Underwater Photography Masterclass

I nearly didn't buy this book because I was thinking it would just be a rehash of the usual basic photography and underwater advice but I'm so glad I did! Alex Mustard doesn't spend lots of time explaining the basics of photography but instead focuses on a few key topics to start off such as how to choose an underwater setup, lighting etc. The rest of the book is all about specific underwater techniques and how to turn competent shots into fantastic ones. Lots of great ideas and suggestions accompanied by beautiful photographs but very concise and accessible and light enough to take on a trip. For beginners it's a great introduction, although you will need to understand basic photography concepts such as aperture, shutter speeds, ISO etc. to get the most out of it. But where I think this book really stands out is for those who have mastered the basics of underwater photography and can take reasonably good shots using manual mode but now want to take it to the next level, whether that be with a compact or SLR. There's good advice on lenses and external lighting and the book encourages you to find new and interesting subjects where you wouldn't have thought to look for them (e.g. patterned backgrounds, macro life) as well as try new ways of making popular subjects look different (e.g. remotely triggered strobes in wrecks). If you find you're coming back from every trip with pretty much the same set of photos and are starting to wonder what the point of it is then this is the book for you. I can't wait to get back in the water and start trying it all out!

This book deserves only 5 star reviews. It deals with every shot that I can think of in underwater photography, it is a book that communicates. It is all about lighting. Alex has made an outstanding contribution to underwater photography through this book alone. I will be using it, reading it, re-reading it and digesting all of the great lessons contained in it. There are some great books out there, Martin Edge's book "The Underwater photographer", Jim Church's book "Essential Guide to Composition", David Doublet's "Water, Light, Time" to name but a few. This book is in the tradition of these great books. A master photographer, teacher, communicator doing his thing. A must read, a reference book and a delight, with stunning images too.

I've been trying to take photos while diving for the last few years. It's not easy and I've read quite a bit about it in books and on the web. I wasn't sure if I could justify buying yet another book but as the cliche goes if you buy one book on underwater photography this should be it. There's a good reason for saying this, Alex Mustard brings all his considerable technical knowledge and experience together in a form that's easy to understand. The book is clearly laid out, the photographs are superb and it's a pleasure to read. Just reading through the chapters made me want to go out and diver some more with my camera. As the title says it's a masterclass in photography and it's written by a master.

The Underwater Photography Masterclass is a summary of contemporary knowledge in the field of underwater photography. Dr Mustard explains the concepts and their practical use clearly and with gentle humour. The techniques are usually demonstrated using a DSLR, but the majority of them is valid for most levels of underwater photographic equipment. This book is a gem - the most current bible of underwater photography.

I was lucky to meet the author in Liveaboard not knowing who he was at the time. He came across as a humble intelligent person who knew what he was doing and liked to share his experiences, and it comes across really well in this book of his. It is well structured and easy to follow and even if you have no SCUBA interest there are good technical ideas to try on land as well. It should be part of your photographic book collection. A must get book.

Bought this for a Christmas present for my daughter. Out of my league as a photographer, but she seemed suitably delighted with it.

Alex's new book should be considered essential reading for anyone getting started with the often confusing and 'very' expensive world of underwater photography. He goes into a lot of detail about not only the cameras and strobes, but also the best angles for certain subjects. Plenty here for both macro and wideangle shooters. Buy it, read it, practice like crazy until you know your kit inside and out. Then go on one of his courses to the Red Sea or similar.

This is a great read. Lots of simple ideas to try on dives and always useful to refer to when looking to make changes to set up/technique/composition etc...

Best book ever!

Já havia comprado o formato digital, há 2 anos e lido algumas vezes, tal a importância e didática para o aprendizado e melhora em qualidade técnica para fotografar . Tornou-se meu livro de consultas frequentes antes de fazer fotos subaquáticas.Queria ter também o formato em papel.

Libro molto utile per chi vuole avere una panoramica generale sulla fotografia subacquea. Tocca tutti gli aspetti basilari in modo molto esaustivo. Peccato sia solo in inglese...

Alexander Mustard is one of the few lucky ones that is able to make a living with taking pictures underwater (of course very well deserved, this good sir definitely takes outstanding photographs!). Myself I manage a dive resort in Indonesia and also I do take photographs below the surface. I kind of know what I am doing as by now I have some years of experience however would never consider myself a professional. This book definitely helped me improve, introduced me to new techniques and also re-explained things that I already knew. Alexander Mustard does this in a very simple yet interesting, funny and charming way. I believe divers that are completely new to uw-photography but also more experienced photographers will benefit from reading this book and definitely enjoy while doing so.

This is a thoughtfully written work, full of wonderful photos. World class photos. Alex obviously really knows his stuff, and relates it simply and elegantly. This is not a book full of theoretical details...it's full of practical how-to information. I've been shooting DSLRs for about 8 years now, and have learned a lot in reading through only the first fourth of the book. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned professional, this book offers a lot of great insights and information. For beginners, after reading, you'll want to attend a class to perfect the concepts relayed in the book. Highly recommended! I wish quite a few of the photos were printed larger...many of the photos' finer details are obviously lost in the printing.