Welcome to Issue #53 of Inside Scuba

Welcome to Issue #53 of Inside Scuba. In this edition, we bridge the gap between the legendary foundations of our sport and the cutting-edge techniques shaping its future. We sit down with Emmy-winning pioneer Marty Snyderman to discuss a career that spans from the early days of film to the "gutsy" decisions that launched a legacy. While Marty reminds us that it’s the "animal geek" behind the camera that counts, we also dive deep into the technical tools that help us capture those animals like never before. From Alex Mustard’s masterclass on the history and art of snooting to Byron Conroy’s deep dive into why your lens kit might need a "rogue" addition to truly stand out, this issue is all about the intersection of effort, equipment, and inspiration.

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What’s happening in this edition?

• Luck Follows Effort: A Conversation with Underwater Pioneer Marty Snyderman
• Dive News
• Illuminating the Subject: A Deep Dive into Underwater Snoot Photography
• The Differentiator: Why One Macro and One Wide Lens Isn’t Enough
• Video Highlight
• Summary

Luck Follows Effort: A Conversation with Underwater Pioneer Marty Snyderman

By Andy Deitsch

Marty Snyderman is a living bridge between the analog days of underwater filmmaking and the high-tech digital era of today. At 76, he has an Emmy, a legacy of shark research, and enough stories to fill a dozen logbooks. I sat down with him to discuss his unorthodox start, his close friendship with Howard Hall, and why he’s still a self-proclaimed "animal geek".

Inside Scuba: Marty, you grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas—not exactly a scuba mecca. What was the "spark" for you?

Marty Snyderman: It was The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau and Sea Hunt. I was a kid in the 60s, and that show was the accelerant on a spark my Uncle Herb had already started by taking me hunting and fishing. But the real "click" happened at Vanderbilt. I was a history major, hating college, when Stan Waterman came to speak. I was so mesmerized that when he left, I unceremoniously jumped into a cab (uninvited) with a bunch of university administrators to dine with Stan that night. I had the brains of a dinosaur and guts of cat burglar that got me to that dinner. I didn’t have a dime, but I sat there listening to his stories at dinner. That night I realized you didn't need a French Navy ship [referring to Jacques Cousteau]; you could just be a guy with a camera.

IS: Your professional start sounds like something out of a movie—specifically a prison movie?

Marty: [Laughs] Yeah, the Ensenada incident. I was at the NASDS Diving Instructors College in San Diego. During our final week of training in Mexico, the permits got messed up, and the whole class spent a week in a Mexican jail. Somehow, I still graduated first in my class. But get this: I had only done 27 scuba dives in my life at that point. One week later, I was working as an "instructor evaluator." I was sleeping in my car at night and pretending to be a pro by day.

IS: How did you land at the legendary Diving Locker with Chuck Nicklin?

Marty: I was flat broke and desperately needed a job. I was offered a job in Mobile, Alabama but I really wanted a job at the Diving Locker because it had a reputation for being a leader in underwater filmmaking. Lou Fead, who wrote Easy Diver and was a highly regarded educator in the diving world, hired me. At the time, the Diving Locker was the epicenter. Chuck was shooting for National Geographic and Hollywood films. To work there, I had to audit a class first. The instructor I was assigned to shadow? A young guy named Howard Hall.

IS: You and Howard became a legendary duo. How did that partnership start?

Read more…

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.

Illuminating the Subject: A Deep Dive into Underwater Snoot Photography

By Alex Mustard and Matthew Sullivan

In this article from The Underwater Photography Show, we're tackling a popular topic that we've received many requests about: snoot lighting and snooting underwater. We're going to cover the history of how it all began and discuss how we use this technique in our own photography.

The History of Snoot Photography

Snoot photography has always been a part of underwater photography, with people using the technique from very early on. However, it didn't really gain mainstream traction until about 15 to 18 years ago.

The technique really took off after a Canadian photographer named Keri Wilk created a series of astounding macro images. These groundbreaking shots were completely black, with incredible details or colors in the subject lit only by the strobe. These pictures went on to win loads of major competitions and sparked a huge interest in snoot photography.

What's amazing is that some of the shots Keri took are still considered among the best snoot shots ever, despite the fact that the gear he used was very basic, consisting of simple reduction snoots to create those spots of light.

In the years that followed, the market invented much better snoots, particularly the optical snoots. Rather than just cutting the light smaller and smaller, optical snoots use a lens to create a focus spot of light, getting much more power from the flash gun into the picture.

I (Alex) have one of Retra's earlier generation snoots here. It has a lens at the end and a diffusion screen at the back, which is set at the right distance away from the lens to create a focus spot of light in front of the snoot. This allows for a very sharp-edged beam of light. Because it's a focus beam, you can use inserts to make the beam of light smaller. Most modern snoots, whether they have a switch to change the aperture size or boards you push through, are similar in design and style and offer much more power.

Read more…

The Differentiator: Why One Macro and One Wide Lens Isn’t Enough

By Byron Conroy

Underwater photography is one hell of an expensive hobby, especially once you aim for great photos and head down the path of getting a camera with interchangeable lenses—as most people reading this likely will. Almost all shooters who properly get into the hobby end up there because these cameras offer the best optics and image quality. They also force your photography to become more focused and targeted by requiring a specific lens for a specific style, such as macro or wide-angle.

However, most people look at the options available for either macro or wide-angle and choose a single lens—usually the best one on offer. You have already invested a small fortune into the camera and housing, so why not just get the best glass? Usually, that is where the journey ends; it feels like there’s not much point in owning multiple lenses for the same genre of photography. I, however, like many other prolific shooters, look beyond owning just one macro and one wide-angle lens. I actually own multiple versions of each, and there are some very good reasons for this, despite it being an undeniably expensive route to take.

If you think about it, almost all cameras are evenly matched these days, especially at the top end of the scale. It really doesn’t matter if you shoot Canon, Nikon, or Sony anymore; they all provide excellent image quality. In truth, that quality isn't significantly better than the old top-end DSLRs. They all have incredible autofocus; mirrorless technology has taken things to such heady heights that you won’t be disappointed regardless of which body you buy. None of them will give you a definitive advantage over the others.

It is a pointless exercise to constantly discuss the minutiae of small performance differences. In fact, your decision on which brand to buy should only be based on practicalities: your existing lenses, whether your friends use the same brand so you can swap gear, or which brands your local dealers stock so you can maintain a working relationship with them.

Read more…

In 2021, a dive on the wreck of the HMS Scylla turned into a tragedy that claimed the lives of two divers. Today, the sole survivor, Adam Dent, breaks his silence. In an exclusive and deeply personal conversation, Adam sits down with Dom Robinson to recount the events of that day—sharing the lessons he hopes will ensure no other diver has to face the same fate.

Summary

Whether you’re inspired by the tenacity of the legends who came before us or the technical precision of today’s modern masters, the message of this issue is clear: growth happens when we step outside our comfort zones. Whether that means trying a difficult new lens, mastering a complex lighting technique like snooting, or simply listening to the hard-won safety lessons shared by those who have faced the unthinkable, every dive is an opportunity to evolve. As always, thank you for being a part of the Inside Scuba community. We hope these stories challenge your perspective and inspire your next underwater adventure.

Andy & Byron