Mauling the reef

[Hope this isn't a double post; my connection crashed halfway through the upload the first time ]

On my trip to Wakatobi there were 9 divers of whom 6 were photographers (including me!). Not surprising given teh range of photographic subjects on offer.

One lady in particular annoyed me ...

1. Once she saw an interesting subject she wouldn't leave it until she was completely satisfied with her photos. There might be 3 or 4 other people waiting for a look or a chance to take a photo but she's never know because she would never look around to see. I think that's OK if she found the subject herself ... whichh was NOT usually the case.

2. Once she had her eye to the viewfinder she wouldn't take it away except perhaps to adjust the strobes. She could be drifting about, or lying on the reef (she was quite negatively buoyant most of the time, judging by the constant kicking). Even in perfectly still water, her left hand would often be flailing about for something (anything!) to hold onto, but she wouldn't be looking to see whether there was anything fragile which she migh tbe damaging. Once her hand came in contact with something she woudl just grab onto it. (See photo below :angryfire: she's actually hanging onto that coral.) I thought her buoyancy skills weren't up to the level needed for the sort of photos she wanted.

These things give photographers a bad name. Even apart from damaging the reef. But if I confronted her I'd still have to see her at meals and on the dive boat every day ... and it's potentially pretty uncomfortable. So I chickened out and said nothing.

Her husband was more considerate of other divers. BUT you can get an idea of his attitude to the reef from his comments on day 1 when he went through the thumb pad of his new gloves. Somthing along the lines of "You need strong gloves. When you are using the reef to reposition yourself for a better shot it's easy to rip a glove." He didn't take on board my response to that, as far as I could tell. (In my opinion, to get stable, even in a reasonable current, it's usually enough to find a spot to put one finger, then you can swim to stay in one place and teh one contact point provides enough stability to get a good shot. No real need to use the reef to reposition yourself. But sometimes you just have to accept that you can't get a particular shot, since that would involve unacceptable damage to the reef.) I didn't push it after my initial comments were ignored...

This couple both sell prints of their photos at diving shows, apparently.

How do other people handle this kind of situation? If the dive guides won't say anything, should we? It's potentially a very uncomfortable situation, especially in a small group. You never know how people will react to even the mildest comments.

Sad but common story... Well I think you should have interfered!

BUT NOT LIKE YOU ARE THE REEF-POLICE

My usual procedure is to talk to them without raising my voice

and start asking them how they like the fish and corals etc. and

then softly turn the topic on the lifecycle of these animals...

Especially most huge corals take more then 10 years to recover.

In 90 percent of all cases people did not know that and get quite

impressed. So you gently get a hook on them and motivate them

to discipline themselve a little more underwater. Because they

realize that everything they break was build during decades and

may be destroyed with one gentle touch.

If you start the conversation with bad words or even just sceptic

looks when exiting the water people will usually resist to your

attempts of persuasion. So whistiling behind their backs or

complaining later in some dive forum will usually not help to make

them more responsible divers.

If that does not work out, option two is to contact the Divemaster

about his opinions to protect the reef - AND THEN start to ask him

if he thinks he can support such a violating behaviour. From my

experience he can solve he remaining 9% of all cases and if it

really is not working out he is the one who can use the menace to

bane them from further diving. It just escalates to that point in 1%

So keep talking to people!!! And when you start the conversation

try to discipline your anger about what you saw. Just like you want

the violators to be more disciplined. Otherwise you cannot help the

environment at all...

Andi

It all depends on the person. Like you, I am uncomfortable, in most cases, confronting other divers directly if I don't know them. If they seem friendly and otherwise ecological, I make a judgement call on whether what they are doing is just absent-mindedness or ignorant or pigheaded. In the first case, the diver usually tries to do things right but occasionally forgets. These people appreciate the comment and are embarrassed. In the second case, it depends on the person's attitude. If they seem willing to learn and are otherwise pleasant, I may say something. However, in most situations falling into the second and third categories above I usually chicken out and address any comments to the dive staff or tour leader, if it is a group trip. Their livelihood depends on the health of their reef so they should be all over it -- if they aren't doing anything, you won't be able to make much of a difference. Also, since they are in charge, they can actually do something about the situation if the suggestions are ignored. Plus, they should have told everyone at the initial dive briefing about this -- that gives them the right to address it again immediately. Without knowing the people involved, it is hard to say here. However the behavior in the photo is so egregious that something really, really needed to be said. Why should they be able to sell images leaving behind a trail of destruction for the rest of us? Is their plan to make their images more valuable by destroying the subjects and affecting the supply side of the economic equation?

As for photo courtesy, I find that it is something that can be addressed to the people more directly than saying something that can be inferred as calling them a crappy diver (even if it is obvious to others that they are). The best method is to add it to the ground rules at the beginning of the trip (along with the "don't touch the reef" speech). Next step is to approach them and ask if it would be possible to take a couple photos, then back off and move to the end of the line next time. You can also just stop showing them stuff to photograph.

As for what to touch underwater, the best answer is, obviously, nothing. I always try to look at the area around where I will take the picture and plan my shot. Not only does this give you a chance to identify a safe place to steady yourself, it helps keep you safe in that you will have identified the urchins, etc., that might make the evolution a bit more "interesting". I usually find that one finger is enough. If that doesn't quite do it, I may grip a rock with thumb and forefinger. Except for my Galapagos trip two years ago, I don't think I've worn gloves diving in five years . . .

Anyone who dives with me will know my feelings on the matter: Steadying with a finger is one thing, but killing everything around is another. I get quite openly pissed off at people who prefer the latter method and last year in Manado rapped the shutter knuckles of a tosser hanging on to a gorgonian to steady his 105 in order to grab a shot of a pygmy. This was done with the scubapro rattler, had I got a cattleprod...

The sad thing is they are oblivious to what they are doing and when confronted words just bounce off.

On my trips a talk on dive and photo etiquette takes place at the beginning of every trip, which generally people adhere to, if not they are likely miss dives because of it; democratically.

Dive operators are quite reluctant to enforce rules they use during initial dialogue, because of causing bad feeling - Me, I would send offenders packing, and make it public on the net too.

Maybe we should start a "Dive Dummy" site specifically!

During the past 33 years I have seen the marine environment shrinking rapidly, just through human intervention. The second we get in the water we are having an adverse effect on nature, lets just not make it worse and worse by leaving permenant scars too!

The Red Sea authorities have the right idea. Nobody is allowed to wear gloves when diving. A simple rule that helps everyone stay tuned to the fact that you shouldn't be touching anything, and if you do have to find a piece of dead reef to steady yourself, then you have a certain incentive to make sure it's inert.

Cheers

Martyn

I share your much of your opinion big Goldfish and can understand your point. I have the same sorrows when I think about the sea and it's future...

BUT AGAIN: we should think more practical!

Especially those of us who care more than others. I think it is no use in building up a flame or bane site for bad divers. I think it is impossible to impose a banlist of bad divers to all dive centers around the world. You are more likely to hurt those which just needed get aware of their mistakes. Sometimes people also were not getting along at a boat and deliver false stories... That is why I always like to hear both versions before I blame anyone.

Who of us is able to judge if a photo shows a beginners mistake or a real wardhog? The real bastards are rare. I still would like to emphasize this!

But I have to note that I have a quicktime movie of a Russian instructor

sitting in a brain coral which looked like a sofa. I do not know how he got the

idea.. But he was fired next day and never got a job in Sharm El Sheikh again.

People at this level of certification should know about the DOs and DON'Ts and

I agree to flame those without prior analysis.

Just my 2 cents...

In Cayman you are not even allowed dive gloves on the dive boat!

I am really pleased to see a thread with photographers showing they care about the environ. Certainly it makes it easier for one of us to say something in the future when we know other photographers will back us up.

It is good to hear Bob starts his trips with a talk on etiquette - a great example. It is a pity that more photo courses and UW photo text books do not dedicate more space to the issue. Most ignore it completely.

Alex

This is a related discussion from a while back that may be of interest.

Excellent discussion!

It's ok and even good to use one finger on the left hand to steady oneself on a barren rock, but that's it!

I'm with Andi. I would explain that the coral is a living organism and that touching it can lead to disease outbreaks. If that didn't work, I'd show them that photo of them grabbing the soft coral and say "did you know you did this????"

Cheers

James

I've posted these pictures in disgust a few months ago, but I think they apply to this very important discussion. It pisses me off when a diver damages the reef, but I find it even more appalling when the divemaster is setting the most horrible examples. While diving with the Maui Dive Shop, the divemasters would always yank an octopus and molest it until it was completely exhausted. On one occasion, after the divemaster had his way with it, the exhausted octopus swam it's way to the closest hiding place it could find, which turned out to be the den of a moray eel. Needless to say, the octopus was eaten by the eel. Great for the eel, bad for the octopus, and more importantly, horrible for the fragile balance of life on the reef.

To top it off, while molesting animals (not limited to octopus, but also squishing the hell out of puffer fish) the divemasters would display absolutely no buoyancy skills and be negatively buoyant and kneeling or standing ON THE REEF! :angryfire: It is the responsibility if the divemaster to set a good example. Considering the sheer volume of vacationers that flock to the Hawaiian Islands and decide to dive after the fact, I think these divemasters are doing more damage to the reef and divers attitudes toward the reef than could be imagined.

I think my methodology is the only way this will work in the short or long term... As I explained I had spent too many years explaining facts to arrogant know-alls. I instill this methodology into into the diveguides I train all over the world - First rule: Do not take shit from anyone, and if rules, agreed at the beginning of the trip are broken enforce them. The fear of real retribution is the key.

I think my methodology is the only way this will work in the short or long term... As I explained I had spent too many years explaining facts to arrogant know-alls. I instill this methodology into into the diveguides I train all over the world - First rule: Do not take shit from anyone, and if rules, agreed at the beginning of the trip are broken enforce them. The fear of real retribution is the key.

TRUE! If someone does not follow instructions when I have to be in charge on a boat as

a Divemaster the violator is not going to get wet anymore for the rest of the trip. However

this is my last weapon. I always try to avoid using it and was successful so far. When other

Divemasters asked me about my opion I always told them, that I try to be the authority

without ever mentioning it in a sentence like "look, I am in charge here and you are not!".

If your clients ever get you to that point you have lost in the battlefield of conversation.

Because after that sentence they are will just shut their ears in silent resistance. You can

fasten your seatbelt when getting back to your TOUR OPERATOR or DIVECENTER. Because

the case will be discussed from all different point of views. But anyway I encourage

everyone to take the consequensces if you really have to do it.

But maybe the secret of success just lies within a good and clear briefing how things have

to go. When I was trained, I learned that successful diving starts with a successful briefing.

This also applies to boat briefings and general tour briefings.

I have just printed the photo netiquette, by Steven Frink tonight to use it on my next trip as

a checklist. I think it's very good that he summarized something like that.

B) Cool thread!

PS: Consider also that the Nitrogene of the previous dives might influence your skills to

manage a calm and solving conversation. I have seen many Instructors and Divemasters

who were just not able to manage their emotions after getting out of the water when

having to solve issues.

But maybe the secret of success just lies within a good and clear briefing how things have

to go. When I was trained, I learned that successful diving starts with a successful briefing.

This also applies to boat briefings and general tour briefings.

I totally disagree... As I said before some people just WILL NOT LISTEN. You can spend all day on a briefing and they would still do these kinds of things if it meant the chance of a good shot, that, and this is the real key; would surpass anyone elses on that dive or in fact the whole trip.

send them a link to this thread.

Umm...just to inspire a lot of flamemail from SCUBA people, my one word-answer is "freedive". You don't see freedivers pitching a tent on soft corals. Of course, this limits your picture taking to a depth of 60 feet or so, but most of what I enjoy shooting is within these depths in Hawaii. I have been SCUBA diving in Hawaii a number of times and it is a dismal experience because you're usually crammed in with tourists who are molesting the reef, crunching corals, grabbing turtles, disturbing critters, etc. The one time I wasn't around a huge crowd was at Molokini, but the problem there was that the divemaster decided to attract milletseed butterflyfish by slicing open a collector urchin. That chaps my hiney. I get the urge to use SCUBA to get to some deeper places, like the Corsair wreck and see things that are usually out of my reach, but with all the irresponsible SCUBA tourist operations I have seen, I really have 0 desire to don tanks. I have a buddy that shoots with a Nikonos and we freedive two or three times a week and its just amazing how much you see and learn from freediving. Not that I am looking to start a debate on freedive vs. SCUBA...I'm just looking to say, with respect to your pictures above, been there, seen that, it seems to happen quite often. My $.02.

--John

I love freediving, but DCS risks seem to preclude mixing it with SCUBA diving which I love even more. When freediving it's harder to hang around watching the behaviour of the local life close up for any length of time ... against which sometimes the relative silence of freediving lets you get closer to some shy creatures. (Open-circuit) SCUBA divers are so noisy!

Incidentally I thought about half of the really interesting stuff on my last two dive trips (Komodo and Wakatobi) was in the 15-25m range (say, 50'-80'). Of course this depends where you dive and what you're interested in ...

In any case any personal decision I make about freediving or SCUBA diving probably won't make much difference to whether somebody else respects the reef when diving. B)

I guess location is one of the big things. In Hawaii there are lots of places that don't require tanks. With that being the case I would much rather freedive. A drive out to the west side can take an hour and another back. Throwing on tanks would make the dive time equal the drive time. We usually spend 2-4 hours at one site before lunch and then a couple more at another site after. I guess we could always freedive for a couple to four hours and then throw on tanks...if they haven't been stolen from our cars by that point. Maybe I just need to find a good place that requires tanks in Hawaii to appreciate it more, but the experiences I have had to date have been a bit of a turnoff.

It always amazes me when I see bad behaviour, whether a photographer or not. Bob is right. Dive operators do what they can, but briefing or not, those with reckless disregard will not obey. If I see it twice, I will swim up and remove them or their hand from the reef. I've grabbed someone's Nik V when they just about sliced a sea horse in half. I generally do not confront them on the boat. It does no good.

On my Palau trip, there was an Italian CMAS instructor and his group. This 160kg/350lb. guy broke every briefing rule at will, despite several lectures. He went into deco on almost every dive. Bear hugged every fish he could grab, stood on coral, stuck his arm down a giant clam. Not only was he setting a bad example for his group, he should have been forced to sit out a dive until he agreed to dive by the rules. What's worse, he should have been banished for wearing a speedo with worn out elastic. We referred to him as Jabba the Hut.

A correctly placed finger is fine. I don't agree with the no gloves rule, simply because I like my hands protected from stinging hydroids or for hanging on a line.

I had an experienced "known" photographer see me struggling with a shot. He told me after the dive I should be wearing gloves. Gloves wasn't the reason I was struggling in the current. There just wasn't anything to hold on to without causing damage.

One of the most important things I teach a new photographer is that the biggest risk of damage isn't with your finger, it's you fins. I see photographers carefully get the shot without damaging anything, then when they are through they kick to leave and destroy something behind them. Just take a deep breath and slowly ascend or use your finger to push off. Keep those fin tips up.

As far as etiquette, I was taught that a subject is yours until you give it up. I've had people drop down on my head while I was shooting rather than wait their turn. I try my best not to dominate a subject. I will often take some shots, give it up for a while and come back after others have had their chance.

Find your own subject, fire to your hearts content, then call attention to others. When something is pointed out and it my turn, as I approach, I determine what angle I want on the subject, strobe position, and I look to see where I can get a finger hold, if any, well before the camera is up to my mask.

Dive operators will only repeat the rules. They don't often enforce them. Confronting the offender underwater saves coral right then and there and it avoids a verbal confrontation on the boat, unless they start it.

Then there was the video lady with her folded up car atennae. She even called it her "torture stick". I went ape s***. The dive operator took care of it. She was the trip leader with 22 people. It's a tough situation.

I personally wear gloves when I dive or freedive. It prevents heat loss. It prevents stinging from cnidarians and such. Face it--stuff happens and you might end up in a situation in which you need to use your hands in a way probably not so eco-friendly to prevent injury. I generally will touch to steady for a shot, but try to touch objects that are not living.

With respect to the taking turns with a subject, it's pretty easy with freediving. Whoever spots it gets first dive and we take turns thereafter. I dive with a buddy that I know and get along with and there are never ettiquette issues. About the only issue I encounter is on ascent. I use a one-finger back-off and slow ascent with little/no legs. This minimizes sand getting kicked up so we don't have to wait for the water to clear between dives. For this purpose I prefer short, rigid bodyboard fins to my long fins and SCUBA fins. My buddy uses long fins, which often drives me a little nuts since they kick up more sand.

--John

We are talking generally as well as personally, so etiquette is an issue. As SF says, wait and your turn will come. If not there will be another day. Gloves have never really been an issue for me, I don't feel comfortable in them. I agree also that fins have caused as much death in the water as the Klingon's!

Great discussion!!!!

On another board I raised a similar issue, and asked generally whether we as photogs have some sort of a duty to not show pics -- or to show pics -- where people were treating the reef badly while taking pics (disclaimer -- this was a theoretical question, not about a particular photo or diver) -- and I got soundly thrashed for criticizing others' diving practices.

Fins are horrible. One thing I learned diving in an aquarium - be mindful of fins.

Fingers can also do damage as well if placed badly. Coral has a natural sunscreen that will be wiped off if the coral is touched, especially if there is any sunscreen involved. The coral wil then be unable to protect itself from UV rays. As scorpio fish says, a well placed finger - rock, sand, etc. - is fine.

Glad to see it can be discussed without rancor.