PADI Underwater Media

Welcome to the course

This course is intended to introduce divers to
the media diving industry. It is not intended
to take the place of commercial diving
training that is required for people to work as
divers within the media industry, but to
provide an insight to the opportunities,
techniques, legal requirements and skills that
are involved within that particular field

Documents you will need

HSE Diving at Work Regulations 1997
Approved Code of Practice for Media Diving
Operations
Student Guidebook

Presentation 1 Introductions, Goals

and Course Outline
Introductions

Course Outline
A look at the size and scope of the Media Diving
Industry.
A look at the legislation
Planning and organization of media dives
A detailed look at underwater cameras, housings and
accessories
Filming and Photography theory
Principles of filming and photography underwater
Confined and Open water training
Produce a short film or photographic portfolio

Course Schedule
First weekend theory, practical sessions and
confined water
Second weekend diving in open water with
the equipment
Between the two weekends storyline
production, blog production, surface filming
as necessary

Presentation 2 Overview of the

Underwater Media Industry
Learning Objectives
Identify key areas of the underwater media
industry
Link those areas to possible opportunities for
yourselves

How big is the underwater media

industry?

Increase in scuba diving 65 million divers!

Terrestrial channels, You Tube, Internet
Numerous areas for work and employment
Where do you see yourself fitting in?

Presentation 3 Health and Safety,

Legislation and Media diving
Learning Objectives
Explain what Health and Safety factors need to
be taken into consideration when conducting
media diving operations
Explain how to conduct a diving Risk assessment
and what is the difference between generic and
site specific assessment
Explain a diving project plan and what are the
key elements within it

Key Elements
Definitions
Contractor
Dive Team
Talent

Equipment
Training
First Aid and Medicals

Contractor
Who is the contractor?
Who is ultimately responsible?
Difficulties?

Dive Team

Equipment Considerations

Training Competences
Governed by the Law and ACOPs
Refer to Media ACOP

Training, First Aid and Medicals

Managing Risk
Risk Assessment
To prevent death, injury and ill health.
Recognises that risk cannot be totally eliminated
but uses common sense
Reduces likelihood of accident through sensible
control measures
The risk assessment process is used to identify
the risk and response to particular hazards where
the hazards are high DIVING!

Definitions
Hazard: Anything that can cause harm
Risk: The chance that someone will be
harmed by the hazard

Hazard = anything that can cause

harm
Water = a hazard
People diving = a hazardous situation
Running out of gas = a hazardous event

Risk Severity
Risk Level = likelihood of harm x
consequences
Broadly acceptable: so low that we accept it eg
the chance of being electrocuted at home
Tolerable: we live with it because of the benefits
eg driving a car or motorbike

Estimating Risk
High

Papercut while filing

Running out of gas underwater

Likelihood

Nuclear Installation explosion

Low
Consequence

High

Diving Hazard and Risk

Diving is high hazard

The environment is unforgiving
Undertaken safely it can be low risk
How do we do it safely:
Conduct a suitable and sufficient risk assessment
Implement measure
Comply with standards and DWR 1997

Simple Risk Assessment

Hazard

Risk Of

Severity

Likelihood

Control Measures

Cold Water

Frostbite
to fingers

Wear gloves, minimise

time in water

Free
flowing
equipment

Running
out of gas
during the
dive

Brief on cold water

procedures. Ensure
there is sufficient gas
working on worst case
scenarios. Ensure divers
are trained to know
what to do in case of
free flow.

This sort of system is the bare minimum requirement.

Qualitative and Quantitative

Risk Management

Go here for more details

Diving Project Plan

Contains information that is produced prior
to, during and after diving operations.
The requirements are outlined in the
regulations (DWR 97) and the ACOPs
Lets look at a couple of Diving Project Plans

Presentation 5 - Equipment and

Accessories
Learning Objectives
List the basic features to consider when selecting
equipment
Explain the basic imitations of a variety of systems
Explain the various lighting options available

Consumer Equipment

Prosumer Equipment

Professional Equipment

Selection Criteria

Size
Housing Availability
Battery life
Lens selection
Low light
Buoyancy
Control type
Dome and port availability

Lights and Strobes

Why use them?
Post editing
Filters
Digital in-camera adjustment
Strobes vs video lights
HID, LED, Halogen

Monitors

Care and Maintenance

Learning Obectives
Underwater camera system assembly
Understand the problems of condensation
Demonstrate O-ring care and replacement
Understand pre-dive and post dive checks

Presentation 6 The Underwater

Environment
Learning Objectives
Have an understanding of working in the
underwater environment and its impact
Be able to incorporate environmental and
situational factors into a risk assessment and
develop a project plan for a dive

Learn to Dive!

Use the Right Equipment

Assess Your Environment

Remember your Dive Plan

Breathing

Move Slowly

Protect the Environment

Visibility

Think about your Entry and Exits

Think about Streamlining

Know When Enough is Enough

Presentation 7 - Camera Settings

Underwater (1)
Learning Objective
Understand camera settings underwater
including aperture, ISO and shutter speed

Exposure?

Light and Dark

What is good?
What is right?
An art or a science?
The camera has limits
You are the judge

Camera vs Imagination

Exposure Control

Aperture

Depth of Field F11

Depth of Field F5.6

Depth of Field F16

Depth of Field F22

Fixed or Variable Aperture

Shutter Speed

Picture Sharpness

Another Example

And one more ..

Focus Blur

Blue Backgrounds

Black Backgrounds

Shutter Speed and Video

ISO

F5 1/50

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

ISO 6400

High ISO loses sharpness and

increases noise

Extreme Noise

Auto Settings Underwater

Presentation 8 - Camera Settings

Underwater (2)
Learning Objectives
Explain the impact of the underwater
environment on light and colour
Understand white balance and be able to adjust
it

Colour and the Underwater

Environment

Correcting Colour
Filters
Post Edit

Filters and Lights?

Artificial Light
Background not illuminated

Foreground illuminated

White Balance

Presentation 9 Underwater
Techniques

Learning Objectives
Have an understanding the main principles ('rules') of composition
Have an understanding of sequencing and shots
Understand basic camera moves
Be able to explain and produce a story line
Be aware of some basic editing software available for film or
photographs.
Be aware of some basic techniques that will make the life of a
media diver much simpler, and hopefully more successful
Note: There are a number of excellent photo and video websites that
cover these subjects in far more detail than is possible during this
course

Composition

Framing
Lead Room
Diagonal Lines
Angle?
Lines and Patterns
Background/Perspective
Action
Avoid the Middle?
Creative with Colours
Interaction
Break the Rules

Framing

Composition Cropping
The Beauty of Large Sensors

Lead Room

Lines

Lines

Lines

Angle of Shot

Angle of Shot

Upwards Angle

General Rule:
Underwater, UP is Good!

Use Lines and Patterns

Add Depth
Background and
foreground can add
depth. Here I used the
angle to enable me to
include the surface of the
Blue Hole which adds
depth, and also a sense of
scale

Look for Action

In this shot the turtle
underwater on its own
would have been ok, but
dull. By getting a half
and half shot I brought
in proximity to the
shore, a sense of
movement and a
closeness to people. In
a way the shot has
generated action that
was not really there.

Avoid the Middle?

Avoid the Middle?

As a general rule, yes. But
in this image, for example,
the lines of the bubble
coral steer you into the
shrimp in the centre of
the picture. Again, it is all
about interpretation

Remember the Background

Three shots that illustrate the importance of
this. Shot 1.

Remember the Background

Shot 2

Remember the Background

Shot 3

Be Creative with Colours

Look for Interaction

Break the Rules

Why not?
In this shot, which was a
submission for a Music CD
cover for a classical piece
called Oceans, I wanted to
change the serenity. I
changed the colours of the
sea, the coral and the sky to
far more blended and
mellow shades, which
matched the music that I had
listened to. But that was my
interpretation!

Shots and Sequencing

Good videos and portfolios come from a
sequence of shots that tell a good story.

Long Shots (Wide)

Medium Shots

Close Shots (Tight)

Sequencing

Camera Moves

Pan
Tilt
Dolly
Truck
Follow
Lead
Rack Focus
Zooming

Story Line

What is the story?

Take it underwater with you
Plan sequences into the dive
Be flexible
Take any opportunities
Remember air, depth & safety

An opening sequence
from the BBC series LIFE

Top Tips

Get closer
Try to shoot upwards
Dont forget the background
Dont centre unless being a creative genius
Keep the camera steady
Keep rolling
Variety is the spice of life
Know when to use lights just touch the subject
Understand white balance
Ultimately you must protect the environment you are
in

Any Questions? If not, its time to go

diving

This
way

Why do I
always get
stuck at the
back?

Follow
me

Editing your Shots and Sequences