Underwater photography is consistently one of the most requested specialties among certified divers, so instead of referring students elsewhere, this course puts you in a position to teach it yourself. Your local PADI Course Director walks you through camera handling, composition and lighting underwater, plus practical teaching tips drawn from real experience. A genuinely popular addition to your teaching portfolio without a lengthy time commitment, counting toward Master Scuba Diver Trainer.

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In detail

About This Course

Underwater photography is one of the most requested specialties among certified divers, and the Underwater Photographer Instructor course gives you the standing and skills to run that course yourself rather than referring students elsewhere. It focuses on how to teach camera handling, composition, and lighting underwater in a clear, structured way.

Training is led by your local PADI Course Director, who works through practical teaching tips and hands-on coaching drawn from real experience running the Digital Underwater Photographer specialty with students. The aim is to leave you comfortable presenting the material and troubleshooting the common mistakes new underwater photographers make.

Because it builds directly on your existing instructor status, the course is compact and focused, adding a genuinely popular specialty to what you can offer without a lengthy time commitment.

It counts toward Master Scuba Diver Trainer status, and pairs well with other visually oriented specialties such as Digital Underwater Videographer for instructors looking to round out a creative teaching portfolio.

The process

How The Course Works

Step 1
Camera Skills Teaching Techniques
You learn to teach the fundamentals of underwater photography, from camera settings and lighting to composition, in a way a complete beginner behind a housing can actually absorb. It's about breaking down what makes an underwater shot work, not just taking good photos yourself.
Step 2
Level One & Two Training Dives
You get familiar with running both certification levels: a single supervised photo dive for Level One, and a second open water session for students progressing to Level Two. Knowing how to structure and supervise each dive properly is what lets you sign students off with confidence.
PADI's Digital Underwater Photographer course has two levels: Level One needs one training dive, Level Two needs a second open water training dive
Step 3
Certification
Complete the standards and teaching practice and you're certified as a PADI Underwater Photographer Specialty Instructor, ready to run both levels at your own centre.

Course curriculum

What You'll Learn

Learning Outcomes

How to teach the Digital Underwater Photographer specialty course

Getting ready

Before You Start & What's Next

What's Included

Teaching tips and hands-on experience from your local PADI Course Director

Prerequisites

PADI Assistant Instructor, instructor candidate in training, or PADI Divemaster (some specialties have additional prerequisites)

Next Steps

Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) - requires at least five specialty instructor certifications

Upcoming training

Dates & Booking

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Quick facts

Duration

1 day of structured training

Location

Unit 4, Bellman Court, Great Knollys Street, Reading, RG1 7HD

Certification

Recognised PADI qualification on completion

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PADI Underwater Photographer Instructor

What to expect