Why Become a Florida Photographer?

As a Florida Photographer the answer is simple. Event photography is exciting and with so many other beautiful and exciting places to visit in our incredibly unique and beautiful United States I can't be everywhere. During my 62 years I have been very fortunate in being able to visit all 50 states, most of them two or more times and I have decided that Florida is where I prefer to hang my hat. Don't get me wrong, I still travel frequently and love every state for it's uniqueness. Florida, however has just about everything all of the other states have with the obvious exceptions of majestic mountains and snow. O.K., we do practice our snow removal in the Tampa Bay area about once every ten years providing we are up before sunup on the day it arrives or it will have melted and we have to wait another ten years.

My family moved to the sunshine state from Roanoke, Virginia during July of 1959. How do you say "HOT", but I loved it. We checked out the upper keys then settled into the Fort Lauderdale area for a few months before moving farther north to Lake Worth. New Year's day 1960 arrived with a high of around 80 . . . flip-flops to prevent burning my feet on the hot tar pavement, shorts and a fishing rod and I knew I was hooked. With no air conditioning we spent most of our free time outside to take advantage of the mild breezes that blow most of the year.

Tony the Tiger would be quick to tell you that the ability to cruise or walk the beaches of Lake Worth or West Palm Beach anytime of the year is "GRRRREAT".

Over the years my wonderful wife Kathy and I have moved away but kept returning to Florida every few years and finally decided enough is enough, we really love Florida. As my galleries are loaded most of my photos will be focused on Florida and I will have frequent articles about the many towns, such as Everglades City on the western edge of the Everglades and Steinhatchee located in the Big Bend area with its fishing and scalloping. My galleries of areas such as Colorado, Maine or Alaska and others we plan to visit in the near future will also be added once complete.

Said to be the most photographed mountain range in the country the Maroon Bells is located just outside Aspen, Colorado.	What would Maine be without it's lobster fishermen? Maine is incredibly beautiful year round.	Sitka, Alaska harbor with Mt. Edgecumbe in the background. This is a late April 2006 picture.

Let me take a moment to mention that we have traveled extensively outside the United States as well. As a young man right out of high school I enlisted in the U.S. Navy and my three years of maturing while on active duty introduced me to several other cultures, spikeing an interest in me to travel and learn. Since then Kathy and I have made numerous trips to Europe, Asia, the Virgin Islands, Bahamas and of course our friends Canada and Mexico. As a college graduate with a degree in psychology I am curious about people in general so as we travel we meet with the locals to learn about their cultures and I have found that people are people worldwide with a primary desire to take care of their families and careers.

O.K., back to Florida and my decision to become a Professional Florida Photographer. Next year I will be retiring from my federal government career allowing me to focus entirely on my freelance photography business offering affordable professional photography services primarily to Florida residents but because I love to travel I will consider assignments to other states. All my life I have loved photography then decided about three years ago while on assignment to Key West to turn professional. Since then I have been studying with New York Institute of Photography and will be graduating soon.

As a Florida Photographer my equipment is all digital with a Canon EOS 20D and soon to acquire a Canon 1Ds Mark III. Everything is portable so that I can easily travel for location shoots, especially convenient for weddings or aspiring models wanting pool or beach shots added to their portfolios. It's great for landscapes and wildlife too.

Newly weds Kate and Peter married February, 2008.	Like many young ladies Brittny would love to break into modeling. She loves the Florida beaches and wanted her photo shoot at Ft. Desoto park near St. Petersburg Beach.	A beautifull little village on Martha's Vineyard, Menemsha hosted the filming of the movie "Jaws" over thirty years ago. Some of the best lobster rolls anywhere are made fresh daily here.

For wildlife shoots I have added a Canon 600mm EF lens for some really uique closeups. It's great for shuttle launches too. The photo series below is a night launch of Shuttle Endeavor in February 2008.

If you are looking at cruiseing we work with all of the cruise lines worldwide and can set you up with the best possible cruise experiences for your personal needs. We recommend you take time to enjoy the port area for a couple of days prior to or just after your cruise. With the exception of Jacksonville we have cruised from all of the Florida ports and can explain to you how to get the most from your visit. We have also cruised out of Los Angeles along the western coast of Mexico and Vancouver, B.C. to Alaska.

Visit this site (www.forida-travel-photography) frequently as it is a living site in progress. When you have a special event (weddings, retirement parties, etc.) you would like professionally photographed, whether on land or aboard a cruise ship contact us. If you are on a tight budget we most likely can assist you. We share one office number for both CruiseOne and Florida Travel Photography. I hope you enjoy this site and allow me to become your Florida Photographer.

Wishing for you only happy memories . . .

Don Stilton

www.florida-travel-photography.com and www.dstilton.cruiseone.com

(727) 526-9677 Florida Photographer CruiseOne Travel