One of the common myths that I like to dispel in my role as a diving evangelist (yes, I preach to anyone who will listen, and many who won’t) is that there aren’t many opportunities for snorkelers to have amazing underwater encounters and photo opportunities. People typically limit their perception of snorkeling to a lazy glide over a tropical reef, but there’s so much more… In the first of the Extreme Snorkel Series, we travel to the Bahamas to share the ocean with the fast and playful Atlantic Spotted Dolphin. This is no gentle swim — the dolphins give us quite a workout as they interact with us and easily out-swim even the fittest of freedivers. Check out my tips and recommendations for dolphin photography in this episode.

And one more thing: although these awesome dolphin encounters are condensed into a fun 6-minute video, this was not an easy expedition. Photographing animals in the wild is nothing like going to an aquarium with guaranteed close-up sightings on demand. It took two visits to the Bahamas to obtain these images — the first time we got completely skunked due to high winds and choppy seas. I vowed to return a few months later and while we did get out to sea, one of the two days was nearly called off again due to winds. In any case, many photographers only showcase their successes, but behind every portfolio shot are numerous failures due to logistics, weather, bad lighting, or human error. No one likes going home empty handed with greater wisdom. We shouldn’t dwell on the negative, but we should acknowledge the difficulty, learn from mistakes, and savor the triumphs. So grab your sunscreen and let’s meet some wild dolphins!