Seminar Type: Paid Seminars

You’ve found the most incredible marine creature in the world, but now what? Don’t be fooled into thinking that the subject is all that matters. Negative space – or the space around your subject – is what makes or breaks a great image. This seminar is intended to help you “see” the possibilities of a shot before you take it so that you can optimize your opportunities and produce next-level images. We’ll discuss how to approach both wide-angle and macro photography, as well as how to use special techniques and gear that will help you execute your vision flawlessly.

Professional marine and wildlife biologists from California-based firm QK discuss the incursion of S. horneri and other invasive marine species on our coast. Attendees will learn about several invasive species and their effects on native ecosystems. Biologist Jeffrey Erway will discuss how divers can identify and report invasive species, what to do with them, and what measures are underway to protect native ones.

QK’s presenters are backed by significant industry credentials, including California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) approval with scientific diving experience and credentials.

On March 1, 2023 Dr. Joe Dituri left the surface and descended to the Jules Undersea Lodge for a record breaking 100-day mission. In fact, as this show is going on, Joe is still under water, completing his last few days until mission completion. Come see what planning was involved, how Joe spends his time, and who else is involved in this incredible effort. Learn more about MarineLab Environmental Education Center, and the variety of youth STEM education courses they offer. Programs are also open to adults… learn how you can spend the night under water, becoming a recognized Aquanaut!

Encountering a giant sea bass is an exhilarating experience when diving along California and Mexico. However, since being labeled as Critically Endangered, little is known about their current population, their spatial patterns, and ecology. Marine scientists at the McCauley Lab and the Love Lab at UC Santa Barbara are hoping to answer critically important research questions about these charismatic fish through the Spotting Giant Sea Bass Project – a community science effort that uses divers’ photographs to identify and track individual giant sea bass. Join us to hear about our updates and how you can contribute to important research on a critically endangered species!

Once you leave the water with dynamite video on your chip, the real work is about to begin. If you want to grab the attention of your audience, and hold it, you’ll need to edit your film for maximum impact. This presentation will cover organizing clips, cutting and continuity, scripting and narration, and music. Examples of effective video storytelling will be shown.

The Monterey California area is a world-class dive destination. Come, become an honorary member of a school of blue rockfish illuminated by sun rays streaming through the kelp forest canopy. Join the cool kids when a flock of cormorants nibble on your camera and dive equipment at 50 ft. If you have never had a ridiculously cute baby harbor seal nibble on your fins, you haven’t lived. Boost your culture points by witnessing a score of California sea lions perform what appears to be an underwater ballet. Check off a few of the brilliantly colored local nudibranchs from your bucket list. Swim through enchanting jellyfish as thick as soup. Dive with charming, captivating, and cute sea otters. Swim among 3-foot-tall sea anemones. Hang out with charismatic wolf eels. Buck up and and earn the cold-water diving merit badge.

This presentation deconstructs an actual diving fatality identifying potential issues while addressing risks. This seminar also discusses ways to reduce accidents through risk identification, mitigation with suggestions on how to improve overall diver safety.

In this seminar, I will share “tricks of the trade” professionals adhere to along with things underwater shooters, collectively speaking, can do to improve their work while avoiding pitfalls that lead to disappointing results. I have wanted to give this presentation for years but passed because I feared it would sound like I think I know it all. I don’t. There is always more to learn. But with almost five decades of shooting and teaching, I believe my thoughts and experience can help a lot of underwater shooters improve their work and get more out of their efforts.

Whether you’re interested in capturing marine life with a camera or simply observing, there is no substitute for being physically close. From tiny gobies to massive whales, many animals are inherently shy, making close interaction difficult. When approached properly, however, most sea creatures are surprisingly tolerant of divers. This seminar will teach you techniques that can turn fleeting glimpses into relaxed, intimate encounters. You’ll learn how to approach shy animals, gain their trust, and get close without scaring them away, making every dive a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.

The Pacific Offshore Oil Platforms support a marine ecosystem more productive than any coral reef. Bob Evans logged >850 dives photo-documenting beneath these platforms. He also administered projects developing technologies and pioneering alternative uses – revolutionary at the time, transformative today. Join him on a photographic journey through the history of these beautiful and unique marine habitats. He will share a vision for the future, founded on technologies proven and piloting today. These alternatives transcend removal or reefing. They include sustainable development within a new offshore paradigm supporting the environment, coastal communities, fisheries, and divers too!

Excellent diving conditions in clear life-filled waters aren’t just found in far-flung places requiring a flight. Excellent diving is in our backyard at the California Channel Islands. Five of the islands form a National Park. Anacapa, a mere 11 miles from the mainland; the furthest is remote San Nicolas Island at 57 miles out; and of course, the island of romance, Santa Catalina. Each island is different: Different marine life, underwater topographies and diving opportunities. Colorful walls and pinnacles, the fun antics of sea lions, and of course the famous beauty of the giant kelp forests. With over 70 years of combined diving experience in California waters, authors Dale and Kim Sheckler will lead you on a tour of the wonderful Channel Islands.

As the saying goes, “Luck is what happens when planning meets opportunity.” Nothing is truer when it comes to diving and underwater photography! Booking your dream trip will put a heck of a great opportunity on your calendar, but a little bit of planning will help you take it to the next level. This talk will cover many of our hard-earned travel planning “hacks” as they apply to diving and underwater photography – researching destinations and marine life, comparing transportation costs and benefits, packing properly, and responding to unexpected or unwelcome issues that may arise at your destination. You’ll leave this session fully prepared to create your own “luck”, no matter where you are diving.

California completed its Network of 124 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in 2012. With the Network now 10-years old, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has released a Decadal Management Review report looking at how California’s MPAs are doing since they were originally implemented. This presentation will provide highlights from the Review, as well as information on how to get involved with the management and potential data collection informing the management of the Network.

Los Angeles County is in the Southern California Bight which offers a rich and diverse marine environment for SCUBA & Freediving. The best diving spots are often in areas with high turbulence potential with different turbulence profiles for each season.

This seminar will discuss how to identify and forecast favorable weather, tide, surf and tidal flow turbulence patterns for popular dive sites in Los Angeles County, utilizing current NOAA and CDIP forecasting tools. Concepts can be applied to other diving locales around the world. Recent updates to NOAA and CDIP tools will be covered as well as opportunities for ocean conditions forecasting and acclimation training applying these concepts. Selected recent weather events will be covered to illustrate concepts presented.

Since unfavorable turbulence patterns and tidal flows are key factors in poor visibility, also covered will be the forecast of the 2023 summer and fall turbulence patterns for the Southern California Bight.

The game of survival is fascinating to watch play out in our underwater world. Like cuttlefish and frogfish stalking their prey to octopus imitating soft coral to escape. Join Jim and Pat Stayer as they look at several strategies marine animals use to survive and how creatures interact with each other. Designed to help all divers enjoy the underwater world to its fullest, the couple will share some of the amazing animal behavior they have filmed in their 48 years of diving.

When there is a scuba fatality in Los Angeles County, the Office of Medical Examiner-Corner is charged with finding out why. Sometimes it’s medically related, many times it is diver error, but all are thoroughly investigated to determine what went wrong. In this very popular 90 minute panel discussion, you will get an overview of the Coroner’s work. The actual cases from 2022 will all be presented, covering the accident, the attempted treatment of the victim at the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber, what the accident analysis discovered, and what the takeaway lessons are. So by coming and listening to what is presented from the actual cases, people might pick up some pointers and safety ideas that will prevent them from being one of the subjects in our 2024 presentation.

Explore the latest fitness trends for SCUBA diving. This motivational presentation shares innovative ways to stay fit with fun adaptations to proven methods, encouragement to try something new, crossover sports activities, and tips for advancing to the next FitDiver level. Discussion includes the purposeful use of apps and wearable technology for fitness and underwater enthusiasts. Discover tips to help identify what works best for the individual diver of any age and ability. Attendees receive sample workouts, may enter a drawing for free fitness and wellness prizes, and participate in dynamic Q&A  intervals throughout the seminar.

Water freezes at 32^oF, right? Not here! Dive into water that is 28^oF… dive into Antarctica! Explore with us as we learn about fish that have antifreeze in their blood to keep them from freezing solid. Descend in holes through 23 feet of solid ice as we study life on Mars. Visit remote islands where you’ll see over 250,000 penguins with a single glance. Reach out to icebergs as they bob up and down in the waves, and wander through shipwrecks frozen in ice and time. Learn about the most remote continent on Earth… Antarctica!

How can you use social media as a diver and ocean enthusiast? More importantly, how can you make it fun? In this seminar I am going to talk about ways to use social media that have more meaning. Ways to make an impact on your audience, and how it could possibly open doors for you. We will also be discussing easy and stress free ways to post, how to make simple videos that you enjoy, and I’ll be doing a live video edit designed for Instagram Reels as an example. This presentation will provide you with the confidence to dive into social media!

We have spent the past three years during Covid researching, discovering, identifying, and documenting new, never-seen-before wrecks here in Southern California. To date, we have documented over a dozen new wrecks that include both shipwrecks and historical airplane wrecks. In addition, we have been using modern technology (photogrammetry) to document the more well-known wrecks.

This presentation will describe how we find the new wrecks and use photography and photogrammetry to help identify the wreck once it is discovered. I will present at least 5 new wrecks that we have discovered.

Most divers are fascinated by sharks and feel lucky to encounter one. Birders feel the same about birds of prey, or raptors. And they are so much a part of the diving scene. These hunters of the sky use ambush and camouflage techniques similar to those used by sharks of the sea. Many raptors, such as the Osprey, Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon, also have an affinity with water. So you might want to pack binoculars with your dive gear, enriching your day around the water by observing these beautiful birds.

Encountering a giant sea bass is an exhilarating experience when diving along California and Mexico. However, since being labeled as Critically Endangered, little is known about their current population, their spatial patterns, and ecology. Marine scientists at the McCauley Lab and the Love Lab at UC Santa Barbara are hoping to answer critically important research questions about these charismatic fish through the Spotting Giant Sea Bass Project – a community science effort that uses divers’ photographs to identify and track individual giant sea bass. Join us to hear about our updates and how you can contribute to important research on a critically endangered species!

This presentation is based my doctoral work in disability and leadership in the recreational sport of scuba diving. Should a person with a disability be able to pursue leadership positions in this industry to the same degree as a person without a disability? How does scuba diving empower individuals with and without disabilities?  This presentation discusses how the scuba diving industry can spearhead participation in adaptive sports, community and disability inclusion, and disability and leadership for persons with disabilities worldwide. In addition, it discusses how a leader with a disability brings value and creatively to this industry. Lastly this presentation cites examples of individuals with disabilities who have achieved greater heights because of their scuba diving certification.

You’ve bought all of the best equipment. You’re ready to go with maximum safety. But are you really? Forty-one percent of fatalities on a DAN research study listed “Out of Air” as a cause. Certainly those divers ‘knew better’ and prepared properly… right? Learn what you can do to maximize your real safety by diving into real cases and tried and true tips from the aviation industry’s extensive history with human factors. Explore why humans are so error-prone and find out why accidents really happen. Then you can explore the ocean with the knowledge and confidence to help you avoid being ‘that story’.

Well-known videographers, Jim and Pat Stayer have compiled an incredible collection of octopus, squid, and cuttlefish footage from around the world.  This program highlights cephalopods with their unique and sometimes comical behaviors, including blue-ring octopus displaying their colors, wunderpus changing shapes, flamboyant cuttlefish laying eggs, along with squids hunting. With commentary from Dr. Roger Hanlon, senior scientist at Woods Hole, and one of the World’s leading experts in Cephalopods. There’s amazing action that everyone will enjoy.

Do you have a thirst to explore new dive sites? To seek out new life and new ecosystems? To boldly go where no one has gone before? Well, then you may be an exploration diver! Exploration diving isn’t for everyone. In this presentation, we will talk about what it means to be an exploration diver and the dive training and mental preparedness needed. The seminar will discuss different types of exploration diving as Faith shares images from expeditions conducted throughout the world- all with the goal of expanding our knowledge of and appreciation for undersea life and ecosystems found in some of the most remote parts of the world.

This seminar addresses how the normal aging process affects diver safety including detailed discussions about how to recognize and reduce risks to improve safety and maximize enjoyment for all divers or all levels as they move towards their golden years.

Explore the scientific side of marine life photography, from tide pool citizen science to deep-sea exploration. Learn what it takes to describe a new species, how your photos can contribute to biodiversity discoveries, and where to participate in livestreamed oceanographic expeditions. I will also discuss the special joys and challenges of working with deep-sea specimens and technologies such as remotely operated vehicles and the submersible Alvin.

Many avid SCUBA divers would love to turn their passion into a career. Commercial diving is a great career choice that can lead to adventure, fun, and sometimes heartbreak. In this factual presentation, by real working commercial divers, we dispel many commercial diving myths, tell you what type of schooling and training you need, what jobs you could do underwater, what to expect after graduating dive school, and give you a roadmap to success in the commercial diving business. We will also go over the dangers of doing work as a commercial diver using actual case studies, pictures, and videos.

The first post-dive question 99% of the time: “How was your dive?” The reply 99% of time: “Really nice. But what was that fish?”

Divers rarely take time to learn how to identify the fish that they see. Knowing what you’re seeing not only enhances the dive experience, but it makes it more likely to notice unusual fish sightings. In this talk, Ken Kurtis will give you the basics on how to ID fish and figure out who they are. It’s a system that works worldwide, starts off with simply knowing a bit about fish anatomy, and segues into things to look for that will help you nail down the ID of a fish with some help from any of the fish ID books (and many of which will be available at the Scuba Show). The system is easy to learn and works in all waters of the world, so instead of asking “What was that fish” you’ll be able to say “Wait until you hear what I saw!”

From hammerhead sharks to hairy frogfish, mantas to melibe, blue whales to blue ring octopuses, cetaceans to Coleman shrimp, we all have one (or, let’s be honest, one hundred) creatures we can’t wait to see and photograph!  This seminar will discuss where, when, and how to get great shots of some of the most incredible, sought-after marine life in the ocean, including both local and far-flung destinations, including optimal locations and seasonality, as well as recommendations on camera gear and photographic techniques.

Los Angeles County is in the Southern California Bight which offers a rich and diverse marine environment for SCUBA & Freediving. The best diving spots are often in areas with high turbulence potential with different turbulence profiles for each season.

This seminar will discuss how to identify and forecast favorable weather, tide, surf and tidal flow turbulence patterns for popular dive sites in Los Angeles County, utilizing current NOAA and CDIP forecasting tools. Concepts can be applied to other diving locales around the world. Recent updates to NOAA and CDIP tools will be covered as well as opportunities for ocean conditions forecasting and acclimation training applying these concepts.  Selected recent weather events will be covered to illustrate concepts presented.

Since unfavorable turbulence patterns and tidal flows are key factors in poor visibility, also covered will be the forecast of the 2023 summer and fall turbulence patterns for the Southern California Bight.

Whether you’re a snorkeler, diver, or photographer, blogging is the easiest way to preserve your underwater experiences and document your trips. This interactive workshop will take you through these 13 easy-to-follow tips in real-time. These include:

1) Be thick-skinned; 2) Be bold; 3) Be promotional; 4) Be aware of what editors like; 5) Write about what you know; 6) Be persistent; 7) Be opportunistic; 8) Promote SEO keywords; 9) Be networking; 10) Be thinking outside the box; 11) Be generous; 12) Be lucky; and 13) Be funny.

The seminar will conclude with an interactive headline brainstorming session.

Whether you’re interested in capturing marine life with a camera or simply observing, there is no substitute for being physically close. From tiny gobies to massive whales, many animals are inherently shy, making close interaction difficult. When approached properly, however, most sea creatures are surprisingly tolerant of divers. This seminar will teach you techniques that can turn fleeting glimpses into relaxed, intimate encounters. You’ll learn how to approach shy animals, gain their trust, and get close without scaring them away, making every dive a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Beach diving along the Southern California coastline is fun and easy. And you can avoid the crowds (both divers and non-divers if you know where to go). This seminar, given by the authors of the popular book Southern California’s Best Beach Dives, will touch upon some of these hidden treasures. The popular seminar will include what you can expect above and below the water, marine life encounters, and tips on how to make your beach dives as enjoyable as possible.

Too often divers say, “I was following my computer but don’t really know what it’s telling me.” In the beginning, there were dive tables. Dive tables eventually begat computers. And once computers started telling us what to do (at with dive time remaining and no-deco status), teaching tables fell by the wayside; some training programs don’t cover them at all. But it’s important to understand WHY your computer says what it says. In this talk, Ken Kurtis (who LOVES teaching tables) will simplify it all for you. He’ll start with the basics of diving physics and physiology, show how and why tables say what they say and what they’re measuring, and then walk you into how that evolved into the computers we know (and rely on) today. You’ll get an understanding of why nitrox gives you more bottom time than air. You will leave this seminar knowing what’s going on inside of you when you dive, a better understanding of the info the computer gives you, which will make you a safer diver.