The indexBy monthCentral Florida
What to photograph in February
36 subjects are in season in February. 2 open this month, 2 close at the end of it and 20 happen only in February. The new moon falls on the 6th, so the dark-sky nights cluster around it — give or take a day, since that comes from a mean lunar month.
Only in February
- Daytona 500
- Gasparilla Knight Parade (night)
- Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival
- Mount Dora Arts Festival
- Silver Spurs Rodeo
- Gasparilla Distance Classic
- Gasparilla Music Festival
- Florida State Fair
- Florida Strawberry Festival
- Central Florida Fair
- Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros
- Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Anaheim Ducks
- Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
- Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Philadelphia Phillies
- RuPaul's Drag Race - Orlando
- Come Swing with Me
- Morning at the Zoo
- Honky Tonk Angels
- Luenell
- Disney's Finding Nemo, Jr. - DeLand
At its best
- Manatee aggregations — Three Sisters Springs
- Manatee aggregations — Blue Spring run
- Roseate spoonbills in breeding plumage
- Daytona 500
- Gasparilla Knight Parade (night)
- Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival
- Mount Dora Arts Festival
- Silver Spurs Rodeo
- Gasparilla Distance Classic
- Gasparilla Music Festival
- Florida State Fair
- Florida Strawberry Festival
- Central Florida Fair
- Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros
- Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Anaheim Ducks
- Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
- Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Philadelphia Phillies
- RuPaul's Drag Race - Orlando
- Come Swing with Me
- Morning at the Zoo
- Honky Tonk Angels
- Luenell
- Disney's Finding Nemo, Jr. - DeLand
In season in February
36 subjects in Feb, soonest first · open one to see what fires it
On now
Conditions are met, or the season is open. Go this week.
5
John Robert McPherson · CC0 1.0Negative low tides — Gulf sandbar fieldsAnclote Key / Caladesi / Shell Key · 70 min · drone yesIn seasonnowFires when predicted low ≤ -0.2 ft within 90 min of golden hour
Braided-water abstracts from altitude. Boat access; the light window is too short to paddle.
allan Reid · CC0Winter shorebirds & white pelicansFort De Soto Park · 75 min · drone noIn seasonnowFires when in season; Fort De Soto north beach lagoon at low tide
Low tide is the whole appointment. The lagoon empties, the birds concentrate, and two hours later there is nothing to photograph.
David Emmanuel · CC0Bald eagle nesting seasonLakeland area nests · 15 min · drone noIn seasonnowFires when in season; Lakeland has among the densest urban eagle populations
FWC 660-ft nest buffer applies to drones and people alike.
NASA · CC0 1.0Cape Canaveral launches (night launches favored)Titusville causeways / Rotary Riverfront Park · 105 min · drone noIn seasonnowFires when LL2 status Go; commit only at the T-24h recheck (40% of night dates slip)
Night ascents = long-exposure streaks; dawn/dusk = jellyfish plumes. Celestial print demand rides every launch.
In the next few weeks
Close enough to protect a date and book the time off.
5
Sonny SideUp · CC BY 2.0Supermoon rises over the Tampa skylineBallast Point / Riverwalk sightlines · 45 min · drone check TPA gridOct 25in 3 weeksFires when full moon ≥ 360,000 km perigee from the celestial feed; azimuth aligned with a skyline sightline
Next Sun, Oct 25 — the full moon. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
The size is the least of it. The picture is the moon against something built, which needs a sightline scouted in advance and a long lens from a long way back.
Nonbinary-Naturalist · CC0Manatee aggregations — Blue Spring runBlue Spring State Park, Orange City · 75 min · drone noNovseason opensFires when 2+ consecutive nights ≤ 48F; verify count via webcam before driving
Daily posted counts + live webcams = the only pre-drive-verifiable wildlife subject in the region. Park hits capacity by 9-10a after cold snaps.
Nonbinary-Naturalist · CC0Manatee aggregations — Three Sisters SpringsCrystal River NWR · 75 min · drone noNovseason opensFires when 2+ consecutive nights ≤ 48F (NWS forecast)
Season is Nov 15 - Mar 31. Boardwalk needs no permit; refuge prohibits drones. Peak is the 1-3 days during/after a hard cold snap.
Jérémy Capelle · CC0Comb-jelly bioluminescenceIndian River Lagoon · 95 min · drone noNovseason opensFires when new moon ±5 days
A colder, sparser glow than the dinoflagellate bloom — points rather than a sheet, and it wants a far longer exposure for far less light.
Nonbinary-Naturalist · CC0Manatees — TECO viewing center outfallApollo Beach · 45 min · drone noNovseason opensFires when same cold-snap trigger; open Nov 1 - Apr 15
Closest aggregation — the low-commitment cold-morning option.
Later this season
Worth knowing now so the gear and the drive are ready.
16
Openverse contributor · CC0 1.0Frost on the groves (rare)Polk County groves · 20 min · drone yesDecseason opensFires when forecast lows ≤ 32F — happens a handful of mornings a decade this far south
A handful of mornings a year, announced by the forecast the night before. The whole subject is being willing to get up on short notice.
Pstark1 · CC BY-SA 4.0Radiation fog — Lake Mirror, Circle B, grovesLakeland lakes district · 10 min · drone check LAL gridDecseason opensFires when first clear calm morning after a cold front; dew point spread < 3F at dawn
Signature near-zero-drive condition. Pairs with the same front that fires the manatee aggregations a day earlier.
Florida paddler · CC BY-SA 4.0Peak spring clarity — Rainbow, Silver, Weeki WacheeRainbow River, Dunnellon · 85 min · drone permitDecseason opensFires when low discharge AND low turbidity after dry spells (USGS gauges)
Clarity is a dry-spell artefact and it collapses within a day of real rain upstream, so this is a window you take when it opens rather than one you plan.
Leonel Richard · CC0Roseate spoonbills in breeding plumageOrlando Wetlands Park, Christmas · 70 min · drone noJanseason opensFires when in season; confirm activity via eBird hotspot
Free boardwalk with eye-level rookery sightlines — the region's highest print-value bird subject.
the venue, not this eventOrlandoThings.com · CC BY-SA 4.0Central Florida FairOrlando · 55 min · drone check the venueFebseason opensFires when annual
the venue, not this eventMr. William Folsom, NOAA, NMFS, · Public domainCortez Commercial Fishing FestivalCortez fishing village · 75 min · drone check the venueFebseason opensFires when third weekend of February
A working waterfront that still works — nets, boats and the people who use them, in one of the last commercial fishing villages on this coast.
Miriam S. Gallet · Public domainDaytona 500Daytona International Speedway · 110 min · drone check the venueFebseason opensFires when mid-late February
Afternoon light on high banking, and the biggest crowd of the year to work.
joiseyshowaa · CC BY-SA 2.0Florida State FairFL State Fairgrounds, Tampa · 35 min · drone check the venueFebseason opens
Whoisjohngalt · CC BY-SA 4.0Gasparilla Distance ClassicBayshore Blvd, Tampa · 50 min · drone check the venueFebseason opensFires when annual
Rob Bixby from Jacksonville, FL, USA · CC BY 2.0Gasparilla Knight Parade (night)Ybor City · 50 min · drone check the venueFebseason opensFires when ~2 weeks after Pirate Fest
the venue, not this eventMichelle Maria · CC BY 3.0Gasparilla Music FestivalCurtis Hixon Park, Tampa · 50 min · drone check the venueFebseason opensFires when annual
Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0Mount Dora Arts Festivaldowntown Mount Dora · 70 min · drone check the venueFebseason opensFires when first weekend of February
Street festival in a hill town with actual elevation, which is rare here — the light comes down the streets rather than flat across them.
inazakira · CC BY-SA 2.0Silver Spurs RodeoSilver Spurs Arena, Kissimmee · 50 min · drone check the venueFebseason opensFires when February and again in June
One of the largest rodeos east of the Mississippi, forty-five minutes away. Covered arena, so it is a high-ISO fast-shutter problem rather than a light one — 1/1000s at the chute gate.
Demetriosss · CC0Sandhill crane colts on the trailsCircle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland · 10 min · drone noFebseason opensFires when in season; check Circle B trail closures
Fuzzy colts walking the trails with parents — reliably viral on regional social.
Further out
Not yet. Here so the year can be planned around it.
10
a stage show, not this oneJohnscotaus · CC BY-SA 4.0Disney's Finding Nemo, Jr. - DeLandAthens Theatre · 99 min · drone no — venues/crowdsFeb 7, 2027in 4 monthsFires when community theater kids show has minimal outside market and a long drive for the payout
Next Sun, Feb 7, 2027 — the published start time. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
Wants 24–135mm at f/2.8 or faster, 1/250s, wide aperture for low stage light
Camera policy not published — check the venue before you pack. SeatGeek score 8/100 (family). The under-the-radar inventory lane — smaller venues mean closer working distance and cleaner sightlines than arena shows.
the venue, not this eventwww.fayettevillestreet.com · CC BY-SA 4.0Morning at the ZooDuke Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater · 61 min · drone check — stadium TFR likelyFeb 11, 2027in 4 monthsFires when first-time regional subject, daytime children's arts event, modest gig value
Next Thu, Feb 11, 2027 — the published start time. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
Wants 24–70mm at f/2.8 or faster, high ISO, moderate shutter for stage lighting
Arts & Theatre event in St Petersburg. Camera policy not published — check the venue before you pack. Big-venue coverage is gig-lead territory more than print territory; stadium TFRs ground the drone on game days.
- the venue, not this eventwww.fayettevillestreet.com · CC BY-SA 4.0Come Swing with MeDuke Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater · 61 min · drone check — stadium TFR likelyFeb 13, 2027in 4 months
Fires when first-time regional subject, swing music show, modest gig value
Next Sat, Feb 13, 2027 — the published start time. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
Wants 24–70mm at f/2.8 or faster, high ISO, fast shutter for stage lighting
Arts & Theatre event in St Petersburg. Camera policy not published — check the venue before you pack. Big-venue coverage is gig-lead territory more than print territory; stadium TFRs ground the drone on game days.
the venue, not this eventSilver Dovelet · CC BY-SA 3.0Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Anaheim DucksBenchmark International Arena · 44 min · drone check — stadium TFR likelyFeb 18, 2027in 5 monthsFires when first-time NHL matchup regionally, arena rules and TFR limit drone but strong resale for action frames
Next Thu, Feb 18, 2027 — the published start time. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
Wants 70–200mm at f/2.8 or faster, 1/1000s and continuous AF to freeze skater action
Sports event in Tampa. Camera policy not published — check the venue before you pack. Big-venue coverage is gig-lead territory more than print territory; stadium TFRs ground the drone on game days.
- a stage show, not this oneJohnscotaus · CC BY-SA 4.0LuenellFunny Bone Comedy Club - Orlando · 54 min · drone no — venues/crowdsFeb 19, 2027in 5 months
Fires when low-demand comedy club date with unconfirmed camera policy
Next Fri, Feb 19, 2027 — the published start time. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
Wants 24–85mm at f/2.8 or faster, 1/250s, moderate ISO for stage spotlight
Camera policy not published — check the venue before you pack. SeatGeek score 13/100 (comedy). The under-the-radar inventory lane — smaller venues mean closer working distance and cleaner sightlines than arena shows.
the venue, not this eventDiddyOh from Dirty Jerzee, USA · CC BY 2.0RuPaul's Drag Race - OrlandoHard Rock Live Orlando · 56 min · drone no — venues/crowdsFeb 20, 2027in 5 monthsFires when theater show months out, no camera policy published so access unresolved
Next Sat, Feb 20, 2027 — the published start time. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
Wants 24–200mm at f/2.8 or faster, high ISO, fast shutter to freeze stage movement under variable stage lighting
Camera policy not published — check the venue before you pack. SeatGeek score 0/100 (theater). The under-the-radar inventory lane — smaller venues mean closer working distance and cleaner sightlines than arena shows.
Tom Hagerty · CC BY 2.0Detroit Tigers vs. Houston AstrosPublix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium · 9 min · drone check — stadium TFR likelyFeb 23, 2027in 5 monthsFires when first-time regional MLB spring-training matchup nine minutes from home, minor-league park allows full lens gear
Next Tue, Feb 23, 2027 — the published start time. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
Wants 70–400mm at f/4 or faster, 1/2000s and continuous AF to freeze the play
Sports event in Lakeland. Minor-league parks admit cameras and lenses without the major-league size limit. Big-venue coverage is gig-lead territory more than print territory; stadium TFRs ground the drone on game days.
a ball game, not this oneRdikeman at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh PiratesBayCare Ballpark · 64 min · drone check — stadium TFR likelyFeb 25, 2027in 5 monthsFires when first-time regional spring-training matchup, minor-league park allows full lens gear, longer drive
Next Thu, Feb 25, 2027 — the published start time. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
Wants 70–400mm at f/4 or faster, 1/2000s and continuous AF to freeze the play
Sports event in Clearwater. Minor-league parks admit cameras and lenses without the major-league size limit. Big-venue coverage is gig-lead territory more than print territory; stadium TFRs ground the drone on game days.
- a stage show, not this oneJohnscotaus · CC BY-SA 4.0Honky Tonk AngelsAthens Theatre · 91 min · drone check — stadium TFR likelyFeb 26, 2027in 5 months
Fires when small regional theatre production, long drive, thin gig value
Next Fri, Feb 26, 2027 — the published start time. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
Wants 24–70mm at f/2.8 or faster, high ISO, fast shutter for stage lighting
Arts & Theatre event in Deland. Camera policy not published — check the venue before you pack. Big-venue coverage is gig-lead territory more than print territory; stadium TFRs ground the drone on game days.
the venue, not this eventU.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michelle Kapica · Public domainPittsburgh Pirates vs. Philadelphia PhilliesLECOM Park · 71 min · drone check — stadium TFR likelyFeb 28, 2027in 5 monthsFires when spring training game far outside this week's window, gig-lead only
Next Sun, Feb 28, 2027 — the published start time. Moon dates come from a mean lunar month and can be a day out; check before you commit a four-hour drive to one.
Wants 70–200mm at f/4 or faster, 1/1000s continuous AF, auto ISO for mixed stadium light
Sports event in Bradenton. Minor-league parks admit cameras and lenses without the major-league size limit. Big-venue coverage is gig-lead territory more than print territory; stadium TFRs ground the drone on game days.
Which of these can you actually shoot?
Every subject states the glass it needs. Say what is in your bag and the index will tell you plainly which of these your longest lens reaches — no account, and your kit stays in the address bar.