A diver’s world is hard to explain with words. Try describing a sea turtle or an underwater shipwreck to your non-diver friends. Quite difficult, isn’t it? And without anything to remember it by, there’s no way to remember every detail a week later. That’s what makes scuba vlogging so great. With the right equipment, not only will you get to show people what it’s like down there, but you also get to relive all your own adventures later.
The gear you actually need
You don’t actually need to spend thousands of dollars on a fancy camera to start scuba vlogging. All you need is a setup that’s easy to use while floating around. Also consider the type of diving you do when choosing your equipment. Shooting in a shallow reef can feel very different from exploring a muck site.
Cameras
Keep it small. Action cameras like the GoPro or DJI Action are perfect. They are tough, waterproof, and shoot great videos. If you like taking photos of tiny stuff (macro), then the Olympus TG cameras are awesome. They are practically microscope-proof, but still small enough to fit in a pocket.
Lighting & filters
The deeper you go, the more color the water “steals.” Without help, everything looks blue and green. It’s incredible how much better your footage looks once you throw on a simple filter and a light.
- Red Filters: These are just pieces of red plastic that snap onto your lens. They are cheap and work great for shallow, sunny dives to bring the color back.
- Video Lights: If you are going deeper or looking under rocks, you need video lights. They bring back the real colors of the fish and coral.
Safety stuff
Never drop your camera! A clip or lanyard is excellent for attaching the camera to your BCD. If you need to help your buddy or fix your mask, you can just let go of the camera and it won’t float away. Also, buy anti-fog inserts. There is nothing more annoying than a foggy lens ruining your shot.
Editing apps (Making it look good)
Raw underwater video usually looks a bit flat and dull. Editing is where you make it look like what you actually saw.
The “magic” button: Dive+
For your phone, download Dive+. It has a feature that automatically fixes the color of your underwater videos. It turns that green, washed-out clip into something colorful and vibrant in literally one second. It’s a lifesaver for scuba vlogging.
Putting it together: CapCut or Quik
To make a real video with music and cuts, use CapCut or the GoPro Quik app. They are super easy to learn. You can trim out the boring parts (swimming in blue water), add a cool song, and put it on TikTok or YouTube right from your phone.
Computer editing
And for the serious diving vlogger, DaVinci Resolve is a free app with a really powerful free version. It takes longer to learn, but it lets you fix shaky video and really tweak the colors perfectly.
Content ideas
A lot of new vloggers just play music over clips of fish. That’s nice, but to get people to watch your scuba vlogging channel, try these ideas:
Tell a story
Don’t just hit “record” underwater. Film yourself on the boat. Where are you going, and what did you hope to see? Did you get seasick? Was the water freezing? Make sure you tell these stories. When you add your personality, the video becomes way more engaging. Your audience will connect more with the human side of diving, rather than just a slideshow of underwater shots.
Help people out
Make videos that answer questions. Your audience might want to know how to pack a dive bag, or good diving computers. This content will be super helpful for aspiring divers. Remember, people are always looking for tips, and if you help them, they will subscribe.
Show the lifestyle
Show the fun stuff that happens dry! Because the fun doesn’t start or end in the water. Film the boat ride before the dive, or the lunch after, or even the sunset. People don’t just want the diving experience, they also want the whole “dive life” vibe, which is fun for everyone to watch.
Become the next scuba vlogging pro
Scuba vlogging will take a little practice. Your videos might start off a bit shaky, which is perfectly normal. But don’t worry, all you have to do is focus on having fun and capture great memories. The ocean is vast, with a limitless amount of stories to tell, and you are someone who gets to share that with the world. What else are you waiting for? Go grab a camera and jump in.
