5 Questions With The September #DryTortugas Photo Contest Winner



September Winner Carlos Soto

Meet Carlos Soto-Rodriguez, our September 2021 #DryTortugas Photo Contest winner. We had the chance to ask him a few questions about his experience at the Dry Tortugas National Park. Read on to learn how he captured his amazing photo!

1. When did you visit the Dry Tortugas National Park? Did you arrive by seaplane, the Yankee Freedom ferry, or another way?
I visited Dry Tortugas August 10-12. My whole group arrived via ferry.

2. If you arrived by the Yankee Freedom, how was your ferry trip?
Our ferry trip both ways was amazing, also the daily stops of the ferry at the island made the stay a lot easier.

3. How did you capture your winning photo? What inspired you to take it? Did you use any cool camera gear?
I was invited by a group of friends that knew I recently started photography as a hobby. On our second day on the island they took some time to teach me how to take long exposure pictures and that was the outcome. For this picture I used a Canon EOS R6 mirrorless camera with a RF 24-105mm lens and a borrowed 10 stop Neutral Density Filter (NDF).

4. What made your trip to the Dry Tortugas memorable?
The breathtaking beauty of the island. The calm, slow, peaceful environment was a great feeling. There was wildlife everywhere you looked, history to be learned and to top it off, finish up the day snorkeling on water full of life.

5. What do you plan to do with your National Park Annual Pass?
I will mostly visit the everglades to continue capturing and sharing pictures. My goal is to visit Glacier or Yellowstone National Parks someday and capture some amazing pictures there.

Top