Everglades National Park, a place I have wanted to visit for many years, overwhelmed me with its subtle beauty. There are no majestic icons like in some of the other national parks like Yosemite or Glacier. Just prairie, swamp, cypress, and hammocks of hardwood trees.
It is almost as far away from home as I can get and still be in North America. We camped at a national park campsite called Long Pine Key for $15 per night and I woke up to the most spectacular sunrise at the lake in the campground.
Please click the image to view a larger version.
Turning my camera 180 degrees, the morning light reflected off the tall pine trees and the small palms. I like the contrast between the height of the vegetation. The pine trees grow like this with needles only on the highest section of the tree so that it can survive fire.
This morning was a sign of good things to come. Tomorrow I will tell you all about the present I got myself for my birthday. I’ll give you a hint – it was an adventure.
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All content © 2012 by Anne McKinnell Photography
I have to admit that what you share is a pleasant counterpoint of my daily hustle & bustle, makes looking forward to the summer and my sailing boat..
Hi Kaz, thank you I’m glad you enjoyed this moment of peace in your day
Beautiful capture of the Sunrise. I have been several times to the Park (it’s 1.5 hrs ride to the Par Entrance) but never made it for sunrise. May have to go camp there one weekend. It’s great to have a visitor point out the beauty that’s in your background and taken for granted! Glad you are here at the best weather time of the year.
Hi Ed, this is the place to be in the winter!! Best weather on the continent, it has been beautiful for us. You should camp at Long Pine Key, the lake is right in the campground. It is so cheap too. And at the other end of the park you can camp at Flamingo and if you get up early there you can rent a canoe and go out and see all the pelicans. I’ll have those images coming up soon. I guess maybe you aren’t impressed with pelicans if you live here!! But I love them. We are starting to get the occasional pelican in British Columbia due to global warming and general pelican confusion but it doesn’t happen very often.
What a stunning sunrise, and near perfect reflections. The counter-view is cool too with the contrasting lines. Excellent work.
LensScaper recently posted..Wengen – learning to ski
Thank you so much Andy. I was so focussed on the first image I almost missed the dramatic light in the second image!
Great sunrise picture! I would actually wake up early for that, now if we could only find some way to know 100% that a great sunrise was coming so I wouldn’t have to waste perfectly good sleep on a “maybe”… (Can you tell I’m not a morning person?)
Howard
Howard J recently posted..Week 2 – 52 Week Challenge – Front Door
Hey Howard! I know exactly what you mean!!! I’m not a morning person either, not at all. Every time I go out an sunrise I really have to drag myself out and I get a little upset if it turns out to be a dud. I wish I could be a morning person, it doesn’t seem right to be a photographer and not be a morning person. I’ve been lazy about it lately too because I have a backlog of images to process so I haven’t been making too many new ones. Thank you very much for your comments, I know I am not alone!
Wow stunning Anne. You’ve captured it so beautifully.
Edith Levy recently posted..Rooftop View
Thank you so much Edith!
Thanks sunrise image is one of my favorites of yours Anne. Spectacular and stunning does not do it justice. The reflection, colors and clouds rock.
Len Saltiel recently posted..Cliff Walk Golden Hour
Awww, thanks Len!! I wasn’t sure if I had overdone this one, but it seems pretty popular on G+ so I guess it’s ok
Thanks for your comments, always appreciated.
These are absolutely beautiful Anne. What a wonderful pair of photos.
Thank you very much Joe!
Everglades national park is absolutely beautiful. I always went there when I was a kid and have some great memories! I love that picture of the reflected pine trees btw, it’s almost like a giant mirror!
katie B recently posted..how to treat obstructive sleep apnea
Hi Katie, the Everglades was beautiful! Thank you very much for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate it.
Wow, Anne, now that’s what I call color! Love the silhouettes in the first shot, and those palms in the second shot truly jump to life for everyone to enjoy! Great set!!
Toad Hollow Photography recently posted..Tillicum Lodge
Hi Toad, great to see you! Thank you very much for your kind comments, always appreciated.
Beautiful sunrise. Nicely captured!
Kris Koeller recently posted..The Harbin, China Snow & Ice Festival
Thank you so much Kris, your comments are much appreciated.
VERY cool sunrise. I’m heading out from California for a meeting in Miami in June ’12. Was planning on hauling my landscape gear to shoot sunset at Pine Glades Lake and now THIS place for sunrise! A stunner of an image. Erno.
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Hi Erno, excellent plan! There is a campground right there if you are in to camping at all. It’s really nice with tall pine trees. Thanks for the visit!