Yes, you can take photos and video underwater, and it is one of the best ways to relive your dives. You are welcome to bring your own GoPro or underwater camera once your buoyancy is solid enough that a camera never distracts you from safety. If you would rather just enjoy the dive, Nautilus also offers a professional photo and GoPro service, so you surface with beautiful images of your day without having to manage a camera yourself. Here is how to capture Isla Fuerte's reef the right way.
Bring your own camera
If you own a GoPro or a compact underwater camera, you are welcome to bring it. Wide, colorful reefs like Rosa Vieja and the submerged Zenú museum at Bajo Bonito make wonderful subjects, and the clear warm water helps your footage look its best.
Keep it simple at first: a camera on a wrist strap or clipped to your BCD leaves your hands free. Remember that colors fade with depth, so the shallower, brighter parts of the reef often make the most vivid images.
Master buoyancy first
The one rule we hold to is that safety comes before photography. A camera in your hands takes attention away from your depth, your air and your buddy, so we ask that your buoyancy is solid before you bring one along.
This protects both you and the reef: a distracted diver can accidentally kick or grab fragile coral. Once you can hover calmly without thinking about it, a camera adds to the dive instead of complicating it. For new divers, we suggest a dive or two to settle in first.
Let us film for you
If you would rather be fully present and not juggle a camera, our professional photo and GoPro service is the answer. A member of our team captures your dive so you can focus entirely on the experience and still leave with high-quality images and video.
This is popular for first dives, Discover Scuba experiences and special occasions, when you want the memory but not the responsibility of shooting it. Just ask us to add it when you book.
Respect the reef in every shot
Whether you shoot yourself or we do it, the same principle applies: get the image without harming the reef. That means no touching, standing on or chasing marine life for a photo, and keeping a respectful distance from delicate coral.
Great underwater images come from patience and good positioning, not from getting too close. Ready to capture your dive? Explore our courses and dives and ask about the photo service.
