Printable planning kit
Photography Checklist
For photographers shooting Key West, on land and from boats.
Two hazards define shooting here: salt spray and sun. Everything below is about protecting gear and being in the right place when the light arrives.
Confirm the rules for anything you plan to fly or mount — operators and public sites set their own policies, and they vary.
Protect the gear
- Waterproof case or housing, leashed — an unleashed camera over deep water is a donation
- Dry bag with a sealed inner pouch
- Microfibre cloths (more than one — salt haze is relentless)
- Rain cover or a simple plastic sleeve for showers
- Silica packs for humidity
- Lens hood to cut water glare
Kit worth carrying
- Polarizing filter for water and sky
- Spare batteries — heat drains them faster than expected
- Extra cards
- Battery pack for phones
- Small tripod or clamp for after-sunset light
- Wide and short-telephoto options for streets and boats
Timing the light
Sunset time shifts across the year — check your specific dates.
- Sunrise on the Atlantic side for the quietest hour on the island
- Golden hour for the historic streets and waterfront
- The twenty minutes after sundown, when the sky often does its best work
- Midday reserved for shade, interiors and covered markets
- Board sunset outings early enough to pick your position
On a boat
- Shoot from a stable stance, elbows in, knees soft
- Faster shutter than you'd use on land — the deck is always moving
- Wipe the lens between frames, not after the shot you wanted
- Ask the crew where you may and may not stand
- Shoot less than you planned; the trip is also for you
Confirm directly with your provider
These depend on the operator and the day. We don't publish them because we can't know them for your booking.
- Whether tripods, gimbals or drones are permitted
- Where on the vessel you may stand or shoot
- Whether there's dry storage aboard
- Photo policies at any private or public site on your list
Fill this in
- Sunset time for your date (check locally)
- Boarding time
- Shot list — three frames, no more
- Backup plan if the sky is flat
Key West Compass is an independent publisher, not an activity operator. We publish no prices, availability, forecasts or travel times, and we don't rank or recommend individual operators. Providers control pricing, scheduling, safety and service — verify material details with them directly.