Should i purse career as underwater videographer?

[YahiaAhmed]

Hello everyone,

I'm considering shifting my career as a software engineer to pursue underwater videography as a career to create stock footage and documentaries. I have been diving casually as a hobby for about seven years now and am GUE certified technical CCR1 diver and rEvo CCR, so I have some experience underwater. However, I have no knowledge of film production and am just an amateur videographer with a pair of Sony A1/A7SIII and other video equipment that I use for my normal video projects.

My question is whether pursuing a career in underwater videography is worth it, and how much does it pay? Given that I have no knowledge of film production, how long would it take me to learn the necessary skills to create professional-quality footage? I can afford to spend around 18k USD on a camera housing and all the required accessories for a decent underwater rig, but that will leave me with about the same amount in savings. Do you think it's worth it for me to take this step, knowing that I don't have much money to spend?

I appreciate any advice or opinions that you can share with me on this topic. Thank you in advance.

 

[Searcaigh]

You need to build up a portfolio that will impress your potential clients.

Do you have any idea who your potential clients are?

 

[BoltSnap]

Salam Yahia,​

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You are considering leaving software engineering to go for underwater videography with amateur background and no working knowledge of it? I wouldn't do that with your current experience.​

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I would keep my day job, software engineering, and work on the hobby part time and concentrate on getting better in this hobby and try to get your work published and evaluate your choices when you get to the point where you have a decent portfolio that can compete against the other professionals. It would help also to work with expert mentors and get more experience from them.​

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Perhaps you start your own YouTube channel and start working on it with your videos and also other social media sites.​

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Salams from your neighbor in Libya. May Allah guide you to what is best for you inshAllah.​

 

[YahiaAhmed]

You need to build up a portfolio that will impress your potential clients.

Do you have any idea who your potential clients are?

The problem is i can't create Portfolio when i have only 3 weeks of leaves a year. I need to concentrate and focus on creating this portfolio therefore i need to leave my full time job to be dedicated for it.

My ultimate goal to is create my own documentaries and hoping to join or create documentaries with BBC / NatGeo

 

[YahiaAhmed]

Salam Yahia,​

​

You are considering leaving software engineering to go for underwater videography with amateur background and no working knowledge of it? I wouldn't do that with your current experience.​

​

I would keep my day job, software engineering, and work on the hobby part time and concentrate on getting better in this hobby and try to get your work published and evaluate your choices when you get to the point where you have a decent portfolio that can compete against the other professionals. It would help also to work with expert mentors and get more experience from them.​

​

Perhaps you start your own YouTube channel and start working on it with your videos and also other social media sites.​

​

Salams from your neighbor in Libya. May Allah guide you to what is best for you inshAllah.​

Thank you so much for your feedback! I can't say i love my job, i got bored sitting on a desk 8-10 hours a day, even though it pays well, it's not something i see myself doing in the next years to come. Diving and creating amazing content is where i see myself fit it, even though i might not have education on documentary filmmaking but nowadays it's easy to get education online. I tried to build up portfolio while i am working, but it's kind hard where i am since i have no access to water, and the nearest good location is 4hours flying, so basically i am left out with my annual leaves to use for diving, and thats what limiting me from achieving my targets and building a portfolio.

 

[Damselfish]

I think it’s common for people to be bored or unhappy with their jobs - as they joke, that’s why they call it work. They get ideas about something that seems more fun or interesting, I’ve certainly been there, but those ideas are not always practical. What you’re talking about would seem to have room for a rather limited number of people to actually make a living at. And I suspect most people who are making any decent money at the dream gig are doing multiple things, especially in the beginning. And it doesn’t sound like you have enough of a cushion right now to quit your day job, especially since you’re not really close to being able to make money at the new thing.

Perhaps you could get a SW eng job in a place where you could dive more, or a situation you could work remotely.

 

[lermontov]

wanting to check if your diver count is accurate ? 100-200 dives is not much over 7 years and it doesnt indicate to me that theres enough passion to make this a way of life - i know a couple of people who do professional underwater photgraphy and its not a well paid job and as damselfish mentioned its a hard road to success - do you have any video footage you can post for us too be wowed by ?

id also suggest you'll need enough savings to live for at least 18months -2 years before youll see any returns

 

[lermontov]

Perhaps you start your own YouTube channel and start working on it with your videos and also other social media sites.

this is a great place to start and a somewhere you can direct people to look at your work

 

[YahiaAhmed]

wanting to check if your diver count is accurate ? 100-200 dives is not much over 7 years and it doesnt indicate to me that theres enough passion to make this a way of life - i know a couple of people who do professional underwater photgraphy and its not a well paid job and as damselfish mentioned its a hard road to success - do you have any video footage you can post for us too be wowed by ?

id also suggest you'll need enough savings to live for at least 18months -2 years before youll see any returns

My total dive count around 1500+ are approx the following
650+ Rec Dives
300+ Tech Dives utilizing stage decompression
400+ Dives utilizing specially mixed gases
100+ Dives utilizing Diver Propulsion Vehicles
40+ Deep, exploration cave dives
182 Hours of rebreather experience (JJ + rEvo)

I didn't dive much during my first 3 years, but the years after i was doing a lot of rec/tech/cave dives and was shooting very amatures videos which i was learning how to shoot/edit and it's all experience and learning from linkedin/youtube, but do i have something that is "WOW" no, not even close. Thats why i was thinking of joining filming school and learn properly to create quality video that i can show off my work. I guess this is the next logical step as invested a lot of time and money to get where i am now in diving. On the other hand i guess yes its a good idea to start YouTube channel, not gonna get much return back but i would at least create some content to get started with.

 

[Socal326]

Would you mind sharing what you're currently filming with and your Youtube Channel? I'd love to have a look.