not seen, and turtles which I have seen on one occasion so far.
I hope to have the photography phase of this project finished by this summer and will then go into the darkroom, pore over contact sheets, select what I hope will be interesting images, print them and put together the next portfolio.
