What is the Digital Shootout?
The Digital Shootout is a week long underwater photography workshop. Meet fellow beginner and advanced shooters and rub elbows with our team of professional photographers and industry experts for a week long program that includes free digital demo gear with professional assistance and critiques, and hands-on workshops.
Our experts will empower you with the essential skills of Adobe Photoshop. Who knows, you might even win great prizes in our digital imaging contest. You don't want to miss this opportunity to shave years off the learning curve while blowing bubbles in paradise.
The Digital Shootout might just be the best experience of your diving year!

Where and when is the Digital Shootout?
April 1-9 2006 at the Palau Pacific Resort. Palau boasts some of the best diving in the world and offers great photo opportunities.

Do I need my own underwater camera to come to the Digital Shootout?
No. Even if you have never taken an underwater photo before you can still have fun at the DSO. Sign up for the digital demo day and we’ll provide a camera and housing for you to try for the day. This is a great way to try before you buy.

Should I bring my laptop computer to the Digital Shootout?
Absolutely yes! To a digital photographer the laptop computer serves as storage device and digital darkroom. Once the images are saved on the hard drive you can use software such as Adobe Photoshop to edit your photos. Our staff will be on hand to teach you how to make those good shots great. Don't miss out. Be sure to bring along those accessories like USB cables and PCM/CIA cards too.

What if I do not have a laptop?
You will still learn a lot about digital photography at the Shootout. We will have a few laptops to share for those that do not have one so you will be able to review your images daily and select your submissions for the contest.

What am I going to learn at the Digital Shootout?
The Digital Shootout offers instruction and seminars on all aspects of underwater digital photography. You will learn camera set up and maintenance, shooting techniques, the principals of composition, editing and image processing with Adobe Photoshop, workflow and file management, as well as slide show and presentation options. With daily access to the photo pros you will be able to get one-on-one help with any particular technique you like or get some special help on any difficulties you may have.

What Photoshop techniques will I learn at the shootout?
Photoshop is a monster program but we’ll show you how to keep it under control and teach you the techniques that every underwater photographer needs to know. From downloading, renaming and filing your images to creating adjustment layers, sharpening, cropping, using layer masks, resizing images for print and e-mail, creating automated processes to organizing output files. We’ll start off simple for the beginners and then get a little more advanced for the experienced users. We’ll even go one on one with you to make sure you take your Photoshop knowledge to the next level or two.

I already know everything I need to know about underwater photography. Why should I come to the Digital Shootout?
With the ever changing world of digital photography we’re sure you’ll pick up at least a thing or two. Even our team of experts are always learning new techniques or discovering new ways to make old jobs easier. But in addition to the technology The Digital Shootout creates a learning environment that will easily inspire any photographer. Sharing your images each night and seeing those of your fellow shooters has an amazing effect on your creativity. Often we will see two images of the same subject shot very differently and it opens the minds of the other photographers to give another technique a try. Don’t go off on a trip all by yourself, come join the group and learn from the others.

What are the prizes in the photo contest?
We offer some of the greatest prizes of any photo contest on the planet. A complete list of prizes will be available soon. It’s gonna be good!!

What if I still shoot film, can I come to the Digital Shootout?
Sure, but we’ll make you sit in the back. Just kidding! Film shooters are definitely welcome at the Digital Shootout. All of the underwater photo techniques seminars cover topics that apply to both film and digital shooters, and if you are interested in making the switch to digital then the Shootout is a great place to learn what your options are. Try a digital camera at the Digital Demo Day, sharp shoot our team of experts with any questions you may have, and talk to your fellow shooters. I’m sure they will have a lot to say about their experiences going digital.