Photography in the Bahamas

[js1221]

I stumbled on a cancellation aboard the Aquacat during the week of my wedding anniversary. So, my wife and I will be diving the Bahamas in December. This will be our first trip to the Bahamas and I'm wondering what to expect critter wise. I like macro photography but I have heard that the Bahamas are better suited for wide angle. Can anyone provide me a better idea of what I might find in the macro arena? I like nudibranch and shrimp but I don't want to take a bunch of macro equipment if I'm not going to use it.

 

[living4experiences]

I stumbled on a cancellation aboard the Aquacat during the week of my wedding anniversary. So, my wife and I will be diving the Bahamas in December. This will be our first trip to the Bahamas and I'm wondering what to expect critter wise. I like macro photography but I have heard that the Bahamas are better suited for wide angle. Can anyone provide me a better idea of what I might find in the macro arena? I like nudibranch and shrimp but I don't want to take a bunch of macro equipment if I'm not going to use it.

You might find my trip report useful. I don't know how to link it, but here's the title, "AquaCat Liveaboard Jan. 23-Feb 6". It might even be listed below in the "Similar Threads". There's certainly macro to be found along with turtles, stingrays, and sharks. They do a shark feed dive too. You'll really enjoy it. Have fun!

 

[scubadada]

@js1221

Go to the Bahamas forum, click on the Trip Report icon for any report, you will bring up all the labeled trip reports for the Bahamas, including the one from @living4experiences Trip Report - AquaCat Liveaboard Jan. 23-Feb 6

 

[Hoag]

OK, first of all, have a great trip! I love the Aquacat & have been on her 5 times!

There will be a mix of wide angle and macro - sometimes at the same dive site. One dive site (I think it is Split Coral Head although it might be Cracked Coral Head) has a huge coral head located in a sandy falt area just a few feet (20-30 feet) from a wall that drops off into the abyss. At this site, you can photograph anything from Christmas Tree Worms, and Feather Dusters that blanket the coral head to expansive vistas of the wall to the local Caribbean Reef Sharks that live at the site.

I would recommend a versatile zoom lens if you have one such as a 16-50 or 16-70 if you have a crop sensor or a 24-70 if you shoot full frame. I think that you are right in that the bulk of the images will likely tend toward the wide angle side, although you will see Banded Coral Shrimp, Flamingo Tongues and some other small things from time to time. The more flexible you set up is, the better.

Here are a few pictures that were all shot with a Sony A6000 and the 16-50mm (Kit) Lens at Split (or Cracked???) Coral Head

 

[Redfoot]

Here is my May trip report for further reference:

Trip Report - Aqua Cat- May 15-22 2021

I had booked myself on the Aqua Cat for a May 2020 trip, which was cancelled, and All Star Liveaboards was great to work with on the reschedule. I just had them put me out one year, they honored the price I paid and kept me posted via email about the travel details, changes and requirements as...

scubaboard.com

I use a GoPro, so not much to say on the photography end. My dive buddy most of the week had a serious setup, and he got a good mix of subjects, as well as styles throughout the week. You should dive wrecks, reefs, walls, drifts and sea grass/sand areas during the week.

I loved the trip- the boat and crew are fantastic, and the Bahamas are beautiful. Some of the dive sites were a little beat up, and there was significant algae and coral die off, but overall it was a good mix of diving.

You will definitely see sharks (Nurse and Caribbean Reef) and they are not shy at all. You should also see stingrays, a variety of fish, lobster, crabs and plenty of Macro subjects as well. Hopefully you will get lucky on turtles, I have heard they are less prevalent in the winter due to colder water temps. We saw a good amount of loggerhead, green and hawksbill on our trip. On night dives, we got octopus, giant crabs, and some bioluminescent stuff as well.

Let me know of any questions, would be glad to help.