Welcome to Issue #21 of Inside Scuba

Welcome to Issue #21 of Inside Scuba! This edition dives into the world of underwater photography workshops, offering valuable insights to help you elevate your shots. You’ll also find expert tips on photographing schooling fish, a review of the Juliet Sailing and Diving Liveaboard in the Bahamas, and explore how the groundbreaking BackscatterXTerminator Photoshop filter is transforming underwater image cleanup with ease and precision. Plus, the latest dive news and our Instagram Spotlight features a talented underwater photographer whose award-winning work captures the ocean’s beauty and fragility.

Also, if you like these newsletters, please consider sharing them with friends who might also enjoy them.

What’s happening in this edition?

• Elevate Your Shots: Insights from Underwater Photography Workshops
• Dive News
• A New Tool in the Fight Against Backscatter: BackscatterXTerminator
• Photographing Schooling Fish: A Comprehensive Guide
• Juliet Liveaboard Review: A Bahamas Dive Adventure with Comfort and Convenience
• Instagram Spotlight
• Summary

Elevate Your Shots: Insights from Underwater Photography Workshops

Underwater photography is a captivating art form that presents a unique blend of technical challenges and creative possibilities. From managing the elusive play of light to capturing beautiful reef scenes, each dive presents an opportunity to learn something new. While every underwater photographer gains experience through individual dives, workshops can accelerate this learning process in ways that solo practice often cannot. These workshops, led by seasoned professionals, take participants to prime diving locations, offering hands-on experience and valuable feedback in real-time. Whether you're new to underwater photography or looking to refine your skills, these immersive sessions can significantly enhance both your technique and creative approach.

Recently, I had the opportunity to present to the South Florida Underwater Photography Society (SFUPS), where I shared insights gained from over 20 workshops I’ve attended since 2011. While preparing for the presentation, I revisited an article I wrote for Issue #61 of Underwater Photography Magazine. The lessons I learned from that first workshop, led by Alex Mustard, remain as relevant today as they were then. With this in mind, I felt it appropriate to share that original article in this issue of the newsletter. The article reflects on my first real dive into wide-angle photography and the many takeaways from that formative experience.

Red Sea Relish
Originally published in UWP Magazine, July/Aug 2011 Issue #61

I am relatively new to underwater photography having only dived on three trips with an underwater camera in hand. After my second week of underwater photography (borrowing my cousin’s kit), I decided this hobby was for me and I purchased a new camera, housing and all the accessories. I was eager to use my new equipment and…

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In each issue of our newsletter, we will curate some top dive news from around the world. Links to each of the original articles are available.

A New Tool in the Fight Against Backscatter: BackscatterXTerminator

BackscatterXTerminator (BSXT) is a new and groundbreaking (I’ll even go as far as saying mind-blowing) Photoshop filter developed specifically to tackle one of the most common issues in underwater photography: backscatter. Created through a collaboration between Erin Quigley, known for her educational work in underwater photo editing through GoAskErin, and RC Astro, a company with expertise in astrophotography software, BSXT brings a unique, cross-disciplinary approach to underwater image cleanup. Using technology originally designed for removing stars from night-sky images, BSXT allows underwater photographers to quickly and effectively remove the distracting particles that often mar underwater shots, elevating the quality of images with just a few clicks.

I was fortunate enough to be part of the Beta program for BackscatterXTerminator, where I had the chance to test its functionality and provide feedback. Right from the start, I was blown away by how effective the tool is. I experimented with BSXT on a wide range of images—from photos I’d previously considered “junk” and wouldn’t normally share publicly, to images I had painstakingly edited with standard backscatter removal techniques like the healing brush and dust-and-scratches filter. The results were impressive across the board, as BSXT managed to remove the backscatter with remarkable precision, saving hours of tedious editing and preserving the details of the image far better than traditional methods.

Take a look at the following images. In the first image you can see a school of bumphead parrotfish in Raja Ampat. This shot is essentially a throw away due to the ridiculous amount of backscatter…

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Photo Tip of the Week - Photographing Schooling Fish: A Comprehensive Guide for Underwater Photographers

Photographing schooling fish underwater is an opportunity to take images that scream to the viewer a real story of the world we see as divers. There is no better subject for showing people the magic of the ocean, demonstrating what the seas are capable of and for giving a story of hope. The images you can capture are powerful, they resonate and they are really what people want to see when they think of the ocean.

But as divers, we are all very aware that it is relatively hard to find large schools of fish, even amongst some of the best dive locations on earth. That’s a sad reality of diving today, but makes it more important as shooters that when we get the opportunity we need to try and make the most of it.

The schools are fluid, with dynamic patterns and as a result they can be difficult both to shoot and also to predict.  To make captivating images you will need to master your camera and lighting, understand the ambient light from the sun, and control your diving behavior all at the same time in an ever changing scene.

This guide will cover various aspects of photographing schooling fish, from balancing ambient and strobe lighting, lens selection, camera settings, and composition. Additionally, we will discuss diving behavior, post-processing techniques, and highlight some of the best global locations for this type of photography.

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Juliet Liveaboard Review: A Bahamas Dive Adventure with Comfort and Convenience

I recently had the pleasure of spending a week aboard the Juliet Sailing and Diving Liveaboard, diving in the Bahamas. One of the big draws for me was the ease of access: instead of dealing with airports, security checks, and typical travel hassles, the Juliet departs right from Miami. After a smooth three-hour drive, I parked, unloaded, and simply walked back to the boat. Boarding begins at noon, with departure around 3 PM or as soon as all passengers arrive. The journey to the Bahamas, traveling at about 6–7 knots, takes around 10 hours, so we were well on our way by evening.

Unfortunately, our timing wasn’t ideal. Tropical Storm Rafael was forming in the Gulf of Mexico and pulling in surrounding air to fuel the storm, and we could feel the effects in the Bahamas. At one point, our captain reported wind speeds of 40 knots, with rough seas, surge, and reduced visibility affecting most dives. The crew, however, did an outstanding job finding sheltered spots and navigating us to diveable sites. We managed to dive every day, although we repeated certain sites for protection and, on a couple of days, had to skip a dive or two. Despite the conditions, the crew’s expertise and attentiveness made us feel safe at all times, and their effort to make the trip enjoyable was fantastic.

Vessel Overview:

The Juliet itself is a beautiful 104-foot (32 meter), three-mast schooner with a 9.5-foot (3 meter) draft, powered by a vintage…

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This week’s Instagram Spotlight features Catherine Holmes, an accomplished dental surgeon from Essex, UK who, after learning to dive at 13, pursued underwater photography in 2016 with guidance from Martin Edge. Since then, she’s traveled widely to capture vibrant, painterly images that inspire appreciation and protection of the ocean. Her work has been recognized in numerous international competitions, including being the first British and first female winner of the GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year in the Underwater category.

Summary

Thank you for joining us for another issue of Inside Scuba! We hope this edition inspires you to explore new techniques and tools, travel to exciting dive spots, and appreciate the wonders of underwater photography. If you enjoyed this newsletter, please consider sharing it with friends and fellow divers who might also appreciate it. Until next time, happy diving and shooting!

Andy & Byron