Photography and Video for Nautical Activities Course
This course turns your time at sea into images that last. It gives you the essential tools and techniques to capture striking photographs and videos while overcoming the challenges of the marine environment, from composition, light and camera settings to stabilization, equipment protection, editing and content for social media, adapting to the changing conditions of water and weather.
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 Photography and Video for Nautical Activities Course?
This short course prepares you to photograph and film sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, boat trips, fishing, personal watercraft and coastal events. You will study how recreational records, promotional content, technical documentation and adventure storytelling differ; the visual principles of composition, light, movement and color; the conditions of the marine environment, from reflections and salt spray to swell and fast-changing light; cameras, phones, action cams, drones, housings, gimbals and accessories; photo and video settings; capture from moving boats, decks, docks and the water; and planning shot lists and stories for social media, promotional videos and short documentaries.
What sets this course apart: safety for the content creator, participants, equipment and vessel is built into every stage of the shoot; practical techniques for stabilization, horizon control and anticipating movement on the water; clear guidance on protecting equipment from salt water, sand, knocks and condensation; attention to directing people without interfering with their safety or enjoyment; and an applied project in which you plan, shoot and edit a photo series and a short video, with a publishing plan that respects image rights.
Program highlights
- Visual foundations: composition, framing, light, movement, color, rhythm and scale on the water.
- Equipment: cameras, phones, action cams, drones, housings, gimbals, filters and floats.
- Protection: salt water, sand, knocks, condensation, splashes and transport on board.
- Capture: action, maneuvers, horizon control and natural light from dawn to sunset.
- Storytelling: shot lists, narrative sequences, details of life on board and social formats.
- Applied project: a photo series and a short video with a publishing plan and image rights.
Syllabus of the Photography and Video for Nautical Activities Course
5 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Foundations of nautical photography and video, visual storytelling and safety during water activities
- 1.1. The concept of photography and video in nautical activities and the differences between recreational records, promotional content, technical documentation and adventure storytelling
- 1.2. Nautical activities to photograph: sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, diving, boat trips, fishing, personal watercraft and coastal events
- 1.3. Basic visual principles: composition, framing, light, movement, color, rhythm, scale and point of interest
- 1.4. Conditions of the marine environment: reflections, humidity, salinity, wind, swell, movement, noise and rapid changes of light
- 1.5. Safety of the content creator, participants, photographic equipment and vessel while capturing images
Photographic equipment, cameras, accessories and technical protection in the marine environment
- 2.1. Cameras, mobile phones, action cams, drones, compact cameras, mirrorless cameras and equipment suited to nautical activities
- 2.2. Lenses, mounts, tripods, gimbals, harnesses, floats, waterproof cases, housings, filters and stabilization accessories
- 2.3. Basic photo settings: shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focus, burst mode, metering and white balance
- 2.4. Basic video settings: resolution, frame rate, stabilization, color profiles, audio and exposure control
- 2.5. Protecting equipment from salt water, sand, knocks, condensation, splashes, humidity and transport on boats
Photo and video capture techniques on boats, on the coast and during water activities
- 3.1. Photography from moving boats, decks, docks, the coast, beaches, kayaks, paddleboards or floating platforms
- 3.2. Capturing action, maneuvers, jumps, paddling, hoisting sails, sailing, swimming, snorkelling and spontaneous moments
- 3.3. Horizon control, body stability, dynamic framing and anticipating the subject's movement
- 3.4. Using natural light at sunrise and sunset, backlight, overcast skies, harsh light, sea reflections and high-exposure scenes
- 3.5. Recording sequences with wide, medium and detail shots, POV, slow motion, timelapse and visual transitions
Storytelling, content planning and visual communication of nautical experiences
- 4.1. Designing a visual story from the route, activity, participants, landscape, emotion, challenge and final experience
- 4.2. Technical script, shot list, narrative sequence, key moments and flexible planning according to weather and sailing
- 4.3. Creating content for social media, reels, shorts, carousels, blogs, promotional videos and short documentary pieces
- 4.4. Basic direction of people during nautical activities without interfering with safety, comfort or enjoyment
- 4.5. Recording details: hands, ropes, equipment, water, textures, expressions, food, landscape, the vessel and life on board
Applied project in photography and video for nautical activities
- 5.1. Definition of the project: excursion, sports activity, boat trip, tourism experience, nautical event or promotional campaign
- 5.2. Visual planning with objectives, audience, equipment, permissions, safety, script, shot list and expected conditions
- 5.3. Capturing photographs and videos applying composition, stability, light, movement, narrative and equipment protection
- 5.4. Selecting and editing a photo series and a short video with aesthetic and narrative consistency
- 5.5. Preparation of the publishing plan, image rights, formats, channels, metrics and recommendations for improvement
Duration and format of the Photography and Video for Nautical Activities Course
It is 300 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 Photography and Video for Nautical Activities Course
Career opportunities after the Photography and Video for Nautical Activities Course
Questions about the Photography and Video for Nautical Activities Course
Yes. The course covers phones and action cams as well as mirrorless and compact cameras, and shows how to get the best from the equipment you already have.
Keeping light consistent and the image stable while the boat, the water and the subject are all moving, without putting people or equipment at risk.
At minimum a splash-proof case; for use in or under the water, a waterproof housing. The course also covers desiccants, cleaning after salt exposure and safe transport on board.
It covers planning drone shots around wind, weather and tides and respecting the rules where you fly. Any pilot registration or certificate is obtained from the competent aviation authority.
Both. You work on still images and on video sequences, from settings and capture to storytelling, editing and publishing on social media.
You plan a shoot around an excursion, activity or nautical event, capture it, edit a photo series and a short video and prepare a publishing plan that respects image rights.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with practical exercises you carry out on the water at your own pace and personalized guidance for your final project.
The course comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
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: aimed at sailing and water sports enthusiasts, nautical professionals such as instructors and tour guides who want to promote their services, photography and video hobbyists, bloggers and content creators, and nautical businesses such as boat rental companies and sailing schools; basic camera skills and some experience on the water are helpful but not essential, and no specific qualification is required.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a camera or mobile phone, ideally with a waterproof case or housing, and a computer with a stable internet connection and basic 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.