Dive & Photo - Costa Mesa, California

Ari Sanchez

Stopped by here to rent some gear a couple weeks ago, and was so thankful for their longer hours open compared to other shops. The man who helped me out was quick, kind, and helpful! I will say the BCD I rented was tricky to use compared to other styles, but the wetsuit was really cute and fit perfectly. Loved how fast the pick up/drop off was, and prices were reasonable!

Patrick Walsh

I recently had the pleasure of taking the open water scuba diving course with Andy Kunig. Andy's extensive experience, passion for diving, and sense of humor made the certification process truly enjoyable. In the short amount of time I had with Andy I gained a great amount of knowledge, skills, and confidence in my abilities. Aside from a great instructor Andy is an all around great guy. I have my fingers crossed when I'm ready for my advanced certification Andy will be available to guide me through the process.

BigChrys Thomas

When we needed 20 tanks filled at the last minute Dive and Photo came through. We at Cal Poly Pomona had dive training out of Corona Del Mar. With a group that large we were in dire need to have fresh tanks. Dave and Photo filled all of our tanks and allowed us to purchase items while we waited.

ANDREW BRAUN

5/5. I got my SDI certification with Mike Faust from this shop and he was very detail oriented. I shopped around with other SDI-based dive shops in SoCal (from North West LA all the way to San Diego) and this shop, for training, had the best value (Instructors are detailed, classes are small from 2-4ish people for pool sessions / ocean dives). Mike definitely grilled me on some of the initial pool session exercises (a good thing) because of equipment mishaps (on my part) and time limits we were hitting.

If you're a NOOBIE diver, I would recommend stopping by the shop, chit-chatting about equipment, what works / doesn't work. Before even coming to the pool sessions, make sure your equipment is a 100% good fit! The instructors definitely put quality and a plan in each each training session -- I could tell Mike had a mental schedule of which and how and what exercises to do and in which order.

Another thing I noticed -- when talking to other SDI dive shops in SoCal, other shops were asking for $1300ish and would plan to have 8(+?) students (and potentially different ones each session) and were less organized than Dive & Photo when speaking on the phone / over email. This really stood out to me as a potential student and it's ultimately the reason why I chose Dive & Photo. I'm sure there are other amazing shops in the area! SDI has a smaller community however.

Highly recommend this shop and will probably get my Nitrox Certification (when and if) I'm ready for that.

The owner Ludek is also very knowledgable, and the other employees can talk to you for hours if you'd like about diving tips (as long as there aren't other customers haha).

5/5, thanks Dive & Photo!

Leah Letenyei

Major shout out to instructor Andy Kunig. He is truly the best of the best. Teaches a wide range of courses and has made all of my certifications a breeze to acquire, not to mention he is a blast to work with! My experiences getting certified through him have far exceeded my expectations, even with a few bumps in the road along the way (i.e., weather, bad dive conditions). Andy handles every challenge with grace and I look forward to continuing education with him.

Morning Dive

Working with Ludek at Dive & Photo to get my Sea n Sea housing ready for my shoot within a days time was incredible!! He cares about his customers and wants them to succeed in whatever Adventures they are taking! Thank you Ludek!!

Ed Williams

Ludek took one look at me and suggested a wetsuit that fit perfectly. Have since been back for a variety of accessories and he always has the ideal item in stock. Also have rented a tank so I can get my setup sorted out in the pool. Great service!

Thomas Fitzgerald

I can’t say enough about Dive and Photo, this shop not only has a great in stock selection or can get anything you need in a timely fashion, they are knowledgeable, patient, and very easy to deal with. I have been to many other shops and have found that I keep choosing to come back to Dive and Photo. Ludek has treated me as a friend and not just a customer from day one, I chose to do my Advanced Open Water course(s) with Mike from Dive and Photo and was blown away at the time, detail, and communication that he put forth, bending over backwards to meet my schedule. Making sure that I understood and could apply my training, It has been a night and day experience from other shops that I have been to and dealt with in the past. This is why Dive and Photo is my “Home” dive shop from now on. I truly appreciate you and your crew.