The Ten Ways to Better Underwater Pictures

7. Try to capture behavior!
So many shutter-bugs capture sharp, well exposed images of fish that look as though they have been pinned to the reef! They have no movement and no life in them. Try to record an interesting behavior such as feeding, or shoot at the instant that the fish is turning to add a little movement to the shot.

8. No Tail Shots!
Following on from point seven, many photographers follow fish around incessantly, trying to capture them on film in an interesting position. Remember however that chasing fish is a lesson in futility. No fish swims slower than you, and tail shots don't win photo contests!

9. Get film processed quickly!
Some of the most valuable lessons in underwater photography come from being able to look at your work, good or bad, while you still remember how you shot the pictures. Cayman is fortunate that it has a number of high quality photo labs able to offer fast, efficient processing of both slides and prints. Have your film processed so that you can view it within a few hours of shooting and compare your results to how you thought they would turn out. Even if you prefer to have your film processed by your favorite custom photo lab at home, get at least the first couple of rolls processed to ensure that your camera equipment is working correctly. There is nothing worse than getting home and finding that all your film is dark because you had a synching problem with your camera.

10. Don't be afraid to take a lesson or two!
Even the most talented underwater photographers had to learn somewhere so don't be afraid to ask for help. A class or two with a Photo Pro can save you many rolls of wasted film and get you shooting the right way straight away. Cayman has some of the best and best-known Photo Pros in the world, people who have devoted their entire lives to teaching underwater photography. They know how to get you onto the right path from the beginning, eliminating all those frustrating mistakes and wasted rolls. Most people only have a limited time on the islands and if you want to go home with the best possible results, an underwater photo class may be the best investment of your entire vacation, because images will last long after the tan has faded!

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