Online Courses for UW Photography & Lightroom?

[DevilEyeDog]

Dave42:
YES!

"the three biggest differences in getting the photo.

1. Exposure is different, don't trust the camera.
2. White Balance.
3. Underwater framing is different, with no straight lines and no horizon composition is a lot more difficult."

You're telling me!! All of my struggles. And I think "that looks like a good shot" and then I get on land, look at the pictures and just say S^#@, more S*&%, more S*&%".

THANK YOU EVERYONE for the great suggestions!! Buying a book and checking out the Lynda site!!

 

[Storker]

White Balance.

...is irrelevant until you download and post-process your images. That is, if you're shooting raw. If you're shooting JPEG, it's important to nail the WB to avoid excessive IQ losses in post.

A raw file basically contains every single byte of data recorded by your camera's sensor, that's why raw files are so huge compared to JPEGs. White balancing only affects the JPEG file which contains just a subset of the sensor data. The effect on the raw file is only in the instructions on how the raw file should be developed, and any good raw file converter will have no issues overruling those instructions.

Try it topside. Shoot a subject on raw+JPEG with different white balance settings. As long as you set the same white balance in your raw file converter, all the results will be identical. OTOH, if you color correct the JPEGs, you'll see more IQ losses the further your camera's WB was from the "correct" one.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@DevilEyeDog

According to your avatar you reside some where in the United States of America aka USA.

There are community colleges through out the USA. Most community colleges offer a two year degree in photography You must have a community college near by in your city that offers photographic courses .......

To become an effective photographer - either top side or UW it is important to understand basic photography
I would suggest that you enroll in several classes as follows but certainly not limited to the following
* Basic Photo
* Composition
* Lighting
Or courses that encompasses those types of instruction

Concurrently I would suggest that you purchase the previously mentioned photographic books as an ancillary study guide--and study them !

If in your area of the USA there is a UW Photographic Society - join it and participate ! Especially the monthly contest -- initially your photos will be bashed when you gain experience you can do the bashing

Then when you display your pictures to friends and family and especially on this board your pictures will be technically correct - maybe even perfect and not and embarrassment to you and an insult to the viewers.

<<<FYI and to provide verification was a charter member of the LA Co UW Photo Society established in 1957 and a co funder of Orange County UW Photo society aka O CUPS a few years later
I also was an instructor of UW photography at a Orange Coast CC in California - yes I am a published photographer >>>

Good Luck

SDM

 

[2ndjetty]

I'll also recommend the books by Martin Edge and Alex Mustard (although I've never scraped together the cash to purchase them).

Once you get the feel of Lightroom, check out my Lightroom Tutorials for tips on speeding up your workflow, essential edits and other shooting tips. Good luck!

 

[DevilEyeDog]

2ndJetty: I just did check out your tutorials. THANK YOU!!! Much appreciated!

 

[DevilEyeDog]

Sam Miller III: Yes. I reside in the USA. Good deduction and good suggestion. Thanks!