Destination Imagery – Sandestin, Florida

Capturing these destination images came with a unique set of challenges. Weather was unpredictable during the window we had, so picking the right day for the beach shots became critical. Timing was also key, as the setup of beach chairs and umbrellas at Topsail is handled by an outside company—and the location itself is remote, deep within a national park and only accessible by golf cart. To add to the complexity, I was informed by a park ranger that drone take-offs weren’t allowed inside the park boundary, though flying over it was permissible. That required some creative thinking.

On the Grand Boulevard side, the challenge was different—balancing the timing and light to show the energy of the space while avoiding harsh midday sun or empty-feeling downtime. I needed to match the tone of the hotel brand while also doing justice to the vibrancy of the neighborhood.

For the beach imagery, I coordinated closely with the beach setup crew, shot on foot in the park first, and then arranged to be driven by golf cart out of the park boundary to a legal take-off spot two miles away. From there, I flew the drone along the shoreline until I located the umbrellas—distant, but worth the effort to complete the aerial perspective we needed.

For Grand Boulevard, I scouted ahead of time to identify the most photogenic vantage points, then returned at the right times of day to get clean, well-lit shots that showcased the area’s energy and design. Between preparation, flexibility, and creative problem-solving, the final set of destination shots now complements and elevates the hotel photography they were designed to support.

8 Destination shots to accompany 56 shots of two hotels.

Shots were used on the official Marriott Web Site as well as for local marketing