Take 3 Workshops

Alan Larsen · Issue 47, Mar/Apr 2009 · pp. 39–43

Products mentioned: Nikon D200, Subal ND20, Tokina 10-17mm, Nikon 12-24mm, Nikon 105 VR micro, Inon Z-240

Being serious about underwater photography can be frustrating. The technical aspects of getting exposure and lighting right can be challenging enough but if you have to follow a dive guide on a whirlwind tour of the reef, it can be hard to find a suitable subject to shoot, let alone spend sufficient time with it to get a decent image. Even when you don’t have to follow a guide it doesn’t get much better. Other divers are reluctant to buddy with a photographer – even on a club trip with your mates (although they all want a copy of your photos afterwards…). The answer is to dive with other underwater photographers. But how? – especially if there are none in your club or among your usual dive buddies. One way is book onto an underwater photo workshop. But ‘workshop’ sounds worryingly serious and raises a number of questions: Does it mean a ‘photography course’ with lots of teaching and lear…