Underwater Photography Certification????

[scubadiverjunkie]

Is it really worth it to take a class for underwater photgraphy or best to try to read on it and learn through trial and error??

 

[Marriard]

Is it really worth it to take a class for underwater photgraphy or best to try to read on it and learn through trial and error??

Depends on how good your instructor is. Courses like the PADI cert are very, very general and a waste of time (in my mind anyway) unless you have an instructor who can show he can produce quality shots. Of course he can do that, he wont follow the class very closely anyway.

Courses from some of the Pro's are very good. I have taken a couple in my time and Stephen Frink's course in KL isn't bad

Better to get advice from forums, and read a couple of very good books - Jim Church's 'Guide to Composition' should be required reading as should John Shaw's 'Field Guide to Nature Photography'. Shaw's book isn't about UW Photography directly, but is something every photogrpaher should read.

Also the more you dive, the better you get, so trial and error has its place. It is amazing how much better I am after moving to Florida from Michigan and diving every weekm

You can combine advice from forums, couple of books and trial n' error and the learning curve is shortened a lot.

 

[alcina]

Ditto the instructor - I wouldn't dismiss courses like PADI's etc out of hand as they will also throw you in the water and help you learn to dive with your camera. When you combine that with a good instructor you will gain valuable assistance. You need to be 100% with your diving before heading in with a camera, I beleive.

Ask lots of questions before signing up forany course. Make sure the instructor has the latitude to tailor the course to your needs and doesn't just read out of some book - you can do that on your own.

Cruise the forums, ask questions, post your shots, ask for help, search the net, hit the local library and most of all - get in the water and get comfortable with your camera. Even land based time can be very helpful - learn how all the controls work and what effect each acheives, know your buttons and how to change things quickly & easily.

Good luck!

 

[Kim]

Another good book on UW photography is Mark Webster's "The Art and Technique of Underwater Photography'. While this is not about digital photography - it's specifically about film - it has a lot of really great explanation towards the theory - as well as composition etc.

 

[scubadiverjunkie]

Well as you can see from most of my posted pics....I need lots of work....hahaha

Thanks for the advice and info !!