Florida Man

I am a Florida Man...in name. I was born and raised in Florida. I'm actually somewhat proud of that fact. I can't explain why. We are the laughingstock of America. And beyond any of the trouble our governor has caused during his train wreck of a career, the devastation caused by hurricanes dwarfs it all. Be you from Miami or Gainesville, Ft. Myers or Tampa, if you're from Florida then you are part of the club of people battered by these furious storms. In the fervor leading up to a storm, people are at their worst here. But after? Communities come together. It would be beautiful it is wasn't so sad.

Being a Florida Man means more than just the nonsense you see on Fox News. In this case, being a Florida Man meant that I had to prepare my son for one of the most monstrous storms to hit this state in years.


I still remember the sounds and the shaking I felt back in August of 1992 when Hurricane Andrew blew through Miami and leveled whole municipalities. So, when I told Link that he had the next two days off from school because Milton would hit, I figured he'd be scared. He has a fear of storms - and lightning in particular - and this would be a bad one.


Hurricane Helene hit the north side of the western coast of Florida two weeks ago and we didn't feel a thing, thankfully. But the feeder bands had brought in some bad weather. Milton was a Category 5 and we were already feeling the effects. Nothing like what those out on the west coast got, but enough to worry Link.

Close-up portrait showing striking blue eyes in dramatic lighting.

We talked about Hurricane Andrew as I secured our patio furniture, what it was like and what he could expect now. I assured him that although this storm was a significant one, we were on the other side of the state and would at least be spared the surge of waters that would likely deal irreparable damage to places only two hours away. A favorite vacation spot of ours is the Cape Coral/Ft. Myers/Sanibel area due west of us in Miami. And the last time we were there, the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian was still plain to see.


But as conversation turned to banter Link's mood lightened. If we could keep from losing power there was nothing to fear. Not to worry, though, as we have lots of flashlights and batteries. And look! There's candles for when the batteries run out! We were set and Link was pretty sure we'd be safe. Or at least he was put at ease enough to pretend.

Youth lounging on couch near vertical blinds in natural light.

Making the Best of It

So how did Wes do with his first hurricane? Well, I don't think he cared. Wes is the physical embodiment of a sentiment I often share about kids: they're made of springs and always bounce back. Wes' routine was broken and he is a creature of habit. A simple man, like his father. So if his routine is being broken he wants comfort. But really all he wants is someone to have a good time with.


So when I realized that our house was in for what was likely 48 hours of uninterrupted Wes Time, I figured I should have my camera handy for shenanigans. I had loaded my Leicaflex SL with some Kodak UltraMax 400 just a day before, wanting to make some photos at a pep rally at work, and had most of the exposures left on the roll. That'll do in a pinch.

Child drinking from a clear straw against white background.

Over the next two days I occasionally picked up my camera, snapped a few shots, and placed it back on the shelf where it was free from Wes' ever curious hands. Do you know what I found when looking back at the roll? These kids had a good couple of days.


Its strange to admit that when Milton barreled into Sarasota and caused so much horror. But sometimes we have to find the beauty where it is. And I've chosen to find the beauty here. We were stuck in our home with nothing to do but spend time with each other. There were no stakes to meet or plans to follow through with. It was just time to bond.


Its sad how few opportunities we have to do this, for all of us to be together with nothing to do. And it was kind of beautiful.

Child in orange shirt playing with toys near entertainment center.

Human Connection

Two young individuals relaxing together on a couch in a casual home setting.

We spent those two days indoors and what I learned most is that the human connection is not something that can be taken for granted. Only a few short years ago we were again locked in our home, but it was indefinitely, waiting for some word that it was safe to go out and be together again. This was different. But for a few days leading up to the storm, it again felt like the end of the world. A last minute wobble to the south and Milton, like Andrew before it, would hit Miami pretty much directly. These things hit differently when you are a husband, a father, a homeowner. I worry constantly about how everything will turn out.


I look back at photographs like this one and am of two hearts. There is the heart that feels gratitude that I have such an amazing family with which to weather storms like Milton. And then there is the heart that sinks because there are so many that lost so much this week.


Brewing in the Atlantic are Nadine and Oscar, the next named storms of the season. Will we continue to be lucky? Only time will tell. But we will have each other.

More Kodak UltraMax

Two children interacting while having snacks in a room with vertical blinds.
A child in a Minecraft t-shirt sitting on a chair near vertical blinds.
A child in a yellow shirt looking excited while indoors.
A child sitting on a dark couch in a living room with natural lighting.
A young child in a beige shirt looking directly at the camera indoors.
An orange and white cat peering through window blinds.
A wooden fence with an awning or canopy visible in an outdoor setting.
A blurry photo of a car driving in the rain on a wet road.

All images © 2020-2024 David Ulloa Studio. All rights reserved.