Best Destinations for Underwater Photography

Once the underwater photography bug has bitten you, you will likely spend time looking for the best destinations for underwater photography. The choices are almost unlimited. The best destination for underwater photography is highly subjective.  An underwater photographer looking for pelagic species will have a different set of destinations than a photographer looking for nudibranchs. Generally, you will be looking at destinations with great visibility, varied marine life, and relatively calm conditions. It is also important to find the best destination for your underwater photography that suits your skills. Snorkelers and Open Water Divers will want locations with shallow waters. Those looking for mermaids will favor springs in Florida.

Your camera equipment will also have some influence on your selection of destinations. Most divers will have seen an underwater photographer with a massive camera set up that likely costs as much as your car. However, do you need something like that? Most likely not. Much of your choice of underwater photography equipment will be influenced by what you plan on doing with the results. If you are satisfied with the quality of the photographs you take with your cell phone on land, then why not use it underwater? Of course, you will need a case for it. iPhone users can get one of the Proshot cases, and it would be a good idea to add a camera tray and dive light. Another advantage of a Proshot case and cell phone over an expensive camera rig is that you can take the phone on every dive, even if you are not planning a dive for photography. The massive underwater camera rigs do not allow that flexibility.

Here is what I would recommend as a bucket list for snorkelers and scuba divers who are just getting interested in underwater photography and trying to select the best destinations for underwater photography.

Underwater Photography and the Florida Keys

I believe every diver needs to experience the Florida Keys. I have written several articles in this blog about snorkeling and scuba diving in Florida. The Keys may be the best destination for those looking for impressive photography. While my favorite location is Looe Key, Key Largo offers many dive sites that are perfect for snorkelers and scuba divers who want to capture underwater images. The coral reefs are near shore, offering short boat trips to get to, and many are perfect for snorkeling and the Open Water Diver.

Image by Sebastian Carlosena licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

The Christ of the Abyss statue is the most recognized and photographed underwater statue in the world, even non-divers will know what and where it is. Located in the Dry Rocks / Grecian Rocks section of Key Largo, this is a perfect spot to expand your underwater photography. There are seven dive sites here, three are reserved for snorkeling, being too shallow for a good scuba dive. The other sites are good for both scuba divers and snorkelers. Molasses Reef is another good destination of Key Largo. There are ten dive sites here, with an average depth of around 25 feet. Some of the reefs are as shallow as 10 feet. The reef has healthy coral and abundant marine life. Larger marine life, including Eagle Rays, Grouper, sharks, and turtles are often ready to photo bomb your photos.

West Coast California Ohh

A sharp contrast to diving in the Florida Keys, California offers colder water and different marine life. Marine mammals are more prevalent, and the California coast it known for its kelp forest. Diving off the coast of California is exciting and offers many opportunities for the underwater photographer. Monterey Bay, San Diego, and the Channel Islands all offer outstanding dive sites, with many being ideal for underwater photography. Kelp forests and sea lions are a big hit for underwater photography, and these areas do have them. Monterey Bay has 34 species of marine mammals in addition to 525 species of fish.

Puerto Galera and Anilao, Philippines, A Must Do for the International Diver

The Philippines has emerged from a secret dive destination to one with an outstanding reputation in the international dive community. It is also more affordable than most destinations. Puerto Galera and Anilao are two destinations that received many international divers without being overcrowded. Anilao is in the Batangas Province (similar to a state) on the Island of Luzon. Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines and is where Manila is located. Anilao is about a three-hour bus ride from Manila. Anilao is a peninsula with the west coast on the South Philippine Sea/ South China Sea and the east coast facing Batangas Bay. To the south is the Verde Island Passage. Anilao has over 50 dive sites that fit all levels of divers. Many of the sites are shallow coral reefs that are great for photography. Anilao is often called the Critter capital of the world due to numerous nudibranch species and other small marine life. You will also find sites that are wall dives and drift dives. Dive centers often do trips into the Verde Island Passage.

While there are some shallow, calm dives in the Verde Island Passage, most are for more advanced divers due to currents. There is something that sets this passage of water above any other location in the world. There is something called the Coral Triangle, which is considered the most biodiverse location in the world, The points include the Philippines, Indonesia, and PNG. Many scientists support that the Verde Island Passage has the highest biodiverse and biomass of any portion of the triangle.

Puerto Galera is in the Province of Oriental Mindoro on the Island of Mindoro. It is a one-hour ferry ride from Batangas through Batangas Bay and across the Verde Island Passage. Puerto Galera's name traces back to the Spanish Era and the Galleon trade between Spanish Asia and Mexico, and means the Port of Galleons. It sits at the western side of the Verde Island Passage, once called the Manila Straits. Spanish Galleons would seek shelter here from storms and wait until the currents were favorable to continue into the straits or head north to Manila. The way the bays are situated around Puerto Galera, they are protected from all but the most severe weather. Puerto Galera has numerous shallow reefs that are perfect for photography, and trips to the passage will expose you to pelagic life. The best of both worlds.

Museo Subacuático de Arte Cancun

Cozumel and nearby Cancun have become one of the most visited destinations for scuba diving in the world. Located at the north end of the world’s second-largest barrier reef, the Mesoamerican Reef (Belize Barrier Reef System), thousands of snorkelers and scuba divers visit the area each day. These visits have led to a degradation of the coral reefs. MUSA (The Underwater Museum of Art) was created to provide snorkelers and scuba divers with additional dive sites to explore. The museum was created by placing sculptures in shallow water in a sandy area not far from the reef. Coral larvae floating in the water attached themselves to the artwork and created a new, unique reef. Most of the images you see taken at MUSA are of the coral-encrusted statues, however, the marine life is also very worthy of your camera lens.

Bonaire Is More Than The Shore Diving Capital Of The World.

Bonaire is known for its incredibly diverse range of dive sites, a mix of boat dives and shore dives. A common vacation plan here includes a rental pick-up truck with tank boots in the bed, unlimited tank refills, and a road map showing all the shore dive sites.  A common trait among many of these sites is the calm waters, crystal clear water, and colorful shallow reefs. Traits that make for ideal photography conditions,

Snorkelers and beach lovers should plan on a day at Klein Bonaire. This is a small, undeveloped island just minutes from the downtown area. Reached by water taxi, you will find a remarkable beach. Just a short distance from the beach is a fringing reef in shallow waters. There are miles of reef just waiting for you to explore. Just remember, there is nothing on the island, so you will need to bring with you everything you will need. At times, the water taxi will allow you to drop your belongings on the beach and then take you a mile or so further along the reef, dropping you off to snorkel back to the main area.

What Are Your Best Destinations for Underwater Photography

I tried not to let my biases influence this list. Still, except for California, I have dived and photographed at all these locations. There was a time I had a moderately priced camera setup—a Nikon with a camera tray, dual strobes, and a few lenses. Today, I use something simpler: a compact camera waterproof to 65 feet for snorkeling, kayaking, and shallow dives. For deeper dives, I rely on a GoPro. My camera is always clipped to my BCD and tucked into a pocket—just in case I spot something special.

I'm not alone in shifting camera preferences. More and more divers and snorkelers are using their smartphones in housings like the ProShot Case. It's incredibly reliable and surprisingly easy to use your phone for underwater photography these days.

If you're thinking of trying your phone as your next underwater camera, make sure to choose a durable housing, not just a waterproof bag. Here’s a blog comparing the two options.