appealnow Loc: Dallas, Texas

I am heading to the Galapagos Islands next week. On the return, I am going to rent a car in Miami and drive to the Keys.

I have a Nikon D5300 and plan to take my 18-300 mm. F/3.5-6.3 as well as a 35 mm. F1/8 lens. I am also investigating buying a waterproof camera. I would appreciate any tips you guys have regarding both places. I understand Key West is famous for spectacular sunsets and particularly would appreciate suggestions about photographing the sunsets.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Mallory Square is the place to go for Key West sunsets.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Galapagos to the Florida Keys? Talk about extremes.

Larz

Never been to Galapagos, used to live in Key West. Best tip is to bring your walking shoes. You get sunrises and sunsets over water all within walking distance. Walk the streets that parallel Duval, as well as cross streets. There are cool photo opportunities virtually everywhere. Try to get to the lighthouse and the beaches as well as It. Zackory Taylor. The Bight (harbor) in the early morning is beautiful and as mentioned, Mallory Sq. Also, the drive from Miami has thousands of spots just off US One. Key Deer on Big Pine as well. In KW, you can take the trolly and see virtually everything as well as the new Duval Loop bus. Have fun and let me know if you need more specifics.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Unless there is a big cruise ship docked there blocking the sunset! We encountered that one time.Not that we couldn't walk elsewhere - fortunately we had time.

Larz

[quote=sb]Unless there is a big cruise ship docked there blocking the sunset! We encountered that one time.Not that we couldn't walk elsewhere - fortunately we had time.[/quote

That's puzzling. Local ordinance requires cruise ships to be gone from the Mallory Sq. Docks by sunset.

capmike Loc: New Bern, NC

Went to the Galapagos last year. If you’re even thinking of going snorkeling, get a waterproof camera. I brought my TG 4, worked great.

IHH61 Loc: Homestead Fl

Rather than driving straight to Key West stop in Homestead for a day and do the Everglades

IHH61 Loc: Homestead Fl

stlevine

Consider taking a sunset cruise on a tall ship in Key West. The ship’s masts and lines and sails make for great foreground objects. I still have one of those I shot in late 1986 hanging on my wall.

mainshipper Loc: Hernando, Florida

Mallory Square in the SW corner near the Catman show to get an unobstructed shot over the water. If you can get to the roof top of the La Concha Hotel that is also a good spot. I would not worry about a cruise ship blocking your view as they don't allow it in the area I mentioned. I go every year in April and have a condo just around the corner from that spot. Use a tripod and a long lens and get there early.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Depending on your budget, we took one of the sunset cruises each of the several times we were there. Two were the best and they were shear luck. The best was a Catamaran Charter on a "privete" Luxery charter. There were 5 or 6 couples on a luxery charter cat that probably slept 10-14. We all set in the cockpit to start and then got out on the deck and trampoline when we got to the west side of the island. This cruise started out from the luxery Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa (probably the highest end hotel on the island but we were just passing through and not staying). We left from the dock and sailed around the south end of the island and got the sunset along with great shots of all of the other "sunset cruisers" some of which were very large cats with stadium seats. Once it was over, our charger let us off in Malory Square shortly after dark. This cruise was about the same price or maybe a little more than the others but included shrimp cocktail, snacks, soft drinks, beer, and mixed drinks and a great view.
The other was on a twin mast schooner that spends winters in Key West then returns to Cape Cod or somewhere up north in the spring/summer. It too was a great trip though there were about 30 or 40 people on board. They served soft drinks (beverages in cans) and some snacks (as I remember). Some of my shots of that cruise ended up on the cover and in one of the Nikon Magazines.
My point is that if you want a cruise, don't just settle for the boats that take people out like cattle on a barge. We asked at the ticket vender booths for options and the guy was very helpful. He was especially helpful when we started to leave after he gave us the "easy, everybody takes, options" without buying.. Then he said, well I have this one....... and it was perfect.

Larz

Sadly, the LaConcha has been sold and I've heard they no longer let the public on the top.

mainshipper Loc: Hernando, Florida

I had heard something along those lines as well but had not checked it out.

bweber Loc: Newton, MA

I took this at Mallory Square. Wait for it and the great shots will come.