Cover Feature - Southwest Florida Tourism Publication
Must Do Visitor Guides
A Travel Guide to Southwest Florida's Top Attractions
Fort Myers | Sanibel | Captiva
Winter | Spring 2017
Cover Photo by Mary Carol Fitzgerald
I've been receiving wonderful opportunities to broaden my experiences with travel photography that coexist nicely with my fine art and lifestyle photography. Apart from my international adventures, I’ve been working with Must Do Visitor Guides, capturing Southwest Florida’s travel and tourism attractions.
As a former resident of Naples, Florida, where my family is currently based, I frequent the seaside paradise I still call home, aside from Chicago. A couple of years ago, while I was visiting in my mom's office in Naples, I noticed a travel magazine sitting on her ottoman.
I’m always picking these up and looking at the photos, letters from the editor, informational pieces of places to go, and things to do — all the while being inspired by the content and imagery, creating my adventures as a travel photographer.
Flipping through the pages, as a professional photographer with a zest for exploring, the magazine-expressed imagery draws me in.
A couple of years ago, I reached out to Must Do about working with them to capture this type of travel and tourism photography for their publications. I was thrilled with their welcoming acceptance and was excited to put my skills to good use where they could be shared and recognized.
Since then, during my travels to Naples among work, pleasure, and family affairs, I take advantage of being able to be a photographer for Must Do whenever I have the chance.
It gives me the opportunity to explore my hometown backyard and insight to all the activity that these special places have to offer, whether vacationing from far away lands or local residents looking for a nearby adventure.
The magazine provides information about what there is to do in various locations from reliable, native sources to a plethora of night-life to day-time activities, and popular tourist attractions to "just for kids".
During one of my trips to Florida when visiting Sanibel & Captiva Island for a friend’s wedding, I ventured out to photograph the area. While biking through the beach towns on a typical warm, sunny day in paradise, I made stops at local eateries capturing food photos and outdoor dining scenes, detail shots of souvenirs and environmental photos of parks and beaches, including the interiors spaces of shops and restaurants.
Above is the cover photo I captured during that visit which is featured on the current Winter/Spring 2017 of the Lee County issue covering Fort Myers, Sanibel and Captiva Islands.
Must Do Visitor Guides really do offer all of the Must Dos for making the most of one’s stay!
Come relax on Southwest Florida’s beautiful white sand beaches and dip your toes in the warm Gulf of Mexico water. While you do, be sure to pick up a Must Do Visitor Guide to experience the best of what the Paradise Coast has to offer.
Must Do Visitor Guides can be found wherever free publications are offered.
I would like to recognize and applaud Must Do Visitor Guides for being a first-class concierge magazine. The energy behind this publication comes from authentic amazing people. They are kind, fun to work with, and have a wonderful work ethic, which in turn, makes it an absolute pleasure and honor to photograph for this publication.
Thank you, Dave & Nita Ettinger!
— Mary Carol Fitzgerald Photography