Landscapes - By Location

Gulf Coast Landscape Photography Fine Art Prints and Wall Art

Pictures of Gulf Coast Beaches, Lighthouses, Sunrises and Sunsets

A Florida Gulf Coast landscape photography gallery of beautiful pictures of the Florida Gulf Coast and Emerald Coast by Joseph C. Filer with scenes of beaches, lighthouses, piers, storm clouds, sunrises and sunsets from Naples, Fort Myers, Panama City and more from a Florida based photographer.

Florida Gulf Coast landscape photographs are for sale as Limited Edition Fine Art Paper Prints, Chromaluxe ® Metal Prints, and non-glare TruLife ® Acrylic Prints. Frames and large-scale prints 8 feet or more in size are available.

Experienced In Gulf Coast Photography

As a South Florida native and resident, the Gulf Coast is just a short drive away. I have been there many times both for photographing birds and landscapes. The white sand beaches at Naples, Sanibel Island, Sarasota and the Florida Peninsula are simply gorgeous.

The many trips I have taken have given me the experience and expertise to know what time of the year to be at any of the locations. I have learned it is not always what you might think it would be. The Gulf Coast sunsets at the beaches, piers and lighthouses never seem to get old. There are still locations yet to shoot, so I will be back many more times.

The Gulf Coast of Florida – Photos of Stunning Florida Sunrises and Sunsets over White Sand Beaches

Florida was admitted as the 27th state on March 3, 1845. The Florida Gulf Coast has many photography opportunities such as Naples Beach and its fishing pier (1,000 feet long). Fort Myers Beach is on Estero Island which is 7 miles long. West of Fort Myers is Sanibel Island which is renowned for the seashells found on the beaches.

The Emerald Coast which is a 100-mile stretch along the Gulf of Mexico going through five counties is also a favorite with photographers. Without a doubt, Florida sunrise and sunset photos are among some of the most peaceful landscape photos with their blue waters and yellow/gold skies.

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See the Photos Below and These Related Galleries

Florida Keys Landscape Photography
Florida Landscape Photography
Ocean Sunrise Landscape Photography
Everglades National Park Photography

View Slideshow

sunrise over the St Marks Lighthouse on the Gulf Coast of Florida — St. Marks Sunrise

The old Naples Pier pilings at sunrise on the Florida Gulf Coast — Naples Old Pier

Sea Oats at sunrise on the beach at Lido Key, Florida on the Florida Gulf Coast — Gulf Coast Sea Oats

Lone Great Blue Heron in mirror smooth water on the Florida Gulf Coast in St. Marks — Solitary Serenity

sunrise on the beach with sand dunes and a white sand beach with a crescent moon overhead — Crescent Moon Sunrise

A reflection of the st. marks lighhouse in the calm water of the wildlife refuge at sunrise — Saint Marks Reflection

warm sunlight on the sea oats and sand dunes on the emerald coast of florida — Gulf Dunes

Sunrise at the Navarre Beach Pier on the Florida Gulf Coast — Navarre Sunrise

sunset over the For Myers Beach Pier on the Floirda Gulf Coast — Evening At The Pier

Sunset on Grayton Beach on the Florida Gulf Coast. — Grayton Beach Sunset

pastel colors in the sky at sunrise over the aqua waters of the gulf of mexico — Panhandle Pastels

white sand and sand dunes and the aqua water of the emerald coast — Gulf Islands Seashore

Sunrise storm clouds off the beach of Lido Key on the Florida Gulf Coast — Lido Key Sunrise

panoramic view sunrise clouds off the beach at Lido Key on the Florida Gulf Coast — Gulf Coast Sunrise

panoramic view of the Naples Beach Pier at sunset on the Floirda Gulf Coast — Special Moment

sunset at the Fort Myers Beach Pier on the Florida Gulf Coast — Sweet Sunset

sunset at the Naples Beach Pier on the Florida Gulf Coast — Naples Sunset

white waves on the white sand beach at sunrise with pastel colors in the sky and the water — Morning Waves

Fine Art From The Gulf Coast

The scenes on the Gulf Coast of Florida are worthy of being made into a Fine Art Print. There are white-sand beaches, calm reflecting waters of the Gulf of Mexico, lighthouses, sunsets at the Naples Pier, and Sea Oats at Lido Key. My favorite has to be sunrise lighting up the summer storms offshore. The Florida Gulf Coast really does have it all.

Visiting and Photographing the Florida Gulf Coast

Let’s talk about why the Florida Gulf Coast is so strikingly different from the Florida East Coast both to visit and to photograph.

The difference with the Atlantic coast

The sand is very white in comparison to the tan-colored sand on the east coast. In addition, the white sand doesn’t seem to be nearly as hot to walk on. You’re generally photographing sunsets as compared to sunrises on the Atlantic Coast.

The water of the Gulf is much calmer than the water in the Atlantic Ocean. The waves are very small, and the Gulf can seem almost more like a lake at times. This is great for getting reflections of various objects.

Southwest Florida

The beaches at Marco Island are wide and flat, but there isn’t much else there photographically than just a beach photo. Moving north from there takes you to Naples, Florida.

Naples has the Naples Beach Pier and some pilings from the old pier from years ago. Both make excellent subjects at both sunrise and sunset. When possible, I like having something extra in the photo than just the sand and water.

Fort Myers has the Fort Myers Beach Pier. A great time to be there is sunset as you can also enjoy the goings-on at the Estero Blvd restaurants, shops, and street artists. It can be quite a scene.

Just west of Fort Myers is Sanibel Island, with its famous seashells on the beach. There is a photogenic lighthouse on the south end, and if you like to photograph birds, there is the JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Winter and early Spring are good times to be at the refuge.

In the Sarasota area are Siesta Key and Lido Key. For whatever reason, Lido Key seems to be far less crowded than Siesta Key. Lido Key also has some very attractive small sand dunes with sea oats. Early morning is a great time to have the sun rising behind you light up the dunes. In the summer, offshore thunderstorms make for an impressive addition to the scene.

There are also some possibilities at Fort Desoto near St. Petersburg, but I have not found them to be that much better than the location south of there that I have already mentioned. It may be that I just need to spend more time there.

North of St. Petersburg, the sandy beaches give way to rocky and mangrove-lined shorelines. I have explored the areas around Homosassa, Crystal River, and Cedar Key, but have just not come away with anything that I feel worthy of being Fine Art. Maybe someday I will.

The Florida Panhandle

The Florida Panhandle is known as the Emerald Coast because of the aqua colors of the Gulf of Mexico in the shallow waters of the coast. Beginning in St. Marks and west from there, the coastline returns to white-sand beaches.

A favorite for me is the St. Marks Lighthouse. Shooting from the marsh grass on the east side, the lighthouse lights up beautifully when the light of the rising sun hits it. The water offshore is shallow, calm, and has amazing reflections of the clouds. They are some of the best I have ever seen.

The rest of the locations on the Panhandle are similar to each other with white sandy beaches. Grayton Beach State Park is good and the Navarre Beach Pier with its nearby sand dune provides a wide range of photographic opportunities.

December is the best time to be at the Florida Panhandle, as the sun is rising and setting from the south of east and west. This allows you to photograph both sunrise and sunset on the same coastline!

I’m sure there is quite a bit I have left out, but I wanted to share what my own experiences have been. As a Florida resident, I will probably be back to learn more about the Florida Gulf Coast.

Fun Facts About The Florida Gulf Coast

Florida has almost 800 miles of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. Photographs of beautiful sunsets are possible from many locations and landmarks.

As someone who has spent their entire life in Miami, I am familiar with our exposure to tropical storms and hurricanes. With many hurricanes coming from Africa and through the Caribbean to get to Florida, those of us on the Florida East Coast have always felt like we were the most at risk.

However, looking at Category 3 and stronger hurricanes since 1950, six have made landfall on the Atlantic Coast or the Florida Keys. Eight have made landfall on the Gulf coast with three of those being in the Florida Panhandle. Most recently, Hurricane Michael devastated Panama City and Mexico Beach in 2018 with 140mph winds.

These storms can dramatically change an area that is routinely photographed. Landmark trees, docks, and piers may be destroyed. The erosion of beach sand can substantially change the look of a beach. Photographs that were routinely taken may no longer be possible.

For history buffs, Fort Myers is home to the winter estates of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Sarasota is where you can see Ca’D’Zan, the restored former home of John and Mabel Ringling, of circus fame.