Learning Underwater Photography

Course details

Curious about underwater photography? Dive in! In this course, Photoshop guru Deke McClelland is joined by master diver and professional underwater photographer Hergen Spalink to explore the essential techniques, concepts, and gear involved in underwater photography. Learn what it means to shoot underwater, and how to use wide-angle and macro lenses to capture a diverse array of sea life. Discover the gear you'll need to go deep, including housings, lights, and ports, and how to use strobes and torches, along with important camera settings like aperture and ISO, to achieve the right exposure. Understand how focal length and depth of field affect underwater optics, and how to ready your jump settings before you jump in the water. Whether you're a new diver or seasoned pro, these tips and techniques will help you take your underwater photography to the next level.

Learning objectives
Shooting wide vs. macro underwater photography
Housings
Lighting: strobes vs. LED torches
Triggering strobes
Shooting the right exposure
Adjusting aperture, shutter speed, and ISO
Shooting with ambient light
Adjusting camera modes
Focusing underwater
Adjusting jump settings
Post-processing underwater photographs
Maintaining your gear

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Welcome

1. Introducing Underwater Photography

02 - It's better underwater
03 - Wide vs. macro

2. Get the Gear

04 - Challenges and solutions
05 - Housings
06 - Ports and optics
07 - Torches and strobes
08 - Additional gear

3. Lighting Options

09 - Strobes vs. LED torches
10 - Pros and cons of strobes and torches
11 - Triggering strobes - Electronic vs. fiber optics
12 - Adjusting strobe power
13 - Understanding X-sync
14 - Adjusting LED torches

4. Elements Of Exposure

15 - Sources of light
16 - Strobes
17 - Aperture
18 - Shutter speed
19 - ISO
20 - Anatomy of a shot - Ambient light only
21 - Anatomy of a shot - Ambient plus LED torch
22 - Anatomy of a shot - Strobe at low shutter speed
23 - Anatomy of a shot - Strobe at high shutter speed

5. Camera Modes

24 - Metering modes
25 - Exposure modes
26 - Manual mode
27 - Special circumstances

6. Focus

28 - Autofocus types
29 - Contrast and focus lights
30 - Static vs. moving subjects
31 - Momentary auto and manual focus

7. Underwater Optics

32 - Wide-angle lenses
33 - The optics of wide-angle ports
34 - Macro lenses
35 - Longer vs. shorter focal length
36 - Sensor crop
37 - Depth of field

8. Jump Settings

38 - What are jump settings
39 - Wide-angle jump settings
40 - Macro jump settings
41 - Pre-dive checks
42 - Testing water tightness

9. Post-Processing

43 - Setup and import
44 - Organization and rating

10. Care and Feeding

45 - O-rings
46 - Preventing corrosion
47 - Pre-trip checklist
48 - End of trip checklist
49 - Post-trip checklist
50 - Caring for ports
51 - Servicing

Conclusion

52 - Next steps