Seascape Photography

Down by the Sea

I have always been fascinated by the sea, so seascape photography has been a wonderful hobby to pursue.

I am continually mesmerized by the beauty of the ocean. I love the way it never looks the same. The beauty of the waves, the reflections of the sky and clouds, and the way the wind interacts all make the sea a fascinating subject to photograph.

There is something quite wonderful about being by the seashore. I have lived all of my life in the midwest, miles away from the sea but I have always been pulled by the allure of the sea.

On this page I will share with you some of my favorite photos from trips to the seashore. 

Sunrises

I  love a beautiful sunrise, but it seems that when that sunrise is coming up over the ocean it is even more stunning.  Here are a few photos I took this year of the sun rising over the ocean in Jupiter, Florida.  They were all taken on different days, from the same location, and yet each one is different.  I will never tire of getting up early and enjoying the sunrise over the ocean.

Before the Sunrise

If you get up really early, you will find that on some mornings the colors about 30 minutes before the sunrise can be quite spectacular.  It only lasts for a few minutes so be sure to have your camera ready.

Moonlight Photography

Another fun way to look at the ocean is in the moonlight.  To take these photos it is important to use a tripod with your camera and set your speed for a longer exposure.  Here are a few moonlight shots I took in Jupiter.

Waves and Rocks

I like having something in the foreground on my seashore shots and these rocks worked great.

I hope you have enjoyed to my seascape photography.  The following are links to some of the Zazzle products I have created from my photographs.

Sunrise in Paradise Card by mbgphoto
View Tropical Cards online at zazzle

Sunrise and Waves Ceramic Tile by mbgphoto
Find other Sunrise over ocean Tiles at zazzle.com

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Review of Jupiter Beach Park

  Enjoy a Stroll through a Beach Park

Jupiter Beach Park is a wonderful bit of paradise that is sandwiched between the Atlantic ocean and the inland waterways. The park comprises over 49 acres and provides wonderful range of sights and activities.

On the ocean side you have a great beach for swimming and a jetty that is just right for fishing. You have all the sights and sounds of the ocean from the crashing of the waves to the pelicans that can be seen on the rocks.

On the inland waterways you see great tropical trees and shrubs like mangrove trees and sea grapes. There is also a great swimming hole where the inlet goes into the inland waterway. The park has lots of picnic grounds, a playground, restroom facilities, and lots of benches where you can stop and rest and take in the sights.

The condo where we stay when we are in Jupiter is just across the road from this park and each morning I walk in the park. I always have my camera with me and love to take photos in different weather and lighting conditions. I also visit the park in the evening to capture the scenery in a different light.

I hope you enjoy this pictorial view of Jupiter Beach Park Photos by Mary Beth Granger

A View of the Ocean

As you enter the park there is a great path for walkers and cyclists. Walking along the path, I catch a glimpse of the ocean through the sea grapes and palms.

Path to the Sea

Seagrapes make an arch on this path to the sea in Jupiter Beach Park.

Shells on Jupiter Beach

Shells on Jupiter Beach

Fishing on the Jetty

Whenever I have visited the park from early morning till late in the evening there are always fisherman on the jetty! I have seen them pull in some good catches too!

Path to Inland Waterway

On the other side of the walking path is the inland waterway. Here you see Mangrove trees lining the shore.

Mangrove Trees

Natural Wood Sculpture

I liked the way this old tree root looks like a wooden sculpture.

Wildflower in the Park

Swimming Hole - a great place to spend a sunny afternoon

Where the water flows from the sea to the inlet and then on to the inland waterway is a great hole for swimming. It is manned with lifeguards during certain hours and you often see families enjoying the shallow waters.

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse - view from the park

At the north end of the park you have a wonderful view of the lighthouse across the inlet. I took this photo of the lighthouse on my evening walk.

Pelicans on the Rocks

Pelicans are plentiful in the park. You see them along the ocean side and also along the inlet. Here you see a group sunning on the rocky shore of the inlet.

Lone Pelican

This pelican looked like he was posing just for me.

Where is Jupiter Beach Park?

Delightful Park by the Sea -

1375 Jupiter Beach Road, Jupiter, FL 33477

Here is a greeting card made from one of my photographs at Jupiter Beach park.

Dusk at Jupiter Beach Greeting Card by mbgphoto
Create a greeting card online

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Brown Pelican Photos

Photographing Brown Pelicans is a Fun Challenge 

Pelicans are fascinating birds to watch.When you see them waddle on the ground it is difficult to imagine them soaring gracefully through the skies. However, walk along coast in southern USA and you will dozens of them doing just that in the skies above you.

 I have photographed pelicans sitting on rocks, on piers and on the beach. The other morning as the sun came up I noticed a flock of pelicans gently gliding across the sky in the early morning light. I started snapping photos to get just the right shot of a pelican in front of the rising sun.

Photography and pelicans just seem to go together. I hope you enjoy the selection of photos that I am sharing on this page.  

photos by Mary Beth Granger

Pelican and Lighthouse 

pelicans at fishing harbor 

One of the best places to photograph pelicans is by a fishing harbor. You will always find lots of pelicans sitting around the fishing boats. Since their main source of food is fish, they can have quite a feast when the boats come in from a fishing trip and clean their fish. I took this photo early in the morning at the fishing docks across from the Jupiter Inlet lighthouse.

Source: Mary Beth Granger

Facts about Brown Pelicans - Pelecanus occidentalis

As I was preparing to write this page, I did a bit of reading on brown pelicans to gather some facts. I found them to be a very fascinating subject. I have listed my sources in the link list near the end of this page. Here are some of the facts that I found interesting.

• Heaviest bird capable of flight
• Adults weight as much as 10-17 pounds
• Size 50 inches with a wing spread of 6 1/2 feet.
• Diet is almost entirely fish
• Found on coast of southern USA and south to the northern coasts of Brazil and Chile.
• Live along coasts, salt bays, beaches and ocean. Mostly over shallow waters.
• Known for their huge bill and expandable pouch
• Male pelican selects a nesting site and then tries to attract a female using head motions.
• Several days after nest is completed the female pelican lays 2-3 eggs. Eggs take about 1 month to hatch.
• Both male and female pelicans incubate and care for their young.

Pelicans on the Beach - morning at the beach

About 8:00 one morning I was taking a walk at Jupiter Beach Park when I came across hundreds of pelicans on the beach. I walked up closer and found that thousands of small fish had washed up on shore and the pelicans and other birds were having a feast. I had almost left that morning without a camera, but at the last minute put my small point and shoot camera around my neck. I was sure glad I had the camera because I was able to get many photos of the pelicans. The photo above shows the sight at the beach and the ones below shows some closeups of a couple of pelicans that I cropped from the bigger photos.

Pelicans in Flight - morning at the beach

I could sit for hours and watch pelicans in flight and coming in for a landing. The photo above shows one in flight and the photo below is a pelican come in for a water landing.

Pelicans at Fishing Pier 

It was 7:30 in the morning in Jupiter Florida and the fishing boats were leaving for a day of deep sea fishing. I was taking my sister and brother-in-law to meet their boat when I captured this photo of the pelicans all sitting on the piers. I love the look of them each sitting on a post. They appeared to be waiting for the boats to return and clean their fish.

On the Pier

 

Pelican Poem

Ogden Nash??

When I was young I heard a poem about a pelican that has stuck in my mind. I had always thought it was written by Ogden Nash( and I have found it is often attributed to Nash) but I have discovered it was written by Dixon lanire Merritt around 1910. I find it to be a catchy limerick about the pelican.

A wonderful bird is a pelican,

His bill will hold more than his belican.

He can take in his beak

Food enough for a week;

But I’m damned if I see how the helican.

Pelicans at Sunrise

soaring over ocean

I love to sit on our Florida balcony at sunrise and watch the pelicans soar over the ocean. I have spent many mornings trying to capture the birds in the early morning sunrise. Here is one of my efforts.

Pelican on Beach Mouse Pad by mbgphoto
View more Pelican Mousepads at zazzle.com

Here are two of my latest Pelican photos. These Pelicans were resting on the rocks by the pier in Jupiter Florida.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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