Which Heron Do You Pick?
*Black-Crowned Night heron = Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
✅ Strength: Masters the art of nocturnal hunting, silently stalking prey under the cover of darkness
❌ Weakness: Definitely not a morning bird, grumpy and sluggish before sunrise
Green Heron
✅ Strength: Ingenious and clever, often using tools like bait to catch fish
❌ Weakness: Small and sneaky, easily overlooked by bigger birds
Great Blue Heron
✅ Strength: Patient and precise, a great hunter that stands perfectly still for long periods
❌ Weakness: So still that it might be mistaken for a garden statue
Tricolored Heron
✅ Strength: Agile and quick, perfect at catching small fish with graceful moves
❌ Weakness: A little too flashy, sometimes outshining the other birds
Little Blue Heron
✅ Strength: Stunningly beautiful with its vibrant plumage, captivating everyone it encounters
❌ Weakness: A bit of a diva, striking a pose and stealing the spotlight from other birds
Let me know in the comments which one you’d pick ⤵️
This year has truly been a dream come true as I joined Conservation Florida’s team. Over the past couple of years, my passion for wildlife, nature, and conservation has only grown, and having the chance to contribute officially is truly fulfilling. It’s more than just a role. It’s a journey that aligns perfectly with my passion for nature, wildlife, and conservation 🩵🌿
In this carousel, you’ll get a glimpse of some of the projects and events I’ve worked on, the wildlife we’ve encountered on conserved lands, and a couple of behind-the-scenes moments 📷
Twenty slides aren’t enough to show all the work Conservation Florida does. All of the animals you see here get to keep their home, now and for generations to come 🐾
I’m incredibly grateful to be part of the storytelling and the mission, helping share these important conservation stories 💚
Here’s to 2026. I can’t wait to keep this journey going and see what’s next. Happy New Year, and thank you all for being part of it ✨
In 2025, I had the pleasure of continually exploring and capturing the diverse wildlife of Wild Florida. From witnessing the rare and special moment of seeing wild flamingos 🦩 and photographing my first bobcat to spotting a variety of owls 🦉and seeing hundreds of gators 🐊 and gopher tortoises 🐢, it’s been a year full of unforgettable moments. And the stunning sunrises and sunsets only added more magic to it all🌅 I can’t wait to show you more of Wild Florida in 2026! 📸
This isn’t something I usually share, but I thought it would be fun to show you some before and afters 👀
Most of my photos actually start off a little underexposed, that’s just how I tend to shoot. Then in editing I’ll brighten things up, mask my subject, and bring the colors back so the subject stands out more and the image feels more alive ✨
I’ve always loved this part of the process, it’s where the photo starts to match what I saw in my head. I kind of see it as art 🎨
Shot with @sonyalpha + Sigma 100-400 & Sony 200-600mm
Curious what you think… should I share more of these?
#wildlifephotography #wildlifephotographer #sony #sonyalpha
A morning in the wetlands 💧🐊🪶
Gators in mating season🐊, babies everywhere🐣,purple martins nesting🐦⬛, nesting Wood Storks everywhere, and one very determined duck momma protecting her babies🦆🐥🐥🐥
Most of this was filmed on my flimsy tripod (still), so it’s not the smoothest. I tried tracking and it didn’t always work. I almost deleted these clips
But this is part of the process. Practice. Showing up.
I had to mute the audio because of people talking nearby, so just take it in for what it is 🌿
What better way to spend Earth Day than in the Florida scrub, watching Florida scrub-jays and gopher tortoises 🐢🪶🩵
These wild spaces aren’t just for us to visit, they’re home for them. And it’s a reminder that Earth Day shouldn’t just be one day, it’s something we carry with us every day 🌎
As a photographer and conservationist, my purpose is to show the beauty of wild Florida as it really is. To capture these moments, and share what’s worth protecting.
More than anything, I hope it encourages you to go outside and experience it for yourself.
We can all do something, big or small, to protect these places. Whether it’s reducing waste, choosing local, or supporting brands that give back, it all adds up. That’s why I choose to support brands like @freehandgoods . Their work is rooted in Florida, with designs inspired by the landscapes and creatures that make this state what it is. When buy you from Freehand Goods, you help save Wild Florida 🩵
Earth Day is every day, not just one moment 🌎
#earthday #floridanature
Prickly pear cactus are blooming right now across Florida 🌼🌵
You’ll usually find them in dry, sandy places, coastal dunes, scrub, and open areas where other plants struggle to survive. They’re built for it. Thick pads store water, and those spines help protect them from being eaten too quickly.
But they’re not just surviving out there, they’re supporting a lot of life.
Their flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators 🐝🐜🪲, and later in the season, the fruit becomes food for animals like birds, raccoons, and even gopher tortoises 🐢 The pads can also be an important food source for gopher tortoises, especially in dry habitats where other vegetation is limited.
In Florida scrub, prickly pear plays a role in the system that Florida scrub jays depend on. They rely on open, sandy habitats with low-growing vegetation, and plants like prickly pear help make up that landscape, providing structure, cover, and supporting the insects and food sources they rely on.
There’s a whole system here, even if it doesn’t look like it at first.
If you’re out hiking, keep an eye out. The first time I noticed one, I started seeing them everywhere after that! 🌵
What’s something in nature you didn’t notice at first, but now you see everywhere? And as always, which photo do you like most?
I usually focus on photos, but I’ve been experimenting more with video lately. That said, the fast-paced, trending reels format just isn’t for me. I am not sure how/ where I will post my videos. Yesterday, I filmed some Florida Scrub Jays and some other wildlife, and I was almost going to let them just sit on my hard drive, but I’m sharing them anyway, even if they’re not perfect. I’m still learning camera settings, color grading, editing and story telling etc. and part of these steps is making mistakes. The mistake I made yesterday was not having a good audio recording setup. The wind was so loud that the sound was unusable, so I had to mute it and add music. But these steps are all part of getting where I want to be.
Let me know if this is something you’d like to see more of in the comments ⤵️
And for the wildlife photographers / videographers out there,what tripod setup are you using? I’m currently working with a pretty heavy tripod and a basic fluid head, but I’m looking for something more lightweight and portable that can still handle a zoomed-in 200–600mm without picking up every tiny movement 🔭
I love photographing so many different parts of nature 📷💚
From Florida wildlife and conservation stories to small creatures, textures and little details that are easy to miss 🌱
It all matters to me 🌿
What would you like to see more of?
