A person cleaning the deck of a boat with a broom, surrounded by a flock of seabirds flying overhead at sunset.

AppleJack Media

WHO ARE WE?

A woman with short blonde hair wearing headphones and making a peace sign with her right hand at a recording studio.

Meet the Owner

Hi, I’m Michel Thomas— Owner and Creative Director at AppleJack Media. I’m a photographer and videographer based in Gainesville, Florida, with a passion for capturing moments that our eyes might miss but our hearts never forget.

After earning my degree in Digital Media and Production from the University of Florida, I set out to create work that blends technical skill with artistic expression. Whether I’m photographing a home, a graduating senior, or a quiet moment between frames, I aim to tell stories in ways that feel real, thoughtful, and timeless.

The name AppleJack comes from my roots—my parents’ old shrimp boat that once supported our family and connected us to our community. While I’m behind a camera instead of a wheelhouse, I carry that same spirit of hard work, legacy, and care into everything I create.

Check out my personal portfolio here!

Older man holding a large curved pipe on a boat, wearing a plaid shirt, khaki pants, and a cap, with water and boat rigging in the background.

Learn about the Apple Jack.

AppleJack Media is named in honor of Apple Jack—a 72-foot wooden shrimp boat that was more than just a vessel to my family. Built by the renowned DESCO shipyard, she was one of the last wooden-hulled shrimp boats of her kind and originally belonged to my grandparents, Nana and Cap. Eventually, she was passed down to my parents, both licensed captains, who continued the legacy, first along the South Carolina coast, and later in the waters of St. Augustine, Florida.

For decades, Apple Jack was the heart of our family. She provided not only our livelihood, but a rhythm to our lives. I remember my dad heading out in the middle of the night in the outer bands of a hurricane just to check on her. She endured many storms, both literal and figurative, and each one left its mark. She was tough, weathered, and deeply loved.

A person cleaning a boat deck filled with leaves as birds fly overhead at sunset or sunrise over the water.

But as the shrimping industry changed and could no longer sustain our family, we faced a hard decision. In the early 2010s, a team of local volunteers transformed Apple Jack into El Espíritu, a replica 16th-century Spanish caravel, to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Ponce de León’s landing in Florida. Her hull was tarred black, masts were raised, sails sewn by hand. She stood proudly as a symbol of resilience and heritage.

Then came Hurricane Matthew in 2016. One of her new masts was torn down in the storm, and the damage ultimately led us to make the painful decision to dismantle her in 2017.

A person with sunglasses near the rigging and sails of a shrimp boat with colorful flags in the background.

Though she’s no longer in the water, Apple Jack lives on—through memories, through the lessons she taught us, and now through the name of this creative venture. AppleJack Media is built on the same values that kept our boat afloat: hard work, heart, and deep roots in family. Just as she once brought joy to the families of St. Augustine with every fresh catch, I now carry forward that spirit by capturing honest, heartfelt moments for the families and communities around me.

A boat named Apple Jack on a trailer with ladders nearby at a boatyard in Charleston, South Carolina.

Recent Fun Projects

Fracture Social Media Posts

Gas South Volunteer Week

A woman smiling and holding a garden hose outdoors, with colorful wooden playhouses and trees in the background.
Group of women in orange ties-dye shirts sitting at a table, smiling and writing, with boxes of Tampax Pearl tampons and a Canada Dry ginger ale can on the table.
A smiling woman giving a speech or presentation inside a grocery store, with boxes of bananas and other produce in the background. She is wearing a black T-shirt and a black cap, surrounded by people wearing orange and red patterned shirts.

  • "Really enjoyed working with you! It was an absolute pleasure. You were punctual, communicative and professional."

    —Former Customer

A close-up of a frog sitting on grass during the night with blurred lights in the background.

Some non-client related photo favorites

Because who doesn’t love a good frog picture!

A mountain lion (cougar) sitting in a wooded area with tall trees and soft sunlight filtering through the background.
A gray mountain lion sitting outdoors among trees, gazing to the side during daylight.

There’s always two sides of the same story.

Black and white portrait of a young man with curly hair, facial hair, and a serious expression, wearing a Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering T-shirt from the University of Florida.

Silly headshot.

Waterfall cascading down a rocky mountainside surrounded by lush green trees.

Alaskan waterfall!