David Schott
Emmy Award Winning Underwater Cameraman, Technical Diver & Explorer
Biography
David Schott is a professional underwater cameraman, 3D Camera Operator and Technical diver. Diving since 1999 he has logged thousands of dives both open water and technical. He holds certifications in Trimix, Full Cave, Rescue, Ice diving and several Closed Circuit Rebreathers. Living and working in the Philadelphia area, he first became actively involved in Northeast wreck diving. He then earned his full cave certification and began diving cave systems in Florida and Mexico.
After numerous technical dives, Dave realized the need to switch to closed circuit rebreathers in order to extend bottom times for videography on deep and technical cave dives. Now with thousands of hours on theMegalodon Rebreather, he has the comfort, technical ability, and skills needed for deep dives in many challenging environments ranging from the shallows of the Caribbean to depths in excess of 400 feet off of New Jersey, as well as North and Central American Cave systems.
David has worked on many projects with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s (WHOI) Advanced Imaging and Visualization (AIVL) laboratory including NOAA’s “Project Shiphunt” in Lake Huron and the 2011 Battle of the Atlantic Expedition documenting the historic wrecks in North Carolina. Dave has been diving and documenting many famous shipwrecks including the USS Monitor, the Andrea Doria and participated in the 2010 Titanic Expedition.
He is currently working as one of the primary underwater videographers documenting the exploration of the deepest cave in the United States at over 400 feet deep. He also worked as a stereographer for the first Discovery commissioned 3D program and many other 3D programs both in-air and underwater. He has experience shooting aerials from planes and airships, trekking through the swamp, and diving under 6ft of ice for the perfect shot. David has worked as a model, safety diver, underwater camera operator, stereographer, and topside videographer on documentaries and educational DVD’s from the caves of Florida to the beaches of Hawaii.
Dave earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics/Public Policy at Lebanon Valley College. He completed his MBA at Widener University with a concentration in Finance and Marketing in 2004. Dave commits his time and availability to the management and projects of Liquid Productions.
David has won five Emmy Awards and an Edward R. Murrow for his work.
David is also a Fellow in the Explorers Club, a member of the Karst Underwater Research team, National Association for Cave Diving, as well as a member of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
| Client | Production Title | Services | Link |
| Discovery Channel | Canada Daily Planet : Season 23 Ep25 | Feature segment on my Great Lakes Photography. | Link |
| SEIKO | “Watch Time” Display in Gotham Hall, NY. | 20 foot long ice diving image | |
| SEIKO Watches | Special Edition Ice Diver Campaign | Photographer, Model and logistics coordinator for Special Edition Ice Diver campaign shooting images under ice in Michigan, USA | |
| National Geographic | Untitled | Underwater Cameraman & Lighting in Mexico Cave Holtun. | |
| Pure Imagination Studios | National Geographic 360 degree theater project | Underwater Cameraman shot to obtain both 6k and 360 underwater footage for 3 weeks with sea lions, giant pacific octopus and wolf eels in British Columbia, CA | |
| NBC Nightly News | Underwater Director of Photography :Exclusive access shooting & Diving in the remote island Palmyra Atoll in the South Pacific with host Harry Smith on full face mask audio. Story on coral health & bleaching. | ||
| Flex Seal | Flex Seal Colors Commercial | Underwater Assistant Cameraman. Turned a 1940’s classic truck into a submarine | Link |
| Travel Channel | Americas Great Outdoors | Underwater Cameraman & Lighting. Underwater Caves of Florida. MacGillivray Freeman Films | |
| NBC Today Show | Sinkholes Burried Alive | Underwater Cameraman with Correspondent Kerry Sanders at Devils Den Cavern, Williston FL | |
| Travel Channel | World Access | Underwater Director of Photography: The Missile Silo in Washington state deep in the dessert 1×60 episodes | |
| Travel Channel | World Access | Underwater Director of Photography: Bonne Terre Mine 1×60 episode exploring the underground flooded mines with trains, tools, and the city. | |
| RED BULL | Explorers Series “The Crystal Labyrinth” | Underwater Cameraman shooting in extreme underwater environments deep underground following explorer Brian Kakuk in the Crystal Caves of Abaco. 1×60 documentary. Shot with Reelwater Productions | Link |
| National Geographic | Hitler’s Secret Attack on America | Underwater 3D camera operator, documenting 250+ foot deep shipwrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. | |
| CBS | Cave Diving Beyond the Limits | 4-part cave diving series. A short series on the unfortunate father/son death at Eagles Nest Sink, Training, Exploration and a cave rescue | |
| CNN / ABC / CBS / FOX / NBC | Eagles Nest Cave | Stock footage used in a national story where a father & son passed away on Christmas day. | |
| Weather Channel | Catching Hell | Underwater Cameraman 10x60min episodes. Commercial Spearfishing reality show shot in the Gulf of Mexico. | |
| BBC | Cloud Lab | Underwater Camera / Lighting / Safety | |
| Duracell | Quantum Heros | Underwater Camera Assistant / Lighting / Safety Coordinator for a Quantum battery commercial featuring the heroic actions of an underwater cave rescue. Aired on CNN. | |
| Animal Planet | Underworld | Underwater Cameraman & Dive Logistics. Repelling 60ft into caves in the jungle of Mexico to discover Maya artifacts and human remains. | |
| National Geographic Channel | Mayan Underworld: The Real Doomsday | Underwater Cameraman / Diving Logistics. | |
| Discovery Channel | Bering Sea Gold: Under the Ice | Underwater Cameraman. Diving in extreme conditions under ice in 27.5F /-2.5C degree waters of the Bering Sea. ×5 episodes (Original Productions). | |
| National Geographic | Hitlers Secret Attack on America | Underwater 3D camera operator, documenting 250+ foot deep shipwrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. | |
| SKY TV & A&E | Titanic: 100 Years in 3D | (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution / Lone Wolf Documentary Group) Topside 3D cameraman. | |
| Lake Champlain Maritime Museum | Spitfire | Underwater lighting & UW still photographer documenting in 3D Benedict Arnold’s lost gunboat from 1776 | |
| Speedo | Fastskin 3 Photoshoot | Underwater Dive Team, lighting, and safety for still photography shoot with Olympic athletes Michael Phelps & Ryan Lochte | |
| National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) | 2011 Battle of the Atlantic Expedition | Underwater 3D camera operator, technical diver for documenting the USS Monitor, E.M. Clark and other historic wrecks. Air date 11/2012 on National Geographic | |
| Current TV | Project Shiphunt | (Radical Media / NOAA / WHOI) Underwater 3D cameraman & Still photographer 315feet deep in 34 degree water. | |
| 3Net | Bahamas Crystal Caves | Underwater assistant 3D camera, and underwater lighting. | |
| 3Net | Diving with Wild Dolphins | Underwater support, safety diver, and logistics. Bimini, Bahamas | |
| SeaWorld Orlando | 3D of Blue Horizons Dolphin Show Commercial | Topside & Underwater 3D cameraman. | |
| Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution / NOAA | Director of Photography, Documenting Orca Whales from an Airship for scientific research. | ||
| Discovery Channel | Attack of the Giant Jellyfish 3D | Topside & Underwater Stereographer. Hawaii | |
| CBS News | A rare look into Eagles Nest Cave | Underwater Cameraman & underwater lighting in 300 feet deep cave. ** 2011 NATAS Emmy Award Winner ** |
Publications
- 2018 Sport Diver Magazines 100 Best (Belize, Cedarville, Norman wrecks).
- 2017 InfoSuperior Podcast http://infosuperior.com/blog/2017/10/02/podcastphotos-gunilda-great-lakes-deep-diving-pinnacle/
- 2017 DIVER Mag: Interview with Jim Standing : Fourth Element
- 2017 Sport Diver Magazine – Dutch Springs 2-page Feature
- 2017 Scuba Diving Magazine – Shooting Stars top 5 Favorite photographers
- 2017 Cover Scuba Diver Mag UK – Norman
- 2017 Scuba Diver UK Mag – Interview & Images pages 78-82
- 2017 DIVER Cover July 2017 Poor Knights Islands NZ
- 2017 Asian Geographic 360 Interview
- 2017 Wreck Diving Magazine Aug issue Daniel J. Morrell article
- 2017 XRay Magazine – Presque Isle Wrecks & Milwaukee Wrecks & Cover.
- 2017 Federation Magazine Great Lakes Article (Germamy)
- 2017 Scuba Diving Magazine Dutch springs
- 2017 Scuba Diving Magazine Cover (Cave diver)
- 2017 Alert Diver “Dutch Springs”
- 2016 Cover Federation Magazine (Germany) & feature inside
- 2016 DIVER Magazine “Daniel J. Morrell” Article
- 2016 DIVER Magazine “Bucket List”
- 2016 Diver Magazine Cover “Top 10 Snorkeling Destinations”
- Wreck Diving Magazine – Issue #38 – Cover Image and Article on Photographing Presque Isle Shipwrecks
- Diver Medic – Cover Image February 2016 Issue
- DIVER Magazine – 2 page spread about Crystal River Manatees Volume 40
- Alert Diver Magazine – Images used in 2 articles in Spring 2015 Issue
- Scuba Diving Magazine – Contributing photographer for “Side mount cave diving in the Dominican Republic” 2014 (link)
- Mar Alliance – Still photos to document shark tagging and research
- Birds Underwater Dive Center – Website images (link)
- DIVER Magazine – Cover shot of Becky By David Schott Article by Michael Meduno volume 38 issue 2
- Light Monkey – Product Photo shoot for web, tradeshow booths, brochures, and marketing materials.
- Fourth Element – Product Photo shoot
- DiveRite – Product Photo shoot
- Santi Diving Equipment – Product Photo shoot
- InnerSpace Systems Corp – Photos used for web and tradeshow booths
- Hammerhead CCR – Product Photo shoot for web, tradeshow booths, brochures, and marketing materials.
- Quest – Journal of Global Underwater Explorers – Vol. 13, No.2 Cover shot & Contributing Author & Images “The Right Camera for the Job” 5/2012
- Wreck Diving Magazine – Issue #26 Images published in “Project Shiphunt” article 2/2012
- Wreck Diving Magazine – Issue #26 Images published “Sworn to Secrecy” Japan wreck Expedition 2/2012
- National Geographic – “Dancing with Dolphins” Image published November 2011
- EK Productions – Underwater still photographer for piece on the famous U-869 wreck off NJ -2011
- Florida’s Eden Pure Water Wilderness Scenic Guide Water Awareness Campaign 2009 – 6 images published
- Woods Hole Productions – Underwater Photo Shot of AUV/ROV Nereus in Grand Cayman -2009
- Advanced Diver Magazine – Tiger Shark Article & Images “Tiger Beach” Issue #31 & Issue #32 2009
- Cave Diving Articles & Opinions Book by Jill Heinerth – Several underwater cave images published -2009
- Advanced Diver Magazine – Featured underwater photographer (issue #25)
- MidWest Airlines – Magazine advertisment 8/2007
Awards
- 2014 – 4 NATAS Emmy Awards for “Cave Diving: Beyond the Limit Special” Technical Achievement, PromoTrailer.
- 2011 – 1 NATAS Emmy Award for Eagles Nest Cave story
- 2011 – RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Journalism
- 2011 – National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest winner (published in Nov/Dec 2011 Issue)
- 2011 – Dive Photo Guide Photo Contest winner for Freshwater
- 2011 – Dive Rite Photo Contest 2nd place
- 2011 – Kodak Photo of the month of June -worldwide contest
- 2010 – Dive Rite Photo Contest 2nd place
- 2009 – Kodak Photo of the month of November – worldwide contest
- 2006 – UnderwaterPhotography.com Bronze medal winner in Diver Category. Worldwide photography competition
- 2005 – Florida AP Award for “Best Spot News”
Scuba Certifications
- Megalodon Rebreather CCR
- Trimix CCR
- Cave Diver
- Rescue / CPR
- Technical Dive Master
- Master Diver
- Ice Diver
- Nitrox
- Decompression Proceedures
- Trimix
- Drysuit
- Sidemount
- Diver Propulsion Vehicle
- KISS Rebreather
- Pathfinder Rebreather
- Advanced Diver
- Deepest dive – 400 feet, 8 hour dive
