Conceived by the authors of best selling ‘Essential Guide to Digital Photography', the New Digital Underwater Photography & Writer Workshop has been developed for divers who want to take their underwater photographic skills to the next level. With a modular course structure, participants will be able to achieve certification and acquire skills that are far beyond just taking a technically correct photograph. The emphasis is to help aspiring photographers to compose and paint’ a picture with a camera, using both natural and artificial lighting. Catering for both Novice and Advanced shooters (Prosumer and DSLR), there are two course syllabuses to choose from: the Absolute Essentials and Advanced Essentials.

Some of the principal modules are: Photographic Etiquette & Conservation issues; Exposure Techniques; Beyond Basic Techniques; Macro / Wide Angle Techniques; Elements of Successful Composition; How to Shoot for Competitions; How to Shoot with Models; How to get Published; Advanced Lighting Techniques; Post Processing; Photoshop & Printing Techniques. 

The digital photography workshop modules also include the essentials of post editing using Photoshop and other tested software to create multi-media presentations. The program schedule allows for maximum shooting time. The lesson modules, plus the formal and informal critique sessions will  ensure that participants develop the essential techniques to take publishable images.  While the Digital Underwater Photography modules are designed to help participants become accomplished underwater photographers, we have now incorporated the ‘Writer' extension to help participants to become photo-journalists. This course extension is for those who wish to see their images published in magazines and other related media. As well as the pride you will feel when your work is published, this is an excellent way of being paid to travel, dive and to see a return on your investment in expensive photographic equipment. Most diving and travel magazines will only accept images if they are supported by 'copy' - the written words that bring the images alive. If you can present an editor with the complete package you will always be considered for publication before images on their own - the package makes the editors’s life so much easier. The ‘Writer' extension has been designed to teach the required journalistic skills to help make dreams come true.

Thoroughly researched and well structured, the course contents are designed to prepares participants for the world of diving and travel magazine photojournalism. Lesson modules include: Establishing Media & Publishing Opportunities; The Art of Words – developing writing styles; Research and Interview Techniques: How to Develop a New Angle; How to Structure  your Article; Packaging and Marketing of editorials and images.  Our Digital Underwater Photography & Writer Workshop is taught by accomplished experts comprising of established publishers, editors, photographers, professional coaches and educators. The quality and standard of this workshop is not found anywhere else in the world. You will  be learning from the  best. 

The Studio: Puerto Galera, Philippines: 3.5 hours from Manila;- spectacular soft corals covered canyon, sea fans, wrecks, frogfishes, mandarinfish, Blue ring octopus, nudibranch galore, coral meadows, boxer crabs, schooling jacks & barracudas – anything is possible! Sites are researched thoroughly to ensure dives are conducted at the best time.

Venue: Atlantis Puerto Galera – a deluxe resort with fine wine and food. 

Choice of the  Essentials or Advanced  Syllabus : Macro / Wide Angle Techniques : Elements to Successful Composition : How to Shoot for Competition : How to shoot wide angle, working with Models : Basic and Advanced lighting Techniques : Post Processing – Photoshop & Asset management.

Writer Workshop extension modules: Establishing Media & Publishing Opportunities; The Art of Words – developing writing styles; Research and Interview Techniques, How to Develop a New Angle; How to Structure your essay and report ; Packaging and Marketing of editorials and images. 

The Workshop Package: up to 20 boat dives, the Classroom based workshops, practical & critique sessions, 7 day / 6 night Dlx twin share accommodation, with all meals, transfers, event T-shirt, Essential Digital Underwater photography guide, course notes, free one year subscription to Ocean Geographic or PADI Diving Society membership. Awards and dive holiday prizes for Best Portfolio and Best Picture candidates

Deluxe room twin sharing: USD 1680 p/p

Add on Writer Workshop: USD 280 p/p with certification, course notes, plus publishing opportunities in dive and travel publications

Special offer to participants Ikelite, Hugyfot, Seacam housing packages DEPOSIT IS USD $500

Single supplement USD 330

Options: Nitrox for all dives, Verde Island Extension

Email for an application form

Biography

Michael AW : author Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography, 2 times winner BBC Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer, 3 times winner Antibes World Festival of Underwater Pictures, 3 times winner Nikon International Photographic competition. Michael AW Pursuing the art of underwater photography, Michael AW is best known for his saturated colour imagery. His photographs and editorials on environmental issues, natural history and dive travel have been featured in Asian Geographic, BBC Wildlife, National Geographic Travel, Asian Geographic, GEO, Nature Focus, Sport Diving, Scuba Diver, Smithsonian, Islands, FHM, Times, to name but a few. He was the co-founder and publisher for Asian Geographic and Scuba Diver Australasia for seven years. Michael AW is also the founding director of OceanNEnvironment, a charity organization registered with Environment Australia.  In 2002, Michael AW initiated the Celebrate the Sea Festival in Singapore; the festival was subsequently staged in Kuala Lumpur 2003 and 2004, Singapore 2005 and 2006 and 2007 in Manila, Philippines – it has evolved to be the one of the most important international events of the sea.   His images have won the Nikon International Photo Contest on three occasions. Michael is also a three-time winner at the World Festival of Underwater Pictures, Antibes. In 2002 he won Best Music Adaptation for Video, the Gold Diver statue for Best Black & White print in 2005 and the Bronze statue for Portfolio, the most prestigious category of the festival in 2006. He is also a recipient of two awards from the Natural History Museum BBC Photographer of the Year Wildlife Competition in 2000. In 2006 he won the Best award in the underwater category.    Over 25,000 of his images have appeared in various publications and exhibitions worldwide including the Australian Museum and Queensland Tropical Museum.  Michael has presented lectures and slide presentations on marine life and underwater photography to the Australian Museum Society, aquariums and private organizations in the pacific-rim countries including the world renown Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.  He has produced and directed two 24-hour photographic documentaries of corals reefs in the Australian Great Barrier Reef and the Maldives in 1995 and 1999 respectively. These extended sojourns have been encapsulated in books and a broadcast video documentary for National Geographic. In 2003 he completed “Richest Reefs – Indonesia”, a visual extravaganza from some of the most beautiful reefs in the world – this book is adopted by the Indonesian government as an official gift of state.  A feature documentary of the same title was also produced in 2003 and a revised edition of the book was published in 2006. Beneath Bunaken (1993) was his first and Beneath SulaweSea is his 25th book of the sea.  His most recent project is the launch of Ocean Geographic – the official journal of Ocean Geographic Society.  www.MichaelAW.com; www.SeacamAsiapac.com; www.OceanEnvironment.org;  www.Oneocean.com: www.OceanGeographic.org

Mathieu Meur: author Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography, author of PADI Digital Underwater Photographer distinctive specialty, jury member - CMAS World Championship of Underwater Photography, Growing up by the sea in Mauritius, Mathieu could literally swim before he could walk. Mathieu started taking photos at a young age while snorkelling and free diving, over time using various film cameras. Many years later, after becoming a dive instructor, Mathieu switched over to digital technology using different setups before settling for his current Nikon digital SLR cameras housed in Seacam housings, and complemented by Ikelite and Inon strobes.   Mathieu authored a PADI Underwater Digital Photographer Distinctive Specialty in 2001, and co-authored An Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography in 2004. Mathieu is a regular contributor to regional and international diving publications, and has been a speaker or judge at a number of international underwater photography events. Mathieu is always happy in the water, be it capturing the beauty of large reef denizens, majestic wrecks, or the tiniest of subjects.

Brendan O’Brien: senior correspondent and contributor for DIVER magazine UK.  He is an expert in adult education and has  years of experience in the world of learning and development.  As well as vocational qualifications, Brendan has a Master’s in Education (with distinction) from the Institute of Learning, University of Hull, UK where he specialised in training and evaluation. more...

Over thirty years ago Brendan joined the British Sub Aqua Club as a junior snorkellor, a few years later he did his first dive in a Welsh quarry. Since then he has actively sought new experiences and adventures in diving destinations across the globe. Over ten years ago his first article was published in DIVER magazine. Since then he has written for Sport Diver and Scuba World as well as DIVER. Nine  years ago he was invited to write exclusively for DIVER.

He considers the peaks in his career to date (apart from numerous commissioned assignments abroad!) to be: an interview with Arthur C. Clarke on his early days as an exploratory diver; the first published interview with Tanya Streeter, world record setting freediver; an interview with Howard Hall, Stan Waterman and David Doubilet on their interconnected careers; reporting on the 1999 World Freediving Competition and more recently, reporting on the CMAS underwater photography competition in Mauritius.

An expert in adult education, Brendan has several years of experience in the world of learning and development.  As well as vocational qualifications in this field Brendan has a Master’s in Education (with distinction) from the Institute of Learning, University of Hull, UK, where he specialised in training and evaluation.  He firmly believes that adults learn by doing – so expect lots of structured learning activities from the workshop.