Florida Through the Looking Glass
The Photography of George "Skip" Gandy
In this exhibit, we luxuriate in the imagery of Florida photographer Skip Gandy , with captions written by guest curator and USF Bull (Art History, 2008) Maureen Cox-Brown. This exhibit is the companion to "Bearing Witness From Above," which explored Skip's life and how it informed his work. To access that exhibit, click here.
As a commercial photographer with an artistic eye, George "Skip" Gandy IV supplied vivid images to sell products, including Florida. For Gandy, the camera was not only a means to make a living and express himself, but a way to bear witness to natural Florida’s destruction by humanity. His camera documented the catastrophic consequences of uncontrolled development and industrial-scale greed on the place he called home. He captured glimpses of Florida’s natural beauty as it gradually vanished before his eyes. In flights as an aerial photographer, his camera better exposed the scale of Florida's beauty and the unfolding ecological disaster. As a photographer for developers and polluters, he also paved the way for more unfettered development of Florida. For their part, the developers would have gladly hired another photographer less hostile to their conduct, but Gandy was the best in the region. If this sounds mixed-up, it is because Florida was (and is) a land of multitudes and glaring contradictions. In this exhibit one can appreciate the breadth and depth of Gandy's work. While usually made for practical purposes, these photos also display his artistic eye for the dramatic. With captions supplied by Maureen Brown, this series of photographs demonstrate the beauty of Florida and the costs of unfettered development.
Punta Gorda Isles, 1980s Taken shortly after the construction of Punta Gorda Isles was completed, this photograph by Gandy offers a bird’s eye view of the development’s labyrinthine fifty-five miles of man-made saltwater canals. Conceived as a pricey subdivision for boating and fishing enthusiasts, the construction of Punta Gorda Isles began in the late 1950s and continued until 1981. Previously, the area was thousands of acres of mangrove swamp that encompassed the southwest edge of Punta Gorda. The image displays the results of lax mid-twentieth century state and federal environmental regulation regarding dredging – lush mangrove forests dramatically denatured by real estate developers into an abstract maze of residential waterways.
The Burner, The Sinker, and The Leaker, August 1993 The visual impact of impending environmental catastrophe was documented by Gandy regarding the infamous Bouchard Barge B-155 disaster from August 1993. The incident, which occurred near Fort DeSoto Park and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, was a collision between the tank barge “Ocean 255” and two other vessels. All three ships were each transporting materials that presented threats to Tampa Bay’s environment and wildlife. While fatal devastation was averted, the “Ocean 255”, which carried 200,000 gallons of fuel, caught fire and burned for over eighteen hours. As recorded in this image by Gandy, the serenity of the bay is overshadowed by the inferno that consumed the tank barge and its billowing clouds of black smoke.
Sunset Over Bishop Harbor As the sun rose above the tilted horizon, Gandy recorded the vivid sky and the eclipsed remains of the mangrove forests that shield the southeastern shoreline of Tampa Bay. An important habitat for many species, nearly 50% of Tampa Bay’s coastal wetlands, including mangroves, have been eradicated over the last 100 years. In addition to the impact that mangroves have on local wildlife, the trees also serve to protect Tampa Bay residents as a natural form of coastal defense against shoreline erosion and storm surges.
Gasparilla Distance Classic, 1980s Observed from the sidelines of Tampa’s premier road race, Gandy showcased the diverse participants of the event and their impact on the local environment. Established in 1978, the Gasparilla Distance Classic quickly became a world class running event that attracted thousands of competitors. At the forefront of a wave of thirsty runners is a young boy drinking from a paper cup given to him at the nearby drink station. All around him, the environmental footprint of the race is evident - the route is heavily littered with cups discarded by runners.
Chassahowitzka River Using split-shot technique, Gandy exposed the coexisting habitats above and below water of the Chassahowitzka River. Partially submerging himself in the clear and shallow waters by the river’s shore, Gandy used a wide-angle lens and dome port to capture the earthen tones of its lush tree line and the abundant eel grass. A unique spring-fed river that becomes increasingly brackish as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico, the unspoiled tree canopies and submersed aquatic vegetation of the Chassahowitzka River are slowly disappearing due to rising sea levels and invasive exotic plant species.
Mullet fishing, Bishop Harbor Silhouetted against a dawning sky, Gandy captures a recreational fisherman casting his net into the waters of Bishop Harbor. Known as an area teeming with mullet (most commonly caught by net casting), during the 1960s it was the site where developments dumped tons of “viscous” dredge from Port Manatee. Further problems for the popular fishing spot were created by commercial net fishing and oil spills. Controversial conservation measures, such as net bans, were enacted in the mid-1990s and have led to a resurgence in the number and quality of mullet that can only recently be found in the area.
Fireworks, Downtown Tampa Fourth of July festivities provided a spectacular setting for Gandy’s wide-angle nighttime shot of Tampa. A challenging photographic process, fireworks photography requires careful planning, steady equipment and hands, and precise timing. Using a long-exposure method, Gandy also angled the shot from the rooftop of the Harbor Island dock building to capture the skyline and shoreline of the city.
Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant Gandy used his innovative gyroscope-mounted camera to take this top-down perspective of the now-decommissioned Crystal River 3 Nuclear Power Plant. By creating the special camera mount, Gandy was able to avoid blurred images that could emerge due to turbulence while also offering higher resolution image quality. Although a giant plume of water vapor emerging from one of the site’s two cooling towers is most prominent, surprisingly several details of the nuclear plant’s surface topography are also crisply detailed in relief. Opened in 1977, the nuclear power plant continued to operate until 2009 when multiple concrete separations were discovered by the steam generators during scheduled maintenance.
Interstate 4 Flooded, 1980s Gandy recorded an aerial view of vehicles being diverted into a single lane of traffic and made to drive through a fully submerged section of Interstate 4. Initially completed in 1965, planners failed to anticipate how increased development in the following decades would affect water management. In the 1980s the highway started to develop issues with flooding due to heavy rains and poor drainage. An important evacuation route for many Tampa residents, I-4 has since undergone some reconstruction, but periodic issues with flooding still occur on several stretches of the roadway, raising concerns about possible road closures in the future during disastrous weather.
Mangroves in Florida Keys Gandy created this contemplative photographic study of a lone set of mangrove trees while boating in the Florida Keys. Backdropped by a key, the elaborate root system of the mangroves is in shadow and served as a visual boundary between the glowing sky and shining water. The surface of the water is smooth enough to reflect the mangroves and piercing light, creating a perfect mirror image. The amount of mangrove forests in the Florida Keys have decreased in the last few decades due to development, making Gandy’s depiction of this quiet niche of natural old Florida particularly poignant.
Sea Oats Gandy frequently did coastal landscape photography and the sea oat is a staple subject of the genre. More than just a pretty grass, the sea oat is protected by law due to its importance with preventing erosion of coastal beaches and dunes. A hardy perennial that thrives on sand, salt, and sun, Gandy paid homage to this popular emblem of Florida’s beaches with a medium shot of softly lit sea oats gently swaying in the gulf breeze.
Hot Air Balloons, Tampa 1980s Floating above an early morning rally of hot air balloons on Harbor Island, Gandy shot an image of a relatively untouched Harbour Island. Experimenting with a wide lens to present a distorted bird’s-eye view of the event, Seddon Channel is seen to the left while the Garrison Channel can be viewed bisecting Harbour Island from Tampa. Caught in the exaggeratedly curved horizon are several of downtown Tampa’s tallest buildings in its then-skyline. Taken during the early 1980s, Gandy’s photograph shows the uninhabited sandy and wooded landscapes of Harbour Island just prior to it being developed into an upscale waterfront community.
Manatee, 1990s Submerging himself in a manatee care tank at ZooTampa (formerly known as Lowry Park Zoo) facilities, Gandy was able to sneak a photograph of three Florida manatees recovering and enjoying a snack. When Gandy took this photograph in the early 1990s, Florida manatees were endangered, and ZooTampa had just opened the David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center. During that period, survey studies estimated that there were approximately 1,200 members of the species left. However, over the last couple of decades the fortunes of these gentle giants have changed for the better - population numbers for Florida manatees have rebounded to over 6,000 and their status has been downgraded to “threatened.”
Florida Gulf Beaches Snapped by Gandy during the 1980s, this aerial photograph looking north towards Madeira Beach shows a well-developed strip of beach amid transition. The result of the 1950s motel construction boom, most of the buildings in the area were primarily mom-and-pop motels, cottages, and modest single-family beach front homes. Nonetheless, the emergence of a handful of multi-story hotels can already be discerned. Eventually, many of the smaller properties that once dominated the seascape have made way for high-rise resorts and condominiums.
Belying the placid azure sky and strip of green turf, Gandy snapped a pile of snowy earth being created by a dragline excavator as high-pressure jets of water are used to clean out waste byproducts such as clay. Tackling the subject head-on, Gandy caught the dirty business of making phosphate. Used primarily for fertilizer, the mining of phosphate has a huge impact on Tampa Bay, particularly with the large amounts of contaminated wastewater created by processing phosphate rock. Over the last several decades, multiple incidents involving the inability to contain phosphate runoff have occurred.
The Python, Busch Gardens, 1980s Hired by Hearst Publications to take commercial photos of Busch Garden’s attractions, Gandy shot a breathtaking image of The Python rollercoaster in its heyday. Having positioned himself front and center at the very edge of the ride, Gandy crafted a photograph demonstrating the exhilaration riders experienced as they raced through the second corkscrew of the thrill ride at 50 miles per hour. Set within Busch Gardens’ beautiful landscaping, The Python opened in 1976 as the first rollercoaster for the park and remained in service for thirty years. The innovative all-steel ride, with its signature double corkscrew inversions and picturesque setting established Busch Gardens as a world class destination for coaster enthusiasts.
Town ‘N Country Sprawl With this overhead view of a crowded section of the Town ‘N Country area of Tampa, Gandy revealed the cookie-cutter results of mid-century suburbanization in western Hillsborough County. Originally an area known for cattle ranching and dairy farming, 500 acres were initially purchased for development of an affordable middle-class subdivision that was named Town N’ Country during the postwar building boom of the 1950s. Eventually, 6,000 single-family homes and townhomes were constructed on 2,000 acres over the next quarter-century.
U.S. Customs, Miami (Popular Mechanics cover), February 1990 One of many highlights from Gandy’s career, this photograph was featured as an image for a cover story of the February 1990 issue of Popular Mechanics. Published during the height of the United States’ war on drugs, the article was titled “America’s New Weapons in the Drug War.” Gandy perched himself precariously on the bow of the speedboat in order to take the photo but was rewarded with an intimidating image of law enforcement at work off the Florida coast. Shown in action within the photograph are two of the most formidable tools used by U.S. Customs Service and Coast Guard to halt drug running – the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and Blue Thunder speed boat.
Oil Rig, Gulf of Mexico, 1990s An overview of an offshore rig taken by Gandy from a helicopter exposed the pollution that is a regular occurrence with offshore oil drilling. Located off the west coast of Florida, the rig is set amongst the gorgeous deep blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. However, an expanding plume of chalky waste product can be seen drifting away from the rig. The contents of the discharge are likely tainted by drill cuttings, which are common byproducts of offshore drilling operations that can have toxic effects upon nearby wildlife.
Hillsborough River Water Treatment Plant During Drought, August 1963 This shot of the then-Hillsborough River Water Treatment Plant displayed the mid-century contours of the recently expanded and updated facility, as well as the effects of a months-long drought. Adjacent to the Hillsborough River Reservoir, the plant (now known as the David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility) is still responsible for treating 90% of Tampa’s drinking water. After several incidents of flooding in the Tampa Bay area in the late 1950s and early 1960s, a severe lack of rain created new concerns regarding water supplies. The cause for concern is visible in this photograph, where the greatly reduced water volume of the reservoir is evident from the wide band of exposed shoreline and emerging sandbars.
Phosphate Elevators and Cargo Ship at Port of Tampa Gandy’s color photograph of a cargo ship readying to ship phosphate displayed the enormity of the equipment used for transporting the product and implied the industry’s massive impact on Tampa Bay. The low-angle vantage point of the photo emphasized the monumental size of the cargo loader, scaffolding, and ship; especially in comparison to the handful of sailors seated at the base of the scaffolding. The divergent line directions of the dock equipment and ship contribute additional visual tension to the image.
East Davis Blvd. and Biscayne Ave., Davis Islands (September 1979) In 1979, Gandy was awarded the commission from the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County government to take documentary photographs for the Horizon 2000 Plan. Framed to display the human interest and economic aspects of the September 1979 flood in Davis Islands, this black-and-white-photo shows a boy struggling to push his bike through the ankle-deep waters of a flooded parking lot while in the background a station wagon plows through the middle of a deluged street.
Hernando County Rock Mine This aerial view taken by Gandy shows the cloudy-blue water of a quarry and the related scarring of the landscape in Hernando County. The result of limestone mining for building new roads throughout Florida, the multiple tire tracks from heavy duty hauling trucks are visible all around the quarry. Gandy took photos of the area due to his disquiet that wastewater from the quarry would contaminate nearby surface- and groundwater. Gandy had cause for concern - as seen in the upper left corner of the photo a nearby small body of water on the other side of the road was already polluted.
Sediment plumes, ten miles south of Hernando County rock mines Gandy took this bird’s-eye view photograph approximately ten miles from the quarry in Hernando County to show the long-range aftereffects of open-pit limestone mining. The flow of white sediment from the mine can be seen initially trickling, then sweeping down through a springshed into the Gulf of Mexico. With this photograph, Gandy had strong evidence that the limestone mining could pollute surface water far beyond its initial boundaries.
TECO Smokestacks, Gannon Station, ca. 1975 An image emblematic of his environmental activism, Gandy was mindful to secure a full aerial view of Gannon Station Power Plant, the heavy wreath of pollution that surrounded it, and its proximity to the bay. Opened in 1957 by Tampa Electric, the Gannon Station plant was coal-fired and belched tons of smog and soot from its smokestacks. Gandy was a critic of the facility, which was one of the worst polluters in the state and he received numerous threats due to his complaints. Eventually, in the 1990s the Environmental Protection Agency and Florida Department of Environmental Protection instigated a lawsuit against Tampa Electric due to the site’s heavy sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. As part of Tampa Electric’s settlement of the lawsuit they were forced to switch from coal to natural gas, as well as severely reduce emissions. In 2004, the converted Gannon Station was rebranded as “Bay Side Power Plant.”
Port Man (aka Port Unloading) In this full shot, Gandy caught a candid moment of labor inequity in segregated Florida during the 1960s. With the Garrison Terminal building looming overhead, a middle-aged African American port driver emerges on a mini-truck and trolley with a load of produce from an ice-cooled trailer into the stark Tampa sunlight. Dressed in a leather cap, plaid flannel shirt, and denim overalls, he is dressed for a hard day’s work. To the left of the trolley is a small drift of ice topped by a pair of discarded shovels, indicating that the driver had also unpacked the trailer. Next to him is yet another icy trailer full of cargo. Meanwhile, leaning with crossed arms against the filled trailer, waiting for his delivery to be unloaded, is a young white man in casual attire. While Tampa was considered relatively progressive in comparison to other parts of the South at the time with desegregation, there was still a long way to go with racial equality, including employment opportunities and job roles.
Tampa's Port Recording the more serene side of Tampa's port, Gandy photographed a cargo ship quietly docked and silhouetted by the setting sun. The subdued twilight sky is mirrored on the water’s surface. One of the world’s busiest ports, Gandy was able to see through the usual bustle and pollution of the area and uncover a gem of a Tampa sunset.
Traffic congestion on I-275 Taken at the northern outskirts of Tampa, this aerial photograph by Gandy exposed the impact of commuter traffic on a major freeway beyond the city’s borders. The otherwise verdant landscape is bifurcated by the freeway, with the set of lanes exiting the city heavily congested with traffic for miles, while the incoming lanes are empty. Gandy focused on the contrasting traffic patterns in the fore- and middle ground of the image but was also careful to include an atmospheric downtown Tampa in the background. This incident occurred on Interstate 275 near its interchange with Interstate 75 by the Hillsborough-Pasco County Line. Completed in 1983, the then-four-lane highway has since gone through several upgrades due to rampant urban and suburban growth in both counties that have far exceeded projections by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council during the mid-1980s. Despite its expansion to eight lanes and other major roadway improvements, this section of Interstate 275 is still pushed to its limits, with traffic in the area regularly coming to a standstill.
Chassahowitzka Springs Gandy used his gyroscope-mounted camera to capture this unusual aerial image of the Chassahowitzka springshed. He abstracted the topography in the photograph by emphasizing the serpentine curves of the springs and the layered texture of the surrounding coastal swampland. However, Gandy heightened the altered perspective by also tinkering with the color balance of the negative in the darkroom – shifting from the natural palette of various shades of green to artificial tints of purple and grey. This elevated the print from a standard aerial photograph of the Chassahowitzka River to a painterly work of art.
