Turn your flash off please

Whilst I really wouldn't want to comment on the use of flashes on seahorses, having photographed the turtles at Abu Dabbab many times I can honestly say that they have never shown any indication of being bothered by flashes. In fact, apart from snorklers trying to ride them, I have never really seen them bothered by anything.

In terms of the dugong, I understand it that he is very rarely ever seen their any more and bearing in mind the mobs that surround him when he does, blaming strobes is a bit rich.

A group of us were at ELphinestone photographing the oceanics a couple of weeks ago and we certainly never saw any reaction to our flashes, nor were we told to avoid their use.

I would write to Emperor and tell them that if they do not welcome photographers or the use of flash guns they should make it clear so that photographer make exercise their judgement as to whether they should use their services.

Daniel

...who agreed to go out for a 45 minute afternoon [dive] and then f****d off for an hour

The only reason I would do a 45 min. dive is for no deco or equipment malfunction.

Then don't sign up for 45 minute dives and everyone will be happy.

Then don't sign up for 45 minute dives and everyone will be happy.

Remind us where you work so I can avoid inconveniencing you.

Long ago I realised that having to go through the pain of ingratiating myself to dives guides is just not worth the gain. So now, I don't...

In my diving career I have amassed sufficient relationships with a number of selected dive operations and guides. One I like in particular... "and Tim will be diving with me" announces the guide to the group. The first and last time we clap eyes on each other will be on the dive deck. My buoy often goes up half a mile from the group... That's a guide I can relate to and one which receives a generous tip.

Woody, try to watch the Malapascua episode of Monty Hall's Great Ocean Adventures and see what Monty's personal guide and resident Filipino photo-pro Gutsy Tuason is doing - strobes a popping while snapping away at Threshers... But then for us mere mortals, all the dive shops in Malapascua will forbid flash

Hey pakman! It was also filmed on "top 10 places in the world to swim with sharks" last weekend...bright as daylight under there..with their lights a gleeming!

Woody, try to watch the Malapascua episode of Monty Hall's Great Ocean Adventures and see what Monty's personal guide and resident Filipino photo-pro Gutsy Tuason is doing - strobes a popping while snapping away at Threshers... But then for us mere mortals, all the dive shops in Malapascua will forbid flash

Is this a new rule in Malapascua? I had not been prevented from bringing strobes on the Monad Shoals dives (but this was last time in 2005). The only reason I didn't have my strobes popping away at threshers, was that there never were any threshers on those 5-5:30am departures from the dock.

I either read it on exotics website about a year ago, or got it from them by email, their site has changed now and cannot find any mention there, and dont have the emails from them anymore.

I googled thresher and flash and malapascua and found a mention of another diver who couldnt use his flash in 2005

I'm not sure what to say on this topic since I haven't really read anything scientific about this.

Even then I don't think the same rules would apply to ALL animals. It's also a bit pretentious to think that all manner of underwater creatures don't give care or are affected at all. I doubt it'd be as simple as that. The kind of animal, sensitivity of it's eyes, it's metabolism, distance from strobes, the power of strobes, and god knows what else would probably be factors.

I think it's best until we do know for sure to just not, I dunno, overdo it.

We wouldn't shoot a cat's portrait mere feet from it's face with huge dual strobes for half an hour now would we.

edit: Although I do suppose if the cat were that bothered it'd just run away or claw your face off...

We wouldn't shoot a cat's portrait mere feet from it's face with huge dual strobes for half an hour now would we.

Yes. I shot ads for Whiskas catfood for many years and used around 24,000j of flash each time. How many joules out of an Inon? 40?

Yes. I shot ads for Whiskas catfood for many years and used around 24,000j of flash each time. How many joules out of an Inon? 40?

Thus spoke Zaranthrastra...

Thus spoke Zaranthrastra...

Who?

... 24,000j of flash each time...

24 kJ would boil a small cat, so I presume that it wasn't all aimed directly at the animal....

Tim

Who?

Bugger. My Typo... Thus spoke Zananthrustra

Here's a quickie...

Hi Hani

Just to say firstly aloo kineh!!!???? and secondly to say am just back from the maldives- where I was asked by a guide not to 'flash' a cave containing 3 resting nurse sharks.

(I confess I did flash a nurse shark on a previous dive in a cave- and she didnt seem to mind at the time)

I was not happy about this-I mean there were three big specimens-and the shot would've been super but I respected his wish as he is a big fan of sharks, and he was bigger than me.

When I thought about it under there- I think he was justified - cause the sharks may have become very agitated in the confine space- but having said that I have seen images of resting sharks in caves taken with flash.

Big difference between flashing a shark in a cave, and a seahorse.

How about thoughts on this one-anyone???

I'm not sure what to say on this topic since I haven't really read anything scientific about this.

 

Even then I don't think the same rules would apply to ALL animals. It's also a bit pretentious to think that all manner of underwater creatures don't give care or are affected at all. I doubt it'd be as simple as that. The kind of animal, sensitivity of it's eyes, it's metabolism, distance from strobes, the power of strobes, and god knows what else would probably be factors.

 

I think it's best until we do know for sure to just not, I dunno, overdo it.

 

We wouldn't shoot a cat's portrait mere feet from it's face with huge dual strobes for half an hour now would we.

 

edit: Although I do suppose if the cat were that bothered it'd just run away or claw your face off...

I flashed a nurse shark in a cave once - off of west palm beach. It woke up and charged out of the cave past me - so obviously was affected by either my being there, or the flash. I think it was the flash, as a shot that I had taken from farther away didn't bother it, but who knows...

Cheers

James

I can definitely say that the noise of the camera and the lens iris (eye) opening and closing does more to startle an animal than the flash. At Cocos, I lay in a cleaning station with a CCR. If I didn't move I could photograph any hammerhead that came up to my dome port without being seen (with flash). If I moved one iota (enough to reframe a picture), the animals noticed me and became skittish.

If you are really worried about the effect on the animal, get out of the water. You shouldn't even be there - especially if you are exhaling bubbles and causing precipitations as you do so. As for the boat you came there in...or the aeroplane...Maybe we should start by worrying about man's inhumanity to man.

If you live in a fascist country, you probably think being bossed about by ignorant people is normal.

Here's a picture I took last week (10mm). It was one of thirty. The grouper stayed where it was.

Here's another taken on the same dive. The baracudas were not phased.

Is this a new rule in Malapascua? I had not been prevented from bringing strobes on the Monad Shoals dives (but this was last time in 2005). The only reason I didn't have my strobes popping away at threshers, was that there never were any threshers on those 5-5:30am departures from the dock.

We were out there last year and Thresher Shark Divers had that rule. Same with Exotic when I used then 1 or 2 years earlier. Of course it didn't stop those with PnS' who forgot to turn off their internal strobes... but a big no no for Mr. DSLR with two strobes...

Threshers are supposedly quite timid and you would think they are light sensitive with those big eyes. But if I recall that Monty Hall episode, I don't recall the thresher that Gutsy was shooting with strobes getting spooked...

In my diving career I have amassed sufficient relationships with a number of selected dive operations and guides. One I like in particular... "and Tim will be diving with me" announces the guide to the group. The first and last time we clap eyes on each other will be on the dive deck. My buoy often goes up half a mile from the group... That's a guide I can relate to and one which receives a generous tip.

German girl called Pia by any chance ?

One of the best in the Red Sea (IMHO).

Paul C