Shopping in South Daytona

With a penchant for outdoor shoots and eco-friendly practices, the shutterbugs of Shannon Whitaker Photography preserve connections between their portrait subjects and the world around them. They travel to Gainesville's urban and rural locales from a boutique studio, amassing honest snapshots of families, expectant mothers, infants, couples, and teens. Though they deftly capture standard poses, they prefer to snag the creative, split-second stills that speak to the client's individuality. To this end, they provide personalized consultations and maintain a meticulous attention to detail for each photo collection.

The business's environmentally conscious methods cut down on photographic waste without requiring the staff to make their prints collage-style out of images from past shoots. Their packaging is recyclable, and they can build photo albums from vegan materials on request.

Chris Patterson's first time on a standup paddleboard went the opposite of how most of his clients' first experiences go. "People don't think they can do it because it looks like a surf board, but once they do it, they're hooked," he said. But for Patterson, who had surfed Hawaii's waves for seven years, his first confident step onto a standup paddleboard resulted in immediately falling off. Hauling his humbled self back onto the board, he learned the proper stance, set to paddling, and began seeing the water in a whole new way. The upright stance, unlike surfing's crouched position, opened his vision to the all the water around him, including several feet away where dolphins crested beside his board.

The versatility of the sport inspired Patterson to launch Surfs SUP when he moved back to Florida, where the coast and inland waters afford abundant recreation. During semi-private and private small group lessons, Patterson’s students may encounter water-dwelling creatures such as manatees and dolphins. He's even had clients take out rentals for a day of fishing and bring back catches such as a 45-pound amberjack and a very large bundle of seaweed. Claiming training certification from the American Council on exercise, Patterson also leads on-the-water fitness classes that include SUP Yoga and Paddle Fit, which he learned directly from the program's founder, Brody Welte. Additionally, Patterson organizes a competitive SUP racing team and leads youth camps, where he applies training techniques he learned from teaching kids with cerebral palsy and blindness how to surf.

At Schley’s Bonsai & Supplies, skilled bonsai gardeners tend to the miniature branches of ficus trees, cultivating their artful lines and emerald-green foliage. They supply starter kits filled with tools and instructions for fledgling tree artists and lead classes at the shop where they demonstrate how to properly shape the foliage with shears, nippers, and wire cutters. In addition to instructional help, the gardeners purvey their trees and flowers, including elms, junipers, and azaleas, which, like an apologetic jack-in-the-box, spring from low, shallow vessels flush with colorful flowers.

Wireless Repair Solutions' staffers keep their customers plugged in and connected to the world around them via a host of phone- and computer-related services. They quickly mend all manner of hardware and software malady, from restoring cellphone microphones on the fritz due to making calls with an air horn to performing system recoveries on over-worked laptops. Though specializing in repairs, they can also be found stocking shelves with a host of accessories for gadgets of all makes and models as well as helping patrons navigate the intricacies of website creation.

Conan and Yaisa Segrest are married, but that's not the only reason they spend their days together. They also co-own Full Line Photography Studio. Whether they're shooting in their studio or on-location, the Segrests try to make subjects feel comfortable enough to reveal natural expressions of emotion. The duo is adaptable when it comes to subject matter and can cover a wedding or a baby's first photo shoot with equal skill. Once they've captured the images, they create glossy prints, photo greeting cards, and coffee-table books that can be passed down through generations or turned in with applications for a “World’s Greatest Dad” hat.