As PADI rolls out the newly revised PADI Advanced Open Water Diver program, you might notice something missing: the Underwater Photography Adventure Dive. The Underwater Videography Dive’s gone too. There’s no need to start ranting and raving , however. Yes, these dives were very popular with divers starting off in underwater photography and videography, but they’ve been replaced with something even better: the Digital Underwater Imaging Adventure Dive. This dive introduces both still and video imaging together.

Why the Change?
Digital imaging is changing, and so are we as divers. A few years ago, you either shot stills or you shot video. You didn’t shoot both, at least on the same dive, because you needed two camera systems. And most divers really wanted only one or the other (usually snapshots). But that’s not how it is today. Virtually all modern digital cameras shoot stills and video. Today, most divers want both, at least some of the time, and you can do both with one camera system.

The Digital Underwater Imaging Dive
You can take the Digital Underwater Imaging Dive as part of your PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or Adventure Diver course, or as a stand-alone, under your PADI Instructor’s supervision with the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Touch or Manual. It’s aimed at anyone who wants to shoot good images and video underwater but without delving into the technical aspects more than necessary for fun, quality shooting. The philosophy is simple. You learn and practice:

• How the underwater world affects imaging
• Setting up your system
• How to get sharp images with good color and upload them onto a computer
• How to care for your system
• Techniques for shooting still images— composition and positioning basics
• Techniques for shooting and editing video — telling a story
• Environmentally friendly diving with a camera
• Safety considerations when diving with a camera
• What to do if your housing leaks or floods

Whether you’re starting out with a compact action video camera that shoots stills or a compact still camera that shoots video, the Digital Underwater Imaging Dive has you covered, getting you off on the right foot. If casual, easy imaging is all that interests you, it might be all you need to enjoy years of fun sharing your dive adventures with your diving and nondiving friends. It’s also a good beginning if you want to get more serious by completing the full PADI Digital Underwater Photographer course (the credits count toward certification) or the PADI Underwater Videographer course, or both.

To learn more, see the pro at your PADI Dive Center or Resort or visit padi.com. You can find a global list of PADI Dive Operators at padi.com.

Can't seem to get diving off the brain? Join like-minded people at PADI's 2016 Total Submersion Dive Festival in St. Lucia.