Nick Adams is originally from London, England and has been a photographer since the early nineties.

He drew a lot of inspiration from his uncle, John Adams, who was a respected fashion and glamour photographer in the ‘swinging’ 60’s through to the ‘big hair’ 80’s in London. His work can still be found in stock libraries in London with the popular resurgence of the retro culture. Nick started his career working on cruise ships where he met Lori (from Delaware, Ohio).

In 1994 Nick convinced Lori to move to England. With the help of The Prince’s Trust (an excellent English charity started by Prince Charles to help young people who wanted to start up in business), Nick set up ‘Nick Adams Photography’. The studio was based in a rural market town called Maldon in Essex. During their stay in England, Lori and Nick got married and had their first child Max.

In 1998 Lori, Nick and Max moved to Southwest Florida where Nick Adams Photography made a reappearance, with better weather and the sandy beaches as a backdrop. Nick, Lori and Max have made Southwest Florida their permanent home along with two additions to their family, Brooke and McKenna.

“I have been taking family portraits on the beaches of Sanibel, Captiva, North Captiva (AKA Upper Cap), Ussepa, Fort Myers Beach, Naples and all of South West Florida since 1999. I personally have over 25 years experience in the photography business. Taking literally thousands (yes, thousands ) of beach family portraits, it’s my passion.

My wife Lori and I have been living in Fort Myers, FL just off Sanibel Island since 2000. Running a successful wedding & beach portrait photography business on the island ever since, we quickly became acquainted with everything Sanibel has to offer. Fast forward exactly 20 years to March of 2020, COVID-19 came into everyone’s life. Without notice, the Sanibel Captiva community would drastically change. Restaurants, hotels, resorts, and photography businesses were forced to temporarily close. The very infrastructure that supported the island’s economy was decimated. People were encouraged to quarantine and everyone was nervous about the uncertain times ahead.

People were upset about having to cancel their trips to the islands. I decided to share a little Sanibel sunshine. I uploaded a short video of the stunning beaches taken with my drone. It was time-stamped, narrated, and posted on the forums for all to see. The video was shared repeatedly!

Well, that was the start. The response was so positive to this first video that when I had to temporarily close the doors to Nick Adams Photography due to the pandemic, Lori and I embarked on a mission to make videos and share them with people, simply to share the mutual love of the islands. The response was amazing! People all over the USA and all over the world reached out! We received moving emails, private personal stories, and messages of support. We created 45 films in the 55 days that COVID-19 kept our business closed. Narrated films showed the beaches and resorts on the Islands, the best places to visit, and historical places, thanks to Lori’s tireless research.

Then came “The Sanibel Captiva Guide.” Once the photography business resumed, we found we missed making the films and sharing them with people. The main mission of the website is to share the love, beauty, and history of the glorious islands of Sanibel & Captiva and surrounding areas. we want to help anyone planning a visit and to remind people why they should come back. Lastly and most importantly they want to share the islands with people who cannot make it here.”

Nick Adams, nickadamsphotography.com + thesancapguide.com

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I grew up in Atlanta. I have lived in Southwest Florida for most of my life. In the early 80s I inherited an old camera and started stalking birds to capture them on film. I became a serious avian photographer. I entered a photograph into the Ding Darling annual photography exhibit. It won first place. A couple of years later I entered again and won again.

I began making nature landscapes. A long admirer of the work of Ansel Adams, I fell in love with black and white photography. It was sometimes difficult to find landscapes undisturbed by the encroachments of our rapidly urbanizing area, so I began to include the works of man in my photographs. A favorite, of course, is the Sanibel Lighthouse.

The Great Recession stalled my business as a consulting engineer. I went to work for a nationwide portrait company. It was standardized photography with way too much emphasis on selling. So, then I set up my own portrait studio in an empty space in my engineering office for a while.

I am currently a member of the Tower Gallery Artists’ Cooperative and exhibit my photographs in the Tower Gallery on Sanibel.

“After years of being primarily an avian photographer I gradually evolved into capturing landscapes There are no great mountain scenes, waterfalls, or the like, here in southwest Florida. I use the light, the sky and clouds, the water and reflections to give the landscape character, to reveal the art of nature in the ever present works of humans. I began to see my photography as not just capturing a scene, but of making art from what I see around me.

I love being on the beach early in the morning, before the people arrive. I enjoy making minutes-long exposures in the predawn darkness and making street scenes by the light from lamp posts. And still, it’s a thrill to catch the dance of the reddish egret. I’ve been working more and more deeply in our urban areas, cityscapes, and have become fascinated to find the patterns, geometry, and sometimes abstruse images in our built environment.

Many of the photographs I make now are so different from the ones I made when I first started. It’s an ongoing journey, always with something different just ahead.”

Buck Ward, buckward.net

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Angelika Geerlof is a talented fine art nature photographer based on Sanibel Island.

Since her first visit in 2004, she has been captivated by the island’s beauty, vibrant colors, and serene atmosphere. Now a resident with a profound connection to the island’s enchanting landscapes (and a very active Facebook presence), Geerlof expertly combines her passion for descriptive prose and photography to create captivating artworks that beautifully depict the essence of Sanibel.

Under the banner of her business, Sanibel Moodscapes, LLC, Geerlof seamlessly blends free form poetry and photography to produce an array of exquisite souvenirs and products. The Moodscapes line boasts a remarkable collection, including two captivating coffee table books, annual calendars, notecards, magnet/photo stands, keyrings, coffee mugs, and mouse pads. With over 100 distinct images that have been transformed into postcards, available in the finest shops on Sanibel Island, Geerlof ensures that her creations embody the spirit and allure of the island.

Geerlof’s devotion to her craft extends beyond mere products. Her profound desire is to share her love for Sanibel with others, to evoke in them the same joy and appreciation she feels for this extraordinary place. The recognition and satisfaction derived from others experiencing and embracing the beauty of Sanibel Island are, in themselves, a rewarding experience for Geerlof. She considers herself truly blessed to have found Sanibel and hopes that her work does justice to the island’s inherent splendor.

“As I draw from moments in time, I aim to share and capture the serenity and beauty of nature, the spontaneity of wildlife, as well as the colors and textures which tastefully comprise a well balanced scene.”

Angelika Geerlof, moodscapesllc.com

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Ed Saternus is a renowned fine art photographer hailing from Southwest Florida.

His deep love for the region’s landscape and wildlife is reflected in his captivating work. Specializing in wildlife, nature, landscape, weather, night sky, and drone photography, Ed’s lens captures the allure of Southwest Florida, including Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, and Cape Coral. With each click of the shutter, he skillfully preserves fleeting moments wild wonder, inviting viewers to pause and contemplate the wonders of nature.

Photographs by Saternus showcasing the timeless beauty of the SWFL region have garnered local media recognition, adorn gallery walls, and are held in many private collections. Through his captivating images, he imparts a sense of awe and reverence for the natural world, reminding us of the importance of preserving its delicate balance. Ed’s work serves as a testament to the vibrant beauty of Southwest Florida and a celebration of its rich and delicate biodiversity.

“I grew up in Southwest Florida and have a passion for capturing the beauty of its landscape and wildlife.”

Ed Saternus, edsaternusphotography.com

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Bridgit Budd is a wildlife photographer, photobook + stationery publisher, and TikTok influencer based in Sanibel Island.

Originally from Milwaukee, she studied Business at Simmons College before working in sales for Kimberly-Clark Corporation in NYC. In 2002, Bridgit moved to Sanibel, where she found her passion for wildlife photography.

Bridgit is also a successful photobook + stationery publisher at bridgitswildlife.com, curating her photography into visually stunning collections. Through her photobooks, she shares her artistic perspective. Additionally, Bridgit actively engages with a wide audience on TikTok, showcasing her work and offering insights into her creative process.

Beyond her artistic pursuits, Bridgit co-owns The Pecking Order (currently moving to a new Post-Ian location at at 2330 Palm Ridge Road), a soul-food eatery on Sanibel Island, with her husband, Dan. She brings her entrepreneurial skills to the restaurant business, providing classic comfort foods to patrons. Bridgit also handles marketing and social media for Wildseed Construction, her husband’s residential and commercial construction company on the islands.

Alongside her professional endeavors, Bridgit and her husband are committed to philanthropic work in Saint Marc, Haiti. They annually travel there to build schools, churches, and agricultural fields. Their efforts focus on improving infrastructure, clean water accessibility, and educational opportunities for children.

“My name is Bridgit and I’ve lived on Sanibel Island for over 20 years. I am a restaurateur by trade and a lover of wildlife by nature. Please enjoy some of my favorites.”

Bridgit Budd, bridgitswildlife.com

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Eric J Taubert is an artist, contemporary fine art photographer, and writer based in Southwest Florida. He has worked internationally, with an emphasis on coastal New England (including a deep connection to Maine and the Ogunquit Art Colony + Ogunquit Art Association / Barn Gallery), Southwest Florida (particularly Sanibel/Captiva Island + the area between Fort Myers and Key West), and Europe. Taubert’s work has been exhibited in a variety of fine art galleries across the United States, featured in magazines, and is also held in many private collections.

“I’m most-often drawn towards an examination of coastal textures in my work. Weathered wood. Salt-crusted working waterfronts. Seaside dive bars. Residents, workers, and tourists in coastal villages, coves, and harbors. My work is created through the process of a slow, deliberate, and mindful look at the interaction of places near the ocean with the human-made stuff found along these coastline areas.

How do the sun, and the storms, and the salt water have an impact on the dwellings, signs, tools, boats, docks, fishing gear, and gathering places of the people who live in proximity to them?

What truths are revealed through the eclectic encounters that occur in these delicate ecotones where complex tourism-economy pressures ceaselessly collide with the fragile habitats of the native species and day-to-day lives of those who call these heavily-marketed destinations home?

How do tangles of ropes, buoys, driftwood, human-generated debris, beach-town ephemera, and the passage of time all conspire to become part of these nostalgia-drenched and kaleidoscopically-evolving landscapes that speak so loudly to so many of us?”

Eric J. Taubert, taubertgallery.com

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