Mike was my instructor. I was nervous starting the class. However with Mike's guidance and instructions the whole course was great. Mike even worked around my schedule. The rest of the staff at Dive & Photo was great too! I'd definitely recommend this place to get your PADI certification. read more

Best diving school and shop. Good service and so nice educational skill. I and my two kids all enjoyed very much to have them from A to Z.

These guys are AWESOME! Bob and Ludek are super friendly and it's easy to tell that they love what they do. It really reflects on their customer service and it's an enjoyable shop just to go hang out in, look at some photos of their recent dives, and chat about upcoming trips. I got my certification through them a couple weeks ago and it was so much fun, I can't wait to get back out there. Mike was my instructor and besides from being a great diver, he's fun just to hang out with after the dives and relax. It shows how good of an instructor he is that you remember all the skills even when you get out in the ocean and the visibility is 50+ feet with amazing kelp stalks and cool fish all around to steal your focus. I highly recommend going out to Catalina for some of your dives if you're getting certified or just ask them to hook you up with a group that's heading out there. It was unreal out there! Again, these guys are the best! Thanks for everything! read more

My wife and I just got certified here. I had a jr certification already, but my experience at dive & photo was so much better. We had Mike as our instructor and he was very knowledgable, professional, and helpful. He went out of his way to make sure we enjoyed diving. Ludeck and Robert are very helpful and friendly. We will be coming back here for all of our scuba needs. read more

Just got certified about 3 1/2 weeks ago by Todd Marsh. He was excellent. I was referred to Todd through Dive & Photo. I found Dive & Photo through Yelp and I compared the pricing with other places and the reviews were all positive. The pricing to get certified seemed to be highly competitive and their equipment pricing was inline or cheaper than the large sporting goods store down the street, which was offering group classes. Todd, my instructor, was very accommodating in helping me to get certified on somewhat short notice (my fault for procrastinating). My class size was very small (2 other people) and my certification dives consisted of one other person on the first day and then just Todd and me on the second day. I opted for beach dives in Laguna instead of going to Catalina since time was an issue. Visibility was poor but we still got it done. Todd was an excellent instructor and I finished confident in my ability to scuba dive. I just returned from my trip to Lanai where I completed my first post-certification dives. Although I went down twice as deep as my certification dives, the vacation dives were effortless compared to the certification process but I guess that's the way it should be. In summary, I couldn't imagine paying the same amount or more to go through a large class somewhere else. The people at Dive & Photo were helpful and made the process very easy, and my instructor was everything you would hope for - experienced, knowledgeable, thorough, etc. I highly recommend them and my instructor! read more

I've never written a review on yelp before but I felt a strong need to do so after such a positive experience my finance and I had with our scuba instructor Mike Faust at Dive and Photo. We took private lessons and Mike could not have been more flexible and accommodating to our crazy schedules. To be quite honest, I did not know if I was going to pass all skills of being certified in scuba (because of claustrophobia) but I truly feel it was because of Mikes positivity, experience as an instructor, excellent teaching and communication skills, I felt comfortable under his instruction and successfully passed all skills and became certified in scuba. I can't say thank you enough to Mike and the great experience my fiancé and I had at Dive and Photo and I only wish my future instructors (in life) could be half as good as Mike. read more

My experience was great! Ludek was always helpful to me and my instructor Sherry was awesome! I have a crazy schedule and she was always willing to work with me and even spent extra time with me so that I could get my cert finished in time for my trip. I highly recommend this place and the instructors!! Thank you for everything! I will be back by the shop to share my diving adventures with you! read more

Lucky enough to become certified with Sherry Gagnon as my instructor. Incredibly awesome and extremely knowledgable diver. She's super patient and effortlessly understands the way her students learn in order to give valuable feedback for future improvement. The energy at this shop is very cool and they only sell what you need and don't push anything on you which made it very comfortable purchasing gear. Overall, a very positive experience :) read more

This shop is by far the best local shop ive been to. Ludek and sherry are always so accommodating and the always have the best recomendations. I wont go to any other shop! read more

Great full service dive shop. Needed to get certified for an upcoming trip to Fiji and of course I waited until the last minute. They got it done in 3 weeks time! Instructor Andy Kunig is the best. He'll make you feel safe and competent. read more

My experience with Dive & Photo was as pleasant as one could imagine. The staff and instructor that assisted me in becoming open water water certified were extremely helpful, patient, and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this business. read more

My boyfriend and I just finished the open water dive course to become certified. It was amazing! Jim was our instructor and he was so supportive and helpful! This was the first time I have ever been diving and I'm in love. We feel as though the course has really prepared us for diving in the future. We are both planning on going back to take the advanced divers courses. This is not a cheap sport, which is something to keep in mind, but the instruction and products are high quality. If diving is on your bucket list Dive and Photo is the place to go. The whole experience is worth the money. read more

Both Ludek and Mike have been excellent in helping my boyfriend and I become certified before our Maui trip. Ludek helped with scheduling our classes in the very limited time we had based on our availability. Mike was our instructor for the course. Mike was very personable, patient, knowledgeable, and made the course a lot of fun! He took the extra time to help his students based on their needs, and was always very positive, energetic, and patient. Mike definitely went above and beyond in making our scuba course personable and enjoyable, while also learning the skills and knowledge required to scuba dive safely. Mike was an amazing instructor on every level. Our experience was amazing because of Dive & Photo - they made this a very memorable experience. Dive & Photo has given us the tools needed to scuba dive safely while enjoying the beautiful natural habitat underwater. read more

My instructor was Mike Faust. An unbelievably thorough, detail-oriented both theoretically, and practically instructor. I was looking for a new pastime while the snow season is off and can't ski much around and I think I've found it. S C U B A rocks. read more

Dive and Photo is the BEST ! ! ! I called around to get info on scuba certification and got the hustle from a lot of shops. Jeanne Whelchel answered at Dive and Photo and immediately i knew i found the right shop. She answered all my questions with no pressure, was very informative and supportive. I signed up for lessons with my daughter shortly after . Through out the classroom work, pool sessions, and the ocean dives Jeanne was focused on teaching us everything we need to be competent divers and " do it right ". The price of the lessons included everything, even the roundtrip ferry to Catalina. If you buy your personal gear from them- mask, fins, snorkel, etc. they even waive the scuba equipment rental fees for the tank, bcd, wetsuit etc. Jeanne and the divemasters, are very knowledgeable, and helpful. Their love and excitement for scuba diving shows. They make you feel secure and confident at all times in the water. I highly recommend Dive and Photo for all your diving needs, whether its classes, gear, or even signing up for a boat trip, Ludek and Jeanne will steer you in the right direction. Thanks Jeanne for everything, I will definately see you again for advanced classes. read more

Great shop and great staff! I got certified through them, and as you can see, this is my first 5 star review. Great store, great prices and rentals for a day are much cheaper than at any other dive shop. Prices can vary but all scuba gear is expensive! Highly recommended! read more

Dive and photo is truly AMAZING. They were incredibly helpful when signing up for lessons and purchasing gear, I never felt pressured to purchase more than I needed/more expensive items. I cannot thank Sherry enough for being such a truly fantastic instructor, I always felt like I was safe and in good hands. She was very understanding about any concerns I had and great about answering my questions. Diving as part of a very small class size of 4 was an amazing and fun experience that I was sorry had to come to an end. I honestly cannot recommend Dive & Photo and Sherry as an instructor enough, they truly made my scuba certification an awesome experience! read more

We went through Dive & Photo to get our open water dive certifications, and the experience we had was fantastic. The dive shop itself was a pleasure to visit, as they helped us comfortably pick out gear and what would work best given our financial constraints without compromising quality. They didn't rush us at all, and they were always pleasant and helpful when we had questions (there's a lot of gear involved in scuba diving!!) The dive lessons given by the instructor Mike Faust were awesome! I cannot emphasize how patient and thorough he was. He was so, so helpful, experienced, and clearly loved diving - he gave us fantastic training and equipped us to be the safest divers we could be at this level. Like others have said, he is all about safety while having a good time. I had trouble with the regulator recovery and clearing in open water dive 1, and it initially made me quite weary of going back in to the ocean. I can't express how thankful I am that Mike was so patient and good at teaching; he even took it upon himself to give me a great pep talk and get me back in the ocean! He was more patient than any other teacher / coach I've had - and he worked through my fear of not being able to find or clear my regulator if I lost it under water, until I finally felt comfortable and confident doing the skill!! :P This was really key - and I feel if I had gone through another dive school or group-on, they may have rushed students through the skill and I would not be as prepared to handle an easily avoidable, yet potentially life threatening situation. This brings me to my favorite thing about learning from Mike -- he taught me a HUGE lesson in safety (mind you it took me thinking I was going to drown to learn this.) The lesson was that the best way to be safe and, therefore actually enjoy your dive, is to be prepared well beyond the needs of your dive, so that you will be calm and truly prepared if an unexpected challenge presents itself. Last thing - he also worked with my very short time frame, and even scheduled a back up dive day, so I could go through all the dives at my own pace and still get certified within about a week!!! Mike also enjoys getting to know all of his students, and takes a personal interest in their lives - so while you're getting trained very well to be a safe diver, you're also making a great friend :) .. an experience you can't really beat! read more

I just completed my Open Water Certification through Dive & Photo. John Rice was my instructor. He's got a relaxed, confident approach to his instruction that I appreciated. I had great classmates, too. As promised the class was capped at 4 people. We did our open water dives in Laguna and Catalina. Definitely worth the extra money to complete some of the dives off of Catalina! It was beautiful. I was a little worried about water temp this late in the season but that was not a factor at all. I'm very happy with the experience at Dive & Photo, overall. As many folks point out on here, Ludek is very knowledgable and friendly. He made me feel welcome right away. This is a store that clearly cares more about the sport/recreational enjoyment of SCUBA diving than they do about pushing you to buy something you may not need. They educate their customers. I, for one, am a loyal customer already! read more

There's a dive shop right down the street from me but I chose to use Dive & Photo for my PADI certification because of the outstanding reviews. My expectations were not only met, but surpassed! Mike F was an incredible coach and made me feel extremely comfortable from the minute I stepped in the pool to my final open water dive. I can't say enough good things about Dive & Photo and I wouldn't go anywhere else for my diving needs. read more

I love Dive & Photo. It's positively the best Dive Shop in all of Southern California. As far as recommending a SCUBA Instructor I would have to go with Matt Giver, hands down. I've been under his wing since Open Water all the way up to Divemaster and I'd have to say he's the most professional person I've ever had the chance to know, and very easy to talk too. If ever you're having trouble with learning something, he'll work with you until you figure it out. He is a great mentor and I hope someday to be as knowledgeable as he is on the sport. I definitely will continue to rise with his help and continue to pursue a career as a PADI Divemaster. read more

My husband and I researched a few places for scuba diving certification and we are very happy we went with Joe Liburdi's. As challenging as learning to scuba dive was, the rewards of successfully completing the course were multifold, and this was only possible with the right people. Joe and Carl were very attentive in helping us select our gear, answering all of our questions, and were just genuinely nice people. Our instructor, Mike Faust, is the best. He guided us through the classroom materials, pool skills, and ocean dives. He is very experienced, patient, and couldn't be a nicer guy. Most importantly, he is an extremely good teacher. He is committed to helping you get the most out of your experience. There really is no end-time for a lesson, he continues to spend time with you until you feel comfortable with whatever problems you may have, even if it means meeting up for an additional lession on another day if necessary. And he is as excited as you are after you've successfully completed all the dives necessary for certification. One more thing is that we live in LA, and Mike would return our tanks to the shop for us after every dive so we wouldn't have to go out of our way ...this was first class service. He did not have to do this at all, it's just how considerate he is. One negative comment which was kind of a big deal to us is that the website states 4 students for 1 instructor. When we arrived for our first classroom review, we found there were 5 students. One of the big draws about Joe Liburdi's' course was the small group size and that was a major reason we signed up (less number of people equals more personal attention and less time waiting around for other people to learn/complete their skills especially if you are at the bottom of the pool/ocean - not fair to all the students and the instructor). We would have liked to have gotten what we payed for. This disappointed us, and we would take off a star but I honestly can say that Mike made up for this. We gave this review 5 stars because we really think that he is phenomenal. We recommend that you go with Joe Liburdi's for scuba diving certification, but highly recommend that you request Mike as the instructor. read more

I am going to be taking a vacation trip to the Caribbean and decided that it was time to get Certified to Scuba. I live in Irvine, and after a brief google search founf that Dive and Photo was nearby. I went in to inquire about Scuba classes, and since i have a very unpredictable schedule I was interested in private instruction. I happened to speak to one of the two owners, Bob, and he set me up with an online NAUI Course and then I would do the pool stuff and open water dives after I finished the online course at my convenience. So I finished (and passed) the online course, and Bob spent an hour or so quizzing me on the material and making sure I had a god grasp of it. We then did our pool dive and he was very good at making me feel comfortable and calm. He is an incredible dive instructor!!!!!!! Then our open water dives came and I wanted to go via boat, so Bob booked a dive boat out of Dana Point. The first two dives were on a rainy Sunday and the swells were six feet, but thanks to good seasickness pills I could handle it, we did our first two dives and I was halfway there. Our final dives for certification were this past Saturday, a beautiful day with glassy water, great dives. Bob took me through my skills and after the 4th and finall dive I was certified!!!! I cannnot overstate what a great instructor he is - very calm, professional, obviously experienced, and personally gracious. You could not ask for a better person to teach you scuba and certify you. So now I am ready to dive in the Caribbean in 3 weeks. I have purchased, from Dive and Photo, my own personal gear as well as an Atomic regulator setup and Cobalt Dive Computer (I highly recommend spending the money on a top end dive computer) as well as a number of other cool gear. I HIGHLY recommend Bob and Ludek at Dive and Photo they are awesome. read more

We have had good experiences at this shop and will continue to go back. Mike certified my wife and I and was awesome. He was very accommodating with our busy schedules, very patient with both of us, and clearly new his stuff. read more

I had purchased a PADI course previously from another company whom is not in business anymore and had a very bad experience so it took me several years to give it another try. I purchased the open water course from Dive & Photo and was assigned to an instructor Jeanne W. After our first class my impression was that she was a very strict, tough instructor and did not fully understand that it was with good reason. After completing the coursework, traveling to Catalina and facing one of largest fears I saw what an EXCELLENT, Instructor and teacher she was. It was not until I could see the lack of care by other instructors allowing their students to carelessly dive not payng attention to very crucial details in this potentially dangerous sport. Our class had a few challenges for Jeanne and her team and it was their composure, strength and confidence that kept 8 brand new divers calm under pressure. I would highly reccommend Jeanne as an instructor and have already continued my education completing my advanced dive certification. There is nobody better for PADI instruction than Jeanne W (RC SCUBA)! read more

My sister and I got certified here recently after finding it on Yelp. All of the 5 star reviews are true. We had a great time and our instructor did his best to work around our schedules. It took us a total of 6 sessions (2 classroom, 2 pool dives, 2 ocean dives) to get certified over the span of 3 weeks. The class started with four students then moved down to three at the same price! It felt like private lessons. Todd was our instructor and he was very knowledgable, patient, personable, and great at instructing. Ludek, the shop operator, is very helpful and friendly too and can tell you everything you need to know about anything you want to buy or do. Get certified here and if you're already certified, buy/rent equipment here. read more

I came to Dive & Photo to get an Open Water Certification and had a great experience. Really knowledgeable staff and small classes (the cap is 4) allow for really effective training. Really great place to introduce you to the world of diving and I would highly recommend to a friend. read more

I had such a great experience with Dive and Photo. Mike, Bill, Jim and Ludek were all so great to work with. I really appreciate Mike taking the time to help our group get an amazing foundation with diving and working with each of us personally to reach certification! I am so excited to use what I've learned and continue growing my skills! I highly recommend these dive masters! Dive and Photo was a great experience for me and my family! read more

I just got scuba certified through them and it was an awesome experience! I was a bit scared going into it but they made me feel so much better. The owners are both really friendly and smart and their classes were very clear so I felt like my safety was in good hands. They made sure I felt comfortable before we proceeded with each skill so I never felt rushed or uninformed. The class and dive schedule was completely built around my availability and the price was the best I had seen after researching all around the area. I can't possibly recommend them enough and after our amazing dives, I can't believe I put this off for so long. Their enthusiasm for diving was infectious and I can't wait to join them on their Catalina and Laguna dives now that I'm certified! read more

I found this place online when we were planning to certified before vacation. It was really in a hurry since we have to get it done within 3 weeks, but they manage it put it together for us! We got Mike as our instructor, really really great guy, very knowledged, very thorough; we really enjoyed it and we got it done on time! read more

Joe Liburdi's Dive and Photo is a great shop with wonderful owners/operators. Three of us purchased our equipment (fins, mask, snorkel, gloves, booties) and did our rentals and tank refills here. Joe and Carl, two older gentlemen, have a combined 50+ years of experience and are extremely knowledgeable. More importantly, their passion for the sport was contagious. They were very accommodating with our schedule, and even kept the shop open late for us in order to get our air refilled in between dives. Equipment prices for some items were on-par with what we could find elsewhere, and more expensive for other items. Perhaps we could have purchased our entire equipment package for cheaper elsewhere, but the attention and guidance, and excellent customer service, we received at the shop was worth any price difference to us. I also wanted to take this chance to highlight Mike Faust as a fantastic instructor. We found Mike through a scuba forum that one of our seasoned diving friends directed us to, but Mike collaborates with Joe and Carl's. Mike was extremely flexible and helped us fit everything into our tight time table (we were trying to get certified before going on an out-of country trip). Once we were able to get together in-person, my first thought was that Mike was easy going and had a magnetic personality. He was fun and laid back, but very serious about giving us the best instruction possible - we were on a tight schedule, but he emphasized that he would not rush or compromise safety or our confidence in our abilities. In other words, we wouldn't move on to the next consecutive step of training until both he and we felt ready. He checked to be sure that we felt comfortable with the skills and made us feel at ease if ever any of us became apprehensive. The open water diver certification with Mike was a great experience and we felt extremely prepared for our first "real" open water dive. We had several amazing dives while abroad, and we credit our comfort, confidence, knowledge, and enjoyment of this new found activity to Mike. Unfortunately, I am moving away from the area, but if I were to stay, we would definitely continue taking courses with Mike and continue my education - MIke encouraged us to further our training, and I really got the sense that his encouragement came from an extremely sincere place - he loves diving and wanted to share that experience with others. read more

Simply a great dive shop. Our instructor Mike F. was an extremely thorough, knowledgeable and patient teacher. I am sure I will hear his words in my head for years to come as I prepare to dive or as I explore underwater sites with my family. He was encouraging and helped me whenever I had any difficulties with the skills. In the store, Ludeck's passion for diving was evident as he helped us chose a training course and select the equipment we would need. We didn't experience the pressure to buy more than we needed, which was not the case with other dive shops nearer to our home. Any minor equipment issues were quickly taken care of and the experience was very simple and positive. He clearly loves sharing his passion and viewed us a fellow divers rather than merely customers. Although we didn't get a chance, I recommend doing the ocean dives in Catalina, because the Laguna sites, while very interesting and diverse, are at the bottom of the aptly named 'Cliff Drive' and a hike to get to and from the beach. In our final ocean dive there, however, we were 'congratulated' by a seal and a bat ray, both of whom displayed their enviable underwater dexterity right in front of us as we finished up dive #4. A great first experience!! read more

I got my rescue diver cert here. The instructor, mike, was very knowledgable and super friendly and the course was great. Had a great time, will definitely be back. read more

I had a problematic dive computer issue I took to Dive & Photo which was first time I'd dealt with them. Both Ludek and Andy were great guys who were more than willing to help me even though I'd not purchased the equipment at their store. They were very familiar with my equipment and both of them ran some diagnostics before solving the problem in short order. They explained the issue to me and Andy even wrote out, in very simple steps, how to solve the problem if it happened again. Though I was more than willing to pay them for their time and efforts they said there was no charge. Though I'd not gone into the store intending to buy anything I bought a couple of things as it was the right thing to do. I really like these guys; they are personable, helpful and knowledgeable which is why I highly recommend them. read more

Mike is a great instructor & Ludek is very knowledgeable about all the gear he carries.

Amazing instructors who are able and willing to help all levels of divers have a fun and safe experience! Great rental equipment to show you the luxuries of scuba diving and to make you feel the most comfortable during your introductory dives! read more

I've been diving with Dive & Photo for over 3 years. As a Divemaster I'm very particular about my equipment. I've purchased almost all of my current gear through Dive & Photo. Ludek not only gives me great prices at time of purchase but has stood behind a number of items that needed repair or replacement. His recommendations are always spot on and I couldn't be happier with the service he and his team have given me. Ludek goes out of his way to be a great host on all of the dives and is simply a lot of fun. His entire team is top notch. Thank you Dive & Photo. read more

Scuba diving is one of the most exciting adventures at least for me. I took the open water dive course before I went to Hawaii. I bought the gear from the diving shop. The gear includes mask, gloves, fins, shoes, snorkel, defog and a bag to carry them all. They fit me and work well. The rest can be rent from the shop including to fill the tanks. The most important part is I would like to appreciate my diving coach Mike Faust. He is the best. Since I really cannot swim well, those training under water in the swimming pool scares me a lot at the beginning. The first two sessions I can barely follow and actually I was thinking to quit. Mike suggested me to give another shot. He gave me an additional class with an assistant coach Chris who I also hope to say thank you to. After that one-to-one class I got quite confidence and not so afraid to try the ocean diving. And the ocean part turned out great and finally I am certificated by Mike. I think as Mike always said stay calm is super important for scuba diving. But it can also be applied for the other aspects, why not. What I got is more than a certification card. It is worth a try. read more

I have always wanted to get my certification so those who knew me got me this gift on my 58th birthday. The experience I had with Mike could not have been better. I was so pleased with the training experience, I immediately signed up for the advanced course which I hope to start very soon. Mike was thorough, patient and made the experience fun for all. Thanks Mike and thanks to the family members who hooked me up with this course. Time to pay it forward! read more

I cannot overstate how much I like this place. My wife and I just finished our open water certification class and loved it. My wife is not the strongest swimmer and was a little anxious at first, but Todd and Mike really helped her get the skills and confidence she needed to finish her certification. I've interacted with Todd, Mike, Ludek and Jim, and they all seem to ACTUALLY care about my dive education. I always feel welcome to walk in, ask my newbie questions, and get honest answers. If you are new to scuba diving, this is the place to go. Six stars. read more