Ansel Adams once said “You don’t take a photograph, you make it”.

Ansel Adams once said “You don’t take a photograph, you make it”. Photography courses at West End Divers are designed to give you the skills you need to get the underwater images you want! Courses are custom designed to suit each divers experience level and the type of camera they use: Which course is best for you?

Introductory Course: Stop snapping and start shooting!

You’ve invested in an underwater camera, but you’re not satisfied with the results? Sometimes all a diver needs is a bit of help getting to know their camera and it’s capabilities. This one-day, two-dive course is designed to take you through the basics of underwater digital photography. Photography is a very personal and subjective activity, but there are a few simple rules that can make a huge difference to the shots you take. Learn them here!

PHOTO-NATURALIST COURSE: Get more out of your dives:

This intensive two-day course will not only get you comfortable with your camera and it’s settings, it will also make you look at the reef and your photo subjects in a new light!
Taught by Roatan author Mickey Charteris, the course focuses on where to focus! How to find and capture fishes and critters on a Caribbean reef. How to choose and use a variety of settings and techniques for each subject. It’s like an underwater safari with your own photo pro, guiding you towards the shots you’ll be proud of.

TOTAL IMMERSION COURSE: Get the most from your digital camera:

This full five-day course is designed for the diver wanting to get serious about taking their underwater photography to the next level!
Each day will focus on a different aspect of dive photography, learning when to use different techniques for different situations and to achieve the shots that you can see in your mind’s eye.
Each day includes a seminar on photo techniques and two photography dives for hands-on experience. You will learn to finesse your photos using editing software like or Adobe Photoshop.

COLD-WATER CONVERSION COURSE: It’s time to take the gloves off!

Taught in conjunction with award-winning photographer Steve Zedekar, this five day, ten-dive course is “Total Immersion” with a twist; highlighting the differences in techniques between cold and warm-waters. Use Manual White Balance settings and ISO to get the most out of tropical diving. Students of all levels will be challenged throughout the week to learn and develop ways of using all the light available to them. Whether at the base of the deeper walls at the edge of the Cayman Trench or in the sunlit shallows, full of lively coral heads and darting fishes, make the most of your light!

Mickey Charteris

Mickey is the author of the successful marine species identification book, Caribbean Reef Life, and has been diving and photographing the reefs of Roatan for over a decade. He specializes in compact camera photography, macro life, and capturing fish behavior. He has documented over 1000 species on his local reef, and has even discovered a few new ones.
All of Mickey’s photos are taken with Canon point-and-shoot cameras, aiming for simplicity and capturing the moment, and using strobes and wet lenses as needed. See examples of Mickey’s work here.

Steve Zedekar

Steve’s award-winning underwater photos have taken him around the world. He is based in the Pacific Northwest, and for many years Roatan has been his warm-water, get-away destination, and he has introduced many divers to its wonders. He specializes in transferring cold water techniques to warm Caribbean diving, as well as image post-production. See examples of Steve’s work in underwater photography here.