UWOL #63 "My Florida Retirement" by Roger Van Duyn

[Roger Van Duyn]

Here's the comments and feedback thread. I was glad to be able to submit an entry this time. If you're interested in the place I filmed, there's a link in my signature with more videos from there. My first visit to the Circle B Bar Reserve was in November 2021 and I started taking stills. Occasionally I'd film a clip with the DSLR. In January I started experimenting with one of my JVC HM170U camcorders I'd used in my video business, which had no outdoor work since about 2017. Most of my jobs involved a lot of microphones, wireless and cabled, audio mixers and sound recorders, external monitor, occasionally lighting, strict following of legal procedures, so outdoors was a big change. Though at times, lawyers can get about as aggressive as some of the alligators I've seen.

Gradually, I started carrying less gear and more water. It's a lot different than filming depostions, expert witness testimony, and medical exams was. I've been learning how to find and approach all the animals out at CBBR. It's fun! It's restorative! Getting outdoors, hiking, seeing stimulating sights and hearing the sounds is very healthy. I hope and plan to enter future UWOL events.

[Trond Saetre]

Roger, it is an advantage to have a link to your film in your feedback thread, so here it is.

UWOL63 My Florida Retirement by Roger Van Duyn on Vimeo

[Roger Van Duyn]

Thanks Trond!

[Phil Murray]

I imagine most of us are going to say the same thing -- we wanted to see more! (I subscribed to your channel as I saw lots of gator videos and am looking forward to seeing more of your work as it's especially interesting to me.)

I lived along the Texas coast for the past three years before moving to South America and alligators were everywhere so I got to spend a lot of time observing and filming them. I 've always liked reptiles so it was a lot of fun. Now I get to film an occasional caiman down here.

Seeing gators as active as the pair in your video was, sadly, very rare so it was cool to see them walking in your video.

[Bob Safay]

Two alligators in two hours. That was great. I haven't seen that except at the Oceefenocee swamp. Those were some big guys. I drive through Lakewood a couple of times a year and will definitely check this place out. Welcome to UWOL, and I hope to see more of your videos in the future. Oh, you are right about those lawyers. Bob

[Trond Saetre]

First of all, a big warm welcome to UWOL!

Alligators are exotic to me, so it was really cool that you were able to film them. I wish your film was longer.

It would have been nice with some wide shots of the area, to give the audience an idea of how it is there, and then the close up shots of the alligators crossing the road.

Nice to see you in front of the camera too.

I look forward to see more of your films!

[Roger Van Duyn]

Originally Posted by Phil Murray

I imagine most of us are going to say the same thing -- we wanted to see more! (I subscribed to your channel as I saw lots of gator videos and am looking forward to seeing more of your work as it's especially interesting to me.)

I lived along the Texas coast for the past three years before moving to South America and alligators were everywhere so I got to spend a lot of time observing and filming them. I 've always liked reptiles so it was a lot of fun. Now I get to film an occasional caiman down here.

Seeing gators as active as the pair in your video was, sadly, very rare so it was cool to see them walking in your video.

Hi Phil. There's a lot of activity at the Circle B Bar Nature Reserve of the alligators and lot's of other creatures too, all packed into less than 1200 acres just a few miles from my home. Metaphorically speaking, it's like I've found that Fountain of Youth that Ponce' De Leon searched Florida for! I used to love to wander the woods as a child and now I finally get to do it again.

The gear I'm using is a pair of small sensor camcorders left over from what I didn't donate after closing my business down, plus an old Nikon DSLR I picked up at a pawn shop about ten years ago. I did buy a couple of decent lenses though. I did decide to keep a handful of decent microphones. They helped the day I caught some alligators bellowing. I'd heard them before when I was younger out on the lakes fishing, but this spring was the first time I ever saw them and happened to have the camcorder, shotgun microphone, and tripod with remote zoom/focus controller attached to the tripod handle. Nothing beats being in the right place at the right time except for being there and being ready.

I've been sorting clips and photos. As time allows, I'll make some longer videos. I'm still working on a foundation of how I want to build my "hobby" and not turn it into "work" meaning work as a chore, not work that is play! There were times in the past I got paid for work that was play, but most of the work I got paid for was tedious instead of fun.

I've run into some very talented local nature photographers that sometimes shoot a little video out in the reserve, made some friends, and starting to share some tips. That's like what I'm after here in the forum, although virtually. Due to financial constraints, most of my interest is learning techniques, although I do still have a soft spot for the technology.

[Roger Van Duyn]

Originally Posted by Trond Saetre

First of all, a big warm welcome to UWOL!

Alligators are exotic to me, so it was really cool that you were able to film them. I wish your film was longer.

It would have been nice with some wide shots of the area, to give the audience an idea of how it is there, and then the close up shots of the alligators crossing the road.

Nice to see you in front of the camera too.

I look forward to see more of your films!

Hi Trond. I was trying to stay within the Post Card concept. It was all done the same day. I saw the two gator crossings, and decided to stop in front of the sign at the end of the trail to shot a brief intro and then submit. Lighting was wrong, but I somehow thought the deadline was a month ago! So I turned it in. Oh well. Now that I'm retired, I guess what we call senior moments are allowed.

I have a lot of material and have thought about doing an overview of the nature reserve, but that's been done quite a bit by some others in the area. For now, I've been doing some short topical videos I've put on my channel. Been stashing photos on my Google Photos page, stuff like that. Various types of birds, baby alligators, baby birds. Still feeling my way. Like I mentioned previously, I hardly did any nature video or photography at all before last November. Just trips to the zoo, little vacations, when my son was little.

[Roger Van Duyn]

Originally Posted by Bob Safay

Two alligators in two hours. That was great. I haven't seen that except at the Oceefenocee swamp. Those were some big guys. I drive through Lakewood a couple of times a year and will definitely check this place out. Welcome to UWOL, and I hope to see more of your videos in the future. Oh, you are right about those lawyers. Bob

Hi Bob,

It's worth visiting. Look me up when you come! Though I've had several days I've witnessed two or more gator crossings, only one time was I able to film two. They happen unpredictably most of the time. I do have a couple of videos on my channel where I was able to set up ahead of time and catch a crossing.

Most crossings I've just gotten photos.

[Geir Inge]

Hi Roger.
Somewhat short, but still a great virtual postcard.
I have not seen alligators, as we do not have such animals in Norway,
but I have seen crocodiles in the zoo.
The soundtrack is good, with natural sounds along with your VO.
Thanks for sharing your experience filming alligators.
I will retire in two years and hope to have more time for nature and wilderness experiences.