Destination Beach Weddings
Family Photo Sessions
It's not about the photographs; it's about how you feel when you look at them.
Imagine, a sunset vow exchange on the sugar-sand shores of Fort Myers, Sanibel and Captiva Islands, caught in radiant, natural light.
Beach Photographer in Fort Myers Florida
Capturing raw emotion, sugar-white sand dunes & dynamic golden suns on Fort Myers Beach, Captiva and Sanibel Islands
I believe that family reunions and elopements shouldn’t look like stiff artificial studio configurations. Real laughs happen barefoot, with the warm Gulf of Mexico tides washing over your feet.
With a classical formal background from the Art Institute of Boston and over a quarter-century as a beach photographer in Florida, I understand precisely when and where the sun aligns to give you that soft, magazine-worthy fill-light naturally.
25+
Years Shell-side Experience
125+
Verified Great Reviews
Experienced Family and Elopement Photographer
Dedicated Photographer With Specialized
Practices
Family Portraits
Generational laughing captures on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, and Captiva beaches. Unstiffened movement, sand dune walking direction, and authentic warm memory preservation.
Read Beach Guidelines →Intimate Beach Elopements
Barefoot elopement vow exchanges with gorgeous tide backdropping. Direct local recommendations, sunset timing, and raw resolution print files for Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Captiva Islands.
Elopement Guides →Client Heirlooms
Why Hundreds Recommend Frank Simonetti
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ARTISANAL PRINTS
Timeless Hand-Polished Natural Gallery
Family Session on Sanibel Island
Family Photo Session on Sanibel Island
Destination Wedding on Sanibel Island
Family Beach Portraits on Sanibel Island
Family Photo Session on Captiva Island
Destination Elopement on Fort Myers Beach
Marco Island Family Photo Session
Family Portrait
GEOGRAPHIC PRESETS
Southwest Florida's Fine-Art Venues
Renowned globally for world-class shelling, pristine sea oat dunes, and vintage Florida nostalgia. Crafting high-end, honest natural-light portraits on the islands’ most secluded shorelines.
The largest of Florida’s iconic Ten Thousand Islands, offering massive, wide white sandbars and pristine crescent-shaped shorelines. Specially optimized for large multi-generational family photo sessions.
Energetic, historic family vacation haven, famous for its lively sandbars, and beautiful vibrant Gulf tides. Excellent for high-energy candid photo shoots with families on the beach.
All reviews![]()
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Yelp
The Knot
Wedding WireExcellent5.0123 reviews
5.0Excellent123 reviewsPosted on Facebook![]()
April Hampton28 July 2026recommendsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Facebook.
Frank did an AMAZING job with our elopement pictures!Posted on Google![]()
April Hampton27 July 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Frank did an amazing job with our elopement pictures! I couldn't have asked for a better experience!Posted on The Knot![]()
Jeanai Ranero27 March 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is The Knot.
Frank was amazing! He did an awesome job with all the photos, took care to make sure we captured all the best moments and quickly provided the photos to us. Highly recommend!!Posted on Google![]()
Ni C26 March 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
We are absolutely beyond thrilled with our wedding photos and cannot say enough wonderful things about our photographer! From start to finish, he was amazing to work with—professional, kind, patient, and truly so talented. He captured our special day more beautifully than we could have ever imagined. The colors in our photos are absolutely gorgeous—so vibrant, rich, and full of life. Every image feels like a dream and perfectly reflects the joy, love, and emotion of our wedding day. He has such an incredible eye for detail and knew exactly how to capture every meaningful moment in the most stunning way. What meant so much to us is that he truly listened to everything we wanted and delivered far beyond our expectations. He did everything we asked for and so much more. He made us feel comfortable, relaxed, and confident the entire time, which made such a difference in how natural and beautiful our photos turned out. Every single picture is something we will treasure forever. We are so grateful for the care, creativity, and heart he put into capturing our day. If you are looking for a wedding photographer who goes above and beyond and delivers breathtaking, vibrant, unforgettable photos, we wholeheartedly recommend him! - Nicole & Matthew 3.21.26 Wedding Sanibel, FLPosted on Google![]()
E Zaleski28 February 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Our family had an amazing experience with Frank on Fort Myers Beach. He scoped out the location in advance, made sure the lighting was perfect, and helped us feel relaxed and comfortable right from the start. His warm personality and great sense of humor made the session so much fun—we all had a blast! Best of all, the photos turned out absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much, Frank!Posted on Google![]()
Laura Andersen24 February 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Will always reach out to Frank whenever my family is in Sanibel for family photos! He has taken my most treasured photos to date! He has such an eye - I’d envisioned sunset photos but when we were dealt a super foggy evening he was able to pivot and work his magic and take incredible photos of our family despite the weather. He is so fun to work with and made it painless with my young kids! Thanks, Frank!Posted on Facebook![]()
Mandy Hoeft13 January 2026recommendsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Facebook.
Frank photographed our vow renewal and was not only a kind person to work with, but delivered beautiful photos that captured our special dayPosted on Google![]()
Zahra Zare5 August 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
I had my wedding on August 1st, and he took some wonderful photos. I highly recommend him—he’s great at what he does! He puts effort into finding the perfect locations for photos, and it was a lot of fun working with him.Posted on Google![]()
Jennifer19 July 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
My husband and I renewed our vows on Marco Island. Frank was recommended by Alissa with Florida Weddings by Alissa. Both Frank and Alissa were incredible! Frank put everyone at ease so quickly! We were smiling and relaxed in no time. Frank was able to recommend the best time for the vow renewal and photos on Marco Island. He had such great insights on backgrounds and colors to ensure such beautiful photographs were taken. Frank was professional and polite and had a great personality - loved his humor!! Not only did Frank take such beautiful pictures, but he was able to provide the digital copies much more quickly than I expected! I would recommended Frank and Alissa a million times over! Thank you both for making our special day so beautiful!!Posted on Google![]()
Gloria Diaz3 July 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Frank was the best photographer our family has ever had!! He was fun and quirky and worked along with all 34 of our crazy things. He took all the pictures we didn’t know we wanted and gladly took the pictures we asked for. He did so well to position us well so that the pictures would be incredible and they absolutely were! We are so incredibly thankful!!!! Hire him! He’s worth every penny and more!Posted on Google![]()
Pamela Matlock25 June 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Our family beach photos with Frank on North Captiva Island were truly fantastic!! He works tirelessly to get just the right shot & to make everyone feel comfortable. We had 3 generations & Frank had time & ideas for all of us!Posted on Google![]()
Youtube Tv24 June 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Frank was very patient with our large group and took beautiful pictures we will have for a lifetime.Posted on Google![]()
A New Dawn22 May 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Frank is insanely talented! I can’t say enough good things. He captured our beach family photos perfectly and he made it so much fun for us and our kids! His photography is beautiful. I highly recommend!Posted on Yelp![]()
Susan T.19 December 2024Verified
Frank did a FABULOUS job of working with our family. He had great ideas about when and where on Marco Island to get the best shots. His communication was very prompt and helpful. And, if he tells you he looks like Elvis, he's kidding! Great sense of humor made it fun. :)Posted on Yelp![]()
Marie L.10 July 2024Verified
In June we contracted with Frank Simonetti to take photos of our 50th wedding anniversary on Marco Island. We had a group of 37 made up of multiple families that were celebrating with us for a week at Marriott's Crystal Shores. We wanted photos of our children and grandkids, each of the individual families and then separate photos with each family and us, the anniversary couple ... a myriad of combinations and a challenge for any photographer! We were extremely pleased and impressed with all the photos that Frank took and his creativity and attention for detail! Positioning everyone, at various locations in the garden and on the beach, while ensuring he was capturing the right light and that the background was perfect. Even more incredibly, he managed to get everyone in the group shots of 37 people, to all be smiling and look good ...that was simply outstanding! There wasn't one bad shot or any one person who was upset with their photo ... our entire group commented on his professionalism and creativity. Frank did all this in about 1 1/2 hours, at a reasonable cost and had the link to the photos available within 3 days so we could share his amazing, vivid photos with our family and friends! Frank - thanks for doing such a great job and for capturing our anniversary perfectly and providing us with photos that we will cherish for a lifetime!Posted on The Knot![]()
Janet Williams26 September 2022Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is The Knot.
I was able to complete two activities on my bucket list. First, my family of nine spent a wonderful, fun-filled week on Fort Myers beach. Second, Frank did an excellent job of capturing our special time there. He worked with my skeptical adult children and won them over. We couldn’t have been more thrill with all the pictures. If you want action pictures, Frank is actually what your looking for, and even my four young grandsons enjoyed the experience. I highly recommend this person. He is easy to work with and accommodating for all ages.Posted on Yelp![]()
Matt O.16 July 2022Verified
Frank was amazing to work with and his pictures were even better. When first contacted he was prompt in his response, he was clear in the services offered/pricing, and he consistently followed up to ensure our needs were met. The day of the shoot we had inclement weather that impacted our ability to complete the photos. Frank showed up the next day, which was a holiday, to finish the shoot. I was impressed by his professionalism and willingness to do whatever it takes to make it a quality shoot. Thank you Frank for wonderful photos and a terrific experience.Posted on Facebook![]()
Francisco C. Peydro23 May 2021recommendsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Facebook.
He did our Vow Renewal on 5/22/21 and he was AMAZING. Great Photos and Frank was AWESOME to work with. Thank you FrankPosted on Facebook![]()
Nicole Giallanzo27 September 2019recommendsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Facebook.
He is an amazing photographer! he did such a beautiful job on my wedding pictures would highly recommend!Posted on Facebook![]()
Jessica Butler Burdic5 August 2019recommendsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Facebook.
We recently stayed on Captiva Island and had hired Frank to take family pictures. It was the best decision we made!! Frank knew the area and did an amazing job taking pictures for our family. My kids had the best time! We will be back and we will hire him again! Our pictures turned out amazing!Posted on The Knot![]()
hooman seda29 March 2019Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is The Knot.
He is genuinely a talented artist who is dedicated to capture the very best pictures you are looking for. Thanks to him we have our mesmerizing photos by the beautiful Sanibel beach. We had agreed on an hour photoshoot but he spent about 2 hours to take photos in various poses at multiple locations .I won't be able to recommend any photographer more than Frank. He is also very fun to work with!Posted on Facebook![]()
Mackenzie Dunkelberger23 February 2019recommendsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Facebook.
Our wedding photos turned out amazing. Frank is awesome at capturing the perfect light with the perfect moment. so happy with how they turned out!Posted on Facebook![]()
Rebecca Moretti26 August 2018recommendsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Facebook.
Our wedding photos are breathtaking. Frank was great at directing us and getting lots of shots in a limited amount of time. We caught the sunset and a rainbow. So many beautiful memories.Posted on Yelp![]()
Kelly G.12 July 2018Verified
I live in Atlanta and planned a sunset beach wedding on Sanibel Island for July 4th. One of the recommendations from Patricia Slater Weddings was Frank Simonetti and he was awesome! He was professional and passionate about his work. He worked with us through the wedding that turned into a monsoon wedding instead of a sunset wedding. :) He sent us preview pictures that are beautiful and we can't wait for the rest to arrive soon. He brightened them up and you can't tell that the skies were gray. Thank you Frank!Posted on Facebook![]()
Roberta Gunnoe-Khanna8 July 2018recommendsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Facebook.
We are so pleased with our wedding photos, I can't thank Frank enough for the pictures. If you would like beautiful photos he is the one to go to. Thank you....Posted on Facebook![]()
Laura Evans20 June 2018recommendsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Facebook.
Frank was an absolute joy to work with. He was professional and went above and beyond to capture the moments that made our wedding day special. I would highly recommend Frank! I wish we lived closer as I would hire him to take all my future pictures. Thank you so much for making our day so special. We will always have our memories thanks to you!Posted on Facebook![]()
Nicole Weller22 May 2018recommendsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Facebook.
Frank is absolutely amazing! My photos from our wedding day are just breath taking. He is top notch! Thanks Frank, The WellersPosted on The Knot![]()
Olivia Lawless12 July 2017Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is The Knot.
My fiancé (now husband) and I traveled from Boston, Massachusetts to Captiva Island for our spontaneous elopement and were married on July 3rd, 2017. We chose Frank as our photographer and had the absolute best experience with him. From the minute I first emailed him, to getting our pictures taken, to everything after and in between - he was a true pleasure to work with. Our pictures are so much more than just pictures - they are precious moments, caught by Frank, that portray so much happiness and emotion; all of which we'll cherish for the rest of our lives. We are SO happy with our entire experience with him, I can't say enough good things. All I can do is recommend his services and promise that you won't be disappointed! Thank you Frank!Posted on The Knot![]()
Eliza Zimbeck27 April 2017Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is The Knot.
If I could give 10 stars, I would. I would like to start by the fact it was sprinkling outside, but as soon as we met Frank, he gave us infectious enthusiasm and put the entire wedding party at ease! He was professional, made it fun, and exceeded any expectations I had in my mind. In the end, the rain stopped, and we had the most beautiful sunset. Frank- you're the best in the business. I highly recommend! Thank you! Dan and Eliza ZimbeckPosted on Yelp![]()
Michael S.9 January 2017Verified
My wife and I hired Frank to shoot our intimate wedding at Blind Pass on December 20th 2016. I had asked around facebook and Frank came highly recommended. He did not disappoint. He made sure not only to take your usual wedding photos but took every extra pose we asked for which was maybe a handful since his creativity far surpassed our expectations. We received our photos and digital copies yesterday and couldn't be more happy with how they turned out. When we chose to fly down from the frozen Chicago in December while we decided to cut costs in some places our photographer wasn't one of those and we are so glad. Frank thank you for everything!!! Mike and Julie StysPosted on Yelp![]()
Janis W.5 January 2017Verified
Frank did an OUTSTANDING photo shoot of our family on Sanibel Island, Florida. He was professional and accommodating with our requests for multiple groupings of family members. Frank's artistic eye provided varying backdrops for our photos. Most importantly, we all had fun while being photographed. We would highly recommend Frank as a photographer!! Janis & PatPosted on The Knot![]()
Knottie144799282319 November 2015Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is The Knot.
As someone else already said, I wish I could give him more stars. Frank took our wedding renewal photos. Tonight I was looking at them again and was again amazed at the pictures he took. I am forever grateful for these pictures that I will always have to cherish.Posted on The Knot![]()
Megan Whiting19 June 2015Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is The Knot.
I had a destination wedding and was not able to meet with Frank until the wedding day. He responded promptly to all of my e-mails so I wasn't worried at all about him capturing our wedding memories. I also choose to have him video the days events and I am SO glad that I did. There were so many aspects of the day that as the bride you miss. And watching it later brings the day back over and over again. I had ideas for pictures that he was able to get and have us great ideas as well. They did an awesome job!Posted on The Knot![]()
Keely Fergus12 June 2015Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is The Knot.
Frank Simonetti is amazing! He captured our day perfectly and was extremely professional! It is evident that he knows his trade and smoothly weaves in and out of the night to capture everyone and everything. I highly recommend him!Posted on The Knot![]()
Danielle Douglas3 March 2015Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is The Knot.
Frank was recommended by our wedding planner/officiant and we loved him and the photos. We had a small destination wedding and we're so happy that we have so many amazing photos that capture that happiness and ease of the special day. We also received the photos within a week which was awesome. Definitely recommended!Posted on The Knot![]()
heather collins16 June 2013Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is The Knot.
Frank is amazing photographer! He was on time, answers emails quickly and he has such an amazing personality that made the whole experience stress free. I have been told many times by people that I show that they are the most beautiful wedding pictures they've ever seen.I couldn't have asked for more perfect pictures. I would highly recommend him for a photographer.
