photographer

Island Life Diaries: Jim Gates

Island Life Diaries: Jim Gates

In 2004 my brother was working for DiveTech as a scuba instructor. I had spent a year as a journalist at a small town paper in Alberta before heading to Whistler to work as a photographer for the ski season. At the end of the season I was wondering what my next move would be, whether to look for another journalism job or not, when my brother called me up and asked if I wanted to work as an underwater videographer making videos for tourists on snorkelling!

Insider Guides: Capturing the island's beauty with Aldington Scott

TELL US YOUR STORY GIVE US SOME HISTORY ABOUT YOU AND WHERE YOU CAME FROM!

I was born in Jamaica, but moved to Cayman back in 1991. Literally the words “Beautiful Cayman Islands” back then was the game changer for me.

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WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT CAYMAN?

I just love how everyone knows one another. Well, that and the fact that I can wake up and step right onto the beach!

WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING YOU. YOUR DRONE SHOTS AND PHOTOGRAPHY ARE INCREDIBLE! WHAT MADE YOU GET INTO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Well, I see people all over the world that just don’t know about the Cayman Islands. So when I started photographing I just wanted tourists to see what I see and come visit this beautiful place.

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TELL US 3 OF YOUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO GRAB THAT PERFECT SHOT?

I have a lot of favourites but Spotts Beach is one where I can swim with turtles and sharks. Pedro St. James has a massive hole by the edge of the bluff. Sometimes it’s dry, and sometimes it’s filled with water and creates this gorgeous pool. Stingray City never gets old as I can photograph the most beautiful stingrays.

WHAT IS YOUR INSPIRATION TO PHOTOGRAPHY?

My inspiration is Cayman. Not to be fancy, but just to capture something that people don’t get to see often or usually found on the internet.

BETWEEN WORK AND PHOTOGRAPHY, YOU MUST GIVE YOURSELF A LITTLE YOU TIME... TELL US WHERE YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR DAYS OFF?

I would say just being home with my family. Or to be with my friends on the beach.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD WITH US, GIVE US YOUR TOP 3 SPOTS TO GRAB SOME DELICIOUS LOCAL FOOD.

This one is tough… Mango Tree, Cracked Conch, and Fish Shack. It’s all about the seafood!

Insider guides : Underwater Photographer Irene Corti Insider guide to Cayman

WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MOVE HERE?

I am originally from Milan, Italy. But for the past ten years I’ve been living in few different countries like Jamaica, Australia and Thailand. I moved here for the pristine water of Cayman… a paradise for an underwater photographer like me.

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WHAT GOT YOU INTO PHOTOGRAPHY? ADVICE FOR PEOPLE LOOKING TO VISIT CAYMAN?

Coming from Italy, I grow up surrounded by amazing art and artists, there you get inspired from everything that is around you and from all the art exhibits we have. I think a big impact on me was made from the book “The Decisive Moment” by Cartier-Bresson, it opened my eyes on photography and on the way I look at the world. I always had the need to create and to express myself, before was with painting but when I started traveling around I discovered that photography was the perfect fit for me. A good thing about Cayman is that its a small country, really easy to get around or to fly to the sister islands from Grand Cayman. It’s also a safe island, perfect for “Solo Travelers” or for a “Girl Only” vacation type.

FAVE BEACH?

My favorite beach is Spotts Beach, it never feel’s busy and snorkeling is phenomenal … perfect spot for swimming with the green sea turtles.

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FAVE HIDDEN SPOT?

My hidden spot is underwater, I love the Gamma Wreck on the south part of Seven Mile Beach. Really shallow wreck, perfect for underwater photography or for a fun afternoon of snorkeling.

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WHAT'S THE BEST LOCAL HANGOUT?

I really like to hang out at Macabuca on the North West point of the island, it’s a fantastic cozy oceanfront tiki bar with amazing food and drinks.

FAVOURITE SUNSET SPOT? I love watching the sunset on Seven Mile beach near Boggy Sand road, it’s really quite never crowded and picture perfect.

YOU SHOOT A LOT OF WEDDINGS, WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE FOR PEOPLE GETTING MARRIED IN CAYMAN?

Cayman is perfect for destination weddings for the easy flights we have from the USA daily. Plus you can’t beat the turquoise water and white sand of the world famous Seven Mile Beach for a dream wedding setting. Just be prepared for the hot weather when you pick up your wedding attire, especially for the groom, standing on the beach with a full suit can get hard.

WHAT MAKES CAYMAN SO UNIQUE?

I fell in love with Cayman for the underwater world, with the 100+ feet of visibility underwater and this is one of the reasons Cayman is one of the best diving destinations in the world.

WHAT SHOULD BE ON OUR CAYMAN BUCKET LIST?

A must is taking a boat tour out to Stingray City sandbar, where you can interact with the southern stingray. A really amazing experience.

WHAT'S NEW WITH YOU, ANY EXCITING TRAVEL PLANS WITH YOUR CAMERA?

I just spent the past 11 months traveling in North America in a Van, from the Florida Key all the way to Arctic Ocean in Canada to Alaska and back to Florida touching all the 50 states… it was a journey of 36 thousand miles and thousands of photographs! Next, before settling down in Cayman again, I am planning a European road trip with another Van. It seems like at the moment I can’t stop seeking beauty all around the world but Cayman has a special place in my heart.

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