Beaches and Coasts

Lakes and Rivers

Forests

Inland

Everglades

Panoramas

Black and White

Florida is world-renowned for its beautiful landscapes. With over 1350 miles of coastline from the Atlantic Ocean to the Florida Keys to the northern Gulf of Mexico, there are an incredible number of unique and beautiful habitats, especially in the Florida Everglades. We also have thousands of islands, lakes and rivers (many of those are spring-fed) and of course our unique forest habitats from Central and Northern Florida down to our oak and scrub pinelands. The following galleries have a little bit of everything that the best of Sunshine State landscapes have to offer.

Brushfoots

Gossamer Wings

Swallowtails

Skippers

Sulphurs and Whites

Moths

Did you know that Florida is home to over 1,320 species of butterflies and moths? That number is still growing with careful and painstaking research, more new species are being discovered all the time!

Anhingas, Cormorants

Birds of Prey

Carrion Birds

Coots, Rails

Cranes, Limpkins

Ducks, Geese

Egrets, Herons

Gulls, Terns

Shorebirds

Songbirds

Spoonbills, Storks

Woodpeckers

When it comes to birds, the Sunshine State is fantastically rich in species diversity. The geography of Florida’s Peninsula creates a natural migratory route for millions of birds each year as they head south over the Caribbean towards Central and South America (and back). While some species are found all around the world, we are lucky to have 196 species of birds that live and breed in Florida.

Deer

Pigs

Rabbits and Hares

Manatees

Squirrels

Raccoons

Armadillos

We mammals have come a long way since the time of the dinosaurs. Since those times, we’ve conquered the land, sea and air. Florida has at least 99 species of mammals living, breeding and thriving today.

Crustaceans

Dragonflies

Grasshoppers, Locusts

Spiders

Snails, Mollusks

Other Invertebrates

96% of all currently living animal lifeforms alive today are invertebrates. Included are all the insects, arachnids, worms, crabs, shellfish, starfish, corals, and more! One thing they all have in common? No backbone.

Alligators, Crocodiles

Lizards

Snakes

Turtles, Tortoises

Long before the first dinosaur walked the earth, reptiles ruled the world. 65 million years after the last dinosaur drew its final breath, North America’s modern crocodiles, alligators, snakes, lizards, and turtles and tortoises are still keeping our Florida natural history alive!

Tree Frogs

Toads

Did you know the word “amphibian” means “two lives”? All amphibians start their lives in the underwater, but after they go through a series of metamorphosis stages to adulthood, most trade gills for lungs and live the rest of their lives out of the water. Florida is home to 33 native and non-native species of frogs and toads, and many more species of salamanders, newts and sirens!

Arethuseae

Calypsoeae

Cranichideae

Cymbidieae

Epidendreae

Malaxideae

Maxillarieae

Neottieae

Orchideae

Pogoniinae

Polystachyeae

Triphoreae

Vandeae

Vanilleae

One of the largest families in the plant kingdom with nearly 28 thousand species around the globe, orchids are also one of the most popular and most sought-after flowering plants in history. In Victorian times, entire foreign expeditions were sent around the world at great personal risk led by fearless (and often ruthless) orchid hunters to acquire the next new unknown exotic species from the most distant corner of the Earth. Luckily for us, Florida is rich with unique native species found nowhere else in the world!

Wildflowers by Color

Wildflowers by Family

By far our largest collection of galleries, these wildflower image sets are arranged by both color and by taxonomic family for use as a casual identification tool or field guide, or for more thorough scientific research for deeper understanding.

Pitcher Plants

Venus Flytraps

Bladderworts

Butterworts

Sundews

Sometimes called insectivorous plants, these amazing plants have adapted to a life in places where the soil is so poor in nutrients, that they’ve gained the ability to grow by trapping their food with modified leaves. By taking root in a harsh habitat, they have eliminated most of their competition from other plants.

Bromeliads

Mushrooms

Plants

Saprophytes

This last and final collection of galleries include all the non-wildflower images such as our native trees, ferns, palms, fruits and berries, cacti, saprophytes, mosses, bromeliads and more!
The Most Beautiful Sunset in the Muck

The Most Beautiful Sunset in the Muck

May 17, 2011

Sometimes we photographers slip up and don’t find the very best spot to get our best sunset shot. Sometimes it’s a new area and location or we don’t know the lay of the land, sometimes we get distracted shooting other subjects and get so absorbed in what we are doing...

“Native Orchids of Florida” Book is Now Available!

“Native Orchids of Florida” Book is Now Available!

Mar 17, 2011

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

Song Sparrow

Feb 23, 2011

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

Florida Native Orchid: Green Adder’s-Mouth

Feb 15, 2011

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!

‘Shrooms!

Feb 9, 2011

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

Foggy Dawn and the Burning Sun

Jan 31, 2011

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……

Sandwich Tern!

Sandwich Tern!

Jan 3, 2011

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...

Touchdown

Touchdown

Nov 1, 2010

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...

The Golden Hour on Siesta Key – Snowy Egret

The Golden Hour on Siesta Key – Snowy Egret

Oct 19, 2010

Last week I was doing my usual rounds along Florida's Gulf Coast when late afternoon found me on South Lido Beach in the Sarasota area. Not quite tourist season, I thought it might be a good time to look for local wildlife along the surf. This snowy egret and I spent...

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