Manatee Photography Workshop, Crystal River Florida
Photograph manatees in the clear water of Central Florida's freshwater springs with host and photographer Gregory Sweeney. Workshop guests will enjoy a private boat from which to snorkel and we work at the manatee's pace: slow and patient, sometimes staying in the shallow water all day if conditions are good. Guests will learn techniques to anticipate and capture behaviors and how to enhance their images with post processing techniques. We will also snorkel the breathtaking Rainbow River and take time to photograph local birds. Limited to 7 guests only.
Is this trip right for me?
This trip is ideal for adults who want extended encounters with manatees; far longer than those offered by the morning tour boats. This excellent opportunity to see manatees is enjoyed by both photographers who want great images and wildlife lovers who just can't get enough manatees and the Florida springs. Guests should be comfortable being outside in varying weather conditions and on a boat or in the water all day. Because we are dealing with nature guests must have a patient attitude, adventurous personality, and respect for the wildlife during their encounters. Guests will return with new understanding for the lives and conservation challenges of manatees and treasure this fleeing chance to be with them in their natural habitat.
Notes
The water in the springs and Rainbow River is a constant 72' F. It is colder when mixed with the bay water. The daily weather is typically sunny and warms to temperatures comfortable for being outside in shorts and t-shirts. The weather can be windy and cloudy in which case it will be colder during the day. Nights can cool to just above frost temperature if a cold front is present.
Rules for engaging with manatees in and around the protected areas are will established and strictly enforced. Guests are expected to comply with them. Fish and Wildlife will fine anyone not following the rules. Guests will be asked to sign a participation agreement.
There is no scuba permitted in one of the protected springs, but the other has a small cave where scuba may be interesting. Rainbow River is a wonderful scuba or snorkel.
The Fish and Wildlife Service reserves the right to close manatee sanctuaries to visitors should the area experience extreme and unusual cold.
We will have a small tender boat available for guests that need to return to the hotel ahead of the group.
Some of the days we may stay on the water all day. Guests should have warm wetsuits and protection from wind, cold, and sun while on the boat such as fleece jackets, wind breakers, hats, swim towel, and sun protection.
Travel Planning
Guests should arrange to arrive to Tampa (TPA) or Orlando (MCO) as these are the closest airports. The ride to Crystal River takes about 1 hour. We would like guests to arrive in by late afternoon so we can give the orientation and have equipment ready for a morning departure on the boat the next day.
We can recommend a taxi service to Crystal River from Tampa. We will do our best to coordinate sharing of taxis with other guests. Rental cars are available at the airports.
Hotel rooms have refrigerators and a free breakfast. Some mornings we may leave before the breakfast. Guests may bring food on the boat
Serenity with Manatees 2012
Our week with the manatees was graced with beautiful weather, good water conditions, lots of manatees, and a great group of guests. Their skills ranged from beginning photographers, accomplished photographers new to underwater, to veteran divers and underwater photographers. Everyone returned with wonderful images and once in a lifetime memories.
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Steven Rosenfeld snaps a shot |
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Jyl Vestal follows her subject |
As underwater photography goes, this trip was very relaxing. Thick wetsuits were recommended due to the amount of time spent in the 72' water. We would arrive at the boat each morning after sunrise and make the slow idle speed trek to the springs. On the way we would spot several manatees swimming between springs. Our pontoon boat gave us plenty of room to suit up and relax on breaks from being in the water. Each night we ventured out into the town for a nice meal and good conversation.
The drift down the Rainbow River was a fun and unusual experience for everyone. The spring fed waters are absolutely clear and every detail of the "river of grass" and aquatic life is easy to see in the bright water.
Patience and time is the best formula for getting great pictures of manatees in the springs. Our long days on the water gave us the luxury of taking our time and waiting for the manatees and the great opportunities. We would witness the change in water clarity as the tide flowed and how the manatees reacted to the other swimmers in the water. Being in the springs is a joy itself as the azure blue water and white sand bottom is breathtakingly beautiful and the whole tree-ringed spring has an oasis feeling. What a wonderful place to be on a sunny afternoon.
Certain times of the day the manatees would become active and seek out interaction. We had chances to photograph courting behavior as well as rolling and asking attention from the human visitors. One afternoon we found ourselves alone in the springs with many manatees engaging with us and the sun shining into the clear water. Other manatees floated in mid water in a Zen like state adding to the dreamlike scene. This was the magic moment we will all remember from this trip.
Conservation was never far from our minds as we engaged with manatees according to the rules. Several times one of our group or another swimmer would spot a manatee with a concerning injury or odd behavior which was reported to the Manatee Watch and Fish and Wildlife personnel. Many officials were on hand to make sure the manatees are not stressed or bothered by the presence of the photographers and swimmers. No bad behavior is tolerated.
Photographing Manatees
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A manatee sound asleep on the bottom |
Manatees perform a swimming ballet |
Photographing manatees does not require the use of strobes: if the water is dark it is usually also stirred up and the strobes will only highlight the dirty water. When the water is clear, the light comes through nicely and reflects onto the underside of the animal off the white sand. Manatees are mostly near the surface which helps the lighting conditions. The best action or interaction shots come in between pauses for a 10 minute sleep so it is best to move around to catch the best light, an active animal, or check and experiment with your settings while waiting for the next burst of action. Manatees can also be quite funny and give you some unexpected and humorous shots.
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This manatee has found a new technique for a lazy way to breath while asleep |
A manatee rolls with pleasure after a rub |
During our learning sessions, we discussed using Lightroom for organizing photos and helping with the import, culling, rating and keywording, organizing, and resizing of photos. I also demonstrated the powerful nondestructive editing tools in Lightroom and when you might want to use Photoshop for access to more highly advanced tools.
