The Joys of Snorkeling with a Camera
Editorial by Joel Simon

After a lecture during a recent snorkeling workshop Gloria approached me, all smiles and full of enthusiasm. Proudly handing me a stack of 4x6 prints, she said, "Here they are, my first underwater pictures. What do you think of these!" We sat down at a table and I began to carefully look through the images.

What I saw was a succession of images of one blurry blue fish, dreadfully out of focus, sometimes missing a head or a tail, or altogether hidden behind stands of dimly lit coral. Yet, when I occasionally glanced up over my shoulder at Gloria, in her broad smile and bright eyes I saw delighted contentment, excitement, and satisfaction. Clearly, what she was seeing, were her crystal clear recollections of a wondrous journey through an aquatic realm filled with life and color.

Although her snapshots weren’t going to win any contests, to Gloria they were all prize winners. That prize lay in the proof of her ability to observe the underwater world, her mastery of basic snorkeling skills, and use of photography to add another dimension to her overall enjoyment of entering the sea.

She’s not alone. Many snorkelers today are using cameras and producing wonderful images. As you will read in our "gearbag" section, there’s literally a camera for everyone, from the inexpensive and simple single-use models, to the most sophisticated professional set-ups. In our "tips and techniques" section you will learn how to use these tools most effectively to meet your specific goals.

Snorkelers can take superb photos underwater. Generally, the more competent and comfortable you are in the water, the easier it will be to concentrate on photography. As your snorkeling skills improve, so will the quality of your images.

Part of the inherent joy of snorkeling is learning to observe the marine environment more carefully. While our own eyes are the best tools for visual examination, using a camera can help us focus attention on specific elements of a coral reef. Gloria’s photos of her blurry blue fish proved her skill at following this single creature during its routine activities. Through the exercise she noticed territorial behavior, feeding strategies, and interactions with its neighbors. With time and practice, her photographic skills will increase along with her knowledge of the reef. And using a camera will keep the process educational and enjoyable.

Using a camera also encourages snorkelers to take a closer look at the details of a reef. Especially after learning to surface dive, taking photos of smaller areas that include anemones, sponges, and corals can be particularly rewarding. Many creatures survive by use of cryptic coloration, making them difficult to notice at first. Upon careful examination, it’s not uncommon to see more animals in a picture than you remember seeing when you took the shot.

Photographs are also instrumental in identifying marine life, especially fish. Details are easily remembered when seen on film. During workshops one of our favorite activities is looking through fish books to find the species that most closely resembles the one in a photograph taken by a snorkeler. In fact, this is one of the most enjoyable and educational ways to learn the subtle variations that differentiate one type of fish from another. Many snorkelers pride themselves in collecting images of as many kinds of sea life as they can. In this way, photography soon leads to a more thorough understanding of specific species, as well as their ecological relationships in the coral reef community.

Perhaps the most important aspect of underwater photography while snorkeling is simply that it’s fun. I enjoy taking images as a visual celebration of the underwater esthetic. Even after years of snorkeling, the undersea world remains full of visual treats, and putting them on film is an ongoing and delightful challenge.

Besides, everyone enjoys having a few underwater snaps of themselves and friends just to show the folks back home. I often see snorkeling buddies exchanging cameras, and enthusiastically taking pictures of one another. This is by far the easiest way to get images of yourself in and under the water. It’s true that sometimes you might end up missing a fin or a head, but as Gloria proved, it doesn’t take a great photograph to bring back a great memory.