PADI UW photography specialty instructor

[TSandM]

Randy, you'd learn nothing about photography . . . but you might learn something about how to explain or present it to people in an underwater setting. And it may have been a while since you dealt with someone like me, who suspiciously views her camera as a basically malignant organism, intent on frustrating her every effort to record what she saw. I would imagine you haven't recently worked with anyone who has to look at their camera to make sure the right end of it is pointed at the subject?

Actually, you are precisely the kind of person who OUGHT to teach such a class. The instructor with whom I was discussing my AI class pointed out that, as an AI, I could teach underwater photography . . . and I snorted coffee out my nose.

 

[randytay]

I think I would wait till I am an instructor and then see what I'm going to do with it. It might be a couple of years down the road though as I am just enjoying the process right now

Jim, I'm from New York and used to travel to PA alot but now transplanted in Las Vegas. If you ever find yourself in "Lost Wages", just hit me up

Lynn, my problem with "teaching" photography is that because it is my profession and hence I tend to "over teach", I.e. feeding people with too much info that most holiday snappers will find them unnecessary, which is what I suspect of most UWP specialty participants.

I am discussing with my NAUI CD to incorporate my expertise in his UWP course though; the idea is that I will teach the course and he issue the certifications. Just not sure if there is any violations of S&P

We are thinking of covering more than just taking the pictures, exposure and composition but include discussions like workflow, media, post processing, presentation, file formats, basic photoshop skills and RAW converters. Any suggestions? Are the above too much? Too little? Or just about right?

 

[theduckguru]

I wonder why anyone would waste their money to take any dive agencies photography courses. I sure wouldn't need to give up an extra $$ just to get a card.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Perhaps the vast majority of underwater photography students are not underwater photography students "just to get a card."

 

[SubMariner]

I wonder why anyone would waste their money to take any dive agencies photography courses. I sure wouldn't need to give up an extra $$ just to get a card.

Therein lies your problem: you are not taking a "dive agencies [sic] photography course", you are taking a course from an INDIVIDUAL whom you have (hopefully) already vetted to see how good an u/w photographer & Instructor they are.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

And that is the key. You need to see their work, where they have been published if at all, and what the course content actually is and compare it with other courses. Which is why I don't offer it. I'm not a photo pro and the only published photos I have are in my book and I would not count that. It's why I refer students to actual photographers. And they are not necessarily diving instructors. I know how to dive. I want someone to teach me how to use the camera while diving and get the best results. You don't have to be a scuba instructor to do that.