Photography in Bermuda

There’s no place among any of the islands – Caribbean or Bahamian – that’s quite as photogenic as Bermuda. The ocean ranges from emerald green to sapphire blue; the sandy beaches from pristine white to the most delicate shades of pink. Add the amazing Technicolor décor of the buildings, the gleaming white roof tops, and the hard colors of the window shutters that seem indigenous only to Bermuda, the eclectic mix of ancient and modern architecture, and you’ll find you have more photo ops than you could possibly cover in just a short vacation. As many times as I’ve visited the island, I never come away without a collection of new and interesting images.

These days, the digital age, photography is easier than ever. If you own a decent digital camera, or even one of those little throw-away ones, you’ll have no problems if you simply put the machine on “auto” and then point and shoot. You’ll get perfectly acceptable images. But to make sure you do better than “perfectly acceptable,” you might want to try one or two of the techniques listed below.

If you’re still shooting film, all the tips below are applicable to you
too and, talking of film:

Film is expensive in Bermuda, so take more than you think you’ll need, especially if you’re shooting slides, as you might not be able to
find the brand you like. Always carry a spare set of batteries.
Though they’re readily available on the islands, there’s nothing
more annoying than to have your camera quit as you attempt to
capture the “shot of a lifetime.”

Don’t be afraid to put your film through the airport security machines. Unless its a very high speed film, the x-ray machine won’t hurt it.

Use a low-speed film. The fine-grain film of 50- or 100-speed will produce the best results. The lower the speed of the film, the sharper the image. It’s especially advised on bright, sunny days. Use a high-speed film only when low light or a telephoto lens makes it a necessity.

Shoot at the highest possible shutter speed to reduce camera shake. The rule is, “the longer the lens, the faster the shutter speed.” You should never hand-hold a camera at a shutter speed slower than the focal length of the lens. For example, you would only hand-hold a camera fitted with a 180mm lens when the shutter speed is set to 1/250th of a second or more; never slower. Likewise, a 50mm lens could be hand-held with the shutter set to 1/60th of a second, but
no slower.

The best light for photography is in the early morning and late afternoon. The colors are warmer and the shadows deeper. At noon, when the sun is overhead, the lighting is flat and uninteresting.

Composition. Good composition means good photographs. Dull days and skies without detail mean dull photographs. Such situations call for a little thought before you shoot. A technique called framing will eliminate large, empty areas from your pictures and thus improve them. Shoot from beneath tree branches, through doorways and windows, and include odd sections of wall and pieces of furniture in the picture. Walk around the subject until you find something to break up those large, uninteresting areas of sky. Never place a dominant point of interest in the center of your picture; move it up or down just a little, or place it a little to one side. Be sure to think it through. Frame the shot properly: don’t cut the tops off heads and buildings. Finally, look around. Is there any trash lying around?

Never shoot into the sun. Ideally, sunlight should come from behind the shoulder but never – unless you’re looking for silhouettes – from in front.

Take notes. There’s nothing worse than getting six rolls of film back from the lab and not knowing what it is you’re looking at. If you are near any type of sign or plaque stating where you are, you can take a photo of the sign to state where the pictures following it are from.

Don’t miss the opportunity to shoot under water. Even if you don’t go diving, take a camera to the beach; the fish in the shallow waters are colorful and abundant. You can purchase one of those neat little ready-to-shoot underwater cameras or rent a more sophisticated one from one of the many dive shops.

Know Before You Go!