SDI Underwater Photographer

Specialty Course · Bring the Dive Home · For Certified Divers

Come up with photos that look like the dive felt. The SDI Underwater Photographer course teaches you how light and color behave at depth, how to compose a shot, how to avoid backscatter, and how to shoot responsibly with no contact with marine life. And you don't need to own a camera to start, the shop has an Olympus TG-7 and Insta360 for you to use during the course. It counts as a specialty toward your Advanced Diver rating. You'll need your own mask, fins, boots, and snorkel, and the camera plus the rest of the rental gear are included.

Veterans can put their GI Bill toward their training, and families can use ESA or ClassWallet funds. See if you qualify.

Starting from

$199.00

Availability: Contact us for booking information

Description
Additional Information

SDI Underwater Photographer Course

Specialty Course · Bring the Dive Home · For Certified Divers

Everyone comes up from a great dive wanting to show someone what they saw. The SDI Underwater Photographer course teaches you to actually capture it: how light behaves as you go deeper, how to compose a shot, how to work a camera underwater, and how to come home with images that look like the dive felt. It's a conservation-minded course from the first minute, built on getting the shot without ever touching the reef. And you don't need to own a camera to take it. It counts as one specialty toward your SDI Advanced Diver rating.

What you'll be able to capture

By the end, your photos start to match what you actually saw down there:

True colors at depth instead of everything washing out blue and green
Sharp, well-composed subjects instead of blurry near-misses
Clean water in the frame instead of backscatter and floating specks
Images worth printing, sharing, and remembering the dive by

What you'll learn

The knowledge side is where good underwater photos actually start.

How light behaves and color fades at different depths
Working with available light, and when to add a strobe
Composition, framing, and getting close to your subject
Avoiding backscatter, plus camera care and image review

In-water skills you'll practice

You'll shoot on real dives while keeping your diving sharp and your buoyancy steady.

Entering and diving with camera equipment under control
Photographing subjects while staying aware of your surroundings
Holding position and buoyancy with no contact with marine life
Safe ascents with a safety stop, then a post-dive image debrief

No camera? No problem.

You don't need to buy anything to start shooting. Dive Arizona has cameras available for students to use during the course, so you can learn the skills first and decide on your own gear later.

Olympus TG-7 — a rugged, beginner-friendly underwater camera
Insta360 — for wide, immersive underwater capture
Bring your own camera or housing if you have one, and we'll build the course around it

Who can enroll

Open to certified Open Water divers who want to bring the dive home.

Certified SDI Open Water divers, or equivalent
Minimum age 18, or 10 with parental consent (divers 10–14 dive with a parent, guardian, or pro)
Anyone who wants comfortable buoyancy and a camera in the same dive

✓ What's included

Instruction and your open water photography dives
Use of a shop camera (Olympus TG-7 or Insta360) for the course
Rental gear: BCD, regulator, computer, tank, weights, and wetsuit
Your SDI Underwater Photographer certification, plus a credit toward your Advanced Diver rating

What to bring

Your own mask, fins, boots, and snorkel (required, we don't rent these)
Your Open Water certification card
Your own camera or housing if you'd rather use it
A swimsuit and a towel

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to own an underwater camera?

No. Dive Arizona has an Olympus TG-7 and Insta360 products available for students to use during the course. You can learn the skills on our gear first, then decide what camera is right for you. If you already own a camera or housing, bring it and we'll build the course around it.

Why do my underwater photos look so blue?

Water absorbs color as you go deeper, so reds and oranges disappear first and everything shifts blue-green. The course covers how to bring the color back, working with available light, white balance, and when to add a strobe.

What is backscatter and how do I avoid it?

Backscatter is those bright floating specks in your shots, particles in the water lit up by your strobe. You'll learn strobe positioning and shooting technique to keep the water in your frame clean.

What are the prerequisites?

An SDI Open Water certification, or equivalent. Minimum age is 18, or 10 with parental consent. Divers aged 10 to 14 dive with a parent, guardian, or professional.

Is this hard on the reef or marine life?

Just the opposite. It's a conservation-minded course. A big part of the training is getting the shot with good buoyancy and no contact with marine life, so you photograph responsibly.

What gear do I need to own?

Your own mask, fins, boots, and snorkel. The camera and the rest of your rental gear are included with the course.

Does it count toward anything bigger?

Yes, it counts as one specialty toward the SDI Advanced Diver rating.

Let's. Go. Diving.

Come up with photos that look like the dive felt. Call the shop and we'll get you scheduled.

Call the shop (480) 881-4013

A specialty course that counts toward the SDI Advanced Diver rating. Prerequisite: an SDI Open Water certification (or equivalent). Cameras are available for student use during the course.

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