Interview with Photographer Paul Strauss

The Photography of Paul Strauss

by Jeff Glenn, North Florida Trail Program Manager

Paul Strauss came to Florida more than thirty-five years ago to pursue an environmental science degree at the Florida Institute of Technology. He soon fell in love with the Old Florida known to those adventurers who seek it out in places like the Florida Trail, or those who read about in the novels of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings or Patrick Smith. His passion for the outdoors, however, started in his home state of Pennsylvania, growing up in the country an hour north of Philadelphia. Coinciding with a love for the outdoors was an early affinity towards photography. In his parents’ basement, he built a darkroom so he could develop and practice his black and white photography while taking classes on the subject as a highschooler. In the mid-1990s when digital photography came to the mass market, Paul was a very early adopter and has been a huge proponent ever since. This ‘revolution’ as he calls it happened concurrently with his career development in the environmental field and rekindled his passion for nature photography, with an emphasis on botanical subjects. Botany was a subject he studied in college and because of this, wildflowers and butterflies often came under the camera lens. Currently, Paul serves as the Director of the Environmental and Conservation Services Department for the Palm Beach County School District. Paul’s team oversees the environmental compliance of over 180,000 students. His department runs the largest school gardening program in the state and it is also one of the premier programs

Juvenile Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis).... "Don't be fooled by this juvenile alligator's cute looks—alligators mature quickly, growing up to 14 inches per year", Paul says.

of its kind nationwide. There are over 110 schools in Palm Beach County with gardening programs. These can be vegetable gardens, but more often than not, they are native plant gardens. His office oversees the design of these gardens and adheres to guidelines for which native plants are allowed. This knowledge and care for native plants is evident in his photography. His interest in nature photography has a very strong tie to the Florida Trail. At least once a week for the past five years, Paul finds his way to the trail. Living in the southeast portion of the state, he frequents sections

“IF YOU WANT TO SEE WILD FLORIDA, IF YOU WANT TO REALLY SEE WHAT FLORIDA IS ALL ABOUT, IF YOU WANT TO GET AWAY FROM THE STEREOTYPE, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DIG IN TO WHAT THIS STATE HAS TO OFFER, THERE’S NO BETTER WAY OF DOING IT THEN GETTING ON A SEGMENT OF THE FLORIDA TRAIL.”

White-Tailed Deer are one of Paul's frequent companions while hiking the trail.

between Orlando and the Everglades. He is a member of the Tropical Trekkers chapter and regularly attends chapter meetups as well as past FTA conferences and festivals.

What is going through your mind and how are you feeling when you’re photographing? Are you trying to capture your subjects in any certain way? For me, nature photography is not a means-to-an-end. I'm interested in the experience, not snapping photographs. I draw inspiration from the live oak cathedrals of central Florida and Marjorie Stoneman Douglas' River of Grass in Florida's Everglades. I rarely plan a day of photography around a specific plant or animal. I'm much more interested in visiting beautiful places and letting events unfold in front of me. At my best, I am recording a moment in time that captivates, inspires, or illuminates. At my best, I am sharing my love for Florida; rural Florida, and perhaps in doing so I'm shining a spotlight on our peninsula's incredible natural beauty. My camera follows along on my adventures, it does not lead them. Like a diary, it records the special experiences and perspective of someone that is eager to explore, and has a deep reverence for nature's beauty, drama and spirit.

23 The Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly (Phoebis sennae) is one of Florida's most colorful butterflies, it's name is derived from Greek mythology: Apollo's sister: Phoebe. 24 Sunrise over the Kissimmee Prairie. The magic of morning fog and live oak trees. Dry-Prairie, one of Florida's most unique natural habitats; home to a litany of rare plants & animals including our most imperiled bird species, the Grasshopper Sparrow. 26 Scrub Jay are a communal bird species, highly social with very-close family ties. They are Florida's only endemic bird species and their numbers have been declining due to habitat loss.

27 Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is a silent stalker, with a bill that resembles a dagger, they are equally skilled night & day hunters thanks to specialized eyes.

PHOTOS

I'm a big believer in continuing education, I'm a life-long learner with a passion for books & reading....but, I'm much more interested in composition, and setting than I am in the technical-side of photography. It's important to understand the basics, and to keep-up with technological advancements in photography; however, I'm not trying to create the "perfect" image; therefore, I choose not to rely on a lot of digital image manipulation and computer wizardry. If I'm at all successful, it's being able to present a compelling scene or image. To offer a perspective that is engaging and thoughtful. How do you pick your shots, or do they pick you and do you use a particular setup, like blinds or stands? I prefer to engage in nature, and generally do not use blinds or calls; however, sometimes patience is truly rewarded in nature photography. I sometimes force myself to sit-down and let events transpire around me. I love hiking, so I'm constantly on the move while photographing. A hike of 10 miles on any given Saturday is not unusual for me with more in the winter, when the weather is conducive, and less in the middle of Florida's hot & humid wet season. Hiking while picture-taking may be my preferred method. However, it's very important to emphasize that long hikes are not a prerequisite for capturing compelling images. In fact, some of my best shots have been taken within a few steps of the parking-lot. I'm not a professional photographer, I make my living another way; therefore, since my time outdoors is limited, I always need to balance my desire to visit beautiful places with the time available. Is there a particular story you want to share about capturing a shot that you think readers would find captivating or humorous? I've had so many great outdoor adventures over the years, and some truly unforgettable experiences, enough to fill a book. I've been pummeled by incredibly powerful summer thunderstorms, miles & miles from shelter, stuck kneedeep in marsh mud, with a gator or two sunning themselves along the nearest shoreline; there's nothing like the sight of a 10ft Florida gator to get you moving! I've broken my camera equipment in every way imaginable, and gotten my truck stuck in sugar-sand more than a few times. I've been so lucky to view sunrises & sunsets that are so colorful, vivid, and beautiful, they simply defy description, and are impossible to capture in a photographic image. By far, my most memorable experiences have involved Florida wildlife. I once stumbled upon a white-tailed deer fawn bedded down in a Treasure Coast pine flatwoods, at the foot of a slash-pine tree. Mama was nowhere to be seen, and it was clear that I was the 1st human-being the fawn had ever encountered, just a few days old. I froze immediately, and the fawn struggled to its feet, knees knocking like wind chimes. Ever so slowly the fawn approached me, wet nose glistening in the morning sun. I slowly raised my camera up to my eye and took photographs for 5 minutes or so, no sense of fear in the fawn's eyes or movements, just curiosity. I was so overcome by the moment and the experience, that I let my camera slip to the pine-needles below my feet, knelt-down, and nervously reached-out my wobbly hand. The fawn's warm breath engulfing my fingertips. It was a connection to the natural world that few individuals are fortunate to experience, it generates such a deep sense of reverence, humility, and awe. I lost all sense of time, but I must have lingered for half an hour or so, completely & utterly captivated by this indelible moment, it was difficult to leave; there was electricity in the air. It's a feeling and a morning that has lingered with me for many years. As a side business, Paul began selling some of his photos at the gift shop at his local state park as well as entering his work into photography contests, some of them national, where he has done quite well. This has encouraged the idea of taking up full time photography once he retires from his career in the school district. Paul’s happy place is being out in the middle of nowhere, where the only sounds you hear come from nature. When asked what advice he has for aspiring photographers, Paul says, “Photography is better practiced at a slow pace. Be observant and patient and let things develop in front of you.”