Private Scuba › PADI Dive Courses › Learning Online › Digital Photographer
You'll be proud to share your best photos and videos after you complete the PADI Digital Underwater Photography course online.
The 'web based' knowledge development sections are full of expert tips that help beginners speed up the learning curve and take better photographs under water.
There is no magical shortcut for learning how to take awesome digital photographs and video when diving or snorkeling.
The main focus of the first two sections in the digital online course is still life photography (e.g. inanimate subject matter).
Hence, you will learn how to take digital still images of things that are not moving - using a camera or a camcorder.
The third section contains expert tips about imaging quality underwater video footage with different types of digital cameras.
So, who is going to benefit most by taking the PADI Digital Underwater Photography course online? Scuba divers and snorkelers who want to learn about using digital cameras and videos will find it a worthwhile experience. It's for all diver certification levels as well as aquatic enthusiasts.
Important: Scuba divers and snorkelers can get certified as a PADI® Digital Underwater Photographer once they complete the skills training section in the course.
Snorkelers can take part in Level One section of the course. But, you would need to be a certified diver (age 10 or older) to enrol for the second part (Level Two).
Here's how it works:
PADI eLearning™ system contains interactive presentations, including audio, video, and graphics. Completing the short quizzes will confirm whether you understood the information. This means you can move through the program at your own pace.
An exam at the end of each section in the Digital Underwater Photography course is scored by automatic process and verifies mastery of the entire topic.
You need to complete a photo dive in either a swimming pool, pool-like environment (e.g. confined open water), or open water with a corresponding Specialty Instructor to be certified as PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Level One.
As a result, snorkelers who are not strong swimmers can also get the Level One certification.
But, the certification card will state that the level achieved is for one of the non-diving certifications.
The second open water photo dive of PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Level Two requires you to be (either):
Note: Please contact our friendly staff at our dive center for further information or to schedule the underwater photo sessions.
After you pay the fee for the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Course online segment (around 3,000 THB), there will be no refund available.
In most cases, there will be an extra charge from the PADI Dive Center to conduct the photo dives and for any specialised equipment needed for the training.
You need to complete the eLearning segments within twelve months of registering for the course. Even so, you get continued access to the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer manual (online version).
In general, the minimum time needed to complete the PADI Underwater Photographer Course online is around four (4) hours.
PADI will notify the relevant dive shop once you finish the eLearning portions. So, the staff will know that you have finished and you are ready to enjoy practical aspects of the program.
You can also print out your personal eRecord at the end of the program and take a copy to the PADI Dive Center or Resort of your choosing.
Even experienced topside photographers may find it somewhat challenging when shooting fish and snapping corals under water. But, with some prior planning - and a little bit of luck - the rewards will all be worth it.
Note: The short PADI video [2:29 seconds] explains how to continue diving adventures and experience more from PADI Specialty Diver courses. Click here to contact Private Scuba Divers, Thailand.