South Florida: Blue Skies at First Light

Created 24-Sep-20

I came to South Florida from New York in 1970 to attend college. And stayed here. Little did I know that I would fall in love – first with the land, then with the person who’s been my spouse and best friend for over forty years, and last with the art and craft of photography.

Over the years, my collection of photographs from this bioregion has grown exponentially and the thought of selecting my favorites for an online gallery seemed a daunting task. Time and again, I put this project off “for later when I have more time”. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic Summer “Safer at Home” directive gave me the chance to cherish every moment, and to reflect on my life as well as this project. As an elder, albeit a healthy one, I recognized that I was at an elevated risk for infection and needed to stay at home for a while. Feeling my mortality a bit but being grateful for decades of time spent outdoors making photographs, I heeded one of my teacher’s instructions to make new discoveries, to make good use of this time, and to do so with creativity, so I dove in with enthusiasm.

Once I became immersed in this project, any negative thoughts I had about the scope of the work disappeared, and everything moved along very smoothly. I found images I’d long forgotten; I saw recent images in a new light; and time flew as I worked a few hours each day – alternating time with garden projects and even a few photo shoots once natural areas opened up bit by bit. I was in “the Zone” and I was keenly aware of this great blessing.

All images © Christopher P. Migliaccio