Questions

As i'm near graduating, one of my teachers decided to make a last minute assignment where I need to interview someone in the field I want to go into. I don't know anyone who is an underwater videographer, so I'm hoping to find someone over the internet. If one or two of you can answer these questions i'd very much appreciate it. Thanks.

1. Name?

2. What made you decide to become an underwater videographer/photographer? Did scuba or pictures come first for you, and what made you decide to cross the two together?

3. Are you freelance/hobby/hired? When did you first get your first picture published, or sell your services?

4. Where are your favorite places to dive? What/Where was your favorite photo/video that you took?

5. Best and scariest diving or photo-diving experience?

Thanks in advance. I tried to keep it short, but they're also some questions I wonder about when reading through your posts... I love knowing peoples inspiration and stories.

Jamie R.

Hi, Jamie - I have a suggestion: you might want to share some information about yourself, first. Where are you from? What are you studying? Why did you choose that subject? Why are you interested in underwater photography? WHO are you?

It helps to share first if you want easy answers for your assignment.

I get a lot of emails like this, and it helps to know that the person has done his/her research, first. If it looks like they just picked me in 30 seconds and fired off a random email, I don't reply. But if they have already done their research and clearly know who I am and what I've done (it's all over the web -- easy), then I am more likely to respond.

Hi, Jamie - I have a suggestion: you might want to share some information about yourself, first. Where are you from? What are you studying? Why did you choose that subject? Why are you interested in underwater photography? WHO are you?

 

It helps to share first if you want easy answers for your assignment.

 

I get a lot of emails like this, and it helps to know that the person has done his/her research, first. If it looks like they just picked me in 30 seconds and fired off a random email, I don't reply. But if they have already done their research and clearly know who I am and what I've done (it's all over the web -- easy), then I am more likely to respond.

Ah, thank you for replying, and for the suggestion. I suppose I didn't think this post through enough.

My name is Jamie, and I'm currently in school for 'television production' in Chicago, though I'm originally from California. I graduate at the end of this current semester. I've always enjoyed watching documentaries, and in the back of my mind would think that it'd be awesome if I could do underwater work someday. Last year I was in an accident and experienced trauma to my brain, making me worried I'd never get an oppurtunity to even try scuba, but after a year of recovering my doctor gave me a go-ahead to go, and late this year I had my first experience diving... I fell in love with it. I would really like to be able to combine videography work with scuba, at this point i'd consider it my dream job. Though I know I have tons to learn, as I'm just learning to dive, and am still learning about video on land and haven't much a clue as to the underwater obstacles.

Hi Jamie,

Welcome to Wetpixel.

Last year I was in an accident and experienced trauma to my brain,....., but after a year of recovering my doctor gave me a go-ahead to go

First things things first: safety. Did you get a medical clearance from a doctor who's familiar with diving medicine with regards to your brain injury? I don't know what damage you sustained (and I don't need to know), but there are a number of absolute/relative contra-indications for diving with neurologic conditions.

Though I know I have tons to learn, as I'm just learning to dive, and am still learning about video on land and haven't much a clue as to the underwater obstacles.

On the one hand I understand your enthousiasm and passion, but on the other hand - and I don't want to spoil your enthousiasm - it seems to be a tendency lately for people who have minimal diving skills to want to take down a camera (photography or video) on their first dive.

Other members have recently made this suggestion to another (temporarily on stand-by) member: first get comfortable in the water (take Eric Cheng's class of diving with a 3lbs weight to master your buoyancy before taking down a camera ). Scubazoo Images ask for a miminum of 200 dives before they'd consider you as a trainee.

I wouldn't consider myself "someone in the field" and I'm uncomfortable with being interviewed, so I'll let the Big Boys on this forum answer your questions

Best regards and safe diving,

Bartus

Hi Jamie,

 

Welcome to Wetpixel.

First things things first: safety. Did you get a medical clearance from a doctor who's familiar with diving medicine with regards to your brain injury? I don't know what damage you sustained (and I don't need to know), but there are a number of absolute/relative contra-indications for diving with neurologic conditions.

On the one hand I understand your enthousiasm and passion, but on the other hand - and I don't want to spoil your enthousiasm - it seems to be a tendency lately for people who have minimal diving skills to want to take down a camera (photography or video) on their first dive.

Other members have recently made this suggestion to another (temporarily on stand-by) member: first get comfortable in the water (take Eric Cheng's class of diving with a 3lbs weight to master your buoyancy before taking down a camera ). Scubazoo Images ask for a miminum of 200 dives before they'd consider you as a trainee.

 

I wouldn't consider myself "someone in the field" and I'm uncomfortable with being interviewed, so I'll let the Big Boys on this forum answer your questions

 

Best regards and safe diving,

 

Bartus

I'm not sure how familiar my doctor is with scuba, but she felt the pressure shouldn't be a problem at this point, and i've no seizures or anything of the type due to it and it has been over a year. I haven't gone below 40 ft at this point, and I do feel I should find a diving doctor before I do anything further than that.. to err on the safe side . I've found mixed information about diving after head trauma, but it sounds like the longer you've gone without any complications the better off you'd be. And I never required surgery or any medications for it, so I may be one of the lucky ones.

I'll probably be a land-based videographer for quite awhile and start up scuba as a hobby first. I figure I'm better off becoming proficient in both before attempting them together. One of my teachers was telling me a story about his first video-dive, he ran out of air and had to be helped by his dive buddy because he got too excited and forgot to keep an eye on his gage.. don't want something like that happening! As exciting as it all is, i'll probably be looking at everyones work here drooling for a good while before I make any of my own.