Underwater Creator Academy — Early Access (Lifetime Founder Pricing)
what is the underwater creator academy
The Underwater Creator Academy is a step-by-step training program by Return to the Ocean that helps divers, ocean lovers, and aspiring creators learn underwater photography, underwater videography, and conservation storytelling.
It’s built for people who want more than pretty footage. You’ll learn how to capture the ocean with purpose, create stronger images and films, and tell stories that help protect marine life.
The UCA Consists of 2 Parts – The Free Community and the Premium Classroom.
Learn underwater photo, video, and conservation storytelling
Inside the Underwater Creator Academy, you’ll learn the practical skills that make the biggest difference underwater:
Underwater camera fundamentals: settings, exposure, focus, and working with natural light
Underwater videography techniques: stable shots, movement, framing, and sequencing
Storytelling for conservation: how to plan a story, shoot with intention, and edit for impact
Ethical ocean content creation: creating without harming wildlife or habitats
Real-world workflows: how to go from dive plan to final export with a repeatable process
Whether you’re shooting on a mirrorless camera, action cam, or compact setup, the goal is the same: make your underwater content clearer, more cinematic, and more meaningful.
Who the Underwater Creator Academy is for
The Academy is designed for:
Divers who want to level up their underwater photography and video
Beginners who feel overwhelmed by settings, colour, and underwater conditions
Creators who want to build a portfolio with a purpose
Ocean advocates who want to share conservation stories that people actually watch and remember
Anyone who wants to create content that inspires action for the ocean
Why the Underwater Creator Academy exists
Return to the Ocean exists to help people wear the change and create conservation-first stories.
The Underwater Creator Academy is an extension of that mission: giving more people the skills to document the ocean responsibly, highlight threatened species, and create work that supports marine protection.
It’s not a one-click preset or a shortcut. It’s the tools, frameworks, and essential knowledge you need to excel as an underwater creator—so you can switch between photo and video with confidence, and focus on what matters most: telling the ocean’s story.
The creator behind the Underwater Creator Academy
The Underwater Creator Academy was created by Jake Mason (@jakemasondiving) after combining a background as a Dive Instructor with years of experience as an underwater content creator.
Jake doesn’t label himself strictly as an underwater photographer or underwater videographer—because he moves between both. The goal has always been bigger than a single format: to tell the ocean’s story in a way that people feel, remember, and act on.
Entirely self-taught, Jake built the Academy to pass on what he’s learned the hard way—so you can avoid common mistakes, progress faster, and create stronger work with purpose.
What youll get in the uca
The Academy is built around clear, structured courses (with easy-to-follow lessons, screenshots, and infographics), plus a Resource Vault you can use on real projects.
Courses included
Start Here: The Underwater Creator Academy
Underwater Creator Starter Kit
Core Concepts (Photo + Video)
Action Camera Mastery
Underwater Pro: Settings & Techniques
Ocean Drone Mastery (Photo + Video)
Lightroom Photo Editing for Ocean Creators
DaVinci Resolve for Ocean Creators
Publishing Your Work
Resource Vault (PowerGrades, export templates, project templates, presets and more!)
Learn on the go (no extra cost)
Everything is delivered through the Skool app, so you can learn on the go for no additional cost.
Over time, the Academy will continue to expand—including video lessons added alongside the written lessons—so you have multiple ways to learn.
Start Creating underwater stories that matter
If you’ve ever come back from a dive knowing you saw something incredible—but your footage didn’t match what it felt like—this is for you.
The Underwater Creator Academy helps you build the skills to capture the moment, shape the story, and share it in a way that supports the ocean.
Ready to learn underwater photography, underwater videography, and conservation storytelling? Join the Underwater Creator Academy and start creating with purpose.