Leaving sandals behind, we strolled the beach on sand that felt like soft cotton candy. Ankle deep, a large red starfish slowly crawled across the bottom. Just below the high tide mark, a yellow algae-covered shore seemed to hang suspended under clouds that were tinted by light reflected from the teal-colored water. This paradise was a postcard-perfect setting; wading through the gin-clear water, the question on our minds was: “Why aren't more people here?”

SHALLOW WATER KEEPS PEOPLE AWAY The Berry Islands are islands on the edge. They border an ocean basin called the North Providence Channel. Their shores are surprisingly shallow in contrast to the 12,000-foot deep ocean. Most of the water around these islands is less than ten feet deep. The eroding volcanic rock of the shore leaves dangerous ridges and crevices to make shallow water navigation a challenge.

Just northwest of Nassau (about 120 miles east of Miami), the central Berrys are a paradise with few outside visitors. About 30 large cays (pronounced keys) and hundreds of smaller ones make up the region. Carved by receding glaciers, rainfall, runoff and erosion, these islands rest like red rubies set in the blue Atlantic Ocean.

Cruise liners make deep water stops at Great Stirrup Cay and Little Stirrup Cay in the northern Berrys. Great Harbour is the largest settlement in the Berrys, and you can fly there from Nassau for about $90. While the Berrys do have a reputation as a sport fishing and cruise ship destination, many people avoid them for lack of knowledge and due to the navigation hazards.

HOW WE GOT THERE

Our passage took us from Miami to Nassau. On a shallow-draft sailing catamaran, we set out northwest from Nassau. We anchored out of the wind on the lee side of the islands. After securing the boat, we set out to make photographs, such as the one of our small dingy in the ten foot deep anchorage near White Cay.



WILDLIFE OF THE BERRY ISLANDS

A stunning color pallette graced the shallows and the sky. Below water, a forest of green and purple sea fans bent over in the current. Landward, we found a myriad of colored shells on a pink-hued beach. Green Casuarina trees, yellow citrus trees and coconut palms punctuated the horizon. This Bahamian flora sheltered birds and other wildlife.

Wildlife here had to cope with the lack of fresh water. Rainwater mostly went underground, and drained to the sea, because of porous limestone under the surface. Consequently, the islands were dry. Birds that were able to drink sea water were able to flourish. Bird Cay offered us the chance to see many species like brown Noddy Terns and Ruddy Turnstones. Mating Osprey were building their nests right on the rocky ironshore, and bathing in the shallow salt water. Where there were necter-bearing flowers, we saw other birds including the Bananaquit, Bahama Woodstar Hummingbird, and the Cuban Emerald Hummingbird. The bright sunny conditions allowed for fast shutter speeds; exposures were fast enough to freeze hummingbirds in flight.

On the east side of the islands, waves pounded and eroded ancient white carbonate cliffs. Lines of turtle grass washed ashore and marked the high tide line. Chitons, limpets and sea urchins held tightly to the volcanic rock. Bleeding-tooth Narite snails commuted from rock to rock as fast as they could race. Surrounded by wildlife, we made many landscape and closeup photographs.

5 TIPS FOR BETTER PICTURES FROM THE EDGE

Making digital photographs in the Berrys was a pleasure; the abundance of sunlight and clear, shallow waters created sparkling highlights in the water. Even in the rare depths, we could see 35 feet down to the starfish below.

TIP 1: Simplify.
Photographs need not be busy. Reducing the number of visual elements in each picture made them more vivid. When the sky and water are so stunning, an image works with just sky and water alone.

TIP 2: Fill Flash in Sunlight.
Contrast control was a challenge. Shadows were strong at these southern latitudes, even in winter. Fill flash in daylight enhaced shadow detail and brought out the more brilliant colors.

TIP 3: Think Monopod, Stow the Tripod.
Since there was abundant light, and mostly lightweight lenses were used, a tripod was not necessary. For heavier lenses with longer focal lengths, a monopod was employed.

TIP 4: Photomerge With Photoshop CS.
Multiple side-by-side photos were needed to portray the sweeping horizons. The Photomerge command in Photoshop CS made for easy panorama stitching (File > Automate > PhotoMerge). The panoramic image of the ironshore rock and a sailboat was created from adjacent wide angle photos using Photomerge.

TIP 5: Remember your Camera's Sunglasses.
A polarizing filter was critical, since it reduced the sun's glare on the water for digital photographs (just like it did for film exposures.) Ever present sand and moisture created a harsh environment for equipment; storing lenses inside Ziploc bags while underway was a good idea.

Awareness of compositional elements made for better photographs: color, line, pattern, texture and shape were organizing principles of the pictures.

Colors of the island waters were mesmerizing. Leading lines of the water's edge tied foreground, middle ground and background together. Patterns were echoed from the landscapes to the macro views of the Berrys' marine life. Texture was evident from the rough ironshore to in the knobby surface of starfish. Contrasting shapes of the shoreline and its marine life created infinite combinations.

Despite the shallow waters of the Berry Islands, photographers who made the trip found a unique place to make images. Take advantage of the remoteness of these islands, hiding in plain sight of the more touristy resorts. The pristine vistas of the Berry Islands offer you picturesque opportunities for your own postcards from the edge.

~ James Austin is a digital photography teacher, consultant, and writer. His book on spiritual digital imagery, Dancing with Light, is due out in 2005. He is an Adobe Certified Expert, and a frequent contributor to Apogee.