Florida Sea Turtles

The following images are from a personal project I've been working on about Florida Sea Turtles. Turtle nesting numbers are down, WAY down for loggerheads especially in the area where I live now. Many beaches are more "turtle friendly" than they used to be as far as lighting goes, but there are still a lot of factors that make a hatchlings chance of survival tough. Some suggest only 1% make it. I'll have some firm numbers of how bad the season was around October. I think I may continue the project through next nesting season looking at other obstacles facing these very cool critters. Not really sure what I will do with the finished product, I'll try to publish of course, just not sure where yet. Open to suggestions. You can see more images at http://www.branamanphotography.com/gallery.html , then click on the next page link. This is the first of hopefully many projects I'll be working on under the working title of Endangered America. -james

GI Bill

A quick portrait from a recent freelance gig for The Army Times about options after serving including the GI Bill

GatorEye

This big gator is at Sawgrass Park, about 15 min. or so drive from my house in St. Petersburg. She's been hanging out in the same area just under the boardwalk through the swamp for at least a week, others at the park say she's nesting. Tell my mother not to worry, this was taken with a telephoto and teleconverter so I wasn't nearly as close as it seems. It's very cool she's so close for those like me that appreciate how spectacular she is, but not very cool how she's treated by others. In the photo below you can see some of the garbage in the water right next to her. Although i didn't see anyone throw this stuff in (a couple water bottles, a McDonalds cup, an ink pen, and a pair, yes both, of flip flops are floating near her), I would guess these were thrown in near her to see a reaction or check if she's real. We were at the park a few days earlier and this trash was not there. I guess they didn't think of sitting still for a whole five minutes to see her nostrils move when she breathes or to watch how her eyes seem to flatten into her massive head when she closes them. I'd guess she's mybe 7 or 8 ft. long.

McGator

Testing, 1,2,3,4....

Click on the image to view video of Jules and I paddling through a mangrove tunnel. Cross your fingers, this is a test with the whole video thing, better quality will eventually come along, this is just a test.

Big Muddy

The following images are from another story I worked on while in the Mississippi Delta as part of the American Diversity Project. Tagged along with a river guide as he took a group on a canoe trip on the Mississippi river. Big Muddy is no exaggeration, it was like paddling through chocolate milk. Floating a small boat down the Mississippi is one of those things I've always thought I'd love to do but never thought I would get the chance. Very cool experiece.

Yellowbird

American Diversity Project

more from the American Diversity Project

T-Model Ford

Had the pleasure of hanging out with 86-year-old bluesman T-Model Ford while in Mississippi as part of the American Diversity Project, documenting life in the Mississippi Delta. I just showed up on his front porch and he gave us our own private concert while I shot some portraits. Very cool cat. The website is still being updated as of May 21, but check out the work so far, it's pretty amazing. http://www.americandiversityproject.org

A trip to Mote Aquarium

A trip to Mote Aquarium, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

A very cool Sea turtle at Mote Aquarium

deathOn50thAnn.1.jpg

deathOn50thAnn.1.jpg, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

Betty Bish is reflected in a photograph of her late husband Harold Bish at her home in Lutz. Bish's husband died on the night of their 50th wedding anniversary party at age 76. Photo by James Branaman for St. Petersburg Times

deathOn50thAnn.2.jpg

deathOn50thAnn.2.jpg, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

"...To describe our union, it would be togetherness," says Betty Bish as she pauses and holds a pendant containing ashes of her husband Harold. Bish's husband died on the night of their 50th wedding anniversary party.Photo by James Branaman for St. Petersburg Times

TP_261022_FREE_TAMPAPREP_1.jpg

TP_261022_FREE_TAMPAPREP_1.jpg, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

by James Branaman TampaPrep1&2 for St. Petersburg Times

TP_261022_FREE_TAMPAPREP_2.jpg

TP_261022_FREE_TAMPAPREP_2.jpg, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

by James Branaman TampaPrep1&2 for St. Petersburg Times

Southeast4.jpg

Southeast4.jpg, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

by James Branaman

for The Herald

headstand...unvoluntary

headstand...unvoluntary, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

ouch. high school wrestling

Photo by James Branaman for St. Petersburg Times

kickball

kickball, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

gotta love a bunch of adults playing kickball. Even

better when the lights go out and they just keep

playing... Photo by James Branaman for the St.

Petersburg Times

St.Pete2.jpg

St.Pete2.jpg, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

neighbors continued...

neighbors continued..., originally uploaded by jbranaman.

An ant crawls across a flower in my backyard... this

has potential, I'll try again later

another neighbor

another neighbor, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

So I just posted a picture of my dolphin neighbor, so

here's a couple other neighbors, from my backyard....

my neighbor

my neighbor, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

Here's a picture of one of my neighbors who lives

about 3 blocks away.... in Tampa Bay. Jules, Brady and

I walk a couple blocks down to the water and half the

time the dolphins swim right under your feet while

you're sitting on the sea wall. We've kayaked with

them as well, but I usually don't take the good cam

with me. I just ordered a new waterproof digital

though, so hopefully those pics will be coming soon.

Epiphany

Epiphany, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

These are from a really cool Greek Orthodox

celebration held every year in Tarpon Springs in which

the youth compete to see who can retrieve a cross

tossed into the waters of the bayou.

Epiphany2

Epiphany2, originally uploaded by jbranaman.

been a while...

been a while..., originally uploaded by jbranaman.

OK so I got called out on not posting for a LONG time,

so I'm going to put up a few pics I've shot over the

last month or so and I hope to post more often.