Notes from the Field
Red Fox on Mount Rainier
This past week I was on personal business in Washington State - Seattle to be exact - and unfortunately did not have time allotted for photography. I was on a tight schedule, and didn't feel like dragging my gear from the Southeast to the Northwest if I wasn't going...
A Quick Trip into the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area
A couple of days ago, I was in Western South Carolina for personal reasons and took advantage of my location while I was there to go up to the northern part of the state to do a little nature photography. Time was short, but I had a feeling that being springtime - I...
“Native Orchids of Florida” Book is Now Available!
After years of talking about it, planning it, traveling around the state of Florida shooting for it – I am please to announce that my first book, “Native Orchids of Florida” by Rich Leighton is now published and available. http://vimeo.com/21130778
Song Sparrow
The one most beautiful things about being a nature photographer is that you will always be the student. No matter how many years you spend in the field and how many field guides you memorize and scientific papers you read – every day in the field is a constant reminder of just how much you don’t know! That will always make everyday an adventure!
Florida Native Orchid: Green Adder’s-Mouth
The green adder's-mouth orchid (Malaxis unifolia) is one of those species that does and will continue to elude the best of the orchid hunters. Not only is it quite rare across the state of Florida, but it is one of the most easily overlooked. Found primarily in North...
‘Shrooms!
Sometimes a bolt of inspiration comes out of left-field. A couple of months ago, I saw a few gorgeous images of mushrooms that someone made (I didn't catch the photographer's name or I would mention it here) while browsing the web, and the images kind of stuck in my...
Foggy Dawn and the Burning Sun
Yesterday morning I went to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on Florida’s Gulf Coast and started to realize as I got closer to the water that the fog was really going to be too thick to get the types of landscape shots I was after. As I entered the refuge, I couldn’t see the road ahead of me, and decided to just wait for the sun to come up and see what happens. It’s a tactic I’ve used before with several very surprising outcomes. This early morning was no exception……
My Photo was Picked for the 2011 National Audubon Society Calendar!!!!!!!
I realize this post is VERY late in getting out, but due to our oldest son starting preschool this year and bringing home the plague, I've been suffering for most of the winter with a whole host of kiddie germs and hadn't had the time to post this until right now....
Sandwich Tern!
Sandwich Tern! Recently I was in Lido Key, Florida - a popular tourist destination in the Sarasota area when I had some down time in my travels around my home state to visit South Lido Beach. As soon as I got out of my car, I noticed a tern on the sand near where I...
Into the Blue
As a native Floridian, some of the most mysterious and interesting places I could ever think of visiting and photographing are those beautiful and scenic places in the mountains. Essentially living on a land as flat as a pancake - mountains seem like an alien...
A Moment in the Great Smoky Mountains
One thing that is usually true for every holiday is certain places are always bound to be devoid of people. There is nothing worse than waiting and waiting for the sun to reach a certain point over an incredible landscape just until that magic moment, some tourist walks out and completely ruins the moment when the shutter is being squeezed.
Touchdown
Some of you have been wondering where I have been lately.... since this economy turned sour this past couple of years, I've been shooting a lot of weddings and portraits just to stay in business as a professional photographer - as well as taking on a lot of side...