Cuba

“One of the most exciting new destinations for underwater photography has been hidden in our own backyard. Cuba, off limits for more than 50 years because of Cold War politics, is finally opening up to American tourism. The Gardens of the Queen off the island’s southern flank is a maze of mangroves ringed by rich coral reefs that hold great promise for shooters keen to capture the essence of what frontier Caribbean diving must have been like before I was born. While surrounded by sharks, drifting over lush reefs and photographing a crocodile from mere inches away I continually had to remind myself just how close to home we were, and yet how far.” – Brandon Cole

Cuba (Continued)

“The Jardines de la Reina MPA off the southern coast of Cuba is truly magnificent in terms of the overall health of the corals and other marine creatures. Where else can you dive with multiple species of sharks, Goliath grouper, tarpon, sea turtles and salt water crocs in the same day? Surface intervals include snorkeling over exquisite strands of elkhorn coral, winding rides through miles of mangroves and visits to The Menagerie, where adorable Desmarest’s hutias and Cuban iguanas eagerly greet you. The photographic opportunities both above and below the water are unparalleled in the Caribbean.” – Scott Johnson

Norway

“Cold-water muck diving, at sites like the great house reef at Gulen Dive Resort in Norway, is in effect the same as in the tropics, but in rougher conditions and with a drysuit. It’s all about finding and photographing weird critters.” – Christian Skauge

Southern California

“I have noticed an increase in the number of out-of-state and foreign divers looking to experience the rich kelp forests of Southern California. The dynamics of the temperate kelp forests present both unique challenges and opportunities to underwater photographers of all skill levels.” — Michael Zeigler

Oman

“With vast deserts and rich history, Oman is becoming an increasingly popular dive destination. Oman’s coastline is relatively untouched, and there is great diving near the capital of Muscat, Mirbat and Salalah, a paradise to photographers.” — Kadu Pinheiro

Sri Lanka

“Everyone will see some whale action with Aggressor Fleet’s new Sri Lanka destination. Blue, sperm, humpback and false killer whales are among the 13 species that can be seen here.” — Wayne B. Brown

Romblon

“Most photographers will not switch from their macro lenses at sites off Romblon — a remote, 32-square-mile island in the Philippines — but there are also beautiful wide-angle scenes with colorful hard and soft corals and a variety of fish species here.” — Todd Aki

Sanana

“Imagine being the first divers to explore a location. That’s how it felt when we were asked to shoot images by the local government around the remote island of Sanana, south of Halmahera in Indonesia. It is definitely remote - it took 4 days to get there! Over five days we explored some average dive sites and some amazing dive sites. It was the last day of diving that we decided to explore a tiny remote island off the north coast of Pulau Seho. The current was ripping so we jumped in and descended as fast as possible, the island was so small I thought we had missed it but then schools of barracuda, sweetlips and trevally came into view hugging the western tip of the steep wall. As I drifted by the sweetlips I managed to see the wall much clearer; I have never seen a wall so colourful, it was covered in soft coral and tunicates.” — Jason Isley

Want to see more? Check out the Best Places for Underwater Photography and our Gear Picks for Professional Photographers!