The folks from Backscatter asked that I share a write-up/recap about my experience at the Shootout, and I figured I would also post it here. Enjoy!
As the 2025 Boston Sea Rovers Summer Intern, I have the incredible opportunity to travel the world learning from world class professionals in all different fields of diving. When I heard that I would be heading to Bonaire for the Digital Shootout at the beginning of my summer, I was both really excited, and really nervous. I am brand new to underwater photography, although it’s always been an interest of mine and something I’d love to explore.
I showed up to the Shootout with a suitcase full of dive gear and clothes, and a case of camera equipment I had been treating a bit like an explosive out of fear that I would break something. While I was a bit overwhelmed at the beginning, the Shootout team was ready and helped each of us configure our rigs and settings before our first day of diving. For my Internship, Backscatter lent me an Olympus TG-7 camera and housing, a Backscatter MiniFlash and snoot, and a wide angle lens — and as I got more comfortable I had the opportunity to explore other configurations of arms, strobes, and video lights through the demo gear available at the Shootout!
By far my favorite thing about the Shootout is that anyone of any skill level benefits from it. As a new photographer, I definitely came leaps and bounds in my own understanding of photography, but I talked to plenty of more experienced shooters who felt the same way. It truly is a “you get out what you put in” type of event, in the best way. There’s so much to do and so much to learn, and you can cater your experience to your wants and needs. With three boat dives offered each day, and unlimited 24/7 access to the house reef, it’s easy to get extra shooting practice in. If you need tech support, you can head to the classroom in the afternoon for the Creative Cave – a place to work and get help or advice from Shootout staff. My personal schedule looked a lot like this: breakfast, two boat dives, lunch (recharge batteries), dive the house reef and/or head to the Creative Cave, download and edit, seminars, dinner, nightly critique session, set up tomorrow’s gear, more edits, sleep, repeat. Definitely busy, but full of new experiences and surprises every day, like the bait ball we found at one of the dive sites, or the mind-blowing tarpon night dives thanks to a brilliant fake moon setup at the house reef by Cristian Dimitrius and the rest of the Shootout staff!
Alongside the diving, we had two seminars each night on photo, video, storytelling, or post-processing techniques, each led by one of the incredibly knowledgeable members of the Shootout crew. Each class opened my mind a little bit more to the possibilities and gave me even more ideas and tools for my (metaphorical) photography toolkit. With the alternating schedule of seminars and dives, I was able to apply the skills I was learning in real time, and always with guidance from the pros.
The Shootout staff were an amazing resource throughout the event, and they were always willing to help answer my questions, troubleshoot an issue, or brainstorm new ideas. For my “final product” of the Shootout, I decided to make a short video featuring Christmas Tree Worms, which I’ve always found very entertaining and surprisingly inspiring. I want to thank Cristian Dimitrius for giving me the courage and inspiration to tackle video, and for working through the various iterations of my storyboards with me. I’m also grateful to Joel Penner for helping me learn the ropes of DaVinci Resolve and for saving me with his computer-wizard magic when my laptop decided it wanted out. Thank you also to Erin Quigley, whose talk on her personal photography journey inspired me to keep experimenting and having fun, and who introduced me to the quotes I used in my video.
I’m incredibly grateful to Backscatter for such an incredible opportunity and for their support of the Boston Sea Rovers Internship. I have so many more people to thank! Thank you to Berkley White and Becca Boring for inviting me to the Shootout and for supporting my growth and making sure I had everything I needed along the way. Thank you to Berkley, Dan Baldocci, and Jim Decker for putting together such an incredible event. Thank you to Cristian for keeping the creative spark of the Shootout bright, and to Erin for offering her skills, mentorship, and great sense of humor. Joel and Jen Penner were so much fun to spend time with, and always there to lend a helping hand. And of course, thank you to James, Thomas, Hergen, and Todd for great conversations and for help in the gear room.
Not only was it amazing to learn from such renowned pros, but I also had a blast connecting with participants and staff alike. Our boat Pressure Drop was a fantastic group, and spending time in and out of the water with Christina, Vicky, and Jemma (the OWUSS Intern) made the experience even more fun.
I am so incredibly grateful for all the people at the Shootout, staff and participants alike, who made this event so rewarding. It was amazing to learn from other photographers of all levels, and I can hardly believe how much I had the opportunity to learn. What a way to kick off my photography journey! I’m so excited to keep shooting.
— Sofia