Key West Trip Report

Sometimes being in the military has its upside. This last spring I was sent to our facility in "Key West for two weeks. I usually select a region that has a more mountainous terrain. The highest point on Key West is only 14 feet above sea level at Ernest Hemingway’s house. But it was still the tropics and it was free, besides having to go to work every day. I used to go to Key West every summer with my Fraternity Brothers to help Irish Kevin celebrate the anniversary of his bar’s opening and to pay Jimmy Buffett’s Margaretville a visit. I went to Key West with aspirations of getting some incredible images on Duval Street. We’ll, that did not quite happen. There is a rule on all Microsotck websites that say you cannot have someone’s corporate logo in any of your images. Nearly every square foot of Duval Street had a business name on it. Well, I did find some other areas of interest. Let’s start at the Key West Warf.

There were marketing signs everywhere, but not to the extent of what was on Duval Street. I had to focus on details and not landscapes. As I walked around, I found a few pieces of inspiration.

I also visited several times in the evening, but lighting was just not working for me to post anything. So what to do when the shooting is not turning out as well as you had hoped? I highly recommend the Oyster Rockefeller at the Half Shell Raw Bar.

I also spent some time at sea. Many years ago, a friend of mine and I pretended that we were married, sat through the time share show and tell, and then claimed our free sunset booze cruise tickets. Hey, we were college kids. Anyway, I found them to be great ways of getting the most incredible sunset pictures imaginable. This was my first time in Key West with a digital camera. Nothing beats the image I took many years ago of two water spouts with a point and shot camera, but the images were fun to get anyhow. Take along your camera case or a zip lock bag. Salt water is very bad for your digital camera. Keep it covered while not in use. Also, wipe it down with a damp cloth after returning to shore and clean your lenses. Don't forget to explore the side streets for the hidden treasures of Key West.