It took us 10 years of self-study, lots of trial & error with a diversity of equipment and techniques, before we saw our work being published and awarded on a regular basis. Essentially, we have learnt underwater photography the hard way: by ourselves
It doesn't have to be that way: you can learn faster the skills which took us a combined 1700 hours underwater to master. Nicolas teaches underwater photography in two ways:
- Private coaching (online via Zoom, or in person in Sydney).
- Online, self-paced courses on The Underwater Club.
Are you keen to fast-track your progress in underwater photography? Contact us to make an appointment or read-on for examples of subjects that can be tackled in one or more private coaching sessions.
Private coaching with Nicolas REMY
There is no faster way to progress in underwater photography than one-to-one with an expert. Because it’s a private training, YOU decide what is/are the topic(s) to cover, and the session is fully tailored to YOUR needs and where YOU are, in your photographic journey.
To get started, contact us with a short description of your needs, and Nicolas will get back to you with a proposed plan for the session(s).
For inspiration, below are a few examples of subjects that can be addressed one-to-one.
Portfolio review
As one of Nicolas’ students once said “I don’t know what I don’t know, what should I do differently?”.
Over time, we do build photographic habits and it’s very natural to stick with the same techniques and approach to subjects. Besides, casting a critical eye on our photos is hard, due to the emotional attachment to our own work.
Let Nicolas be a sounding board, helping you identify your best shots, suggest opportunities to improve, and ways to diversify your portfolio.
Off to a head-start
If you’re beginning in underwater photography, a one-to-one coaching with Nicolas can equip you with the knowledge so you avoid the typical mistakes and give you a head start.
Nicolas will adapt the pace & content of the session to your experience, whether you are a seasoned top-side photographer, or whether that shiny GoPro is your very first camera.
Equipment advice
No doubt, underwater photography is a gear-intensive pursuit and picking the right gear to fulfil your photographic goals can be confusing. Hold-off buying the top-rated cameras and lenses! They might be inadequate for underwater photography, due to the specifics of shooting below the surface…
Fortunately, based on his experience of using 8 cameras (DSLRs, mirrorless, point & shoot), 3 housing brands and 5 different strobe models, Nicolas can help you with:
- Unbiased advice on cameras, lenses, housings, strobes and lighting accessories.
- Guidance on how to make the most of that newly acquired piece of equipment.
- The do's and don'ts of photo gear maintenance.
Minimizing backscatter
Backscatter is the nemesis of underwater photography, with a potential to distract the viewer away from subject matter, if too many of these bright spots clutter a photo.
Fortunately, it is possible to get clean photos without diving in 40 meters visibility.
Nicolas can explain the light positioning techniques, diving techniques and photo editing tips which will help minimize backscatter in your photos.
Photos review and editing
Because of the emotional attachment we all have with our photos, it is hard to cast an objective view on own work. Being conscious about this bias since day one, we have taking a habit of providing each other with constructive feedback on thousands of photos, which helped us raise the bar of our own imagery.
Nicolas can work with you on photos from your last dive, your last dive trip, or your last year of diving:
- Reviewing your images, identifying the best ones and providing suggestions on what to improve (if anything!).
- Hands-on developing of your photos, teaching you how make the most of editing software, using Adobe Lightroom.
Snoot photography masterclass
Snoots make it possible to produce stunning fish portraits with elegant black backgrounds, even under bright daylight and poor visibility. No wonder they are growing so popular! What’s more: mastering snoot lighting opens the door to more creative techniques which involve precise control of artificial light beams.
Nicolas can train you to master the difficult yet rewarding art of snoot lighting.
Advanced creative techniques
Have you seen an intriguing underwater photo, where you are not quite sure about the technique behind but would love to learn? Are you looking for ways to differentiate your work and appeal to competition judges?
Nicolas can take you through the techniques which will set your photography apart (and be loads of fun to play with), such as off-camera strobes, backlighting, motion blur effects and more.
Rebreathers
Are you considering moving from traditional SCUBA to rebreathers, to gain more time underwater and better approach marine life?
Nicolas has spent 1000+ hours taking photos on close-circuits and semi-closed rebreathers, and has extensive knowledge of the rebreather market. He can answer your questions about how a rebreather functions, the various designs available, their respective pros & cons for underwater photography.
Author: Jacob Guy
Author: Thibault Serot
One-to-one coaching Rates
- Private coaching is AU$160 for the first hour, then AU$80 for each additional 30 minutes.
- Members of The Underwater Club who are on a yearly plan get 40% off the above rates.