Start a Nada Story

nada jones looks out to sea, she is excited by travel

I’m a writer before I’m anything else. No polished pitch needed. No perfectly formed idea. Just reach out the way you’d text a friend. Tell me what’s stirring. I read every single message myself, and I reply to every one.

Front page feature & freelance writer for Free Press, Key West Citizen, South Dade News Leader

As featured in

Voyage MiamiCanvas RebelBold Journey

Nada Khalaf-Jones featured on the front page of SeaShoreline magazine, Florida Keys photographer and writer

“I’m a writer before I’m anything else.”

For 27 years I’ve taught scuba diving around the world, trusted with people’s children underwater in conditions where trust isn’t optional. I’ve been in the room for weddings, for senior portraits, for the sports team photos that end up on someone’s wall for decades. I don’t just witness those moments — I write them, shape them, and hold them on the page.

I’ve written about my own daughter — who has Down syndrome and lives independently in Key West — with everything I have. The words I choose for her are the same kind of words I’ll choose for you: careful, honest, and rooted in love and respect for the life in front of me.

I’m Communications Director for the UF Association of Asian Alumni and Secretary of the Florida Keys Gator Club. A member of the Society of Authors (UK) and Professional Photographers of America (USA). I’m woven into this community, not visiting it. When you hand me your story, I know exactly what that means. I’ll hold it the same way.”

In print & online

As seen in the Florida Keys Free Press

Companies Find Synergy in Protecting Keys Coastline

How local businesses are joining forces to restore the living shoreline and protect the Keys from rising seas — a story of collaboration, coral, and coastal resilience.

Eatery Keeps the Keys Spirit Alive

A story about food, people, and the stubborn joyful defiance of a Keys restaurant keeping something real alive.


Local Designer Advocates Sustainable, Upcycled, Ageless Style

A Keys designer who refuses to play by fashion’s rules — upcycling, ageing defiantly, proving style has nothing to do with what season it is.

Baker’s Weekly Bread Becomes Cottage Industry

A Keys baker who turned a simple weekly loaf into a cottage industry and a community.


Dancing for Joy, Healing and Community

People in the Keys who dance not for performance but because it heals them and connects them.

Anen’s Designs Defy Easy Categorisation

A Japanese designer whose work refuses to sit still, blending kimono tradition with contemporary vision.


Down Syndrome & Independent Living in Key West

People with Down Syndrome living independently in Key West — their lives, their choices, their story. Submitted to the Free Press.

Wisteria Island — The Conch Republic’s Next Door Neighbour

The untold story of the island just off Key West that most people sailing past have no idea about. Submitted to the Free Press and the Citizen.

Photography Florida Keys

I’ve sat with veterans who’ve never told a soul. With teenagers quietly defying everything. With people who thought their story wasn’t worth telling — until we talked. Your story doesn’t have to be dramatic. It just has to be yours. And I promise to hold it like it matters. Because it does.

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Who this is for

Your story belongs here if…

The Veteran

Who has never spoken their story out loud — not because it isn’t worth telling, but because no one sat down long enough to listen.

The Environmental Hero

Quietly cleaning up a reef, planting sea grass, or fighting a battle most people don’t even know is happening.

The Conscious Traveller

Who turns their Florida Keys visit into a learning journey — mangroves, coral, climate, and what it all actually means.

The Upcycler & Maker

Redefining what we consume, one reclaimed piece of wood or reimagined garment at a time.

The Artist

The musician, dancer, or creator whose whole life is an act of defiance against the way things are supposed to be done.

The Teenager

Quietly refusing what everyone else says is normal — junk food, fast fashion, the whole script.

The Slow Fusion Pioneer

The chef, healer, or teacher blending worlds and refusing to be put in a box.

The Stranger I Just Met

At the checkout, on the water, at the farmers market — who said something that made me think: the world needs to hear this.

If any of these feel like you, you’re in exactly the right place.

A living record of people who matter

I’m building Photography Florida Keys into the place people visit to read inspiring, real stories about themselves and the incredible work happening here — with a global perspective woven in. This isn’t a news feed. It’s a living record of people who matter, told with the depth and honesty they deserve. Some pieces I’ll do for the love of it. Others we can structure as professional, paid work. Either way, the commitment to quality never changes.

Don’t let money be the reason your story goes untold

And about money — it matters, and I want to be upfront about that. I don’t have an agenda or a hidden pitch; I simply need to keep the lights on… pay for this site, professional memberships, drone insurance, and the trainings that keep my skills sharp. Painting the picture of defiant resilience takes real time and real resources. I’d rather be transparent with you than pretend it’s free. If you feel called to collaborate, reach out. We can talk honestly first and figure the rest out together.

The Ocean in a Drop: Jessica Bartels’ Deep-Sea Calling
In the Florida Keys, an aquarist and educator builds a life of …
The Discipline of Hope on a Bleaching Reef
Another mass bleaching is slamming Florida Keys corals, pushing already battered elkhorn …
From Key Largo to Tolbert Hall, (Birthday Detour to Epic Universe)
We left Key Largo with the mix of anticipation and quiet weight …
DJI Mavic 4 Pro Decapitation in the Florida Keys
I’ve flown DJI drones in the Florida Keys since 2016, passed the …
Aerial drone photograph of a red Kenworth semi truck boat on the turquoise waters of Bahia Honda, Florida Keys
Aerial drone shot of BOT Golf floating target in crystal clear Florida Keys water with palm-lined beach behind, commercial drone photography by NKJ
Aerial drone photograph of a beach wedding ceremony from above, palm tree shadows across white sand, Florida Keys event photography by NKJ

Aerial Photography & Drone Film

The Keys from above — a perspective only the sky can give.

I fly DJI drones across the Florida Keys — from Key Largo all the way to Key West — capturing weddings, properties, and events from angles that simply can’t be reached from the ground. Whether it’s a bride walking barefoot toward the sea, a listing that needs to show its true waterfront scale, or a community event worth remembering from every angle, aerial film brings a depth and beauty that stops people mid-scroll. Warm, cinematic, and rooted in a genuine love for this place.

✦ Weddings

Ceremony, reception, and those in-between moments — filmed from the air with cinematic warmth.

✦ Portraits

Environmental portraits from above — placing people in the sweeping, sun-drenched landscape of the Keys.

✦ Events

Community events, celebrations, and gatherings worth remembering from every angle the sky can offer.

✦ Real Estate & Property

Showcasing waterfront homes, lots, and listings with the full scale and setting they deserve.

✦ Commercial Use

Brand shoots and commercial projects that need the Keys’ magic captured at its biggest and most cinematic.

Your story is waiting to be told.

Imagine we’re sitting across from each other at a small table somewhere in the Keys — coffee going cold because we’ve been talking too long. That’s how this starts. A conversation. No pressure. No agenda. Just your story, and someone who genuinely wants to hear it. When you’re ready, I’m here.

Direct Contact

Email: photography@nada-jones.com
Phone: (305) 240-3108

Based in Key Largo • Serving the Florida Keys and available for global features

📷 @photographyfloridakeys on Instagram