Take me to the Keys

Tezos NFT Photography Collection by Lauren McDonagh-Pereira

The Florida Keys is a magical place. The glimmering water, the dazzling sunsets, and the abundant wildlife make any trip worth the journey. All photographs were taken, edited, and curated by Lauren McDonagh-Pereira.

I have visited several times, and I was inspired to curate my favorite shots into an NFT photography collection on the Tezos blockchain.

Links in this post lead to NFT platforms to purchase the photograph as an NFT, links to my Printify shop to purchase the art as a print, or to Amazon. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Show ME THE PAST

Fort Jefferson is a 19th century American military base on an island in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a beautiful brick structure, surrounded by crystal blue water.

It is located in Dry Tortugas National Park. You must first travel to Key West, Florida. From there, you can either take a ferry or a seaplane to the island.

In 2016, I made the trip with my husband, and my mother-in-law. We spent a wonderful day exploring the fort and snorkeling in the waters around it.

February 16, 2016 – Nikon D5100 ƒ/8 1/1600 52mm ISO640

Swim With Me

The Florida Keys offers abundant spots to snorkel or scuba dive. From Bahia Honda State Park, you can join a snorkel trip that takes adventurers out to the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary. While snorkeling at the sanctuary on past trips, I have seen sharks, sea turtles, matra rays, and lots of fish.

December 28, 2016 – Olympus Tough TG-1 ƒ/2.8 1/400 4.5mm ISO100

Follow ME TO THE SEA

On the island of Marathon, in the Florida Keys, there is a delightful public beach called Sombrero Beach. It is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon watching shore birds, swimming in the warm water, and watching the horizon for manatee sightings. The Florida Keys are an excellent spot to go birding.

February 15, 2016 – Nikon D5200 ƒ/5.6 1/1000 200mm ISO160

Stay With ME Until the End

Key Colony Beach is a small community located on the Island of Marathon in the Florida Keys. Every night, at sunset, residents and visitors gather on the beach to watch the sun set into the Gulf of Mexico, as they join together in song.

My husband and I have joined in for at least one night during each of our trips to the Florida Keys. The view is beautiful and the community spirit is wholesome.

February 19, 2018 – Nikon D7200 ƒ/16 1/30 10mm ISO200

Let ME REST

This was shot with my very first DSLR, when I was only 4 months into taking photography for art’s sake seriously. This pelican was the first pelican I had ever seen in my life on my very first trip to the Florida Keys. I was in my third year of university, and my future in-laws took me on their family vacation with them. It was the first time that I felt truly part of the family.

This pelican was enjoying his view of the ocean as twilight set in over a dock in Key West. The backlit glow of his feathers and the sparkle of the water caught my eye. I was still very early in developing my photographer’s eye, but I instinctively felt that this was a shot worth taking. I hope you enjoy it too.

December 28, 2008 – Nikon D40 ƒ/7.1 1/200 55mm ISO200

Dazzle Me With Your Light

Mallory Square in Key West, Florida, USA is a wonderful place to watch the sunset. Street performers entertain tourists, beachy souvenirs are sold, and people sip tropical drinks on restaurant patios as they watch relaxed vacationers wander by. It’s the perfect Beach Boy vibe vacation spot.

December 28, 2016 – Nikon D7200 ƒ/18 1/250 72mm ISO500

Watch Me Shine

During the winter of 2016, I traveled to the Keys with my husband and his family to escape the harsh Massachusetts winter for a few days. We made our pilgrimage to Key West one night to see the sights and watch the sunset. The sunset was a gorgeous one, and I was struck by a street performer finishing up his act, standing above a crowd of cheering people.

February 16, 2016 – Nikon D5100 ƒ/8 1/40 200mm ISO640

Jellyfish

On February 10, 2023, I went down to Sombrero Beach in Marathon, Florida to shoot the sunrise.

I brought my macro lens to shoot seashells, but I instead found a beached Portuguese man-o-war jellyfish.

I have decided to donate this piece to #TezQuakeAid to raise relief funds for victims of the Turkey/Syria earthquake of February 2023.

One of the two NFT artists who inspired me to get into macro photography was directly personally impacted by the disaster. It seemed right to donate a macro piece to the cause.

February 10, 2023 – Nikon Z50 ƒ/16 1/200 mm ISO1000

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MEET Lauren McDonagh-Pereira

Lauren McDonagh-Pereira is a photographer from Massachusetts, USA. She captures the beauty of the world around her, favoring Nikon cameras and lenses. She is drawn to shooting landscapes, wildlife, nature, and people authentically enjoying life.

Tweet me @LAMPphotography