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Safe Zone · SSI Specialty · 2 Days

SSI Underwater
Photography

Malta sits among the Mediterranean's best underwater photography destinations. Visibility regularly exceeds 20 metres, the wrecks are photogenic and accessible, and the marine life is cooperative. This two-day SSI specialty covers camera settings, composition, lighting and the buoyancy skills that separate good shots from great ones.

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Certified by SSI
Course Price
€367
€265 course fee + €102 SSI eLearning
✓SSI eLearning licence: €102
✓Course fee inc. full equipment: €265
✓4 open water photography dives
✓Basic camera hire included
✓SSI Underwater Photography certification
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10
Min Age
OW
Prerequisite
4
Open Water Dives
2
Duration (Days)
18m
Max Depth
Yes
Camera Hire Available
Course Overview

See it. Frame it. Capture it.

The SSI Underwater Photography specialty teaches you to think like a photographer while you dive. You will learn how light behaves underwater, how to position yourself without disturbing subjects, and how to get technically sharp images in open water conditions.

Malta's combination of high visibility, calm conditions and diverse subjects makes it an ideal place to develop these skills. On a single dive you might shoot a moray eel in a crevice at close range, then turn around and frame a cuttlefish hovering in open water. The wrecks add wide-angle opportunities that few Mediterranean locations can match.

What You Will Learn
  • Camera settings for underwater conditions: white balance, ISO, shutter speed and aperture
  • Composition principles including the rule of thirds, negative space and framing with reef structure
  • Natural lighting techniques at different depths and times of day
  • Artificial lighting: positioning a strobe or video light to reduce backscatter
  • Approaching marine life without disturbing behaviour or damaging the environment
  • Buoyancy control while operating a camera: neutral hover, fin pivot and controlled approach
  • Post-dive image review: identifying what worked and why, and how to improve
Certification

SSI Underwater Photography

On completion you receive the SSI Underwater Photography digital certification, recognised worldwide. The card is added to your SSI MyDiveLog profile and you can dive with any SSI or PADI centre globally as a certified specialty diver.

This specialty also counts as one of the five required to qualify for the SSI Master Diver rating.

Prerequisites and Equipment
SSI Open Water Diver (or equivalent PADI, CMAS, BSAC)
Minimum age 10
Own underwater camera or housing welcome; basic dive camera hire available from diveshack
Compatible with any underwater camera system including action cameras and phone housings
Full dive equipment included
Marine Life

What You Might See

A sample of the species you might actually see at this course's depth. Click any card to read the full species guide.

What You Will Cover

Two-day course structure

The course combines SSI eLearning theory with in-water practice. Day one builds your camera awareness and technique in a controlled environment. Day two puts it to use on two full open water dives at sites chosen for photographic interest.

Day 1: Morning

Theory and Camera Familiarisation

  • SSI eLearning modules: light, colour and exposure underwater
  • Camera anatomy: sensor size, lens options, housing seals and flood prevention
  • Setting up your camera before the dive: custom white balance, shooting modes
  • Strobe and video light positioning: angle, distance and backscatter control
  • Introduction to composition theory adapted for underwater environments
Day 1: Afternoon

Shallow Water Practice Dives

  • Two shallow practice dives at a sheltered site: max 12m
  • Applying camera settings learned in theory to real conditions
  • Buoyancy drills with camera in hand: hover, approach and retreat
  • Shooting stationary subjects: nudibranchs, octopus and resting cuttlefish
  • Instructor review of images in water and post-dive debrief with feedback
Day 2: Morning

Open Water Photography Dive 1

  • Dive briefing: site plan, subject targets, depth and gas management
  • Wide-angle wreck or reef photography up to 18m
  • Shooting moving subjects: amberjack, bream and grouper
  • Framing technique: using natural arches, hull lines and reef edges
  • Instructor-guided composition feedback during the dive
Day 2: Afternoon

Open Water Photography Dive 2

  • Macro focus: nudibranchs, seahorses (seasonal), moray eels and cleaner shrimp
  • Close-focus wide-angle technique for reef structure and marine life together
  • Natural light only dive: shooting without artificial light at shallow depth
  • Final image review session: selecting best shots and identifying improvement areas
  • Certification submission and SSI digital card issued
Where You Will Dive

Malta's best photography sites

Your instructor selects sites based on conditions and the subjects that suit your skill level. These are the most photogenic locations regularly used for the course.

14m max

HMS Maori

A compact WWII destroyer wreck in Valletta's Grand Harbour. The shallow depth allows long bottom time and excellent natural light for wreck frames. Grouper, moray eels and bream use the structure regularly.

18m course limit

Cirkewwa Arch

The arch at Malta's northern tip is one of the most photographed structures in the Mediterranean. Sunlight passes through the opening in the morning, creating strong light shafts. Abundant amberjack and bream at depth.

Shallow reef

Reef Macro Sites

Malta's rocky reefs hold nudibranchs, seahorses (seasonal), cuttlefish and octopus at accessible depths. Ideal for close-up and macro work. Your instructor guides you to subjects based on what's present on the day.

SSI

SSI Underwater Photography

Specialty certification, accepted worldwide. Counts toward SSI Master Diver rating.

Cert typeSSI Specialty certification
Depth limitYour existing cert limit (18m OW / 30m AOW)
Min. Age10 years
PrerequisitesOpen Water Diver
Card issuedDigital card via SSI app within 24hrs of completion. Physical card available on request.
ValidLifetime. No renewal required.
Next stepCounts as one of five specialties required for SSI Master Diver rating.
Pricing

Course options

All packages include the €102 SSI eLearning licence. Equipment packages include full scuba kit.

Most Popular
Underwater Photography
€367

€265 course fee + €102 SSI eLearning. Full dive equipment and basic camera hire included.

  • ✓SSI eLearning licence (€102)
  • ✓Course fee inc. full equipment (€265)
  • ✓4 open water photography dives
  • ✓Full scuba equipment rental
  • ✓Basic point-and-shoot dive camera hire
  • ✓SSI Underwater Photography certification
  • ✓Post-dive image review sessions
Book This
Private Instruction
€632

€530 course fee + €102 SSI eLearning. Dedicated one-on-one instructor and full equipment.

  • ✓SSI eLearning licence (€102)
  • ✓Full course fee (€530)
  • ✓Dedicated one-on-one instructor throughout
  • ✓Flexible start times and scheduling
  • ✓More instructor time in water and during review
  • ✓Site selection tailored to your interests
Enquire

All prices include VAT · See common questions below

FAQ

Common questions

Any underwater camera system works with this course. A dedicated compact dive camera (such as a Sea & Sea or Olympus TG series in a housing) gives you full manual controls and strobe compatibility, which helps you get the most from the course. If you already own a mirrorless or DSLR in an underwater housing, bring it. If you have no camera, diveshack can hire you a basic point-and-shoot dive camera for the two days. Let us know when you book so we can make sure it is ready.
Yes. The SSI Underwater Photography course is designed to work with any camera system, and a modern smartphone in a quality housing can produce strong results, particularly in shallow, well-lit conditions. The course covers settings, composition and technique that apply regardless of camera type. The main limitation with phone housings is the absence of strobe sync ports, so you will rely on the phone's built-in light or a compatible video light rather than a dedicated strobe. Your instructor will work with whatever system you bring.
The only prerequisite is an Open Water Diver certification, which means you have completed your basic scuba training. You do not need a high number of logged dives, but you should be comfortable in the water and able to control your buoyancy at a basic level. The first day of the course includes buoyancy drills specifically aimed at improving your control while holding a camera. If you completed your Open Water course recently and feel you want a refresher first, let us know and we can arrange one before the photography course starts.
Malta's rocky reefs and wrecks support a broad range of photogenic marine life. Regular subjects include octopus (one of the most cooperative subjects for close-up work), moray eels in rocky crevices, cuttlefish, nudibranchs, grouper, bream and amberjack. Seahorses are seen seasonally at certain sites. The wrecks add wreck-specific subjects: lionfish in sheltered spots, conger eels in the hull, and wide framing opportunities against the steel structure. Your instructor plans dives around what is currently present and will guide you to subjects during the dive.
Malta regularly sees horizontal visibility between 15 and 30 metres, with some sites exceeding that in calm conditions. This is among the best in the Mediterranean and makes a significant difference for underwater photography: you can shoot wide-angle subjects with a clean water column behind them and use natural light at shallower depths without the green or brown cast common in lower-visibility waters. The stable, calm sea state means photographers can concentrate on technique rather than managing current or surge.
Malta has a low rate of dive cancellations due to its sheltered coastline, but surface conditions can occasionally affect specific sites. If your planned site is not accessible, your instructor will choose an alternative that still meets the course objectives. In the rare case that conditions prevent open water diving entirely, we will rearrange the affected dives for the next suitable day at no additional cost to you.
Yes. The €102 SSI eLearning fee covers your access to the official SSI digital learning platform where you complete the theory component of the course at your own pace before arriving. This is an SSI platform fee paid directly to SSI through diveshack and is separate from the diveshack course fee. Both charges are shown clearly on every pricing option. Your total is €367: €265 diveshack course fee plus €102 SSI eLearning.

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