Course overview

The PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty teaches you to capture Koh Lanta's colourful reefs and big-fish encounters with a camera you can actually control. From the soft-coral walls of Koh Bida to the manta and pelagic action on Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, you learn composition, lighting and buoyancy-aware shooting so your images do the marine life justice. You finish able to take sharp, well-exposed underwater photos.

What you’ll learn

• Set up and operate an underwater camera and housing
• Apply the principles of underwater composition and framing
• Manage colour loss and white balance at depth
• Get close and stable using good buoyancy for sharp images
• Use available light and strobes or video lights effectively
• Review and improve your shots between dives

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 10
• PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver or qualifying certification
• Good buoyancy control recommended for steady shots
• Diver medical questionnaire (physician sign-off if any condition applies)

What's included · What's not

Not included? Sort the rest of your trip

Flights and accommodation aren’t part of the course price, here’s how to book them around your dates.

Probability of sightings · month-by-month

What you're likely to see each month, based on historic operator logs.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1
   Camera basics & first shoot

   Cover camera set-up, composition and lighting, then make your first photography dive at a colourful site such as Koh Bida.
2. Day2
   Lighting & review

   Refine white balance and lighting on a second dive, then review and edit your images with the instructor.

Verified through iDive

Every partner school in the iDive network is vetted on safety, instructor credentials, equipment standards and student feedback. Talk to a iDive dive pro on WhatsApp for current availability and reviews specific to Koh Lanta.

Frequently asked questions