A few weeks ago, my experience as an underwater photographer had strictly been from behind a GoPro. While I still believe it is one of the best underwater cameras out there, I believed I had reached a point where it was time to upgrade. Thanks to the team at Backscatter, I was able to explore a whole new realm of what is possible with underwater photography and videography.

Our World Underwater Scholarship Society Paul L. Schutt Photography Internship

2024 Paul Schutt Intern Owen Bornhorst created this video at the Digital Shootout. Our History Backscatter and its sister company, Under Exposures, have strong ties to the Paul L. Schutt Underwater Photography Internship and the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society. Paul Schutt founded Helix Camera in 1964, which became the world's largest underwater photography store. Berkley White, the founder of Backscatter, greatly benefitted from the OWUSS and bought his first Nikonos V from Helix in 1988. Dan Baldocchi, co-founder of UnderExposures, later became the manager of the underwater department at Helix. Paul's wife Linda established the Paul L. Schutt Underwater Photography Internship in honor of Paul's 50 years at Helix and his passion for photography, especially underwater photography. It's our honor here at Backscatter and UnderExposures to make this the greatest underwater photography opportunity for an inspiring new photographer and carry on the passion Paul shared with us. Internship Description The Paul L. Schutt Underwater Photography Internship gives the selected intern the opportunity to develop their underwater photography skills while working alongside industry professionals. The intern will receive underwater photography instruction and experience primarily through participation in the Backscatter Digital Shootout, a two-week workshop full of seminars and diving. The Shootout is designed to help participants take their underwater photography or videography to the next level, whether they are beginning or experienced underwater shooters. Additional internship experiences beyond the Shootout may be available and will be determined based on current Backscatter opportunities and recipient interests. If you or somebody you know is interested in applying for the Paul L. Schutt OWUSS Internship, read on for more details on the internship and where to apply. LEARN MORELocation and Duration The 2025 Digital Shootout will be held in Bonaire on June 14–28, 2025. The intern must be available to attend the entire Shootout. The location and duration of other possible experiences may vary and will be coordinated between the intern, Backscatter, and OWUSS. The internship will likely last a total of 4–6 weeks during the summer. Eligibility Applicants must: Be scuba certified and have some diving experienceBe at least 20 years of age at the time of the application deadline Have a current passport Have a strong interest in photography (though underwater photography experience is not required) Submit a sample of 10-20 of their own images that represent their photography interest and style. Support A stipend will be provided to cover travel to and from internship sites, housing, food, and other essential internship-related expenses. If needed, Backscatter will loan underwater photography equipment to the intern for the duration of the internship. APPLY NOW2024 INTERNSHIPOWEN BORNHORST Check out OWUSS Paul Schutt Photography 2024 Intern Owen Bornhorst’s experience at the Digital Shootout, including the videos he made using the skills he developed at the event below. By: Owen Bornhorst A few weeks ago, my experience as an underwater photographer had strictly been from behind a GoPro. While I still believe it is one of the best underwater cameras out there, I believed I had reached a point where it was time to upgrade. Thanks to the team at Backscatter, I was able to explore a whole new realm of what is possible with underwater photography and videography. As Our World Underwater Scholar Society’s 2024 Paul L. Schutt Underwater Photography Intern, the first part of my internship began with the Digital Shootout in Little Cayman, hosted by Backscatter. At this incredible event, top brands in underwater imaging including Isotta, Nauticam, and Pegasus Thrusters, as well as world-renowned experts in underwater photo and video, come together to not only educate other photographers but also to create a community of people passionate about the underwater world. Caption: Intern Owen Bornhorst created this longer version of his video after the Digital Shootout. From the moment I arrived in Little Cayman, I knew I was someplace special. Immediately upon my arrival, I was connected with the incredible teams from Backscatter, Isotta, and Nauticam. With their help and equipment, I was able to set up an underwater videography rig using my own topside camera, the Nikon Z6 II. Bringing that camera underwater had been a dream of mine for as long as I had had it and thanks to Team Isotta, it had become reality. Jumping in the water for the first time with the camera rig l had dreamed of using was an unforgettable experience. Being able to capture the vibrant coral reefs in such incredible detail was completely surreal and it was only day two! Each day was spent diving in the morning followed by classes and then a nightly critique or presentation from the professionals. As an aspiring filmmaker and photographer, I was living the dream. I would come back from diving each day eager to show what I had captured and get the much-needed feedback on what to improve upon. Over the course of the first week, I learned more about underwater videography and storytelling than I had in my entire life. With new-found knowledge and the equipment to accompany it, I was able to elevate my underwater cinematography skills exponentially. Getting feedback and advice from the professionals was enlightening. I began diving in a totally different manner. Before I was jumping in and taking off trying to capture as much of the reef as possible, but now I saw the beauty in slowing down and trying to fully capture individual stories within the coral reef scape. I was even able to experiment with high performance cinema cameras like the Canon EOS R5 C and incredible lenses like the Nauticam EMWL Full Frame Kit. Capturing the same underwater environment from so many different viewpoints completely changes the possibilities of underwater storytelling and it is all made possible by innovators like them. Watching back my footage from day one, I can hardly believe that it’s the same person behind the camera on day thirteen. Although I learned a lot in the classroom, I found the most impactful part of the Shootout was being surrounded by such an inspiring group of individuals. Hearing diving and photography stories from both professionals and other guests alike was awe inspiring and further fueled my passion to not only see more of the wonderful world beneath our oceans but capture its beauty as well. Every other night, everyone would submit videos and photographs they had captured over the course of the trip to showcase for critique by the experts. Not only did this help to fine tune my own technical skills behind the camera but also sparked so much inspiration. You can give fifty people the same camera in the exact same place, but you will never get back fifty of the same images. These critiques allowed me to take a look at the reefs from perspectives totally unique to my own, igniting waves of new ideas for how to capture Little Cayman’s incredible environment. Even outside of photography and videography, the incredible community of people that come together for the Digital Shootout was truly something to cherish, and I feel incredibly grateful to have been welcomed in. Looking back on the two weeks of the Shootout, I can honestly say that the Digital Shootout changed my life. Seeing everyone else’s growth over the two weeks was equally as rewarding as my own. Not only did I capture footage I can confidently say is my best, but I also learned how to make it into a meaningful story. Before this event, following my dreams of becoming a wildlife filmmaker felt like a distant dream. Thanks to the help of everyone at the Shootout, professionals and amateurs alike, I can genuinely say that it feels more possible than ever. To everyone on my dive boat, a special thanks for making the start of my internship so unforgettable. To the Teams of Isotta and Nauticam, thank you for believing in and entrusting me with the incredible equipment you produce. I will forever be grateful to Backscatter for putting together such an incredible event and community to inspire the next generation of underwater photographers and storytellers. Phase Two: Internship at Six Senses Laamu Maldives Owen is embarking on an internship at Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives starting in October. Stay tuned for more updates on his experience. While pursuing degrees in marine science and biology at the University of Miami, Owen Bornhorst got involved with the Coral Reef Futures Laboratory. In this position, Owen assisted with research on coral bleaching, disease, and restoration, and received the 2023 Lou and Chosun Mastriani Award for his work with corals. Owen culminated this position with his honors thesis on the influence of origin and algal symbiont genus on bleaching severity of staghorn coral. In addition to his laboratory work, Owen was involved with the ocean advocacy group Reel Ocean where he worked as a photographer and videographer, producing content to educate and inspire others about environmental issues in South Florida. During his time with Reel Ocean, he also produced his first environmental short film, "The Giving Trees", which showcases the beauty and importance of Miami’s mangrove forests. Being selected as the 2024 Paul L. Schutt Underwater Photography Intern has been an incredible honor for Owen. He believes this will be an invaluable opportunity to not only learn more about underwater photography but also prepare him to use photography for the protection and preservation of our oceans. Follow Owen's journey here.2023 INTERNSHIPSOPHIE ROSE DALRYMPLE Check out OWUSS Paul Schutt Photography 2023 Intern Sophie Rose Dalrymple’s experience at the Digital Shootout in 2023, including the photos and video she shot using the skills she developed at the event below. By: Sophie Rose Dalrymple My dive instructor gifted me my first underwater camera setup a little over two years ago when he retired. During those two years, with the help of the Backscatter staff in Monterey, I saw my photography slowly get better and better. However, during my time at the Digital Shootout, I saw my photography skills increase more in two weeks than in those entire two years. Not only that but I got the chance to learn videography surrounded by experts. I had never approached videography before but one of my professional goals is to work in wildlife filmmaking so I knew this was my chance to get started. Something that would have taken me months to learn, such as post-production skills, took me days to get the hang of with the help of the Shootout staff. Not only did I get to learn and improve my technical skills in both photography and videography, but I was able to work on my creative skills as well. With the help of wildlife filmmaker Cristian Dimitrius, I learned how to follow and capture marine life in a way that tells a story to the audience. I was taught how to connect viewers to the underwater world and elicit an emotional response to the stories these animals are telling us. By the end of the shootout, I had produced some of my best wide angle and macro photos and completed my first short film titled “Rosie the Jawfish”. Rosie the Jawfish by Sophie Rose Dalrymple Another massive learning experience was the equipment. Between the Backscatter, Isotta, and Nauticam crew, there was an impressive array of cameras, accessories, lights, and pretty much anything a photographer’s heart desires. As someone who had been working in stills up until now, it was incredible to get to try out some top-notch video rigs. I got the chance to try different operating systems, video lighting setups, tripods, different housing brands, and even some professional cinema gear such as external monitors. All these experiences allowed me to understand the behind-the-scenes of what it really takes to produce a good video. These experiences also helped me to realize my own preferences in terms of gear. Often times as photographers and videographers we will spend days or even months researching the best gear. But what works for one person might not work for another. Getting the chance to try out an array of professional equipment is a rare opportunity and something very special to the Digital Shootout. Using what I learned from trying many different setups I will be able to tailor my next rig to exactly fit my own needs. I dove, I attended classes, I edited, I had the time of my life and after two weeks, it was time to say goodbye to Little Cayman. I was devastated to leave. If I could stay there floating in those turquoise waters forever, I would. Reflecting on how the Digital Shootout has changed me, before this experience I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I was scared to approach topics like video because of the steep learning curve and I just didn't know where to start. I had no idea how to get started with different types of gear systems, post production, storytelling, and advanced photography techniques. But thanks to the support of the Shootout staff I gained confidence in my own ability to learn. Through the classes, one on one support, and encouragement of those around me I now feel like I posses the tools needed to continue to advance my photography and videography skills outside of the Digital Shootout. The shootout gave me the determination to continue on with my learning and to not be scared of trying something new. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to learn from some of the best photographers and filmmakers in the industry, meet some incredible people, and have been given the honor of carrying on the legacy of Paul L. Schutt as the first Paul L. Schutt Underwater photography intern. I intend to continue on with my ambitions to become a wildlife filmmaker through more training, experimentation, and hard work. I would like to extend a huge thank you to the Backscatter crew for not only putting on such an incredible event but for inviting me into their community, and supporting the next generation of photographers and filmmakers through this internship. Phase Two: Macro Diving at Anilao Philippines Rose went to Crystal Blue for an intensive macro shooting experience with professional shooter Mike Bartick. Stay tuned for more updates on her experience. Sophie Rose Dalrymple (Rose), grew up in Pasadena, California, and currently attends the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) as a marine biology major. She has developed an extensive background in marine science while pursuing her degree. At UCSC, Rose worked for the Raimondi-Carr Lab as the head undergraduate researcher and the Kroeker and Beltran Labs as a field technician. She also served as a board member for the nonprofit Sunflower Star Laboratory and interned for the nonprofit Sea Turtles Forever. In 2021, she earned her AAUS Scientific Diver certification, which led to her acceptance into three advanced field courses that allowed her to conduct her own research projects. Follow Rose's journey here.Related PostsComplete Guide For GoPro HERO13 Best Underwater Video & Photo Settings The GoPro HERO 13 Black is the best camera from GoPro to date and is our favorite action camera. 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