Capture the underwater world for future generations
Underwater Videography Training
Koh Tao Thailand
Become an underwater videographer in Asia’s top dive destination – Koh Tao Thailand!
While you’re staying in this beautiful place, you will be trained to capture the stunning underwater world. Oceans Below will provide you with all of the skills and equipment needed to produce professional 4K underwater videos. Your training will include the use of high-quality 4K mirrorless cameras, Nauticam Underwater Housings, and Adobe CC for editing.
Underwater Video Courses
12 Day Pro Underwater Videography Training
- Price: 48,500 THB
- Prerequisites: PADI Advanced (or equivalent) with 50+ logged dives
This course is the first step to a new life! We introduce you to all the skills, techniques, editing programs and mental processes that are employed by underwater videographers throughout the industry. ... read more.
3 or 5 Day Underwater Videography Course
- Price: From 19,500 THB
- Prerequisites: PADI Advanced Open Water (or equivalent)
These programs build your abilities to film short, engaging videos which are cleanly edited and can raise the profile of your business or personal portfolio. ... read more.
UV (Fluorescence) Underwater Video Course
- Price: 9,500 THB
- Prerequisites: PADI Advanced Open Water with logged 'normal night dive
The Fluoro video course will raise your footage to a whole new level by allowing you to explore the electric beauty of the underwater environment under U/V light at night. ... read more.
Social Media Video Content Production Course
- Price: 25,000 THB
- Prerequisites: PADI Advanced (if you intend to shoot underwater footage) or freediver
Divers and non-divers can learn great new techniques for increasing their social media exposure and following through potent, directed video messaging. ... read more.
Mermaiding Dive & Underwater Photoshoot
- Price: From 10,000 THB
- Prerequisites: Be able to swim
Whether you are looking for unique marketing content or to indulge a fantasy, this course is an exciting and fun way to express yourself artistically. ... read more.
Freediving Videography Course
- Price: From 19,500 THB
- Prerequisites: Freediver level 1 (or higher)
The challenge of filming underwater on a single breath of air allows pays off by allowing you to get closer to many of your marine subjects. This training requires discipline, vision and awareness. ... read more.
Underwater Video Course FAQs
First of all it is always difficult in the ocean to be 100% stable. There are currents and swell that we have to deal with. Try using the currents to your advantage. Swim agianst it for a while, then turn around and slowly kick in the direction the current takes you. This way you will be more stable. Another little trick is to ever so slighly overweigh yourself so you don’t float slowly up when taking a breath. Another possibility is to use a tripod. This is especially usefull for macro videography.
Using a video light for underwater photography can be a practical solution in certain situations, but there are some factors to consider before deciding whether it’s suitable for your needs.
Video lights, also known as continuous lights, emit a constant source of light, which can be advantageous for certain underwater photography scenarios:
1. **Shallow Depths and Close Subjects**: Video lights work well for close-up shots and when shooting in shallower depths where natural light is still available. They can help illuminate subjects effectively in these conditions.
2. **Non-Intrusive**: Some marine creatures might be sensitive to bright flashes produced by traditional strobes, making video lights a less disruptive option for underwater life.
However, there are also limitations to using video lights for underwater photography:
1. **Limited Range**: Video lights tend to have limited power compared to underwater strobes, which can be a drawback when photographing subjects at a distance or in low light conditions.
2. **Color Temperature**: Video lights can have varying color temperatures, which might affect the overall color balance of your photos. It’s important to choose a video light with a color temperature that matches the ambient light underwater or use color correction filters to achieve accurate colors.
3. **Battery Life**: Continuous lights can drain batteries relatively quickly, especially if used at higher power settings. This can limit the amount of time you can spend underwater taking photos.
4. **Backscatter**: Video lights placed close to the camera can potentially cause backscatter (light reflecting off particles in the water), which can negatively impact image quality. This can be mitigated by placing the light at an angle or using diffusers.
5. **Complex Lighting Scenarios**: In more complex lighting scenarios, such as capturing larger scenes or multiple subjects at different distances, underwater strobes might provide more control and flexibility.
If you’re primarily focused on still photography in deeper waters or need more control over lighting angles and power, underwater strobes might be a better choice. They provide short bursts of intense light, which can help freeze motion and illuminate subjects from greater distances.
Ultimately, the choice between using video lights or underwater strobes for underwater photography depends on your specific goals, subjects, and shooting conditions. It’s recommended to do some research and possibly even experiment with both options to see which works best for your needs.
Setting the correct white balance for underwater video is crucial to ensure accurate and natural-looking colors in your footage. The color of light changes as you go deeper underwater due to the way water absorbs different wavelengths of light. To counteract this, adjusting the white balance setting on your camera is necessary.
The ideal white balance setting can vary based on factors such as water depth, visibility, water type (saltwater or freshwater), and the available light source. However, here are some general guidelines to help you set the white balance for underwater video:
1. **Auto White Balance (AWB):** Many modern cameras have an AWB setting that attempts to automatically adjust the white balance based on the available light. While this can work well in some situations, underwater environments can challenge AWB due to shifting light conditions and color casts. It’s recommended to use custom white balance settings for better results.
2. **Custom White Balance:** Most cameras allow you to manually set a custom white balance. This involves using a white or gray card underwater to calibrate the camera’s color settings. Or you can try using your hand or the sand. To do this:
a. **Bring a White or Gray Card:** Before your dive, bring a white or gray card with you. This could be a dedicated underwater photography card or a simple white/gray object like a plastic slate.
b. **Submerge the Card:** During your dive, find an area with even lighting. Hold the white or gray card in front of your camera’s lens and set the WB with the card filling the frame.
c. **Set Custom White Balance:** Use the captured photo or video as a reference to set a custom white balance.
d. **Use the Custom White Balance Setting:** With the custom white balance set, you can now use this setting for your underwater video recording.
3. **Manual White Balance Settings:** Some cameras offer specific white balance presets for underwater shooting. These presets are often labeled with underwater symbols and are calibrated to correct for the color shift caused by water absorption.
4. **Color Correction Filters:** If you’re shooting underwater using natural light (no artificial lighting), you might consider using color correction filters that attach to your camera or housing’s lens port. These filters help to restore the lost colors due to water absorption.
5. **Adjustment in Post-Production:** Even with the best white balance settings, underwater footage might still need some color correction in post-production. Video editing software allows you to fine-tune the colors and make your footage appear more natural.
Ultimately, the best white balance setting for underwater video depends on your specific diving conditions and the capabilities of your camera. Experimenting with different settings and techniques will help you achieve the most accurate and vibrant colors in your underwater footage.
In Adobe Premiere Pro in “effects” you will find a “warp stabilizer” tool. Drag and drop that onto your clip. In the effects folder click on ‘analyze’ and set the percentage between 2% to 10%. Standard it will be 50% but that’s a bit much! Always check your stabilized footage to see if it looks ok. If you detect a ‘warp’ movement after you stabilize it, take it off and slow down your footage a little. That will also help make your footage look more satble.
When using underwater video lights, the hardest thing to do is to avoid backscatter. Make sure your lights are only lightning up the subject and not the water in between the subject and your lens. This means you will have to change the positioning of your lights. Most of the time you will have your lights left and right a little out next to your dome port. Sometimes you might want to position them differently when shooting in a wreck for example.
© 2023 Oceans Below Co. Ltd
4/15 Moo 1, Koh Tao, Suratthani 84360, Thailand
Tel/Whatsapp: +66 81 268 20 31
