The 9 Best Portrait Photographers in Destin

Whether a special occasion is looming on the horizon or you just want a keepsake for future reflection, portraiture is an art that is always in demand! And if you happen to live on or are visiting the Emerald Coast, you are sure to see just how talented the photographers in this area are. After all, each of these notable Destin portrait photographers of 2022 is a master of incorporating the background in a way that highlights the unmistakable magic of the area. Take a look at their work!

1. Galina Wells

Galina Wells is a Destin portrait photographer whose approach includes several of the most impactful and popular ones! From magazine and lifestyle-themed sessions to high school senior and family sessions on the beach, she stands ready with a camera in hand for any portraiture needs you might have.

She is familiar with both natural light and studio photography sessions, using light in ways that play to the strengths of the model and theme. Her portraits also take on conceptual fine art themes at times, inviting the viewer to look more deeply at her and her subject’s intentions.

2. Cali May

The entire Florida Panhandle is the working region of Cali May, Destin portrait photographer! Documenting moments and subjects of interest has been a lifelong passion for her but it was only in the past few years that she turned her art into a fully-fledged business! Cali saw that the emotional qualities that images of the distant past hold are worth offering to others less skilled in the visual arts.

As she says, “My passion is illuminating raw and authentic moments that provide visual stories for others to share for a lifetime.” Where some portrait photographers go with crowded or warm tinted styles, Cali prefers a more minimalist presentation, with bright whites and sky blues! Coupled with strong lifestyle suggestions from elements within the scene, it is a style distinctly her own!

3. Kayla Jordyn

While Kayla Jordyn has always been in love with the creative arts it was her journey into motherhood that helped her realize what a gift she had. By preserving memories of children and families when they are only going to get bigger and older over time, she helps people immortalize fleeting moments in time.

What most caught our attention is how carefully Kayla finds the line between authenticity and art! She aims to help people feel natural while still using instructions for people who are uncertain in front of a camera! Her images have a celebratory feeling thanks to the ease that she inspires in her subjects!

4. Love is Wild Photo

Josh and Sara Thurber are the creative couple behind Love is Wild Photo! And their well-chosen business name reflects their approach to portraiture: Josh and Sara remind us that love need not ever become ordinary. Instead, they find expressions of love that are celebratory, engaging, and even adventurous in the right settings.

The Thurbers are especially attentive to the backgrounds they choose, finding spaces full of intricate details that only add to the story being told about their subjects! Their environmental portraits invite us to family outings, couples sitting on their doorstep, Florida weddings, and more.

5. Heather Clark

Family and lifestyle portraits are the specialty of Heather Clark! Families of all sizes join her in the scenic outdoors of the Florida Panhandle to create heirloom family images. Heather’s photography has a very playful feel; so often her subjects end up in the water, messy and laughing, that you will end up smiling right along with them.

She has a special love for the in-between moments that unfold during a photoshoot! Heather finds these unscripted, fully authentic instants to be fine art worthy as they show how you naturally relate to your loved ones free of artifice. Being able to both make your subjects comfortable enough to express them while seamlessly blending into the background is a rare talent!

6. Shot By Loriel

Loriel is a Destin portrait photographer whose portfolio is some of the best we’ve seen using gently guided posing techniques! Her subjects evoke nostalgic family-oriented themes while under some of the most beautiful sky you’ve ever seen! Loriel’s eye for color is also second to none.

In particular, her personal style brings out the warm, pastel shades found in the afternoon and sunset Florida lighting. Pinks, peach, and yellow make a stunning backdrop for outdoor family and couples portraits that let viewers know instantly where they were.

7. Sheena of Ivy Fern Creek Photography

“Capturing the art of YOU” is the maxim that Sheena of Ivy Fern Creek Photography works from! Her lifestyle portraiture finds that fine line between coaxing out fine art expressions using the artist’s vision while still staying true to how you and your loved ones naturally express themselves.

And we adore Sheena’s modern, contrast-rich color grading, bringing out the warm, glowing golds to surround her subjects in radiance! Based in nearby Navarre, she works up and down the Emerald Coast, including Destin!

8. Jamie Kamber

Branding, commercial, and lifestyle portraits are the specialty of Jamie Kamber! She entered the Emerald Coast photography world after she realized how much help local businesses and brands need.

Since visual media are what people first engage with when viewing advertisements, menus, and social media posts, good photography can make all the difference between engaging with a brand and walking away. Jamie therefore crafts images that help humanize the people behind brands and showcase the products and services on offer in an appealing way.

9. Timeless Photo Co.

Allowing you to come and be as you are in front of the camera is what Timeless Photo Co. does best! While Megan, the lead photographer of this brand, has always been in love with the art form, it was nine years ago that she made the leap into turning her passion into a full-time business. Since then, she’s become one of the most talented Destin portrait photographers.

Megan sees her art as a way of helping families and lovers preserve their memories of the present into the distant future. As she says, “Being a photographer makes me so happy because not only am I able to make others happy with my work, but I am able to help capture and preserve their memories for them to cherish for a lifetime!”

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