OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Doctor Doug White, PhD.

 

Story Number SEVEN – Brooks Institute - Underwater Photography

In 1967 I attended the first course of instruction ever offered in underwater photography by
Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara California. 
This was an intense course ( full-time ) and I took leave from the U.S. Marine Corps to attend.

I got to meet some notable people in the Underwater photo area. My diving partner was Neil Montanus,
Chief Diving Photographer for Eastman Kodak. 

Jim and Kathy Church who went on to write the underwater photographic articles
appearing monthly in Skin Diver Magazine.

It was a great experience and it started my career as a professional underwater photographer
and course instructor in underwater stills and motion picture production.

At that time I was owner / operator of Universal Diving School in Chicago, Illinois, teaching scuba diving,
sky diving and para-diving. I became a nationally certified N.A.U.I. scuba instructor and also taught
water safety and survival-Vietnam Area for the U.S. Marine Corps. Along with this I had won a number of
prize trophies and awards for my work in the field of photography and underwater photography.

My first course of instruction in underwater photography was sponsored by the North County Diving Club
in Oceanside, California. This course started on August 15th, 1968 and ran for 12 weeks at a cost of $60 per student.

Each student received a graduation certificate, a volume of underwater photographic information
and a portfolio of underwater pictures taken by the individual student. This course was offered to the
general public and certified divers.

A complete success, this course paved the way for a multitude of courses to follow, everything from
basic principles to motion picture production.

Upon returning to Chicago, after my honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, I taught the first underwater
photographic course ever offered in the Midwest area. The course was sponsored by Sea Sun Sports in
Berwyn, Illinois. This was an eight week course at $60 per person open to certified divers only.

Many courses followed with Sea Sun Sports, including other dive shops like Berry Distributors ( Pier II ),
 Undersea Divers Supply and Elmer's Water Sports, to name just a few.

In May 1970, because of the great response, we started UPICC ( Underwater Photographic Instructors
Certification Course ). A great article in Skin Diver Magazine drew a large response and we were on our way
to teaching throughout the Midwest and the nation.

Since we started teaching in other states, this brought about the two-day underwater photo course taught
all day Saturday and Sunday. Next came our annual underwater photo seminar held at the 
John G. Shedd Aquarium and McCormick Place.

Each year the seminar grew bigger and bigger and well-known speakers packed the auditoriums.

Some of the notables were Thomas Stack, Chief Advertising Photographer for Dacor Corporation,
Ike Brigham owner of Ikelite Manufacturing, Bates Littlehales, Chief Diving Photographer for National Geographic,
Dimitri Rebikoff, Underwater Explorer and Manufacturer of Ocean Systems, Jack McKenny, Editor of 
Skin-Diver Magazine and Dick Anderson, Movie Producer and Humorist.

Our seminars led to the organization of a huge annual program entitled
"OUR WORLD UNDERWATER"
which was a community effort from those of us in the scuba community.

For complete information about this program held in the Midwest Area go to:

http://www.ourworldunderwater.com 

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SPECIAL NOTE: There is no limit to the opportunities available for making a contribution to yourself and your
community. This is only one of the many contributions I was fortunate to be able to make to the scuba diving and
underwater photography community. CDW.
 
“I work with people who want to live a longer, healthier, happier and more prosperous lifestyle,
to any age they choose.” CDW.
 
Make contact today 1- (Info@DrDougWhite.com)
 
Out of the U.S. send me an e-mail AbetterLife@DrDougWhite.com and list your name,
phone number and the best time to call and I will make contact to get you started. CDW.