Blackwater Photography Masterclass, with Mike Bartick

Learn blackwater photography with an expert photographer: equipment, strobe positioning, autofocus & creative strategies.

Every night, just after sunset, the largest migration on Earth begins. Billions of pelagic creatures rise from the depths in a phenomenon known as the Diel Vertical Migration (DVM) — and for underwater photographers, this is where the magic happens.

Blackwater diving is unlike anything else in scuba: drifting in open ocean, suspended over deep water, waiting for alien-like subjects to emerge from the dark. It’s unpredictable, exciting, and incredibly rewarding.

In this Masterclass, widely recognised blackwater expert Mike Bartick will take you inside this world — explaining the science behind it, how these dives are conducted, what subjects to look for, and most importantly, how to photograph them successfully using the right gear, lighting, and shooting techniques.

Meet your speaker

Mike Bartick is a highly published, award-winning photographer, writer, international speaker, and Photo pro at Crystal Blue Resort, Anilao, Philippines. He is passionate about connecting people with marine life through photos and videos. His love for critters has taken him around the world, bringing him to Anilao more than 16 years ago, where he now leads a variety of workshops each year.

Mike has pioneered blackwater diving in Anilao and other locations worldwide and is a dedicated dive professional who guides and consults on wildlife projects, scuba gear, camera gear, and lighting equipment.

An ambassador for Nauticam and Kraken Sports, Mike has logged over 6,500 dives (many of them at night) and authored The World of Blackwater.

In the end, Mike sees himself as just a guy with a camera who’s lucky to do what he loves.

“Do it for love, not for the likes.”

To see more of his work, follow Mike on Instagram @divecbr and visit his website www.saltwaterphoto.com.

What's the plan for the webinar?

We’re aiming for a 2-hour long webinar, in 3 parts:

Part 1: Blackwater photography talk

• The Science Behind BlackwaterUnderstanding the Diel Vertical Migration (DVM) and why it creates extraordinary photographic opportunities.
• How Blackwater Dives WorkDownlines, lighting systems, depth ranges, drift protocols, and what a typical dive really looks like.
• Stills Photography EquipmentCamera and lenses choices, focus lights, and practical gear considerations.
• Strobe Positioning & LightingManaging backscatter and dealing with translucent subjects and avoiding over-exposures.
• Autofocus StrategyFreezing fast-moving, erratic and hard-to-f0cus on subjects.
• Video ConsiderationsKey lighting and technique adjustments when filming pelagic nightlife.
• The “Big Five” of AnilaoArgonauts, Wunderpus, Diamond Squid, Ribbonfish, and the legendary Blanket Octopus — and how to make the most of a fleeting encounter.

Part 2: Live image critiques

Once registered to the webinar, you’re welcome to send a blackwater photo to receive constructive feedback from Mike during the webinar. To do so, send a download link via this form. We expect to cover 5 to 10 images, on a first come first serve basis.

Part 3: Live Q&A

As always, our webinars conclude with a chance to ask your questions live to our presenter(s).

When is it?

The webinar will run for 2 hours, starting on:

• March 24th, 4pm Los Angeles time (PDT)
• March 24h, 6pm Dallas time (CDT)
• March 24th, 7pm Miami time (EDT)
• March 25th, 07am Singapore time (SGT)
• March 25th, 10am Sydney time (AEDT)
• March 25th, 12pm Auckland time (NZDT)

How to join

Hit the "Get tickets" button - tickets are on sale for AU$49 (approx US$32 / EUR 30 / GBP 26). A ticket gives you access to the recording for 3 days after the event, in case you can't make it live.

Grab this offer:

Members of The Underwater Club can join the webinar for free and watch the recording for as long as their membership is active.

For the same price as one webinar ticket, become a member and get access to the webinar, plus many more resources for 30 days (renews every month, cancel anytime).