Meet Adrian Henson, our December 2014 #DryTortugas Photo Contest winner. We had the chance to ask him a few questions about his experience at the Dry Tortugas National Park. Read on to learn how he captured his amazing photo!
1. When did you visit the Dry Tortugas National Park? Did you arrive by seaplane, the Yankee Freedom ferry or another way?
My family and I visited in November 2014 for our 4th time in 5 years. We took the ferry over, which is always a great experience.
2. If you arrived by the Yankee Freedom, how was your ferry trip?
The ride was great. It was a bit rough on the way over, but the ferry handles it extremely well so we were fine. The trip back was calm and amazing.
3. How did you capture your winning photo? What inspired you to take it? Did you use any cool camera gear?
I am a professional photographer and usually do portrait work. My trips to Florida are a way for me to get out and do something different than what I do day-to-day. Fort Jefferson in particular is a great place to clear my mind and just shoot for the enjoyment of it all.
This image was taken just before sunrise. I wanted to catch the light from the lighthouse at a time when it would be visible but not be overpowered by the ambient light of day. It is a 13 second exposure, which gave me the soft effect of the water. The camera is a 5d MKIII with a 24-70 f2.8 lens on a Benro carbon fiber tripod. Carbon fiber is nice when working in salt water.
4. What made your trip to the Dry Tortugas memorable?
Every trip there is memorable. We always camp so it becomes quite an adventure. I have two boys ages 16 and 9. This was the first trip out with the youngest and was his first “real” camping trip. He had a great time and even met some new friends when another family arrived on our second day there. Between our two and their 5, it was a blast for the kids. They still stay in touch and are already talking about wanting to go back next year.
5. What do you plan to do with your National Park Annual Pass? Which national park would you like to visit next?
I am already planning a photo trip back to Florida next fall. This will be a working photography trip with just me and a friend of mine who is a landscape photographer. We will visit as many of the National Parks in Florida as we can while there, especially the Everglades. One of my goals for the trip is to blog as much as possible during the trip. It should be quite an adventure.
One of my dreams is to go to Yosemite and Yellowstone, but that is still a few years out. This next trip will help us get some of the bugs worked out before we tackle those places.
