Underwater Compact Camera Coach

Name: Underwater Compact Camera Coach
Address: Ocean Studio, 5 Daisy Mays Arcade, 2 Kings Road East, Swanage, BH191ES, GB
Telephone: +447901395807
Rating: 5

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Underwater Compact Camera Coach

Celebrating 20 years helping underwater photographers with compact cameras. Passionate about helping beginners take beautiful photos.
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DIVER Award-Winning, Best-Selling Book "Underwater Photography for Compact Camera Users", Author of 6 Books, 20 Prize-Winning Guests Tips, Courses, Guides and an Award Winning Book, all designed to help beginners shoot with colour and confidence in an easy-to-understand way.

20/03/2026

"Lighting the Small Stuff"

Good lighting really helps to turn a hidden nudibranch into a stand-out subject. But what if I told you that this image was taken using the camera's own flash with just an Olympus Housing in Mexico, back in 2004 😱

And no it hasn't been edited either. It really helped to inspire Katrina who I helped recently what she can do with her set-up before hitting Mexico and South Africa

Sometimes all you need is just a compact camera!

📷. Olympus 5050, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 🇲🇽

19/03/2026

"Do I really need two strobes for underwater photography?"

It's a question I see every day on the forums and the answer is always the same, it honestly depends on your subject.

I captured by wide-angle images for years using just one INON strobe with my wide-angle lens and loved it.

This Wobblegong Shark from Citrus Ridge in Raja Ampat was perfectly lit just using one strobe. It hasn't been edited.

Don't forget to use a diffuser, it will really help to soften the light and make it go further.

17/03/2026

"Let the Ocean Lead"

Diagonal lines are one of the most powerful composition tricks in underwater photography by adding depth, making an image look far more interesting.

In this shot I could have waited forever for this shrimp to sit nicely on a diagonal line. instead, I simply turned my camera to place it on a diagonal using the hard coral as a backdrop . Genius, right?

Even better is that it had bright green eyes, bringing some essential colour contrast to the overall image, amplifying the result.

Who else thinks it's cute?

📷: Compact Camera with one strobe

15/03/2026

Happy Mother's Day 💕

Today's a day to celebrate ocean parenting's BIGGEST plot twist where seahorses changed parenting forever 😱

Female seahorses definitely know how to delegate, with mum making the eggs and dad carrying and looking after them in his brood pouch between 9 to 45 days. Labour can last up to 12 hours, releasing up to 2,000 baby seahorses in just one birth.

But did you know that Dad actually regulates the salinity of the water inside the pouch too to prepare the babies for their life at sea? He also protects them from bacteria and disease as they grow.

They are independent as soon as they're born but only 0.5% survive. Males have been known to even eat their own young if there are no other food sources.

Did you know that seahorses don't have teeth and feed using their long nose?

📷 Seahorse image captured in Lembeh Straits, Indonesia with one INON Strobe

01/03/2026

"Happy 20th Underwater Photography Teaching Anniversary 💙"

Finally Home - I can't believe it's exactly 20 years since I stepped up to show the world giving talks at the London Dive Show that beginners with compact cameras could create beautiful, compelling images, launching the first ever Global PADI Digital Underwater Photography Course in February 2006 with Emperor Divers in Egypt 🥰

It was so awesome to see my underwater Photoshop student, Paul Toomer, now an incredible, inspiring world renowned Tech Dive Instructor give a talk.

Then it was so incredible to be reunited with so many beautiful humans from the Dive World. From the British Society of Underwater Photographers, to MARES, SSI, Matt from PADI, Mark from Sea & Sea, DiveVolk, Alex at Nauticam, Sealife, Emperor Divers and Behind the Mask.

I used to write for the Go Diving Team and to see them rebuild the UK Dive Show to a packed, entertained, busy audience was beyond incredible 🙌

So proud to see everyone's achievements 🙌❤️🙌 x

Ps. Frizzy Hair Look from travelling through the night in the rain to get there 🥰

25/01/2026

So here I was today in the studio helping Katarina with her Olympus TG2 and Go Pro Hero 7 when I receive an online order and lovely email from my guests who I helped in Chiswick at the previous Mikes Dive Stores.

Really lovely to know that my course helped them on their dive trips.

20/01/2026

Well it's been a late night and an early start today with BBC Dorchester texting me at 6 am to chat about last night's Aurora on their breakfast show.

Meanwhile a couple of days ago Douwe reached out to the Olympus community as he was struggling to expose moray eels correctly. I instinctively knew that it could be his metering which was off. I asked which setting he was shooting on?

ESP he said - My answer " Change it to Spot" and it was amazing to see the difference today.

Can't wait to get back to teaching tomorrow 🙌

19/01/2026

Well there's no Blue Monday here at HQ tonight ❤️

18/01/2026

My studio is finally finished!

It's been almost 5 years since I moved here but I couldn't be more prouder of it than yesterday, with so many people stopping by to chat.

The proudest part is that the table, chairs and lights are all upcycled from my local household centre, plus I've created some beanbags out of Brazilian coffee sacks too 🇧🇷 - it's now truly international 🙌

I've been helping a lot of Olympus TG users online this past week and I'll be starting back with tips tomorrow.

I'm open every Saturday if you're passing 11 am - 5 ok or by appointment. (Out beach combing during the week or teaching).

Nemo's loving the new look 💕 x

12/01/2026

"Hello BBC Radio Solent 💜"

I'm still pinching myself to believe I was invited to the BBC Studios in Southampton on Thursday to chat about my ocean photography journey and my Dorset snorkelling adventures on Katie Martin's morning show.

I shared my story in the hope that it will inspire others to explore our Dorset Coast, to not be scared of sharks and that they can follow their dreams too and particularly for those who are going through life struggles or disabilities.

The hughest thank you goes to the incredible teams there for their kindness who I've been so blessed to work with for 4 years since I initiated the first ever projects in Swanage and the New Forest to help Ukraine 🇺🇦 💛💙

You can listen to it here at 1.18 ☺️

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002pb00?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

21/12/2025

Today has been an amazing day helping the Waterpixels Underwater Imaging Community with their underwater photography sharing advice and knowledge from what I've learnt using both Go Pros and Smartphones, not just to create reels, but also to create prints and gifts with.

Feeling super happy to be back and I can't thank Tim Guerney, OBE enough for all his support to be part of the team.

It's such a total dream come true ☺️

Address

Ocean Studio, 5 Daisy Mays Arcade, 2 Kings Road East
Swanage
BH191ES

Telephone

+447901395807

Website

http://www.theoceanstudio.co.uk/

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