SSI Underwater Photo & Video
Good underwater images come from good diving first. The Underwater Photo & Video Specialty teaches you to combine imaging technique with the buoyancy control and patience that separates a sharp, well-framed shot from a blurred miss. The Andaman Sea gives you exceptional subjects to practise on, from Boonsung Wreck macro photography to Koh Bon wide-angle scenes and Richelieu Rock macro life.
Underwater Photo & Video — Key Facts
Duration and Structure
- Digital learning : Camera settings, underwater light physics and composition
- Training dives : Two to three photo-focused dives on reef sites
- Review : Images reviewed and critiqued after each dive
- Subjects : Wide angle, reef scenes, macro and fish behaviour shots
Prerequisites
- Certification : Open Water Diver or equivalent
- Age : Minimum 10 years
- Camera : Bring your own or use the centre's equipment
- Note : Works with any underwater camera system
What You Get
- Understand how light behaves underwater and how to compensate
- Compose shots that show the reef at its best
- Develop buoyancy control specific to imaging
- Get usable images from the first training dive
Light, Composition and the Diver Behind the Camera
Water absorbs colour quickly — reds disappear within 5 metres, orange within 10. Understanding this is fundamental to every exposure decision you make underwater. The course covers the optical physics, then moves into practical technique: strobe positioning, ambient light shots, framing and the body control that lets you hold a position long enough to get the image.
- Light physics — colour absorption, backscatter and white balance
- Exposure — aperture, shutter speed and ISO decisions for different scenarios
- Composition — rule of thirds, negative space, eye contact and reef context
- Macro technique — close focus, depth of field and nudibranch-level imaging
- Diver as photographer — buoyancy, positioning and minimising subject disturbance