One of my favorite paddling trips in Florida is the Loxahachee River in Palm Beach and Martin County, Florida. In 2011, I spend two days canoeing the Loxahatchee during a long drought, where the roots were completely exposed. Some shots I returned to the next day for softer light, including the ‘Loxahatchee Bend’ below. This was during my switch to film; the results from this trip taught how wonderfully film responds to overexposure. Shadows open up, and highlights roll off from midtones with a gentle subtly, rather than hard contrast lines. For a time in 2011, I carried my digital and film equipment, but after my trip through the Loxahatchee, I began leaving digital equipment behind. Below is one of my most popular images with art festival patrons.
I returned again in late 2012, shortly after Hurricane Issac, and I barely recognized the river trail. Slow, shallow water had turned into deep rapids. The water was so high that I was able to kayak right over the walkway of a dam, pictured below (which was easier than kayaking back up the rapids directly). Finally, I gave up and returned. The water was simply too high not only for photography, but for proper navigation.
