MY PORTS ARE FALLING OFF! ..help super needed...

[Jim Lapenta]

This is my first underwater DSLR housing, yep.

I'm going on a trip organized by my LDS, and they offered the PADI UW photo course. Perfect! The instructor seemed great... until he cancelled last minute (without even telling any of us... but that's a whole other thing.)

So, I thought I'd have plenty o' time and instruction to become best buddies with my new-to-me housing. Nope.

I'll bring my Olympus TG-5, but that's only good down to 40' and no shutter-priority which is how I shoot... So I'm pretty damn bummed. The housing I bought is for my back-up body, but still-- I don't particularly care to flood my back-up, either.

edit: Oh, I did email the instructor and asked if I could buy him a beer and go over the system together.... we'll see. There's no "Reef Photo" type place in NYC where I can go. Doesn't help that it seems no one else uses Subal!

My advice is to do what I did. Do not sign up for ANY AGENCY UW PHOTO course UNLESS, the instructor is actually an accomplished photographer.
You don't even need a scuba instructor at all. You need an underwater photographer. My goal when I got into this was to get to the point where I could offer an ENTRY level UW photo course.
What I found out was that there is a lot more to it than getting an agency to give me an instructor card that says UW Photo instructor.
So much more that even though I have had some shots published and have used them for my own books and articles, I am not at the point where I feel I could offer a class that I would want to take.
Especially if the student wants to shoot with a DSLR. I started into DSLR shooting almost 3 years ago. Underwater, just over two. I spent dozens of hours in the pool playing with lighting, exposure settings, apertures, ISO's and shooting pics of bugs that had drowned, pool toys, aquarium plants, etc. Over an entire winter once a week or so doing this. Then I took a workshop from a photographer that has been on assignment for Nat Geo, Discovery Channel, and other outlets.
My other instructor is my Ikelite dealer and he is only a dealer and underwater photographer. I worked with him and got various tips.
Right now I feel I am still about a year away from getting good enough to offer that class.
If you want to get good with the camera, go to B&H or Adorama and ask who they think in the area is shooting great UW shots since you are in NY. Don't ask your LDS unless their guy is a pro photographer and can show you his work in publication.

 

[sunnyboy]

Tienuts:

Write your book. Make it an e-book (pdf available) and I'm sure a lot of folks here will buy it. In addition to do's and don'ts, go ahead and cover the good, bad and ugly housings. There is a definite gap that needs filling between the manufacturer's "manual" and the photo-pro's how-to course, and I'm positive a good book would be well received.

 

[Tienuts]

My advice is to do what I did. Do not sign up for ANY AGENCY UW PHOTO course UNLESS, the instructor is actually an accomplished photographer.
You don't even need a scuba instructor at all. You need an underwater photographer. My goal when I got into this was to get to the point where I could offer an ENTRY level UW photo course.

This is very good advice. I’d only add to look at the person’s portfolio to make sure their style of photography matches what you would like to do.

Advancing your photography, you are really evolving from ‘taking pictures’ to ‘making art.’ Like any art, it can be subjective. There is a very popular Nat Geo photographer out there who I find very boring. I don’t like most of their pictures. Their is also a no-name Cuban immigrant who I used to work with who I think is an amazing photographer.

Tienuts:

Write your book. Make it an e-book (pdf available) and I'm sure a lot of folks here will buy it. In addition to do's and don'ts, go ahead and cover the good, bad and ugly housings. There is a definite gap that needs filling between the manufacturer's "manual" and the photo-pro's how-to course, and I'm positive a good book would be well received.

Thanks for the encouragement.

While UW photo is still a passion for me, the main problem is I left Reef Photo in late 2012. I could speak volumes on the housings up until then, but not from onwards. I haven't seen many of the changes the big manufacturers have gone to, good or bad.

A lot can happen in 6 years. Example is back in 2009-2010 there was a camera housing manufacturer that was so bad, you couldn't pay me to take one. Now they've actually gotten their act together, and have made lots of improvements.

Lastly, there is the issue of time. My work keeps me very busy. I'm on Scubaboard a lot lately as I'm on a 'staycation,' and doing a jeep restoration project. I have time to look at threads in between coats of paint.

 

[sunnyboy]

...

Lastly, there is the issue of time. My work keeps me very busy. I'm on Scubaboard a lot lately as I'm on a 'staycation,' and doing a jeep restoration project. I have time to look at threads in between coats of paint.

Understood.
I just finished a maintenance project on the tailgate of my 08 Ranger. Something about ocean diving making rust and all that.

 

[M DeM]

My advice is to do what I did. Do not sign up for ANY AGENCY UW PHOTO course UNLESS, the instructor is actually an accomplished photographer.
You don't even need a scuba instructor at all. You need an underwater photographer. My goal when I got into this was to get to the point where I could offer an ENTRY level UW photo course.
What I found out was that there is a lot more to it than getting an agency to give me an instructor card that says UW Photo instructor.
So much more that even though I have had some shots published and have used them for my own books and articles, I am not at the point where I feel I could offer a class that I would want to take.
Especially if the student wants to shoot with a DSLR. I started into DSLR shooting almost 3 years ago. Underwater, just over two. I spent dozens of hours in the pool playing with lighting, exposure settings, apertures, ISO's and shooting pics of bugs that had drowned, pool toys, aquarium plants, etc. Over an entire winter once a week or so doing this. Then I took a workshop from a photographer that has been on assignment for Nat Geo, Discovery Channel, and other outlets.
My other instructor is my Ikelite dealer and he is only a dealer and underwater photographer. I worked with him and got various tips.
Right now I feel I am still about a year away from getting good enough to offer that class.
If you want to get good with the camera, go to B&H or Adorama and ask who they think in the area is shooting great UW shots since you are in NY. Don't ask your LDS unless their guy is a pro photographer and can show you his work in publication.

That's a great idea... I'll try Adorama... the B&H guys, who know their stuff inside and out, told me straight out "this is not our specialty." My LDS guy is a pro... and he just emailed me today very sorry, but he's been sick for over 2 weeks now, not even able to go to work. Alas....

Yeah, I don't care about the PADI card. It's not like anyone's going to take a look at a set of crappy photos and be like "Well, these all suck but she's got that PADI class, so that's impressive."

 

[M DeM]

My advice is to do what I did. Do not sign up for ANY AGENCY UW PHOTO course UNLESS, the instructor is actually an accomplished photographer.
You don't even need a scuba instructor at all. You need an underwater photographer. My goal when I got into this was to get to the point where I could offer an ENTRY level UW photo course.
What I found out was that there is a lot more to it than getting an agency to give me an instructor card that says UW Photo instructor.
So much more that even though I have had some shots published and have used them for my own books and articles, I am not at the point where I feel I could offer a class that I would want to take.
Especially if the student wants to shoot with a DSLR. I started into DSLR shooting almost 3 years ago. Underwater, just over two. I spent dozens of hours in the pool playing with lighting, exposure settings, apertures, ISO's and shooting pics of bugs that had drowned, pool toys, aquarium plants, etc. Over an entire winter once a week or so doing this. Then I took a workshop from a photographer that has been on assignment for Nat Geo, Discovery Channel, and other outlets.
My other instructor is my Ikelite dealer and he is only a dealer and underwater photographer. I worked with him and got various tips.
Right now I feel I am still about a year away from getting good enough to offer that class.
If you want to get good with the camera, go to B&H or Adorama and ask who they think in the area is shooting great UW shots since you are in NY. Don't ask your LDS unless their guy is a pro photographer and can show you his work in publication.

Did the Nat Geo guy happen to be in your area, or did he give a destination workshop you went to? I tried to sign up for one of Alex Mustard's workshops but it sold out. I tried again the next year and thought I nailed it because I responded within three hours of receiving the email but nope... sold out within 3 hours.

 

[Hoag]

@M DeM assuming that the primary goal is to learn to become a better underwater photographer and that the card is secondary, find someone and talk to them informally. You will be surprised at what you will learn simply by shooting the breeze with another photographer. There are some tips that you can pick up here on SB or elsewhere online, but there is no substitution for getting out there & taking pictures.

What luck are you having since trying the tips that @Tienuts gave you WRT your ports?

 

[Chris Ross]

I would suggest getting a vacuum system for your housing. You pull a vacuum on it and there is a pressure monitoring system. If any air leaks in that means that water would also leak in. The other big advantage of the vacuum is that it locks your ports on place from the pressure differential, making surface leaks less likely. O-rings need to be loaded to seal . I wouldn't go UW without it.

The Leak sentinel seems to be a popular choice, it's self contained and compact. Leak Sentinel, pre dive vacuum leak detector for underwater housings You should be able to order one through reef photo.

 

[Tienuts]

B&H guys, who know their stuff inside and out, told me straight out "this is not our specialty."

Isn't Larry Cohen still at B&H? He was their UW guy, although I've never seen his pictures.

Did the Nat Geo guy happen to be in your area, or did he give a destination workshop you went to?

No, this guy was a customer of Reef.

I would suggest getting a vacuum system for your housing.

Really good idea that I totally forgot to mention. There's several on the market now. Adds lots of piece of mind. I have the Nauticam one which is amazing. Not sure which ones can be fit into the Subal 7D1 housing.

 

[Tienuts]

Resurrecting this old thread for some shameless promotion -

I've begun to offer underwater photo and video workshops at Divetech in Grand Cayman. If anyone happens to be in the neighborhood and wants to spend half or a full day with me. I'm pretty confident that with a single day, I can improve almost anyone's photography level.

https://www.divetech.com/photo

Thanks!
Tony