Boneyard & Black Rock Beach Photography How To Guide

Paul Farace Photography

Aug 26

8 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

This is your full guide on everything to do with Landscape and Nature Photography at Boneyard and Black Rock Beaches on Big Talbot Island in Jacksonville, Florida.

Welcome to my "How To Photograph" Florida location series where I will provide all the information you need to have a successful photo shoot in Florida. I will provide information on parking, the best spots, the best timing and lighting, essential gear, settings and pro tips for each specific location!

Golden sunset over a Black Rock beach in Jacksonville, Florida, with a dramatic twisted driftwood arch framing the glowing horizon and reflective sand. — Sunrise on Black Rock Beach. Big Talbot State Park in Jacksonville, Florida.

All images and content by Paul Farace Photography

Paul Farace is an award winning Florida based landscape photographer and author with 20 years of experience, specializing in capturing the state's coastlines and waterways. Operating out of St. Augustine, he shares his expertise through fine art prints, adventure videos, educational workshops, and digital content. Explore his work and bio details at Paul Farace Photography.

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Boneyard & Black Rock Beach Photography Guide

Satellite map of Big Talbot Island State Park, with Boneyard Beach and Black Rock Beach labeled beside Nassau Sound and Clapboard Creek

Overview

Location: Big Talbot State Park Jacksonville, Florida

Park size: 1680 Acres of protected coastal ecosystems

Park Hours: 8AM to Sundown (Sunrise is accessible, read on)

Description: 3 miles of coastline along the Nassua Sound.

History

Timucua Inhabitants: Timcua people lived here for thousands of years and used the island seasonally. An archaeological site on the National Register of Historic Places where stonecutters mined coquina rock.

Around 1560, the island was claimed at various points by French, Spanish, and English colonizers.

In 1735, General James Oglethorpe named the Talbot Islands in honor of Charles Baron Talbot, the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.

In the 1920s, the construction of State Road A1A connected the barrier islands to mainland Jacksonville.

Driftwood-strewn beach at sunset, calm water reflecting pink and blue sky, with bare trees along the shore at Black Rock Beach on Big Talbot State Park. — Blue Hour on the shores of Big Talbot Island.

Wildlife and Nature

Ecosystems:

Includes maritime hammocks, tidal salt marshes, spodosol and black rock hardpan, bluffs and ancient driftwood.

Birdwatching:

Excellent areas, check out Spoonbill Pond nearby.

Panoramic view of dense green marsh trees and tall bare branches beside calm water under a blue sky.

Big Talbot Trails:

Hiker with backpack walks down Black Rock Trail in Jacksonville beside a Trail Guidelines sign on Big Talbot Island. — Black Rock Trail Head at BigTalbot State Park.

Boneyard Beach Shoreline Access Trail Google Maps Link

Black Rock Trail Google Maps Link

Big Pine Trail Google Maps Link

Timucuan Trail Google Maps Link

Driftwood stumps jut from calm, misty water under a pale gray sky, creating a stark, eerie seascape.

Amenities & Recreation

Camping:

You are not able to camp on Big Talbot, but you can camp right down the road on Little Talbot Island. There are 36 total spots (20 for RVs and campers) and I have tent camped there several times. Excellent campgrounds.

View Little Talbot State Park Camping here.

White car beside a green-and-gray Naturehike tent and wooden picnic table at a wooded campsite.

Gear Rentals:

You can can rent kayaks and gear at PADL Amelia & Talbot Islands.

Boneyard and Black Rock Beaches Entry Fees:

$3 will get you access to the 4 main parking areas and the park for a full day. Use the QR code or honor box at. the parking lots.

There is a very diverse and unique ecosystem here. A landscape or nature photographers paradise.

Photographer adjusts a camera on a tripod on rocky seashore at sunset, with calm sea and warm orange light at Black Rock Beach, Florida.

Parking & Logistics

How to get to Big Talbot State Park:

From I-95 take exit 337 to I-295 North. Then take exit 41 for FL-105 N/Heckscher Dr. Continue north on Heckscher Dr (Jimmy Buffett Memorial Hwy) until you reach the state park entrance.

https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/big-talbot-island-state-park

Boneyard Beach Parking

Man in sunglasses and black shirt stands on a quiet beach with driftwood, looking left under a blue sky. Boneyard Beach Jacksonville Florida. — Exploring Boneyard Beach.

Boneyard Beach Directions - Google maps

Info - Gated parking area and opens at 8AM (no sunrise access). Great parking and a half mile (one way) trail from the bluffs, through the scrub oaks down to Boneyard Beach.

Black Rock Beach Parking

Man holding a tripod on a driftwood-strewn beach at dusk, surrounded by twisted trees and rocks in a quiet scene. Black Rock Beach on Big Talbot island. — The amazing coastline at Black Rock Beach.

Black Rock Directions - Google Maps

Info - Non gated parking lot on A1A with limited spots. The trail is about a half mile long down to Black Rock Beach. Best for sunrise and early access.

The stretch of coastline between these two spots is endless for landscape and nature photographers, Pick your favorite end to start exploring.

The Best Spots to Photograph

Boneyard Beach & Access

From the Boneyard Beach main parking lot you take the Shore Access Trail through beautiful scrub oaks for about a half mile. Form the beach you can explore south along the coast to find the best scenes.

Satellite map of Boneyard Beach beside dense forest, with Timucuan Trl, Jimmy Buffett Mem Hwy, and Buccaneer Trail labels.

Black Rock Beach & Access

From the Black Rock Trail Head parking lot you take the trail, again through beautiful scrub oaks, for about a half mile to Driftwood Beach. Form the beach you can explore both north and south along the coast for endless unique compositions. My personal favorite location is the outcropping of spodosol and black hardpan to the north, the main section of Black Rock Beach. See map image below.

Satellite map of a forested coastline with sandy beaches labeled Black Rock Beach and Driftwood Beach beside dark blue water

HIGH TIDE WARNING. Make sure you know the tides when you are visiting either of these beach access points.

At high tide much of the beach gets cut off up to the bluffs so it's easy to get stuck where you may have to wait 4-6 hours to get back through.

Also to note, low tide is great for tide pools and reflection images.

Spoonbill Pond & Bird Watching Station

Florida State Parks sign titled Perchers and Paddlers shows illustrated wetland birds by a lake, with trees and water behind it.

Just a bit further north along A1A is an excellent spot for birds and wildlife worth mentioning.

Spoonbill Pond & Birdwatching Station - Google Maps link right here

Satellite map of Spoonbill Pond and Birdwatch Station beside a road, showing sandbars, dark water, and labeled restrooms.

The Best Timing and Lighting

The best time to shoot these locations is generally sunrise because the sun rises to the east over the Atlantic Ocean and you have nothing blocking that gorgeous light.

Colorful sunset over Black Rock beach in Jacksonville, Florida with driftwood on wet sand and calm ocean water. — Just before sunrise on Black Rock Beach. Bog Talbot Island.

Sunset can be amazing too, but less often. The trees and bluffs to your west are tall, so you will not have any direct light during sunset. The best scenario is reflected light and color off the clouds if you have the right sunset conditions.

Golden sunrise over rugged rocky coastline and calm sea, with orange-lit cliffs under a soft pastel sky. Black Rock Beach in Florida. — Black Rock Beach Sunrise.

Mid day here is usually pretty tough. Hard and flat light unless we have storms going on, which is frequent during the summer months.

Essential Gear and Camera Settings

Silhouetted photographer uses a tripod camera to capture an orange sunset over calm water.

Besides your camera and lenses if you only bring one extra piece of gear, let it be a circular polarizing filter. This will help you cut through any glare, harsh sun, water highlights and so on. Almost essential in this environment.

My Circular Polarizing (CPL) Filter - Breakthrough Photography X4 CPL

Along with the polarizing filter, Neutral Density (ND) filters are great to have if you want to photograph moving water and control your shutter speeds, such as in the photo below.

Dark driftwood logs in surf on a sandy shore under a cloudy, gray sky, with calm, misty waves

My Neutral Density (ND) Filter - Breakthrough Photography X4 6 Stop

If there is one thing that will secretly ruin your photos here in Florida, it's the humidity.

For starters you MUST let your gear acclimate to the outside environment for at least 15-20 minutes before taking any serious photos, especially in the warmer months (almost all of them haha).

But when your lens inevitably fogs up and gets all gunky, there is only one thing that can help and that is a Lens Pen. Inexpensive. Essential.

Lens Pen Kit - https://amzn.to/3PdZMYO

Hand holding a white cloth with three lens-cleaning pens labeled LENSPEN, FILTERKLEAR, and microPRO against a blurred green background

And I couldn't let it go without at least mentioning a solid tripod, essential for landscape photographers.

Boneyard & Black Rock Beach Local Pro Tips

Sunset over calm water and sandy shore with silhouetted dead trees, orange-pink sky, and distant dark treeline.

Wear good shoes - Wear decent shoes for the hike, but don't forget the end location is mostly sand. The trail is hard, compact and generally an easy hike.

Arrive early - This location can get decently crowded after the sun comes up, so plan accordingly. There is plenty of beach to explore, but near the main beach trails will usually have some people.

Keep your lenses clean - Let them acclimate before shooting, have your lens pen always ready and try to minimize lens switching, especially when it's windy.

There will be bugs - Longe sleeve fishing shirts cover your arms from the sun, bugs and are light weight. They also double as a head net and bug swatter if you aren't wearing it.

If you follow any of my YouTube adventures you will know what I mean!

Man in sunglasses with a light blue cloth over his head stands on a dock by a wooded lake, with a tripod behind him.

Safety, Conservation and Etiquette

Sun protection is a must. I don't use a lot of sunscreen and prefer to cover myself up. Like I just mentioned, I bring love sleeve light weight shirts, like these fishing shirts. They will help block the extreme sun and also keep the bugs at bay.

And speaking of bugs the noseeums, gnats or midges, can be overwhelming for certain periods to the day. Which happen to be some of the best times for landscape and nature photography too.

I would HIGHLY suggest having a head net, like these here. You may not need it, but if you do you will be remembering this article and thanking me haha! Grab a cheap 2 pack and stick one in your bag, they take up almost no room.

I prefer the hunting style ones, such as these, with a wired eye piece. So you can still see in lower light, but still have 90% protection.

Leave it better than you found it! For some reason many people here like to trash the place. Try to carry some trash out and help keep this place clean. It's getting harder and harder with the population growth.

Driftwood on a calm beach at sunset, with pastel pink-orange clouds and golden reflections on the water. — Sunrise at Black Rock Beach.

Boneyard & Black Rock Beach Photography FAQ

Q: How much does it cost to enter the park for a shoot?

A: Regular park admission fees apply. It costs $3 per vehicle to access the 4 main parking lots for the day.

Q: Can I access the park for a sunrise photo shoot?

A: The park opens daily at 8:00 AM and closes at sundown. Sunrise access is generally restricted to registered campers staying at the park campground. Sunset/golden hour shoots are accessible before gates close. For sunrise, see my info above for a workaround.

Q: Are drones allowed for aerial beach photography?

A: No. Drones are strictly prohibited inside Florida State Parks.

Q: What environmental hazards should I prepare for?

A: High tide affects how much beach you can access. Don't get stuck up the beach. Salt spray and fine, windblown sand are constant threats to your lenses and camera sensors. Bring a high quality lens brush, a lens pen and plenty of microfiber cloths. A sturdy tripod is also essential, as the coastal winds off the Atlantic can cause noticeable camera shake during longer exposures.

Q: Are tripods, stands, and other gear permitted?

A: Yes. Hand carried equipment that does not block public walkways or require staking into the ground is perfectly fine to use.

Q: How harsh are the summer months for outdoor shoots?

A: Summer (June through August) is very hot and highly humid. July and August average daily highs around 89°F to 90°F, with early morning lows staying sticky near 75°F. Landscape photographers should prepare for frequent, sudden afternoon thunderstorms and high atmospheric haze during these months.

Q: What are the best months for mild weather photography?

A: Spring (March to April) and late fall (October to November) offer the most comfortable shooting conditions. March brings average highs of 74°F and lows of 56°F, while April warms to a high of 78°F. October sees pleasant highs around 81°F dropping to near 67°F after sunset, making it ideal for evening golden hour shoots without extreme humidity.