The Photographer Behind T+L’s February 2019 Cover Reveals How He Got the Shot

New York-based photographer Noe DeWitt talks equipment, technique, and how to avoid the crowds in the British Virgin Islands. Ideally, the cover of every issue of Travel + Leisure will spark a distinct feeling of dang, I wish I were there — and arguably, none do this more successfully than our February covers, which traditionally depict island destinations and other sunny climes. Why is this? Well, for many years, February has been the home of our annual Caribbean package, rounding up all the news and developments in everybody's favorite sun-drenched region. But maybe it's also a self-preservation thing: in the depths of cold, dark, seemingly endless February, we want to daydream about warmer places. Our February 2019 cover shows a popular national park in Virgin Gorda, one of the British Virgin Islands. "The Baths," as they are known, are a beachside geological formation located on the south end of the island near Spanish Town, one of Virgin Gorda's main enclaves. Here, granite boulders are seemingly piled up on each other, forming caves, tunnels, and secret pools perfect for wading. It's a popular destination for travelers, but Noe DeWitt, who shot the cover, was able to capture its more peaceful side. DeWitt has worked with T+L several times before, shooting feature stories about other island destinations like Oahu and St. Kitts. Up next for him: the March 26 release of New York Design At Home from Abrams Books, photographed by DeWitt and written by Anthony Iannacci. The culmination of over three years of work, the book focuses on 27 different NYC homes, belonging to some of today's most influential interior designers and architects.