Mark your calendars for our 2023 PhotoCamp on March 3-5.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST FOR ALL THE IMPORTANT DETAILS.

For those who have not experienced PhotoCamp, this is an opportunity to share a weekend with fellow photographs while camping at one of Florida’s state parks. This year we will be camping at the Rainbow Springs State Park’s campground, which is located along the Rainbow River, at a separate location, a few miles from the main headspring and day-use area. (Maps for both are below.)

We have reserved 5 adjacent tent only campsites so the number of campers will be limited. But, if you don’t make it on the list of campers, you can drive up for just the day on Saturday.

If you are camping, you can arrive Friday evening and stay until Sunday morning. The campsite restrictions are as follows: 2 vehicles, 2 tents, and 8 people per site. The sites will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Each campsite has water, electricity, a picnic table, and a fire ring. The parking lot (where extra vehicles and the Saturday-only folks can park) and bathrooms are very close to the campsites. Since there are a limited number of tents, a limited number of vehicles, and a limited number of people allowed per site it is important that you fill out the form below accurately so that our organizers can calculate the logistics as the event fills up. The reserved campsites have been paid for by TBCC.

Amenities include a campground store, showers and restrooms, and laundry. There is access to the river from the campground to fish, swim or paddle. 

Friday

Check-in time on Friday is: 4-6 PM

For those camping, please call Lee Brand for the campground gate code after 3:00 PM on Friday. (His phone # will be emailed to those who sign up only).

Friday night dinner will be at Swampy’s, 19773 E Pennsylvania Ave, Dunnellon, FL 34422. Meeting there at 6:30PM.

Hang out with your fellow early-arriving photographers.

Saturday

We have several activities planned for attendees. This is the currently planned itinerary, however, be aware that any of it is subject to change at any time up until and during the event.

Since the day-use park is separate from the campgrounds, please drive to and arrive at the main gate to the day-use area (map below) on Saturday morning. They open the gate at 8 AM.

There is a $2 per person admission fee for the day-use area unless you have an annual FL State Park Pass. For those who are camping, your campground parking pass will get you into the day-use park for free. This pass will need to be shown when entering the day-use area.

Saturday morning, there will be a photo walk in the area surrounding the headsprings at Rainbow Springs. The trails, many of which are paved, go from the entrance down along the Rainbow River and up the paths that wind through the park that used to be the old Rainbow Springs tourist attraction. There are gardens and waterfalls, as well as views of the Rainbow River to photograph. See some images below.

When we return to the campgrounds around noon, TBCC will host a lunch for attendees at the campsites. All food and drinks for lunch will be provided by the club. Donations of snacks and/or additional drinks will be appreciated, however. Please bring your own food if you have special dietary needs. Also, all food must be packed away in cars as the raccoons are very active.

After lunch, there will be time for campers to set up their camping gear on the campsite if you only arrived that morning.

Over lunch, and for a bit longer if needed, we will have a photography discussion moderated by Robert Rostick. Last year’s was quite enlightening!

There is a launch area at the campgrounds onto the river so you can spend some time on the river kayaking or canoeing. Kayaking and canoeing rentals are available at the camp store. For those interested we will be doing a guided afternoon paddle to the head spring of the Rainbow River.

Around sunset, everyone will gather at our central campfire for a potluck dinner. Everyone who is staying for dinner should bring a food item to share with the group. TBCC will provide paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils for the potluck dinner. There will be options to cook food on the fire, grill, or on camp stoves.

After dinner, any interested attendees can join in some night photography, provided that weather or clouds don’t interfere. For the remainder of the evening, we will enjoy time at the campfire as late as anyone wants to stay up.

Sunday

Check-out time on Sunday is: Noon

PLEASE COMPLETE THE RESERVATION FORM BELOW BEFORE FEBRUARY 17TH:

Please be sure to fill in the form even if you are only coming for Saturday’s events so we have enough food for lunch.

Note: We will close the camping reservations earlier than 2/17 if we reach the maximum capacity for the camping sites.

A Few Images from Photo Camp 2022!

Our next outing will be at Eureka Spring Conservation Park at 10 AM, Saturday, April 23, 2022. This is one of the small county parks that helped me get through the last two years. It is a very, Florida piece of land, that was donated to the county some years ago.

Where

It is located off of Hwy 301 and I-4 in Hillsborough County not far from the Florida State Fair Grounds at 6400 Eureka Springs Rd, Tampa, FL 33610. See the Google Map below.

What to Shoot

This park has some nice gardens, a greenhouse, waterways with water lilies (which don’t bloom until mid-day so the reason for the 10 AM meetup time), a nice boardwalk through a typical Florida forest/wetland, a covered bridge, gazebo, and visitor center with restrooms and a classroom!

You can shoot macro, flower close-ups and this is a great place for infrared and a wide-angle lens as there are some old oaks trees with resurrection ferns growing on them. Spring is the best time for infrared as all those new green leaves will be extra white!

The waterlilies are not close so a longer macro lens (100mm or more) is best.

What Else to Bring

Bring a hat, bug spray, sunscreen (although most of the park is pretty shady), and something to drink (it will be getting warmer). There is a single picnic table next to and through the Visitor Center so we will meet there. There is a $2.00 fee per vehicle/driver and $1.00 for each additional person in the vehicle unless you have a Hillsborough County Parks annual pass.

For about 15 minutes I will be talking about the park and letting you know where everything is and then we will foray out to see what we can find! If you arrive late, please text me and I will let you know where we are. We should be done in about 2 hours or so.

Why Attend

Since we are not having meetings in person, this is the next best thing….to me even better because we are getting to do some photography while we get to spend some time together!

Hope to see you at Eureka Springs Park!

Lynn W.

Mark your calendars for our 2022 PhotoCamp on February 4-6.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST FOR ALL THE IMPORTANT DETAILS.

For those who have not experienced PhotoCamp, this is an opportunity to share a weekend with fellow photographs while camping at one of Florida’s state parks. This year we will be camping at the Rainbow Springs State Park’s campground, which is located along the Rainbow River, at a separate location, a few miles from the main headspring and day-use area.

We have reserved 5 adjacent campsites so the number of campers will be limited. BUT if you don’t make it on the list of campers, you can drive up for just the day on Saturday.

If you are camping, you can arrive Friday evening and stay until Sunday morning. The campsite restrictions are as follows: 2 vehicles, 2 tents, and 8 people per site. The sites will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Each campsite has water, electricity, a picnic table, and a fire ring. The parking lot (where extra vehicles and the Saturday only folks can park) and bathrooms are very close to the campsites. Since there are a limited number of tents, a limited number of vehicles, and a limited number of people allowed per site it is important that you fill out the form below accurately so that our organizers can calculate the logistics as the event fills up. The reserved campsites have been paid for by TBCC.

Amenities include a campground store, showers and restrooms, and laundry. There is access to the river from the campground to fish, swim or paddle. 

Friday

Check-in time on Friday is: 4-6 PM

Hang out with your fellow early-arriving photographers.

Saturday

We have several activities planned for attendees. This is the currently planned itinerary, however, be aware that any of it is subject to change at any time up until and during the event.

Since the day-use park is separate from the campgrounds, everyone needs to drive to and arrive at the main gate to the day-use area (map below) no later than 7:45am on Saturday morning, earlier is better. This park has a limit on the number of daily admissions. Starting at 8 AM, once the parking lot fills up, they close the gate. No others are allowed in. So we must arrive early and consolidate into as few vehicles as possible.

There is a $2 per person admission fee for the day-use area unless you have an annual FL State Park Pass.

Saturday morning, there will be a photo hike in the area surrounding the headsprings at Rainbow Springs. The trails, many of which are paved, go from the entrance down along the Rainbow River and up the paths that wind through the park that used to be the old Rainbow Springs tourist attraction. There are gardens and waterfalls, as well as views of the Rainbow River to photograph. See some images below.

When we return to the campgrounds, TBCC will host a lunch for attendees at the campsites. All food and drinks for lunch will be provided by the club. Donations of snacks and/or additional drinks will be appreciated, however. Please bring your own food if you have special dietary needs. Also, all food must be packed away in cars as the raccoons are very active.

After lunch, there will be time for campers to set up their camping gear on the campsite if you only arrived that morning.

There is a launch area at the campgrounds onto the river so you can spend some time on the river kayaking or canoeing.

In the afternoon, we will have a short photography presentation by Robert.

Around sunset, everyone will gather at our central campfire for a potluck dinner. Everyone who is staying for dinner should bring a food item to share with the group. TBCC will provide paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils for the pot luck dinner. There will be options to cook food on the fire or on camp stoves.

After dinner, any interested attendees can join in some night photography, provided that clouds don’t interfere. For the remainder of the evening, we will enjoy time at the campfire as late as anyone wants to stay up.

Sunday

Check out time on Sunday is: 10 AM

PLEASE COMPLETE THE RESERVATION FORM AT THIS LINK BEFORE JANUARY 25TH:

https://forms.gle/fJbE3uX5qBVXvBcc7

Please be sure to fill in the form even if you are only coming for Saturday’s events so we have enough food for lunch.

Note: We will close the form earlier than 1/25 if we reach the maximum capacity for the camping sites.

MAP FOR CAMPGROUNDS ONLY

MAP FOR RAINBOW SPRINGS STATE PARK – DAY-USE PARK – NOTE THE ENTRANCE GATE IS ON HWY 41