January 28, 2024 • 23 mins
In this episode of "Peek Behind the Shutter: Exploring Photography Trends & News with the Fotobug", hosts Jim and Fred delve into the latest updates in the sphere of photography. They discuss a wide range of topics from Apple's new spatial computer, Sony's upcoming shutter angle setting, to proposed legislation regarding child influencers. They also unpack details about Canon's highly anticipated flagship camera, shedding light on why it has the photography community buzzing.
Join Jim and Fred on a memorable trip to Fort Myers. Relive their adventures as they recount the places of interest for photographers, from the crowded streets of Sanibel Island to the peaceful trails of Cypress Creek Preserve. Learn about the best times to observe wildlife and how to navigate increased traffic due to hurricane recovery efforts. They also discuss training pets to take selfies and the evolving trends in the world of photography.
Delving into some serious topics, this episode also discusses the legal implications of child influencers and the proposed digital curfews. Get insight into the ongoing corporate rivalry as Canon readies to release its latest flagship camera. Whether you are an avid photographer or someone with an interest in the latest industry trends, this episode will keep you informed and entertained.
Concluding with some fun places for wildlife sighting and owl-spotting, this episode encourages photographers to continue capturing unique images. 'The FotoBug' is a testament to the fact that for a photographer, any shutter time is always a great time.
Check out the Six Mile Cypress Slough Friends group photo contest which ends every January 31st. For entries go to https://wwwsloughpreserve.org
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Music.
(00:27):
Welcome to the Photobug for news, reviews, interviews, and how-tos.
Here are your hosts, Jim and Fred.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of the Photobug. I'm Fred.
I'm Jim. We're glad to see you. Yes, we are. Can we see them?
Sure. They don't know it. We see you.
(00:50):
All right, well. Let's get the news. Let's get the news, yeah.
So, can I start? Sure. All right, I'll start.
Well, you've got $3,500 lying around. Apple's $3,499 plus tax.
Spatial computer with Apple Vision. Apple Vision.
Is now officially available for pre-order. I think it's funny.
(01:12):
It's available for pre-order, which means it's not out yet, but you can order
it ahead of time. Well, it's coming soon. I always did like that.
Orders are shipping on February 2nd, so from the time we're doing this,
it's just a little over a week away.
Groundhog Day. And it'll be available in stores, too, assuming at the stores.
So you better grab it before they sell out, because I'm sure they're going to sell like hotcakes.
(01:38):
That's going to be a good one. We'll see. We will see.
Well, Sony is bringing a shutter angle setting to its two more affordable Alpha-branded
CinemaLine cameras, the FX3 and the FX30, with a firmware update.
Now, don't expect it to roll out right away. It'll probably happen later this
year. Yeah, can I explain what a shutter angle is? Sure.
This goes back to the old film cameras, motion picture cameras,
(02:03):
that the shutter was actually spinning disk.
Huh. It was usually open 180 degrees, but you could close that down to make
it a smaller slit, which means you're going to have a less motion blur.
And in fact, Steven Spielberg used that by closing down the variable, the shutter angle.
(02:26):
In Saving Private Ryan in the opening scenes of the D-Day invasion,
they give that kind of staccato effect. Right, right.
So other movies have used it too, but that's what they're talking about. Okay.
So those of you who like using those two models to make movies,
hey, this could get very interesting for you.
Well, we see some photos here. We got Augustine, and I hope I'm pronouncing
(02:52):
this right, Linear, who is a professional photographer in Paris,
recently tested a theory with two pet store rats in a Skinner box.
It was designed by a well-known behaviorist, B.F. Skinner, for those people
in psychology, one of the reasons I dropped out of becoming a psychology major.
Skinner box rewards rats when they press a lever. In this gentleman's experiment,
(03:16):
they were rewarded with a little bit of sugar and a camera that took their photo.
And then they displayed it on the screen for them to see. So essentially,
these rats were taught to take selfies.
So that's all we need now is not only all these people running around with their
selfies, but the local rats running around.
Well, if you're in a big city, don't accidentally drop your phone down a drainage.
(03:43):
You can see those rats running around not with dragging pizza around,
but dragging the phones around.
You dirty rat. Anyway.
Okay. I have to put up with this every day too, folks. Fujifilm.
Most every day. Most every day. A lot. Yep.
Fujifilm will provide GFX 102 and accessories as prizes and support for 10 workshops
(04:10):
during the World Press Photos Global Exhibitions in 2024. Yep.
Cool. Oh, well, a prominent TikToker has thrown their support behind a proposed
Ohio legislation designed to safeguard child influencers from potentially economic
exploitation by their parents.
(04:30):
This new bill recently introduced in the Ohio House speaks to established labor
laws specifically for kid influencers to ensure they're fairly compensated for
their online presence and contributions.
And here in Florida, there's also something else going on where they're trying
to get a bill passed where children under 16 can't even nominate and register.
(04:53):
And with that. The social media. Yes, with that.
In Utah, a high school student, Hannah Zolik, has mounted a challenge against
the state targeting the controversial Social Media Regulation Act set to be
enacted on March 1st of this year.
This act requires social media platforms to verify the ages of users and secure
(05:14):
parental consent for ages under 18.
It also imposes a digital curfew barring minors from accessing these platforms
from 10.30 p.m. to 6.30 a.m. Do they have that many minors in them?
I mean, steel workers and other...
Jim, I'm sure they do. And the one in Florida that Jim referenced earlier would be 16.
(05:40):
I don't know if you'll have to have parental consent because I haven't completely looked at the law.
It's just very controversial right now, and it's on its way to being possibly
passed because it's made it through one house of the Florida legislature,
and they're moving ahead with it.
So they're seeking to— And our governor's now back in the state,
so I'm sure he'll sign it if it can.
(06:02):
You know, it's just one of those things where do we take our kids and because
evidently parents were being thought not to be policing their kids properly,
that suddenly a law will come in to police these kids.
I don't know. I find it kind of odd that this state particular says,
well, parents have the right to say what the kids get in school or in the libraries.
(06:27):
But in this case, no, on social media. And that'll be on our other upcoming
podcast called We Don't Like Politics.
Anyway. Well, cannons. Back to photography. Yes. Flagship camera.
The EOS R1 is assuredly coming out this year.
But there's been very little news seen about the camera.
(06:49):
But Reese's Spec Sleek makes it look like the camera is really meant to blow
Sony and Nikon out of the water.
So we'll see. More to come. We're going to keep on top of this.
Well, if it's a flagship camera, they don't want any problems with it.
So I think they're trying to get every possible bug or hopefully they're testing the heck out of it.
(07:09):
Well, that and as far as what new features that have the Sony and Nikon don't.
But this is a good thing because that will push Sony and Nikon then to try to
up Canon. That's right. And that's why we love this competition.
Competition is good for end users like us. All of us. Whether you're a Sony
or Nikon user or Canon user, Fuji, doesn't matter.
(07:31):
It's good. And we need to see Canon be a little bit more liberal with allowing
third-party lenses for their mirrorless cameras.
They've been kind of selfish about that. Yeah, well, Nikon has done the same thing.
I don't know so much at Sony. I don't know with Sony because I've seen third-party lenses for them.
And you can even use, I think, an Afro-Canon lens.
(07:53):
Don't quote me on it. I believe so. Interesting. I've seen that.
And that's all I got as far as the news. But Trent and I just returned from another trip.
So why don't we go ahead? We decided to go down to southwest Florida.
More specifically, Fort Myers. That area, yeah. We would bring you things to
(08:15):
see and do for photography in that area. So why don't we go ahead and run that?
Music.
(08:41):
Okay, Fred and I just returned from southwest Florida, Fort Myers more specifically.
And the area surrounding.
And the area surrounding. Cape Coral, places like that. Yeah,
so we thought we would bring you some of the things to do in the area for photography.
And throughout this, I think I mentioned specifically that we were in late February.
(09:05):
No, no, this is late January.
Actually, February might be a better time. I'm March, April through probably
May would probably be a better time to go.
But we wanted to check things out. We did want to go down there a little early
because we know that the hurricanes had really done a lot of damage.
I will say their recovery has been amazing.
(09:26):
They are really looking much better.
And, of course, they know tourist trade is a big piece of Florida economy.
So we want to make sure that the people can come down here. Not that Jim and
I revel in that fact because it usually means more traffic and craziness.
But we want to specifically give a warning based upon the traffic because we
(09:48):
got stuck in Sanibel. We were leaving around 330.
We didn't get off the island until almost 5 o'clock. And it was only at 2 1⁄2 miles.
The traffic was going one mile an hour. We basically just sat there.
So 2 1⁄2 hours to go 2 1⁄2 miles. Let me translate that for you.
(10:10):
Jim is basically saying don't leave Sanibel Island between 3 and 6 because that
is a heavy traffic time. And in the morning, it's what about?
Yeah, it's about 8 to 10, something like that.
It's not as bad in the morning, but it's really bad in the afternoon because
you've got people who work there and come back off the island.
(10:32):
The tourists, people that are just traveling back and forth,
people like us who are photographers, all those people a lot of times are leaving
at that time between 3 and 6.
So if you're going to leave there, find a restaurant that's open after 6 and hang out.
And my recommendation, too, is to go in the morning because I think you're going
(10:54):
to get probably more wildlife in the early morning.
Now, Ding Darling doesn't open that specific early.
But if you get there early enough, at least you can go in and cool your heels
in the parking lot or something until.
Stop and see if you, you know, get some breakfast. Yeah.
(11:14):
Have a little quick something to eat and get ready to go. Let's go ahead and rent the piece. Yeah.
Well, one of the places to come in Fort Myers is the Sanibel Island.
And still recovering from the hurricane, a lot of the places here are still
closed. Motel restaurants.
(11:34):
Fortunately, the thing darling, where Fred and I are at right now, is open.
And even though this is, but, Like February?
Not a lot of activity. Not a lot going on at the moment, but this is a place
that you want to put on your list if you happen to be in the Fort Myers area.
(11:57):
Definitely planning coming to Ding Darling.
Entrance fee is $10 per carload, but if you have a National Park Pass,
that will also get you in. And that's any of the National Park Passes.
That's veteran, senior, family, any of those.
You can get in, just show your Park Pass, and you're in. Let's see,
(12:17):
it's a four-mile one-way ride through here. There are some hiking trails.
Also, there's a tram, and I'm not sure what that costs, but if you prefer,
you can take the tram as well.
Now, we don't know if that's running right now. Yeah, I haven't seen it.
There's a ticket booth in there. It does run from time to time,
and one of the things you can do is you can go online and see what's going on.
Right, and there's a visitor center right here, too, which is worth stopping.
(12:40):
And, of course, the hours are 7 to 5.30.
Don't come on Friday because you're going to find it's not open.
So, anyway, yes, this is definitely a place that you want to come right now.
The only thing we're seeing is basically white pelicans and an iguana ran across the road.
(13:01):
But normally there's a lot of shorebirds. We did see some cormets.
We did see a few of the other wading birds. Yeah.
Some shorebirds, and we're also here the wrong time of day.
This is just afternoon, so you're better off early in the morning since it closes at 5.30.
(13:24):
I don't think you can be here for sunset in the summertime.
But definitely want to put this on your list.
Music.
(14:59):
Okay, well, our next stop is a six-mile Cypress Creek Preserve,
and this is kind of in the heart of Fort Myers.
And a beautiful boardwalk here.
Great place that we're recommending for wildlife.
Even if you don't get any wildlife, it's still a pleasant walk.
Very pleasant. There's some plant material and some scenic vistas that you could photograph.
(15:21):
Yeah, we saw a wood duck, a screech owl.
There are different birds. It's going to be seasonal. Yeah, various times a
year that you're going to get probably alligators, a possibility of otters.
Definitely worth a visit. And we recommend coming here to Cypress Creek.
The other photographers that are here, a lot of times, if they've been here
(15:43):
before, they will direct you to some of the cool stuff.
And if it's the first time here, you might want to check out the Interpretive
Center. And I understand that they have, I guess, a guide and numbers on the boardwalk.
So, yeah, definitely put this on your list. Make a stop when you're in the Fort Myers area.
(16:04):
Music.
(17:19):
Well, our final stop in Fort Myers is the Manatee Observing Station,
which is right next to the power plant here.
Now, Fred, why do the manatees come here? Oh, the water's warm. The water is warm.
It's about 80 degrees right now in the water, and that's what they like this
time of year. And it's been a cold year in Florida.
We've had some cold snaps, so they will flock to those warm water areas.
(17:43):
Anywhere you get in Tampa, you get the power plants, they'll come in there.
Of course, they'll come into the river like a crystal river.
And a good place, if you want to see the manatees underwater,
is to go to Homosassa Springs.
Right. Which is quite a ways from Fort Myers. But if you're in the area,
you can see them. This is one of them. And it's close by other venues.
(18:04):
Yeah. And this is a time in the winter.
Summer, they wouldn't be here. They're going to be out in the warmer Gulf water.
So, definitely, Cortmire's, this is another place that you want to add to your
list and come to the Manatee Observing Station.
There's about one about to bite you here. Ow.
(18:26):
They're vegetarians, not a problem. Hey, folks, just remember,
get to these venues early because they get crowded as the day goes on.
It gets to the point where there may not even be parking available.
Yeah, the parking lot is not too large here.
Music.
(19:30):
Well, our final stop, since it's close, is our good old Cape Coral.
And we're, of course, coming to the library here.
I don't know if there's going to be any burrowing owl activity,
but you want to watch some of our previous videos, just go up there and click the link for YouTubers.
Which is a good reason for you to go ahead and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
(19:56):
What you want to basically do is start at the library, You see all these white
stakes is where the owl nests are and just drive in through the neighborhoods.
We're here in late February, probably not the best time of year to get owls.
Probably another month, though, they should start nesting. Yeah,
we'll start seeing them a little bit more active. So March and April probably is the best.
(20:17):
Now, realize too, folks, you're going to be driving through residential,
so be courteous and observant of people who have rights. Yes.
So, you know. Sorry, we had to say no. Somebody's asking if they were in our way.
Yes, they weren't in our way. So anyway, friendly people here.
Yes. And yes, this is a place to come here. Fort Myers, it's very, very close.
(20:43):
Music.
(21:40):
Well, there we go. It was a fun trip. It was an interesting trip. Not very productive.
And throughout the, I think I kept saying late February.
It was actually late January that we were there.
So late February actually would probably be a better time.
And it is height of season, and there are some things.
And also, I think we were both a little curious because that area was damaged
(22:05):
heavily by hurricanes. In fact, Sanibel Island, most of the places there,
restaurants and motels. I wouldn't say most, but a lot, definitely a lot.
And the bridge is still under construction, even though they've made amazing progress.
You can only travel on that bridge at 20 miles an hour, which means it's going
to be a traffic backup either way.
(22:26):
And coming off the island, you've got to time it to go on the island and to come off the island.
Because there are what they call traffic delays, heavy traffic delays. Yeah, a mile an hour.
In the mornings and in the afternoons, I think between like 3 and 6, something like that.
And, well, we want you out there chasing lucid images, whether you're in South
(22:48):
Florida or Albuquerque, wherever the heck you are.
Because any time, I'm sorry, any time you get shirt on. Hey, man.
Jim tried to steal my byline. I did steal your byline. Why don't you take my
byline? Our cameras are small.
And the world is big, so we want you chasing those elusive images because...
(23:10):
Anytime you can get shutter time, it's always a great time.
And with that, we'll see you next time on The Photo Bug.
Do you see why we're going to move to YouTube in April instead of doing this every month?
That's it for this episode of The Photo Bug. Be sure to check out our Facebook page.
And please check out and subscribe to The Photo Bug YouTube channel.
(23:34):
Music.
Music.
(00:27):
Welcome to the Photobug for news, reviews, interviews, and how-tos.
Here are your hosts, Jim and Fred.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of the Photobug. I'm Fred.
I'm Jim. We're glad to see you. Yes, we are. Can we see them?
Sure. They don't know it. We see you.
(00:50):
All right, well. Let's get the news. Let's get the news, yeah.
So, can I start? Sure. All right, I'll start.
Well, you've got $3,500 lying around. Apple's $3,499 plus tax.
Spatial computer with Apple Vision. Apple Vision.
Is now officially available for pre-order. I think it's funny.
(01:12):
It's available for pre-order, which means it's not out yet, but you can order
it ahead of time. Well, it's coming soon. I always did like that.
Orders are shipping on February 2nd, so from the time we're doing this,
it's just a little over a week away.
Groundhog Day. And it'll be available in stores, too, assuming at the stores.
So you better grab it before they sell out, because I'm sure they're going to sell like hotcakes.
(01:38):
That's going to be a good one. We'll see. We will see.
Well, Sony is bringing a shutter angle setting to its two more affordable Alpha-branded
CinemaLine cameras, the FX3 and the FX30, with a firmware update.
Now, don't expect it to roll out right away. It'll probably happen later this
year. Yeah, can I explain what a shutter angle is? Sure.
This goes back to the old film cameras, motion picture cameras,
(02:03):
that the shutter was actually spinning disk.
Huh. It was usually open 180 degrees, but you could close that down to make
it a smaller slit, which means you're going to have a less motion blur.
And in fact, Steven Spielberg used that by closing down the variable, the shutter angle.
(02:26):
In Saving Private Ryan in the opening scenes of the D-Day invasion,
they give that kind of staccato effect. Right, right.
So other movies have used it too, but that's what they're talking about. Okay.
So those of you who like using those two models to make movies,
hey, this could get very interesting for you.
Well, we see some photos here. We got Augustine, and I hope I'm pronouncing
(02:52):
this right, Linear, who is a professional photographer in Paris,
recently tested a theory with two pet store rats in a Skinner box.
It was designed by a well-known behaviorist, B.F. Skinner, for those people
in psychology, one of the reasons I dropped out of becoming a psychology major.
Skinner box rewards rats when they press a lever. In this gentleman's experiment,
(03:16):
they were rewarded with a little bit of sugar and a camera that took their photo.
And then they displayed it on the screen for them to see. So essentially,
these rats were taught to take selfies.
So that's all we need now is not only all these people running around with their
selfies, but the local rats running around.
Well, if you're in a big city, don't accidentally drop your phone down a drainage.
(03:43):
You can see those rats running around not with dragging pizza around,
but dragging the phones around.
You dirty rat. Anyway.
Okay. I have to put up with this every day too, folks. Fujifilm.
Most every day. Most every day. A lot. Yep.
Fujifilm will provide GFX 102 and accessories as prizes and support for 10 workshops
(04:10):
during the World Press Photos Global Exhibitions in 2024. Yep.
Cool. Oh, well, a prominent TikToker has thrown their support behind a proposed
Ohio legislation designed to safeguard child influencers from potentially economic
exploitation by their parents.
(04:30):
This new bill recently introduced in the Ohio House speaks to established labor
laws specifically for kid influencers to ensure they're fairly compensated for
their online presence and contributions.
And here in Florida, there's also something else going on where they're trying
to get a bill passed where children under 16 can't even nominate and register.
(04:53):
And with that. The social media. Yes, with that.
In Utah, a high school student, Hannah Zolik, has mounted a challenge against
the state targeting the controversial Social Media Regulation Act set to be
enacted on March 1st of this year.
This act requires social media platforms to verify the ages of users and secure
(05:14):
parental consent for ages under 18.
It also imposes a digital curfew barring minors from accessing these platforms
from 10.30 p.m. to 6.30 a.m. Do they have that many minors in them?
I mean, steel workers and other...
Jim, I'm sure they do. And the one in Florida that Jim referenced earlier would be 16.
(05:40):
I don't know if you'll have to have parental consent because I haven't completely looked at the law.
It's just very controversial right now, and it's on its way to being possibly
passed because it's made it through one house of the Florida legislature,
and they're moving ahead with it.
So they're seeking to— And our governor's now back in the state,
so I'm sure he'll sign it if it can.
(06:02):
You know, it's just one of those things where do we take our kids and because
evidently parents were being thought not to be policing their kids properly,
that suddenly a law will come in to police these kids.
I don't know. I find it kind of odd that this state particular says,
well, parents have the right to say what the kids get in school or in the libraries.
(06:27):
But in this case, no, on social media. And that'll be on our other upcoming
podcast called We Don't Like Politics.
Anyway. Well, cannons. Back to photography. Yes. Flagship camera.
The EOS R1 is assuredly coming out this year.
But there's been very little news seen about the camera.
(06:49):
But Reese's Spec Sleek makes it look like the camera is really meant to blow
Sony and Nikon out of the water.
So we'll see. More to come. We're going to keep on top of this.
Well, if it's a flagship camera, they don't want any problems with it.
So I think they're trying to get every possible bug or hopefully they're testing the heck out of it.
(07:09):
Well, that and as far as what new features that have the Sony and Nikon don't.
But this is a good thing because that will push Sony and Nikon then to try to
up Canon. That's right. And that's why we love this competition.
Competition is good for end users like us. All of us. Whether you're a Sony
or Nikon user or Canon user, Fuji, doesn't matter.
(07:31):
It's good. And we need to see Canon be a little bit more liberal with allowing
third-party lenses for their mirrorless cameras.
They've been kind of selfish about that. Yeah, well, Nikon has done the same thing.
I don't know so much at Sony. I don't know with Sony because I've seen third-party lenses for them.
And you can even use, I think, an Afro-Canon lens.
(07:53):
Don't quote me on it. I believe so. Interesting. I've seen that.
And that's all I got as far as the news. But Trent and I just returned from another trip.
So why don't we go ahead? We decided to go down to southwest Florida.
More specifically, Fort Myers. That area, yeah. We would bring you things to
(08:15):
see and do for photography in that area. So why don't we go ahead and run that?
Music.
(08:41):
Okay, Fred and I just returned from southwest Florida, Fort Myers more specifically.
And the area surrounding.
And the area surrounding. Cape Coral, places like that. Yeah,
so we thought we would bring you some of the things to do in the area for photography.
And throughout this, I think I mentioned specifically that we were in late February.
(09:05):
No, no, this is late January.
Actually, February might be a better time. I'm March, April through probably
May would probably be a better time to go.
But we wanted to check things out. We did want to go down there a little early
because we know that the hurricanes had really done a lot of damage.
I will say their recovery has been amazing.
(09:26):
They are really looking much better.
And, of course, they know tourist trade is a big piece of Florida economy.
So we want to make sure that the people can come down here. Not that Jim and
I revel in that fact because it usually means more traffic and craziness.
But we want to specifically give a warning based upon the traffic because we
(09:48):
got stuck in Sanibel. We were leaving around 330.
We didn't get off the island until almost 5 o'clock. And it was only at 2 1⁄2 miles.
The traffic was going one mile an hour. We basically just sat there.
So 2 1⁄2 hours to go 2 1⁄2 miles. Let me translate that for you.
(10:10):
Jim is basically saying don't leave Sanibel Island between 3 and 6 because that
is a heavy traffic time. And in the morning, it's what about?
Yeah, it's about 8 to 10, something like that.
It's not as bad in the morning, but it's really bad in the afternoon because
you've got people who work there and come back off the island.
(10:32):
The tourists, people that are just traveling back and forth,
people like us who are photographers, all those people a lot of times are leaving
at that time between 3 and 6.
So if you're going to leave there, find a restaurant that's open after 6 and hang out.
And my recommendation, too, is to go in the morning because I think you're going
(10:54):
to get probably more wildlife in the early morning.
Now, Ding Darling doesn't open that specific early.
But if you get there early enough, at least you can go in and cool your heels
in the parking lot or something until.
Stop and see if you, you know, get some breakfast. Yeah.
(11:14):
Have a little quick something to eat and get ready to go. Let's go ahead and rent the piece. Yeah.
Well, one of the places to come in Fort Myers is the Sanibel Island.
And still recovering from the hurricane, a lot of the places here are still
closed. Motel restaurants.
(11:34):
Fortunately, the thing darling, where Fred and I are at right now, is open.
And even though this is, but, Like February?
Not a lot of activity. Not a lot going on at the moment, but this is a place
that you want to put on your list if you happen to be in the Fort Myers area.
(11:57):
Definitely planning coming to Ding Darling.
Entrance fee is $10 per carload, but if you have a National Park Pass,
that will also get you in. And that's any of the National Park Passes.
That's veteran, senior, family, any of those.
You can get in, just show your Park Pass, and you're in. Let's see,
(12:17):
it's a four-mile one-way ride through here. There are some hiking trails.
Also, there's a tram, and I'm not sure what that costs, but if you prefer,
you can take the tram as well.
Now, we don't know if that's running right now. Yeah, I haven't seen it.
There's a ticket booth in there. It does run from time to time,
and one of the things you can do is you can go online and see what's going on.
Right, and there's a visitor center right here, too, which is worth stopping.
(12:40):
And, of course, the hours are 7 to 5.30.
Don't come on Friday because you're going to find it's not open.
So, anyway, yes, this is definitely a place that you want to come right now.
The only thing we're seeing is basically white pelicans and an iguana ran across the road.
(13:01):
But normally there's a lot of shorebirds. We did see some cormets.
We did see a few of the other wading birds. Yeah.
Some shorebirds, and we're also here the wrong time of day.
This is just afternoon, so you're better off early in the morning since it closes at 5.30.
(13:24):
I don't think you can be here for sunset in the summertime.
But definitely want to put this on your list.
Music.
(14:59):
Okay, well, our next stop is a six-mile Cypress Creek Preserve,
and this is kind of in the heart of Fort Myers.
And a beautiful boardwalk here.
Great place that we're recommending for wildlife.
Even if you don't get any wildlife, it's still a pleasant walk.
Very pleasant. There's some plant material and some scenic vistas that you could photograph.
(15:21):
Yeah, we saw a wood duck, a screech owl.
There are different birds. It's going to be seasonal. Yeah, various times a
year that you're going to get probably alligators, a possibility of otters.
Definitely worth a visit. And we recommend coming here to Cypress Creek.
The other photographers that are here, a lot of times, if they've been here
(15:43):
before, they will direct you to some of the cool stuff.
And if it's the first time here, you might want to check out the Interpretive
Center. And I understand that they have, I guess, a guide and numbers on the boardwalk.
So, yeah, definitely put this on your list. Make a stop when you're in the Fort Myers area.
(16:04):
Music.
(17:19):
Well, our final stop in Fort Myers is the Manatee Observing Station,
which is right next to the power plant here.
Now, Fred, why do the manatees come here? Oh, the water's warm. The water is warm.
It's about 80 degrees right now in the water, and that's what they like this
time of year. And it's been a cold year in Florida.
We've had some cold snaps, so they will flock to those warm water areas.
(17:43):
Anywhere you get in Tampa, you get the power plants, they'll come in there.
Of course, they'll come into the river like a crystal river.
And a good place, if you want to see the manatees underwater,
is to go to Homosassa Springs.
Right. Which is quite a ways from Fort Myers. But if you're in the area,
you can see them. This is one of them. And it's close by other venues.
(18:04):
Yeah. And this is a time in the winter.
Summer, they wouldn't be here. They're going to be out in the warmer Gulf water.
So, definitely, Cortmire's, this is another place that you want to add to your
list and come to the Manatee Observing Station.
There's about one about to bite you here. Ow.
(18:26):
They're vegetarians, not a problem. Hey, folks, just remember,
get to these venues early because they get crowded as the day goes on.
It gets to the point where there may not even be parking available.
Yeah, the parking lot is not too large here.
Music.
(19:30):
Well, our final stop, since it's close, is our good old Cape Coral.
And we're, of course, coming to the library here.
I don't know if there's going to be any burrowing owl activity,
but you want to watch some of our previous videos, just go up there and click the link for YouTubers.
Which is a good reason for you to go ahead and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
(19:56):
What you want to basically do is start at the library, You see all these white
stakes is where the owl nests are and just drive in through the neighborhoods.
We're here in late February, probably not the best time of year to get owls.
Probably another month, though, they should start nesting. Yeah,
we'll start seeing them a little bit more active. So March and April probably is the best.
(20:17):
Now, realize too, folks, you're going to be driving through residential,
so be courteous and observant of people who have rights. Yes.
So, you know. Sorry, we had to say no. Somebody's asking if they were in our way.
Yes, they weren't in our way. So anyway, friendly people here.
Yes. And yes, this is a place to come here. Fort Myers, it's very, very close.
(20:43):
Music.
(21:40):
Well, there we go. It was a fun trip. It was an interesting trip. Not very productive.
And throughout the, I think I kept saying late February.
It was actually late January that we were there.
So late February actually would probably be a better time.
And it is height of season, and there are some things.
And also, I think we were both a little curious because that area was damaged
(22:05):
heavily by hurricanes. In fact, Sanibel Island, most of the places there,
restaurants and motels. I wouldn't say most, but a lot, definitely a lot.
And the bridge is still under construction, even though they've made amazing progress.
You can only travel on that bridge at 20 miles an hour, which means it's going
to be a traffic backup either way.
(22:26):
And coming off the island, you've got to time it to go on the island and to come off the island.
Because there are what they call traffic delays, heavy traffic delays. Yeah, a mile an hour.
In the mornings and in the afternoons, I think between like 3 and 6, something like that.
And, well, we want you out there chasing lucid images, whether you're in South
(22:48):
Florida or Albuquerque, wherever the heck you are.
Because any time, I'm sorry, any time you get shirt on. Hey, man.
Jim tried to steal my byline. I did steal your byline. Why don't you take my
byline? Our cameras are small.
And the world is big, so we want you chasing those elusive images because...
(23:10):
Anytime you can get shutter time, it's always a great time.
And with that, we'll see you next time on The Photo Bug.
Do you see why we're going to move to YouTube in April instead of doing this every month?
That's it for this episode of The Photo Bug. Be sure to check out our Facebook page.
And please check out and subscribe to The Photo Bug YouTube channel.
(23:34):
Music.
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