Paradise Found

An exclusive preview of stunning images from photographer Alan Maltz’s upcoming book on the glories of Collier County.

As the official wildlife and fineart photographer of Florida, Alan Maltz is more than privy to the splendors that distinguish the Sunshine State. Here the renowned artist dazzles us with an excerpt from his fifth book, Journey Through Paradise, which takes us to places in Collier County we’ve never been and breathes new life into the spots we take for granted. The book, with text by Karen T. Bartlett, will be available in bookstores in early November.

Gentle Force

During a mid-morning shoot at Naples Botanical Garden, Maltz was focused on the flowers until a butterfly flitted briefly into frame to share the spotlight.

Lighthouse Cottage

Commissioned to photograph the architectural details of historic cottages in downtown Naples, Maltz chose to forego a list of destinations in favor of an aimless drive of random discovery.

Fifth Avenue Overview

Check out our October editor's note to discover how Maltz captured this bird’s-eye view of Fifth Avenue South.

Escape

Peeking through the cold, crystal-clear waters off Marco Island, this sunlit sandbar looked to an achy Maltz like the perfect place to rest after a morning spent stooping to photograph shells.

Shades of Blue

A long lens and a tripod—not typically practical when traveling by kayak—served Maltz well as he furtively approached a mangrove island of nesting birds in the 10,000 Islands.

Journey Through Paradise

Enduring a choking cloud of mosquitoes from the moment his airboat glided to a stop, Maltz plowed through two rolls of film in just 10 minutes to capture sundown from the shallow waters of Big Cypress National Preserve.

alanmaltz.com