Gary Bell is the founder of Oceanwide Images. His images have been featured in many magazines, including National Geographic, Scuba Diving and Sport Diver, and in countless books, newspapers, advertisements, signage and other publications. He was the Australasia Underwater Photographer of the Year for three consecutive years (1990-92). We caught up with Gary at Australia’s Heron Island Dive Festival in September 2011, where he was delivering seminars on underwater photography and shooting one of his favorite underwater subjects: the Great Barrier Reef.

Bottom Time: How did you get your start as an underwater photographer?

Gary Bell: I first began diving on a jetty when I was 15 years old. I borrowed my brother’s scuba tank because I wasn’t certified yet. My friends had gotten certified and convinced me I had to do the same. I saved up and when I was 16, in 1971, I got certified through FAUI (the Federation of Australian Underwater Instructors). I first started taking underwater photographs in 1975, on the Portsea pier on the Mornington Peninsula, near Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. People started asking if they could have a print and one thing led to another. I just progressed from there.

BT: When did you turn pro?

GB: I actually got my first professional assignment here on Heron Island, in 1985. I was shooting with a Nikon F3 at the time. I’ve worked mainly in the Australasia region, but I’ve also been David Doubilet’s assistant for more than 20 years. I worked with him on many National Geographic magazine field assignments, including the Cayman Islands, New Zealand, Aldabra Atoll, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Africa, as well as Australia.

BT: So, Heron Island must be pretty special to you?

GB: I met my wife Meri on Heron 22 years ago and we became partners in the business, so, yes, it’s special to us. Meri is the backbone of Oceanwide Images.

BT: You write on your web site, “I just love the fact that you could dive the Great Barrier Reef for a lifetime and still not scratch the surface. The natural beauty and diversity of this Australian icon is the attraction.” What is your most memorable GBR experience as an underwater photographer?

GB: I was working with David Doubilet on a GBR assignment about two years ago, photographing a dead sperm whale floating in the water. The only part left was its head, a white blob. We jumped in, and eventually, more than a dozen tiger sharks were all around us, feeding on what was left of the whale. It was such a large number of tiger sharks. At the end, they began to show interest in us. It was time to get out of the water! It was not only memorable, it was exhilarating.

BT: Do you have a favorite type of underwater photography?

GB: My favorite lens is a Nikon full-frame 16mm fish-eye. My next favorite is the Nikon 105 micro.

BT: What advice do you have for divers who are interested in underwater photography?

GB: You have to be a proficient diver. You really have to concentrate on your diving skills, to use controlled breathing and buoyancy. They also need to know the environment and the animals.

Gary Bell’s images are featured in Portraits of the Natural World. To see more of his work, visit www.oceanwideimages.com.