A lifelong photographer, I began shooting at age 13 and quickly gravitated toward documenting live music, photographing bands in local bars while still in my teens. During my time at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, I worked for The UMass Daily Collegian, where I managed production and covered assignments ranging from features to concerts.
"I share my work to offer a glimpse into environments many people never experience firsthand, and to highlight the impact that life above the waves has on what lies below."
My underwater spirit animal, Eagleray, Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman, British West Indies. © Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
In 1995, I became an advanced open water diver, eventually combining my passions for exploration and photography through underwater imaging. I began shooting underwater in the early 2000s and, over nearly 800 dives, have refined a more streamlined approach using compact digital equipment. This shift has allowed me to continue traveling and documenting marine environments with greater ease, while still producing images that capture the richness and detail of life beneath the surface.
Reef Shark, Jackson's Bight, Little Cayman, British West Indies. © Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
My current work focuses on revealing the beauty and fragility of ocean ecosystems. Through ongoing photographic documentation at dive sites such as Bloody Bay Wall in Little Cayman, I have tracked the effects of coral bleaching over time, including a personal series following the decline of a single pillar coral. These images reflect both environmental change and a deeper emotional connection to the underwater world.
"Reef Shark Rolling in the Deep" — A Caribbean reef shark turns to the sand for a natural cleanse, rolling to shake off parasites in a behavior as fascinating as it is rarely witnessed.” Cumbers Cave, Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman, British West Indies. © Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
I share my work to offer a glimpse into environments many people never experience firsthand, and to highlight the impact that life above the waves has on what lies below. Oceans hold extraordinary diversity and beauty—and they require our attention and protection.
Silly Sponge Face, Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman, British West Indies. © Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
Green Sea Turtle, Bloody Bay Little Cayman, British West Indies. © Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
Moorish Idol, San Benedicto Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico. © Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
Reef Shark cruising Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman, British West Indies. © Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
Tube Worm, Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman, British West Indies. © Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
Loggerhead swim-by Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman, British West Indies. © Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
Nancy's Gear
Lumix ZS-100 Compact Camera inside the Ikelite Underwater Housing
Additional Viewing
Little Cayman 2024 Ikelite Underwater Photo Trip [VIDEO]
Sardine Run and Sharks: Epic Adventures in Magdalena Bay and Revillagigedo Islands
Turtle Photography Underwater Camera Settings
Advice from the Pros // Photographing Sharks Underwater [VIDEO]
Nancy Nutile-McMenemy is a topside and underwater photographer and Advanced Open Water diver. Before her dive into underwater photography Nancy photographed bands and live events and eventually worked on the UMass Daily Collegian editorial. Now Nancy spends her time photographing marine ecosystems, specifically chronological documentation of coral bleaching at dive sites like the Bloody Bay Wall in Little Cayman. Learn more about Nancy's work on her website www.photosbynanci.com and follow her on Instagram @photosbynanci.
