Digital Underwater Photography Specialty Course
Take AMAZING Photos!
2 Days, 2 Dives
Why would I want to take this course?
One of our most popular courses now is for those who are looking to graduate from a basic camera such as a “Go Pro” which is actually a very good little camera for taking video, but not so great for taking stills.
It is super important that your buoyancy is absolutely “on point”, not just okay or even “good”. Without great buoyancy skills, taking underwater pictures is impossible. It takes not only great buoyancy skills as a diver, but even better skills to be able to extend a 4-5lb (or more) camera rig to get close to your subject whilst remaining totally neutral! Buoyancy is extremely important, not only to get the best from your pictures, in focus and well framed, but also to protect the marine life and the reef itself that you are taking pictures of! You have to be able hover motionless and in many different positions while you are taking a photo. Thus, most guests who take this Specialty course also combine it with Peak Performance Buoyancy/Perfect Buoyancy Specialty to get the most out of it.
In this course you will learn about:
- Your camera and all of its functions
- Which ones to master
- How to get the best performance in various lighting conditions and depths
- Lighting rigs and optimum settings for depths, subjects and media – still or video
- White balance and how to get it right!
- Shutter speed, F Stops and much much more
- The basics of post production/editing
You will also learn about your housing with hints on tips on maintenance and problem prevention. You will no longer have to rely on the “auto” setting but will master shooting in “manual” mode for more colorful and vibrant images.
Course Information
Prerequisites & Requirements
- Must be at least 10 years old
- Participants must have their Open Water Diver Certification or be certified to dive to a maximum depth of 60 feet/18 meters
- Requires reading course materials prior to instruction
- Course duration is 2 days
- Maximum depth depends on subjects & light
Course Overview
The course begins with a Digital Materials Package and some study about the general principles, approaches, considerations, potential problems, etc. It is broken into sections and has Knowledge Reviews and a final exam built in.
You will then have an extended briefing which will cover the functionality of your particular camera and setup. It will cover some of the basics including best practices, some do’s, don’t, common mistakes and also some Pro hints and tips. Then you will go for a dive and try out some of your newly learned skills.
Afterwards you will go through your pictures with your instructor who will critique them and give you a critical analysis of your efforts and make some recommendations and suggestions to consider for your next dive. You will be introduced to some editing software suites and their pros and cons as well as some assistance in your first efforts at editing. The second dive will start to hone your skills as a photographer and afterwards you will have a “laundry list” of things to work on for the next several years!!! Its a really fun and very informative course and everyone LOVES it!
Investments
From $125 (Based on “Boutique” Diving with a 4:1 ratio) – $450 max 1:1, “Private”
