Last week I did an Underwater Photography course with Ian Banks, an instructor at DivingTheGoldCoast.com.au .

First of all, Ian looked at photos I’d already taken and gave me some hints for how to make them better, then we watched the PADI Underwater Photography Video. Then, we went to the pool, kitted up and took down a bin of goodies to photograph, little shells and stuff. Ian laid out a tape measure and I took a shot at every foot with and without a flash, then with a red filter, and with White Balance. Looking at the photos later, we decided that the Red filter gave the best colours for my camera.

I have a SeaLife DC500

Later on, we went to a dive site on the Gold Coast called the South West Wall of the Gold Coast Seaway. Although the visibility was rather poor, Ian found a number of small critters to photograph. It’s much easier to start off taking photos of things that don’t move, especially when taking photos underwater.

Although these photos are not real good, they are much much better than the ones I took before the course!

Ian Banks is probably the most experienced photographer and videographer in Australia, he’s been photographing underwater for about 30 years.  This is Ian’s  website here Diving the Gold Coast where you can see hundreds of his photographs.

The depth was only 5 to 6 metres but there was a lot of silt, the current kept pulling us and sometimes when I stopped to take a picture, I stirred up too much silt and we had to move on.

This is a Sponge after the sand was brushed off.

I got some practise on the Sponge, taking it with and without the flash and with a red filter and White Balance.

Anemone with a little crab next to it.

An Ornate Ghost Pipe Fish

This one is off focus, I was moving:-) Estuary CatFish, he was hiding a little.

Some little blue fish and a Stripey

Sieve Patterned Moray

Here’s the Moray’s little head

We don’t know the name of this little critter

Banded Coral Cleaner Shrimp