30 Years as a Southwest Florida Photographer: Where My Camera Took Me This Summer

 

I haven’t posted here in about two months, but there’s actually a pretty predictable reason for that.

Every year, right after the kids go back to school and summer wraps up, photography slows down a little here in Southwest Florida. After 30 years as a professional photographer, I’ve learned to expect it.

And yes, you read that right. Thirty years.

At this point, Impressions Photography just might be one of the longest-running independently owned photography businesses in Southwest Florida. But I swear I’m not old. Obviously, I was three years old when I started ;) 

Thirty years of photographing weddings, families and people has taught me a lot, but one thing I’ve learned is this: take the breaks when they’re given to you.

For me, September has almost always offered one.

I love having a little time to travel, recharge and step away from the busiest parts of running a photography business. But somewhere in the middle of that break, I always start missing my clients.

Because as much as I love photographing beautiful places, my entire career has been built around photographing people.

Why I Still Love Photographing People After 30 Years

I have always been drawn to people and the relationships between them.

That’s why I became a wedding and family photographer. It’s why, after three decades, I still love photographing families on Sanibel and Captiva, weddings throughout Fort Myers and Southwest Florida, and couples celebrating somewhere completely new.

Beautiful scenery certainly doesn’t hurt. But give me a gorgeous beach without people or a family laughing together on that beach, and I know which one I’m going to point my camera toward.

The people are what make the picture matter. It's those relationships and interactions that light up my heart and keep my creative eye happy. 

From the Florida Keys to the Caribbean

This year, my September travels included two weeks in the Florida Keys followed by a weeklong Caribbean cruise from Puerto Rico.

The Caribbean has always been one of my favorite places to photograph and travel. I’ve photographed several destination weddings throughout the Caribbean over the years, and on this trip I visited my 17th Caribbean nation.

I returned to Antigua, which is already one of my favorite islands, and visited Dominica for the first time.

Dominica completely surprised me. It is lush, dramatic, mountainous and incredibly photogenic, and I’m already pretty sure I need to go back.

If someone asks me about a destination wedding, I will always remind them that we have some incredible options right here in Southwest Florida. Sanibel Island and Captiva Island offer beautiful beaches, sunsets and that relaxed island feeling without leaving Florida.

But if you’re dreaming about a Caribbean destination wedding, Antigua, Barbados and Nevis have long been high on my list. After this trip, I would absolutely add Dominica to the conversation.

A Photographer Still Takes Pictures on Vacation

People sometimes ask whether professional photographers actually take pictures when they aren’t working.

This one does.

Probably too many.

Even after 30 years of carrying a camera professionally, I still get excited about photographing a place I’ve never seen before. I still notice the light. I still want to remember the color of the water, the streets, the landscapes and the little moments that make one place feel different from another.

Here are a few photographs from my recent travels through the Florida Keys and Caribbean.

    

 

 

Such a fun moth of travel and photographing the memories, but now I'm back at it and jumping right into a full schedule with Impressions Photography. This week I’m off to the Midwest to photograph a wedding.

So I’m not giving up on travel quite yet. The vacations, however, are probably over for a few months.

I think.

Want to Travel and Take Pictures With Me?

If these photos have you wishing you could pack a bag and grab your camera, you actually can join me.

Each year I host the Great Photo Voyage, a group cruise created for people who love taking pictures. We do some photography activities and I teach a few things along the way, but just as importantly, we travel, explore, take a ridiculous number of pictures and enjoy spending time with other people who understand why you might stop in the middle of everything because you saw a photograph you had to take.

If that sounds like your kind of trip, you can learn more about the Great Photo Voyage here. This trip is great for the person who travels with a camera in hand or just uses their phone all the time. It is for anyone who loves capturing a memory! 

And if you’re looking for a photographer closer to home, Impressions Photography has been photographing weddings and families in Fort Myers, Sanibel, Captiva and throughout Southwest Florida for 30 years.

September gave me my break.

Now I’m ready to start photographing people again.

Planning a family vacation or destination wedding in Southwest Florida?
If you’re searching for the right photographer to capture your special memories, I’d love to talk. I’ve photographed hundreds of weddings and thousands of families throughout Southwest Florida and I always bring a calm, easy, no-stress approach to every photo shoot so you can enjoy every moment.

If that sounds like what you’re looking for, let’s connect.
Visit Impressions Photography to learn more, or reach out here to start the conversation.