Underwater Cinematographers?

R

ReelFilmGeek

Well-known member
So was wondering if we had any cinematographers on the forums. I am currently looking in to getting certified since well I live in Florida and it seems like something that would be pretty cool. Then I thought that it would even be useful set of skills to have and market myself with. So I was wondering if anyone knew what all certifications I would need, such as would the basic certification (that allows to go like 120 feet deep, even though I hear its recommended not to push that limit) be all that would probably needed for most work. Also how is working with a camera under water?
 
Well I wouldn't call myself a cinematographer, but at least I'm certified. Speaking of which, in PADI at least, 120 feet is well beyond the basic open water certification (which is 60 feet).

As you say, it's definitely a bad idea to go chasing depth for the sake of doing it. The dangers are very real, deaths occur quite commonly. But more to the point, unless you have a very specific project, like a wreck, there's not much point in going deep. All the cool stuff, and virtually all the light, is in the top 30 feet.

As for using a camera, I would say you'll need to put a lot of practice into controlling your buoyancy -- this is the key skill in diving, and it's extremely hard to do while task-loaded. It's all too easy to find yourself shooting to the surface, and that's pretty hard on your body. With practice (I'm thinking dozens of dives, certainly for me) it gets a lot easier; there are also advanced buoyancy courses that I would strongly recommend.

Hope this helps... Florida is great for diving. Even though I live in Cal, all my diving has been in the keys.
 
Okay cool and thanks for the tips will take a look in to it. Also I looked up the prices of underwater housings for cameras today....almost had a heart attack, Even the price of renting them seems high.
 
Oh yeah, there's that.... ;-) Yes, underwater housings will often cost 2 times or more what the camera cost. Yikes. If you use a camera with interchangeable lenses, it gets very complex as you need to find a port and gearing system that will work.

It's probably a good idea to start with something small and cheap to get the hang of it; though I find it very hard to keep a small camera steady. Then again I haven't tried a big camera yet.
 
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