Meet Derek Waksmunski — Florida Keys Photographer

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Certified Dive master + FAA Drone Pilot + Visionary
Real ocean experience. Real access. Real moments.

I’m Derek J. Waksmunski, the photographer and creative behind Derek J. Waksmunski Photography LLC, based in the Florida Keys.

My journey began in the quiet backwoods of Pennsylvania, where I developed a deep appreciation for stillness, nature, and the beauty of light. Some of my earliest inspiration came from photographing stars with my dad. Later, capturing my first solar eclipse became a defining moment that changed the way I saw photography and the world around me.

Today, my work is shaped by adventure, conservation, and intention. Experiences exploring reefs in Australia, Bonaire, and South Florida have deepened my perspective as both an artist and marine conservationist.

As an FAA Part 107 Certified Drone Pilot, PADI Divemaster, underwater photographer, and Florida Keys light painter, I create imagery from perspectives both above and below the water. My work includes underwater photography, aerial imagery, landscapes, golden-hour portraits, milestone sessions, and long-exposure light painting.

Light painting is long-exposure photography created in low light using handheld light sources. Each image is captured as a single photograph entirely in camera, with no Photoshop, AI, compositing, or digital manipulation.

Whether I am photographing life beneath the surface, chasing color across the horizon, or illuminating a mangrove beneath the night sky, my goal is to create images that feel authentic, timeless, and entirely my own.

I live what I shoot—above the water, below the surface, I’m always chasing light.