Florida Country Magazine runs a “Picture Perfect” contest on
Facebook every other month, for each issue of the magazine.
‘MOMENTS IN TIME’
“I’ve been doing photography for many years. I love animals but I
love seeing animals and children interact more than anything. I
would do photographs of this nature only if I could. Photography has been
a passion of mine since I was a child. There’s nothing quite like capturing
a moment in time we can never get back—but we can print it and savor
it for many years to come. Cottondale, Florida’s Amy Justice caught her image at the family farm using a Nikon Z7.
‘SO GRATEFUL’ “Photography is my way to slow down the constant motion and changes in life, quiet my mind, capture the light, show appreciation and connect with moments we can never get back. The fleeting turtle tracks and a one-of-a-kind sunrise is just another example of the peace and serenity I have found off (SR) A1A. It has been nothing short of a dream come true and I am so grateful for every day. Palm Coast, Florida’s Heather K. Hoyt snapped her photo at Flagler Beach using a Nikon D7200 with a Tamron lens.
‘SO SMOOTH!’ “This is what I like to call my photo art. I turn my photos into a painting style and this young lady sure stole the show with her beauty and beautiful horse and how they seemed to dance together so perfectly, so smooth! Renae DeVine of Green Cove Springs shot her amazing image at the Jacksonvillle Equestrian Center with a Canon Rebel T7i.
‘BOOTY WIGGLER!’ “T his is Iggy, the first (of four) Sulcata tortoises that I have taken in as a rescue. He’s roughly 11 years old. He loves a juicy melon and shell scratches—he wiggles his booty! I love photographing my animals, wildlife and all
my outdoor adventures! It’s kind of like a picture book of not only my life but giving others a glimpse of the great outdoors that I love so much! Lakeland’s Marlo K. Alleva captured her portrait at home on an iPhone 13.
‘IZZY AND ARIA’ “This picture was taken for Easter. I’m getting pictures of my daughter Aria for each holiday so I can send them to my family in Germany. The dog in the picture is Izzy Moonbow and she was a new addition to our small family. LaBelle’s Sylvia Vincent submitted this portrait taken at Koreshan State Park in Estero, Florida.
‘BEAUTIFUL BOBCAT’ “Photography has allowed me to see nature in a whole new perspective and it excites me to be able to showcase how I see the world through my lens. Once in a while something magical appears in the marsh like this beautiful bobcat kitten. I was fortunate enough to see this magnificent animal perched in a tree right when the sun was rising as I was walking on a trail. It was just me and the bobcat. Amber Favorite of Winter Garden snapped her photo with a Sony Alpha 1 at the Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland, Florida.
‘SPECIAL MEMORIES’ “Photography plays such a special part in our lives, to preserve moments that pass by entirely too quickly. With kids, they change so fast—it’s hard to blink without them growing. I can still play back in my mind the live version of playing with my son Maverick in this field as he had just learned to walk about a month prior. Riverview’s Kara Peterson shot this image at the Three Sons Farm in Dover, Florida, using a Sony a7 III.
‘DARK TO LIGHT’ “I took this photo during the pandemic. It was a dark time for many of us and I wanted to capture the hope of the sunrise, which is often associated with new beginnings. My passion for photography really helped me get through 2020. It began with entering a 4-H contest but has become a much bigger part of my life. I love how photography allows me to express myself. And I have fun doing it. Jacksonville’s Katherine Ross snapped her image at St. Augustine Beach, Florida, using a Canon 70D.
‘R.I.P. ADEL’ “This photo has pictured my personal horses and mini horse. The order from left to right is Thunderbird, Adel, Jolene and Fishy. This photo is really special to me because these are some of my best friends. My horse Adel, which is the sorrel horse in the middle, passed away this year in March. He’s the center of the picture, my angel. Fishy, which is the mini pony, just makes this photo even sweeter because he always needs to be included! Vero Beach’s Lily Bates took her family portrait with a Canon Rebel. The scene is a barn in West Vero Beach, Florida.
‘PRECIOUS MEMORIES’ “The photo was taken the first day of Florida lobster mini season. Cody, a certified scuba diver, also found this snapper and used a spear gun to get it out of a hole while he was looking for lobster. Cody helped his group of 10 get their lobster limit both days. Photography saves precious memories—someday they will be all you have left. Venice’s Nikki Duyn caught her cool image in the Florida Keys with a Google Pixel 6 smartphone.
