Successful Underwater Photography with Point-and-Shoot Film Cameras

As the course title suggests, Successful Underwater Photography with Point-and-Shoot Film Cameras is a comprehensive, five-class course that is specifically designed for beginning underwater photographers that are using point-and-shoot film cameras. The course begins with a class Introduction in which you will meet Marty Snyderman, your instructor, learn about the types of pictures you can take with point-and-shoot film cameras, and discover how to get the most out of this course.

The second class is entitled Guidelines to Powerful Composition. After all, the goal is to create compelling photographs, and you will learn about techniques that will make most people like most of your images most of the time. As the title suggests, these are guidelines, not absolute rules

Next, we will take a look at How Your Camera System Works, and the components from film to strobes, so that you understand the tools of your trade. Class number four is all about Preparing and Maintaining Your Camera System. No question about it, you need to know how to travel with, set up, dive with and care for your cameras, strobe and accessories. Taking care of your equipment is not hard, but you need to do it the right way, and that is what you will learn in this class.

The class entitled Problems and Problem Solving in Underwater Photography is when you put what you have mastered in the first four classes together as you learn about problems that are specific to taking pictures underwater and techniques to combat those problems. You’ll also learn how to approach and photograph marine creatures big and small as well as learning how to photograph your friends without turning them into your enemies. And in the end, you will learn how to edit, file and learn from your work.

Both courses logically lead in to The Digital Workflow & Image Manipulation for Underwater Photography, which picks up where the shooting courses end, buy giving you the basic steps necessary to transfer images to your computer, make minor adjustments to them, store them and share them with your friends.

Course Outline for Successful Underwater Photography with Point-and-Shoot Film Cameras

I) Introduction

• meet your instructor, Marty Snyderman
• a little business that must be attended to
• types of pictures you can take with your camera system
• point-and-shoot film cameras and camera systems
• focus, exposure and some other important considerations
• how to get the most out of this course

II) Guidelines to Powerful Composition

• guidelines, not absolute rules
• powerful images make a statement
• fill your frame
• isolate your subject
• your frame is a rectangle, not a square
• faces and eyes must be in sharp focus
• accessory close-up and wide-angle conversion lenses provide more opportunites
• shoot subjects face first
• negative space should make a positive impression
• audiences like bright colors and bright lights
• give moving subjects some head room
• contrast is a key to composition
• avoiding backscatter
• photographing divers
• helping your model have some fun too!
• framing divers
• take more than one picture of a subject
• trust your instincts
• be a good diver and a safe diver first
• show a little respect for the marine environment

III) How Your Camera System Works

• how cameras work
• about film
• what happens to colors as light rays descend
• strobes, how they work and what they do
• consistently getting good exposures
• what lenses "see"
• burping accessory lenses
• close-up conversion lenses
• wide-angle conversion lenses
• depth-of-field

IV) Preparing and Maintaining Your Camera System

• a general philosophy
• the importance of reading your owner’s manuals
• your camera housing
• don’t let yourself get in a hurry
• develop and practice good habits
• getting your camera ready to go
• amphibious cameras and housed cameras
• choosing the right film for your camera
• setting up and testing your strobe
• bigger hammers don’t fix cameras
• powering up your camera and strobe
• the importance of o-rings
• testing your camera housing
• testing your strobe
• getting your camera system into and out of the water
• post-dive care and maintenance
• traveling with film
• storing film
• where to get your film processed

V) Problems and Problem Solving in Underwater Photography

• what you are up against when you make pictures underwater
• the blues
• the importance of getting close to your subject
• accessory conversion lenses
• putting color in your photographs
• dealing with suspended particles in the water column
• pay close attention to camera-to-subject distance
• look for and create contrast between subjects and backgrounds
• shooting at downward angles can work
• avoiding and overcoming backscatter
• strobe placement
• making sure you get the right exposure
• bracketing and giving yourself choices
• approaching and working with marine life
• photographing reef creatures
• photographing Mr. Big
• photographing your friends and keeping them as friends
• editing, filing and learning from your work
• go at your pace, and be your own best friend