Florida Springs

I spent much of last week in Central and Northern Florida with Neil. We were both looking for something to fill some empty days before new projects begin, and add something new and different to our portfolios. Our visit was perfectly timed to coincide with spring break in that part of the state. As a result, we had a hard time finding an empty frame and clear water. But the trip was worth it. I'm not sure that my resulting images are anything that Wes Skiles couldn't shoot in his sleep, but I did capture some images that expanded my idea of water photography. The water in those springs is so incredibly clear ... almost perfectly clear. Laying on the bottom in the Itchetucknee River, it was only the smooth surface ripples and my eventual need for a breath that ruined the illusion that I was not underwater at all. The way that the colors blue and green appear in one frame underlines for me that these images were shot in fresh water. In the ocean, you get very little green.It was my third trip to that part of the state, and my second trip to both Ginny and Alexander Springs. The shot that I was anticipating was the mixing water over top of the Devil's Eye. It is a truly amazing natural event ... crystal clear aquifer outflow swirling with tannic river water. It is something you really need to see to believe, and something that might make you think "PhotoShop" when you see the images.
The Blue Hole in Itchtucknee was the last dive before the long drive back south. The sun never really made it to the point in the sky that we hoped for. But the couple of hours that we spent in the 68 degree water made us wish for a fresh water spring in the backyard.