Professional Diploma in Underwater Photography and Filmmaking
This professional diploma brings together underwater stills and moving images, with a strong focus on filmmaking and documentary production. You will understand how light and optics behave under water, choose and maintain housings, strobes and video lights, master wide-angle, macro and supermacro photography, shoot in log and RAW with cinema cameras, stabilize footage and handle white balance at depth, refine the diving skills that make good images possible, plan ethical wildlife and megafauna shoots, and finish in post-production with editing, color grading, sound design and delivery for every platform.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Professional Diploma in Underwater Photography and Filmmaking?
This professional diploma prepares you to create underwater photographs and films of professional quality for artistic, scientific, educational or commercial purposes. You will study refraction, absorption and backscatter, flat and dome ports and biofluorescence; camera sensors, housings, vacuum leak detection, strobes and high-CRI video lights; wide-angle, macro, supermacro and night techniques; cinema camera settings, frame rates, ND filters, gimbals and the visual language of underwater film; precision buoyancy, silent finning and closed-circuit rebreathers for wildlife work; marine behavior, megafauna protocols and documentary scripting; and the full post-production workflow from RAW development to color grading, hydrophone sound and export.
What sets this professional diploma apart: a genuine balance between stills and video, with a full module devoted to underwater cinematography; a documentary perspective that covers scripting, shot lists, expedition logistics and production team roles; practical diving skills applied to imaging, from trim and silent propulsion to rebreathers and emergency protocols with camera gear; a strong ethical and conservation approach to wildlife and protected areas; professional post-production in Lightroom, Capture One, DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro, including sound design; and a final project in which you produce a themed portfolio or a short underwater documentary.
Program highlights
- Underwater optics: refraction, backscatter, dome and flat ports and biofluorescence.
- Equipment mastery: housings, leak detection, strobes and high-CRI video lighting.
- Underwater cinematography: log profiles, frame rates, ND filters and stabilization.
- Wildlife documentaries: animal behavior, megafauna protocols and scripting.
- Post-production: RAW workflow, editing, color grading and hydrophone sound design.
- Final project: a themed photo portfolio or a 3 to 5 minute underwater short film.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Underwater Photography and Filmmaking
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Underwater optics, the physics of light and color theory beneath the surface
- 1.1. How light behaves in water: refraction, reflection, scattering and selective absorption of the visible spectrum with depth
- 1.2. Loss of contrast and saturation: attenuation of reds, oranges and yellows in the water column and compensation techniques
- 1.3. Suspended particles and backscatter: the physics behind it and lighting geometries to eliminate it
- 1.4. Underwater optics: lens behavior in air versus water, flat ports and dome ports
- 1.5. Angle of view and refraction in ports: chromatic aberration, edge distortion, effective focal length and the optical nodal point
- 1.6. Split-level (over-under) photography: aligning the waterline, large-diameter domes and controlling droplets on the port
- 1.7. Underwater biofluorescence: photography with blue or UV light and yellow barrier filters
- 1.8. Refraction and distortion under water
Equipment, waterproof housings and underwater lighting systems
- 2.1. Anatomy of a submerged camera: full-frame versus APS-C and Micro Four Thirds sensors and their dynamic range and ISO performance under water
- 2.2. Underwater housings: anodised aluminum versus polycarbonate, double O-ring sealing and seal maintenance
- 2.3. Advanced leak control: internal moisture sensors and vacuum leak detection systems
- 2.4. Underwater strobes: guide number, color temperature, recycle time, diffusers and high-speed sync
- 2.5. Continuous lighting for video: high-CRI and TLCI LED lights (above 95), real lumens, beam angles and heat management in and out of the water
- 2.6. Lighting arms, clamps, connectors and carbon fiber floats to achieve neutral buoyancy
- 2.7. Preventive maintenance, rinsing, accidental flooding (emergency protocol) and safe packing for air travel
- 2.8. Seal maintenance and flood prevention
Underwater photographic technique: wide-angle, macro and supermacro
- 3.1. Underwater wide-angle photography: approach techniques, composition with a diver as human element, silhouettes and lighting of wide scenes
- 3.2. Sunbursts and light rays: aperture, shutter speed and dynamic range settings to avoid blown highlights
- 3.3. Underwater macro photography: 60 mm and 105 mm lenses, shallow depth of field and focusing on the eyes of marine life
- 3.4. Supermacro technique: wet dioptres (+5, +10, +15), reversing rings and submersible extension tubes
- 3.5. Creative macro lighting: optical snoots, backlighting and rigid side lighting
- 3.6. Composition and marine aesthetics: rule of thirds, leading lines, negative space and background control
- 3.7. Night photography at sea: focusing with a modeling light, blind framing and capturing nocturnal fauna
- 3.8. Composition and wildlife photography
Underwater cinematography and filming
- 4.1. Setting up cinema cameras under water: log profiles (Log-C, S-Log3, C-Log), 10-bit and 12-bit color depth and 4:2:2 or RAW sampling
- 4.2. Frame rates and shutter speed: slow motion at 60, 120 and 240 fps to smooth water movement
- 4.3. Handheld stabilization under water: dynamic buoyancy, twin-handle housing grips and submersible gimbals
- 4.4. Exposure control in motion: fixed and variable neutral density filters behind the lens
- 4.5. Dynamic white balance for video: submersible gray and white cards, manual white balance by depth and red or magenta correction filters
- 4.6. Marine visual language: long takes, floating tracking shots, B-roll, detail shots and air-water transitions
- 4.7. Filming with cinematic ROVs and action cameras (GoPro, Insta360): advanced settings and optical limits
- 4.8. Tracking shots and stabilization
Diving skills applied to imaging and operational safety
- 5.1. Precision buoyancy and horizontal trim: protecting coral reefs and removing vibration while framing
- 5.2. Silent propulsion techniques: frog kick, modified frog and back kick to avoid silting
- 5.3. Air and gas management with heavy imaging rigs: higher SAC rate and preventing hypercapnia
- 5.4. Closed-circuit rebreathers for wildlife photography: approaching sensitive species without bubbles or noise
- 5.5. Shooting in difficult conditions: strong currents, low visibility, cold water with drysuits and night dives
- 5.6. Managing stress and tunnel vision: putting diver safety and depth, time and pressure monitoring above the camera
- 5.7. Emergency protocols with camera gear: ditching the camera in risky situations, entanglement in lines or nets and buddy rescue with a housing
- 5.8. Buoyancy and environmental protection
Marine ethology, biology and nature documentary production
- 6.1. Marine biology for image makers: recognizing courtship, hunting, cleaning and camouflage behavior and anticipating action
- 6.2. Ethical approach to marine life: non-invasive techniques, respecting animals' space and never handling species
- 6.3. Filming marine megafauna: specific protocols for safe interaction with sharks, whales, dolphins, manta rays and sea lions
- 6.4. Storytelling in nature documentaries: script structure, shot lists and conservation storytelling
- 6.5. Logistics of marine photo expeditions: tides, moon phases, species migrations and weather
- 6.6. Teamwork in marine production: roles of the boat captain, safety diver, camera operator and lighting assistant
- 6.7. Filming permits in marine protected areas and national parks and international rules on approaching protected species
- 6.8. Animal behavior and the ethics of approach
Editing, digital development, color grading and audiovisual post-production
- 7.1. Working with underwater RAW files: import, cataloguing and metadata management in Adobe Lightroom and Capture One
- 7.2. Developing underwater photographs: white balance correction, tone curves, backscatter removal with cloning brushes and noise reduction
- 7.3. Editing marine video in DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro: assembly, cutting rhythm and synchronization with sound design and music
- 7.4. Color grading underwater footage: primary correction of green and blue casts, recovering divers' skin tones and applying underwater LUTs
- 7.5. Correcting optical distortion: lens profiles for dome ports, vignetting removal and digital stabilization
- 7.6. Marine sound design: surface audio recording, hydrophones and creating marine foley and ambiences
- 7.7. Optimized export for each platform: 4K and 8K masters, print exhibition formats, social media and broadcast or streaming standards
- 7.8. Digital workflow management
Business, ethics, copyright and integrated project
- 8.1. The business of underwater photography and video: stock photography, fine art print sales, editorial commissions and dive tourism
- 8.2. Copyright, usage licenses, image rights agreements and model releases for divers and vessels
- 8.3. Environmental photojournalism and science communication: using images to expose pollution, plastics and illegal fishing
- 8.4. Building a personal brand, an online portfolio and a social media strategy for nature photographers
- 8.5. Production budgeting: quoting shoot days, renting specialized marine equipment and insurance for underwater gear
- 8.6. International underwater photography competitions (UPY, Wildlife Photographer of the Year): judging criteria, file preparation and ethical rules
- 8.7. Presentation of the integrated project
- 8.8. Integrated project: complete production of a themed photographic portfolio or a 3 to 5 minute underwater documentary short, including a pre-production dossier (script, shooting plan and safety plan), fieldwork, editing, grading, audio mixing and a final presentation to a technical panel
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Underwater Photography and Filmmaking
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Underwater Photography and Filmmaking
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Underwater Photography and Filmmaking
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Underwater Photography and Filmmaking
Yes. It covers underwater stills, from wide-angle to supermacro, and has a full module on underwater cinematography, plus documentary production and video post-production.
Its focus is the underwater image in both formats, with special weight on filmmaking: cinema camera settings, stabilization, documentary scripting, color grading and sound design with hydrophones.
Yes. The theory, demonstrations and editing work are delivered online with live sessions and recordings; you apply the techniques on your own dives and submit your images and footage for review.
It is recommended but not compulsory. The equipment module helps you choose a sensible set-up, and you need access to editing software for the post-production work.
Yes. You will study animal behavior, non-invasive approach techniques, megafauna protocols and the permits required to film in marine protected areas.
Adobe Lightroom and Capture One for photography, and DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro for video editing and color grading.
Through practical exercises in each module and a final project: a themed portfolio or a 3 to 5 minute underwater documentary short with its pre-production dossier, editing, grading and sound mix.
A Navalis Institute professional diploma certifying the 800 hours of the program, along with the portfolio or short film you produce in the final project.
More programs in Underwater imaging
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: a recognized diving certification (Open Water or equivalent) or proven diving experience with photo or video, plus basic knowledge of photography or videography; your own underwater camera, housing and lights are recommended but not compulsory.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with broadband internet, an up-to-date browser and access to photo and video editing software.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.