Top 5 Landscape Photography Locations in Central Florida
In the photographic community, Florida is better known for it’s wildlife when compared to the landscape potential. That said, I am convinced that it is still worth while to pursue landscape photography in Florida because there are still a lot of great places to capture. Living in Central Florida, I have spent a lot of time looking for the best areas to shoot in, specifically for landscape photography so I’ll share some of my favorite locations that I frequently visit to capture landscape images.
Rock Springs
I have to say this location is probably the highlight of the Central Florida area list. It is truly a special place. This is Rocks Springs Run, it is situated in the Kelly Park/Rock Springs Run State Reserve, which covers over 3,000 acres of pristine wilderness.
The water in Rock Springs Run is crystal clear and maintains a constant temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. It is an insanely popular spot for swimming, tubing, and kayaking, and visitors can rent equipment on-site. The run is fed by a natural spring that flows into the run, creating a gentle current that carries visitors downstream. This not-so-hidden gem is so popular they often reach capacity so it is wise to plan ahead. Check out the options on the King's Landing Website to plan your visit. I am fortunate enough to live within 35 minutes of this place, so I will just bring my own kayak for a $10 fee and have access to this beautiful run all day.
My advice for photographing this area:
Make sure you bring a dry bag for you camera, key, phone, etc. A good roll up dry bag can make the difference between a great day and a terrible one. Trust me on this.
Bring your own kayak to save money and guarantee you have a spot. Since the rental equipment is limited, the rental kayaks and paddle boards can sellout weeks in advance of your trip.
Bring food, water, sunscreen, a towel. These should be considered basics if you are doing anything outdoors in Florida.
GET THERE EARLY - This may be the most important tip if you are considering shooting this area for landscape photography. I arrive 30 minutes prior to opening to ensure I am one of the first on the water. There will be large groups of inexperienced kayaker/paddlers swarming this river throughout the day. The only way to get a clean shot is to arrive early and act quickly to get on the river quickly. Since the water is so shallow and cool, and the area is largely shaded, people will post up with their large groups and it will be impossible to take a shot like the one above.
Visit on a weekday. Following the logic of the above bullet, to avoid more crowds try to go on a weekday (and be aware of spring break times).
My technical recommendations for this area:
Leave the tripod at home. No need for long exposures. Just bump your ISO, you will be fine.
Leave the long lens at home. No wildlife to speak of, especially once the droves and hordes of Floridians splash their way through this cut of river.
Bring a circular polarizing filter to reduce the glare on the water so you can emphasize the crystal clarity of the spring.
If you follow my tips on getting there early, it’s good to rush to get on the river, but once there take your time. Pause and study the scene and what you want to capture. There are many, many scenic shots in this short section of the run.
Go on a clear day. Clouds will limit the amount of sunlight, not ideal for this scene.
If you are able to, go when it’s cold out. Seriously. The water will still be 72, and the colder the air is the better the water is going to feel on your skin. Plus, the fog… need I say more??
Overall, Rocks Springs Run is a gem of Central Florida and one that is very well known indeed. The water is always a refreshing 72 degrees and crystal clear. Make sure to plan ahead and get to King’s Landing as soon as early as you can. Follow my tips and I’m sure you will have a great and productive shoot.
2. Econlockhatchee Wilderness Area
Starting out closest to my home, Econlockhatchee Wilderness Area is one of my top go-to places because of the proximity and the variety of landscapes it offers. This area consists of pine flatwoods, live oaks, and the Econlockhatchee river towards the far side of the loop trail. The park is located just mile or two outside of UCF and there is ample parking if you get there early enough, it does tend to fill up on the weekends. There are a few different paths you can take to start the hike, but in general, it is a loop trail with the river being at the furthest point (about 1.5 miles in). During the dry season you can walk along side the river and continue as far as you’d like to although there is no official trail after the power lines. During the wet season the river can flood over and prevent you from being able to cross the power lines.
Between The Pines
A shot from the wet season. This was shot in September 2022 before the flooding in October from the hurricanes. This portion of the trail is about 50 yards away from where the river flows through during the dry season, and in this spot I was already knee deep. It is very hot an humid in the Florida forests during this time of year so the cool water was a nice relief. It was a little unnerving to walk through the black waters, not knowing what is laying underfoot, but it was very quiet and peaceful. I think I’ll do this again next year, but a with a little more confidence in exploring more of the flooded trail.
On the other side of the Econlockhatchee River, just a little down the road, there is another series of trails in Econlockhatchee Sandhills Conservation Area. This area is another great hike near UCF. I hiked this for the first time after the hurricanes in 2022, as it was one of the only trails remaining open with limited damage. This trail may be close to the river, but it must be at a higher elevation since it does not seem to flood during the wet season.
This conservation area protects 1.5 miles of the Econlockhatchee River and its surrounding floodplain and uplands, purchased to enhance the river's protection and add to nearby conservation lands. It contains one of the few remaining natural sandhill communities in eastern Orange County and offers visitors almost 3 miles of trails through sandhills, pine flatwoods, swamp, and the river. Visitors also appreciate the beautiful floodplain swamp found along the river.
Usually if I know there is a chance for a sunrise with lots of color, I’ll try to find a location that has a wide open landscape and a compelling composition. In the image above, there was no way to know if there would be color, as these clouds are relatively low and if there are a lot of low clouds towards the horizon they often block the sunlight from coming through in this way. So by the time I arrived at the parking lot I could see the hints of color, and immediately jumped onto the trail looking for a possible composition. If you’re a landscape photographer, you know how fleeting these low clouds will hold onto this kind of color. So I searched for this composition while the sky was beginning to light up, knowing I’d only get one or two attempts to make a shot at peak color. The challenge is all part of the fun and what I enjoy about landscape photography.
Going north from the UCF area you will begin to see a number of Florida springs. My favorite quick trip was to the Green Springs park. This park is connected via a paved bike trail to a couple other spring systems and it allows you to determine how much you want to hike and see without having to get back in your car. Green Springs is aptly named as you will see, but it is a small spring that is not open to swimming.
3. Green Springs State Park
Green Springs Park in Florida is a unique natural wonder that offers visitors a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The spring water at Green Springs is green in color, due to the abundance of limestone minerals present in the water. This makes the water appear murky or cloudy, but adds to the park's natural beauty and distinct character.
Summer Sunrise
The hiking trails at Green Springs wind through the lush vegetation and along the water's edge, offering a serene and immersive experience in the natural environment. Visitors can observe a variety of wildlife, including birds, turtles, and sometimes even alligators. The trails may not offer sweeping landscape views, but they provide a chance to connect with nature and experience its beauty up close. I didn’t spend as much time in the trails as I would have liked, so I plan on going back to try and capture more of the trails, especially where the spring water trickles through.
It is not a large park, but it is worth a visit if you are looking to find a quiet escape into Florida’s natural landscape.
4. Palm Coast
Further north from Green Springs park, my next frequently visited location is going to be the Palm Coast. If you’re to Google it, just search “Marineland” and you will be able to look at Google Maps and view the rocky coastline from the satellite view. Since hurricane Ian ripped through central Florida, the coastline is damaged, and that includes many of the ramps that had previously provided access to the beach. Most recently, I had not been prepared for this and when I arrived at 6:30 in the morning I discovered the area I used to use was completely closed. So I drove a quarter mile down the road and parked at a nearby reserve and walked to an open beach access path.
The weather this morning was a cold 48 degrees, with steady winds around 30 MPH, if I had to guess. The current was extremely rough and the waves were intense. Since it was also high-tide, the waves crashed against the rocks and created a large amount of seafoam that blew around in the wind. Surprisingly, I was still able to plant my tripod and keep it still enough to come away with some sharp photos, even while doing long-ish exposures. The image captured above is a result of timing and patience. I wanted to get a Sunstar effect but that could only happen if the clouds broke enough to allow the sun to poke through. When it did I took the shot, and then took another shot at a longer exposure to slightly blur the water to show movement.
Palm Coast Rocks
There are endless opportunities for unique and creative compositions when shooting the rocks on the beach. Make sure to check the tides, as this area is best near high tide so that the waves can crash over the rocks.
Pro Tip: Use a clear glass lens filter when shooting beach scenes because of the ocean spray that inevitably accumulates on the front element. When you’re ready to take the shot, simply remove the clear filter and that way you have clean shot. It saves a lot of time post-processing the image since you don’t have to edit out dust spots, and don’t risk losing an image due to too much haze and diffractions.
Landscape photography involves taking chances, especially when it comes to planning a sunrise shot that is an hour and a half away driving. This involves waking up at least 2 hours before sunrise. Obviously not every morning is going to be a spectacular sunrise, but with such a cool scene, it’s easy to still come away with something nice and it is all the better reason to come back and try again.
Washington Oaks Park
A must-see park if you are in the Palm Coast area, Washington Oaks State Park. This park is home to some beautiful live oak trees as well as several trails and access to the Matanzas River where you can see lots of wildlife including birds of prey, dolphins, and manatees. The park is well-maintained and carefully cultivated. Shooting here should be on every Florida landscape photographer’s list.
5. Big Talbot Island State Park
Alright, this last location is going to be a bit of a stretch to fit in the “Central Florida” theme, but seeing as how I live in central Florida and have done the drive here and back in a day I’ll go ahead and share because it is well worth it. This image, Driftwood Sunrise, is taken on driftwood beach, aptly named due to the amount of trees that have accumulated on the beach caused by the naturally eroding shoreline.
Located north of Jacksonville in Big Talbot Island State Park, Driftwood beach is one of the most unique beaches in Florida due to the picturesque driftwood. I had known of this place for years, but never made the trip until last year. To get to the beach, you can park in the established lot and hike the short .5 mile or so down to the beach. Here you are greeted by a arching gateway of driftwood trees that act as a portal that transports you to a beach filled with many, many driftwood trees that provide an endless opportunity for landscape photographers.
Boneyard beach is just down the road and also accessible via a maintained parking lot. There is a trail to get to the beach that is closer to a mile from the parking lot, so be cognizant of that when planning your trip. If you are planning on doing landscape photography, you will want to give yourself enough time to search around for compositions, even if that means searching in the low light of predawn, as I had done. Similar to Driftwood beach, Boneyard beach has a lot of bleached and weathered trees along the shoreline that serve as foreground interest or subjects of many potentially unique compositions.
Central Florida is perhaps not as obviously scenic as other parts of Florida, but there are gems if you know where to look. Hopefully this can serve as a good starting point to those looking for places to explore and photograph. Living in Central Florida is also very convenient because I can make a day trip to almost anywhere in the state, which is great for the wide variety of landscapes Florida has to offer.
