Rondel Smith's Lens
On windswept Anegada, fisherman and naturalist Rondel Smith uses photography to document wildlife and fragile coastal habitats. His evolving work — from phone snapshots to underwater imagery and planned wildlife videography — aims to raise awareness and reconnect BVI residents with their environment.
On the low limestone flats and coral gardens of Anegada, Rondel Smith has turned a lifetime outdoors into a quiet campaign for the natural world. A fisherman by trade and a naturalist by habit, Rondel uses his camera to capture moments that reveal both the beauty and vulnerability of the British Virgin Islands' coastal ecosystems.
Rondel traces his start to simple, everyday experiences. "I was always outdoors," he says. "I grew up surrounded by it. Fishing, diving, just being in the environment. Photography came later as a way to share the things I was already seeing, already living." What began as phone photos shared with friends moved to a GoPro and then to a professional camera, but the purpose remained the same: to show people what life on the shore and beneath the waves really looks like.
His approach is patient and observational. "Nature is unpredictable. You can’t plan for everything," he explains. Rondel describes learning to slow down, to be present and ready rather than chasing a preconceived shot. That presence, he says, lets him build a relationship with his subjects — birds, iguanas, stingrays — and translate interactions into images with emotional impact.
Recently Rondel expanded into underwater photography, investing in specialised housing that brings the coral gardens and marine life into sharp relief. He acknowledges the technical and physical challenges: moving water, elusive subjects and shifting light. Yet the payoff is clear — images that show parts of the BVI many residents and visitors rarely see.
Beyond art, Rondel frames his work as advocacy. "I’ve seen things change in just a few years. Habitats disappearing, animals behaving differently," he warns. His photographs aim to spark conversation about local conservation, the future of fisheries, and the way development and climate pressures shape island life.
Looking ahead, Rondel plans to add wildlife videography to his toolkit to tell longer, more immersive stories. His advice to young Virgin Islands photographers is simple and local: "Don’t chase the shot. Don’t try to imitate what you see online. Let it inspire you." Rondel’s images are a reminder for BVI residents that protection begins with seeing and understanding what is at stake.
From Anegada’s flats to the reefs below, his work asks us to listen when nature speaks and to act so future generations can do the same.
Primary source: Welcome