Join us Tuesday, January 16, as part of our FREE dive club guest lecture series, with local photographer and Captain, Ryan Nelson.

Adventure Outfitter’s dive club meets regularly with guest lecturers throughout the state to speak on different diving and water activities. Our mission is focused on local Florida diving including: safety, marine conservation and continuing dive education. We’re always interested in what your interests.

Captain Ryan Nelson has been a certified diver since 1988 starting at the age of 12. Nelson grew up on the water in Pinellas and was raised in Safety Harbor, Florida. He has been a fisherman, diver, and boater for as long as he can remember and he had a boat before he had a car!

After working offshore in the Gulf for four years, he decided that his next office had to be on the water. When he left his position as Captain/Project Manager of Fisherman’s Paradise, he purchased Tanks-A-Lot Dive Charter, voted #1 in the Tampa Bay Area by Trip Advisor. He will be starting his sixth season running charters with CAN-TANK-EROUS, a USCG certified vessel, this spring.

We asked Nelson a few questions regarding his hobby as a photographer: When did you get into photography and what drew you toward that hobby?

“Ever since high school I had an interest in photography,” Nelson said. “I left it as a hobby for a couple of decades…… but in the last five years the fire was relit and it is now a passion. Underwater photography was catalyst and since then, I have explored other genres of photography including wildlife and architectural photography. Diving… and being underwater is what drew me back to it. Wanting to share with others what many may never have an opportunity to see is the main reason. Pushing myself to get that “great shot” is a close second. Since I have become a little more serious, I have begun submitting images in photo contests. I was lucky enough to have had an image published as part of a Nat Geo story and placed in University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science annual photo contest.”

During January 16, Nelson will go over how he got into Florida photography, the benefits of Gulf photography vs. the East coast, the basics of Gulf photo editing and what equipment is appropriate for starting as an amateur photographer and how to work your way up!

Please RSVP for this event by emailing info@adventuretampa.com or calling 813-832-6669.