New to Diving and Underwater Photography

So I have been a photographer for a decade and just now am getting into underwater photography. Always had the interest and had a cheap underwater point and shoot. Recently upgraded heavily to an Ikelite setup for a 5D with wide and macro ports and 2 DS50 strobes. Trying to do a decent, but relatively cheap setup. Anyone have any tips for a new diver and an exceptionally new dive photographer? Also, is this a good way to go to get started with the ikelite setup?

Attached a photo of what I have currently...

I would find it pretty hard to give generic advice on this question. But you can learn a lot fairly quickly from on line resources. Here are a few good places to start in no particular order:

https://www.opticaloceansales.com/handbooks-basics-of-better-uw-photos-en.html

http://www.theunderwaterphotographer.com/

http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/

http://www.underwaterphotography.com/

http://www.divephotoguide.com/

Like others often recommend, I found that Martin Edge's book "The Underwater Photographer" is an excellent beginner's course to get up to speed.

Looking at other people's work and trying to understand how they made an image is a very good way to learn. There's Wetpixel of course, sites of the pros, competition results, the Nat Geo photo if the day UW category, lots of Flickr groups, etc

The trick is remembering all that you need once under water!

Finally, if you are a new diver, the most important advice I can think of is to get good at diving before even thinking about taking the camera along. Buoyancy control, safety, and making sure you don't run out of air come first and need to be close to automatic. You don't want any chance of photography distracting you from staying alive!

When you say new to diving, that does raise the red flag a bit. How new are you? How comfortable are you in the water (buoyancy, air consumption, mental preparedness, good buddy system etc.)

Remember, it's always safety first, not just for you but also for your buddy. No one try to be a scuba police, but we don't want to give you info that you're not ready for it yet.

As far as UW photography, it really depends on what's your expectation. Your set up would have limitation in term of wide angle, also, depends on the location of your dive, do you mostly dive in Caribbean? There are not many place to dive and photography in the US unless cold water and deep is your thing.

I guess we just need more info from you before the community can give appropriate pointer. Hope that help!

Anyone have any tips for a new diver and an exceptionally new dive photographer? Also, is this a good way to go to get started with the ikelite setup?

 

 

My tip: get out while you can before you drain your bank account and end up as mad as many of us are on this forum....

But then if that doesn't appeal, as troporobo suggests, get Martin Edge's book. It's really helpful. As is "The Art of Underwater Photography" by Andrea and Antonella Ferrari

(Nice gear you've got there especially for macro which, I think, is a great place to start)