Category Archives: Florida

CITYSCAPE :: A Truck and a Penthouse View

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Chip Bunnell Photography Delray Beach Palm Beach FloridaA weekend morning is filled with a wonderfully unique feel.  The crowds are non-existent, unless you are in a famous coffee house, and the pace of life is relaxed. The morning sun casts a warm golden glow over all it can touch. And, let’s face it, you often find some humorous sights that not even the best sitcom writer could dream up.  I found one of those very sights this past weekend.

Image, if you will, driving down the main street of Your Town, USA.  You look up to find a distinctive face attached to a fit body staring back at you. Not so uncommon? How about if that face and body are attached to 4 paws and a tail? Still nothing unique?  Okay, how about if this startling stare is coming from atop a Ford Bronco II?  Yes, sports fans, I was treated to a 1st in my many years of travels – a large dog perched on top of a large truck in the middle of the city center. Needless to say, this required a quick turn down a side street and grabbing my camera to capture this very unique moment.

I learned an individual was hired to pressure wash the city sidewalks.  He wanted to bring his trusty companion with him.  It would be far too uncomfortable for his 4-legged friend to remain inside the crowded truck, so what is a man to do? Put him on the roof of course! Bear in mind, this was not simply a dog on a roof.  Oh no, this was a dog on the roof with his comfortable dog bed and a full bowl of cool, refreshing water.

I watched this scene play out for several minutes. As the man moved about the sidewalk, cleaning away the dirt and debris, his canine supervisor kept a close eye on him.  Walking from one end of the roof to the other, he carefully inspected the work below.  In some respects, it was both intriguing and quite practical for all involved, if you really think about it. The man could do his job and the dog could follow him, watch the passing world or simply lay down for a nap.  Rest assured, the dog was quite safe and, by his comfort level, quite used to his penthouse view. At the very least, it was a morning image I will not soon forget.

Single Frame, Processed in LR

www.ChipBunnell.com

NATURE :: Showing Up at Coral Caves

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Chip Bunnell Photography Jupiter Palm Beach Delray FloridaWoody Allen once said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” This morning that quote proved to once again be true. I continued on my now week long streak of awakening long before the sunrise, 4:30 this morning, and venturing into the darkness. Armed with only a camera, a few lenses, a tripod and my trusty iPad (never leave home without it), I set out to, well, see what there was to see.

Once again The Force took me north towards Jupiter. I have been enjoying the postings of photographer Steve Huskisson and feeling a bit jealous of his recent wonderful encounters with turtles laying their eggs on the beach in the early morning light. I was in hopes that today would be my day for a similar experience. Upon arrival, the sign read “Yes, we have no turtles today”, but I found something almost as fascinating. The tides, sunrise and the winds all had a conference last night and agreed to reward my early morning efforts. As I walked up the boardwalk, I saw a perfectly flat ocean – one you could skip a rock over – and an incredibly low tide. Okay, so what’s so impressive about this? Let me explain….

This particular location is known as Coral Caves. The reason: there are very unique and rugged coral formations where the ocean waves crash against before meeting the soft sand. The force of the water has cut holes in the coral, creating interesting shapes and valleys. Some have even become “blow holes” that send the oncoming waves spraying into the air. But today, due to the exceedingly low tide and unbelievably flat seas, these coral formations were complete exposed! The water had retreated and left the rocks vulnerable to my camera lens and allowed me to capture this intimate moment. Fortunately, I had my hiking flip-flops on…as opposed to my formal flip-flops…which allowed me to traverse the jagged rock tops. I was now walking where marine life normally lives. It was actually a very surreal moment.

This image gives a glimpse of the vast expanse I was part of this morning. There were just enough clouds to frame the sun as it burst through morning sky. It is rare to see all the elements line up to make such an interesting moment. Woody Allen would be proud – just by showing up, I was able to find success in the image and be part of the story.

3 Frame HDR, Processed in Photomatix Pro, LR and Topaz Clarity

www.ChipBunnell.com