thoughts on diving with a camera

Hi folks- me again :-)),

Just curious to know how some of you approach diving with a camera?

A big problem for me is in underwaterphotography is finding a dive buddy who understands my needs- and vice versa.

i do think that the best camera buddy is one who also dives with a camera and feels the same as you do about underwaterphotography

these folks are very very thin on the ground over here-

-a loan camera diver in a boat full of other divers can be as as welcome as a skunk in the Ritz- so much so that i solo dive (yes i know its not the done thing-as per the dive training manuals) a shallow site- and this is most productive for me without a doubt.

and i know at least one photgrapher who does likewise

i would love to get members takes on this

to buddy or not to buddy? is the best buddy the invisible man???

hoping to see a few posts on this one

damo

Hey Damo

Yeah, a tricky one. For me the best thing is a buddy who also wants to take pics - and doesn't want to cruise for 3 miles over the reef in 25 minutes.

I've always found that DMs are usually more than happy to pair photographers together. They then just get on with taking pics - and leave the cruisers to head off.

But I can imagine it must be a bit trickier in your part of the world. I'm sure you know the dive sites in your area, but I'd be a wee bit wary of solo diving on cold, low viz sites where there may well be a fair bit of current. U/W photog is so absorbing that I reckon, in slightly more challenging conditions, it is good to have a buddy around.

Are there maybe dive clubs in your area that you could ask around and see if there any other photographers you can team up with? But I appreciate you may well have done that already.

Hey Damo

 

Yeah, a tricky one. For me the best thing is a buddy who also wants to take pics - and doesn't want to cruise for 3 miles over the reef in 25 minutes.

 

I've always found that DMs are usually more than happy to pair photographers together. They then just get on with taking pics - and leave the cruisers to head off.

 

But I can imagine it must be a bit trickier in your part of the world. I'm sure you know the dive sites in your area, but I'd be a wee bit wary of solo diving on cold, low viz sites where there may well be a fair bit of current. U/W photog is so absorbing that I reckon, in slightly more challenging conditions, it is good to have a buddy around.

 

Are there maybe dive clubs in your area that you could ask around and see if there any other photographers you can team up with? But I appreciate you may well have done that already.

Hi again Tim!

Sorry- botched up last reply- here we go.....

Yes- I know what your saying about the solo conditions.

Just be assured that the site I dive is about 4 meters in depth- has great viz-loads of subjects- and is quite safe!!

And yes, God knows I've tried to find a good camera buddy- I have lots of good diving buddy's but its not fair on them when you have bozo here with his camera holding up their show!! - so I kinda gave up looking.

I have had lots of fantastic dives in my neck of the woods with lots of good mates- but I really think to get the best out of the camera- go alone (within certain safety perameters) or go with another camera toking buddy who is telepathic.

maybe Im asking for too much!!

Anyway- here's a pint of guiness to tim from OZ

Hi Damo

Solo diving is fine in the right conditions, and often much more satisfying than upsetting a whole group. I would advise the TDI SoloDiver Course. This has been discussed on another thread here at Wetpixel.

However there is IMHO no substitute for a patient buddy. I dive almost exclusively with my wife who, fortune has it, just loves floating around doing very little (searching sandy bottoms and staring into the blue are her top underwater activities!). When we travel, we spend a few dives with the same DM (kind of building trust) and then say that we will just hang around at the back (meaning on our own) then out comes the camera.

Good luck with your search

Cheers

Dave

ahhhh Dave

You lucky man- what I would give to have my soul mate beside me-looking at the surface- and in a state of zen...............while I press the shutter down.............if only.......

Well, Dave, as others have said, this can be a tricky subject on dive charters. Here in my local area, we have about 8 or so different dive charter boats.

My secret has been to 1) Try to stick to the same boat every time. That way they get to know you and your abilities. We don't have DM's that get in the water with you here, but I tend to tip very well so they remember me the next time.

2) I carry a redundant air supply that is completely separate from my main tank of air and regulator. If the need should arise that I run out of air or my reg malfunctions, I always have a back up.

For my own safety, I do what I consider safer dives. I stay very shallow, in the 40 to 10 ft ( 12 - 3 m) range. Most of the stuff I shoot, nudi's and kelp forests are in that range near shore anyway. See if this works for you and your dive boats next time there aren't any other photogs to buddy up with.

However there is IMHO no substitute for a patient buddy. I dive almost exclusively with my wife who, fortune has it, just loves floating around doing very little (searching sandy bottoms and staring into the blue are her top underwater activities!). When we travel, we spend a few dives with the same DM (kind of building trust) and then say that we will just hang around at the back (meaning on our own) then out comes the camera.

That is the same situation I am in - I now have my wife hooked on shooting photo and video - more carry-on space for gear

Damo,

It takes some time to get the right situation. First you have to find the beautiful woman who will put up with you and loves the ocean. Helpful hint: require they get certified before you get married and take any prospective life partners diving for a week to find out if your compatible. Must be a great model and be willing to swim in slow circles while you spend half the dive in the same place to get that macro shot. Extra credit if they spend their time finding the next subject to shoot. That should take about ten years to get right, some people find a few cycles of this phase are needed.

Then you have a son or daughter who loves the water and is still speaking to you by the time they are old enough to dive. Teach them to love the ocean and protect all it's creatures. At this stage you now have someone to carry your stuff. Extra credit if they enjoy photography. (Although more expensive) Double extra credit if you can convince them to get their instructor rating (The resorts and liveaboards will let you dive alone without the herd, which was your original question) This takes about 20 more years so it's good to start early.

Then if your lucky your son (or daughter) will find their someone who loves the ocean and can put up with all of you. Extra credit if they are a computer guru who can make photoshop sing) You are now in the perfect situation. Lots of room in your carry ons, Two full DSLR systems in the water for each dive, one WA and one macro with good divers and reasonable photographers behind each camera. A loving spouse to find subjects, keep you warm at night and will still talk to you after too much rum. And now you have a younger model (your son's partner) to share all the joys of diving with all over again. (If done correctly this repeating cycle of sharing keeps you diving) Because you've now spent a few thousand hours in the water with your small crew, underwater communication is done by some sort of osmosis. Can't explain it, I just know it works this way. This takes another 10 years, so by this time you really need someone to carry your stuff.

Not an easy route to diving nirvana but I can attest it's possible and well worth all the struggles along the way. By the way, every once in a while it's still great to sneek out on your own and just hang at the top of the reef looking out into the blue, wondering how you got so lucky. B)

Steve

Not an easy route to diving nirvana but I can attest it's possible and well worth all the struggles along the way. By the way, every once in a while it's still great to sneek out on your own and just hang at the top of the reef looking out into the blue, wondering how you got so lucky. B)

 

Steve

Nicely said and done Steve, thanks for the smile.

Hee hee, some wicked lessons in life here! I should have met you guys 35 years ago.......

Yeah, a dive partner who loves to model (and doesn't want an expensive camera housing/system) has to be nirvana.

I was lucky in having, for some years, a tip top buddy who was as besotted with taking pics as me - we always knew we would never be more than 10 yards apart at anytime. It was ace. She was cute too

I reckon a 4m dive site going solo should keep you pretty safe, Damo. Worst comes to worst you can just stand up, right?

And I look forward to that Guiness. I spent some time in Dublin and could not believe the flavour and smoothness of that black nectar....... liquid cream.

Personally, I have found it safer for my dive buddy NOT to have a camera. When two buddies dive with a camera, the good lord only knows it takes two pretty fish to separate them and pretty soon there is no way to know where the other is. Kind of defeats the purpose of a dive buddy. Therefore, I prefer to have one of us with the camera and the other acting as a spotter. Camera person still has to look around once in a while to make sure his/her buddy is not in trouble.

If you find a resort where you can hire/request/tip a DM/guide and do 1 on 1 diving, isn't that the best ?

I did just that last year in Bali, I dove on a schedule of my choice and location of my choice and 1 on 1 w/ my guide. I was able to stay at the harlequim shrimp for 10 minutes. And you know what, that trip was more affordable then any other trips I had ever dove !!

If you find a resort where you can hire/request/tip a DM/guide and do 1 on 1 diving...

Never thought of trying this - interesting idea, I will try it out when I go to AKR Roatan

Cheers

Hal

My camera is my dive buddy!

Almost all photographers will admit to being bad dive budies and sometimes doing scetchy things they know they should not do, but are commited to getting the shot.

My best dive budy is my wife who is not a photog, but a great spotter. She usually scopes out my next subject and checks on me to make sure I don't get into trouble. She also comes in handy as skilled uw model.

I usually find pairing up with another photog only slightly better than solo diving. Photog are not thinking about their budy, but if it makes you feel better to have someone else around, it better than nobody.

Lately, I have been solo diving with a backup pony. While there still may be other people around, I actually enjoy it as I can really focus and not worry about a buddy. I do not recommend this practice.

I am curious as a poll. How many photographers solo dive?

I guess I am lucky. The better half and my daughter love to find me subjects to shoot. They get annoyed if I don't get the perfect shot of the thing they found or I am busy with something I found and don't get a shot of their find. But overall it works out well.

On boats I try to stick with the same boats so the DM's know me and my abilities and will let me stray from the group or not keep up. Most dive guides will do an out and back or a loop around on the tour. I can always catch the critter on the way back. Most of the group never realize they are passing back by where they just came from. That way you can take your time and avoid the group scaring your subject off or other photographers bumping you out of the way. Then you are also not the "skunk at the Ritz" by hogging the subject while you try to get a picture or slowing the group down.

Hi folks- me again :-)),

 

Hi Damo: I dive with a group of people that are all photographers. We have a buddy to make sure we are on the boat when it's ready to move, but usually we dive and just stay near to one of the divers bubbles. Also have seen good results with couples where usually the wife becomes a great fish spotter and finds great macro stuff while her buddy is shooting.

 

hoping to see a few posts on this one

damo

I'm a lucky one as well. My wife is adept at finding critters for me to take pictures of. Actually, she usually signals me to take a few extra pix before we move off to the next find.

Good luck on the solo diving, a friend of mine does it as well. Carries some sharp shears and a small spare air.

ejb

I find solo diving ideal for getting the best pictures of marine animal behavior. One less person, one less set of bubbles to disturb the subjects.

I feel that depending on someone to get you out of trouble, a babysitter, is exactly the wrong attitude.

You should be competent and confident enough to dive alone any where you dive. And then dive with another person ONLY for the pleasure of sharing the experience and discoveries.

Of course if you are with a buddy and the big fish comes, you have a 50-50 chance that it will eat your buddy instead of you.

Fred

All those training manual can go out the window. Now you've got a camera you're in a whole new ball game. As a specialist dive guide working with lots of shooters and marine life enthusiasts, I would advise you to get yourself up to a minimum of rescue diver. Make sure you find an instructor who wil do this over a decent length of time and not a fast as you can PADI course. This course will give you an understanding of how to look after yourself and others underwater.

I wasn't aware there was a solo course, any more details on this? This sounds like it would be an even better option, though the PADI rescue course if the best one they have, Divemaster is not worth anything unless yo want to become a professional and try to earn a pittence from diving...