The lost smells of underwater photography

Smells are well known to be linked with memory and emotions. I have just opened an old tube of Nikonos o-ring grease. What a smell - happy days indeed. So distinctive. And what about the smell of a roll of film. Another nasal blast from the past.

So my question is, what are the smells of underwater photography these days?

Alex

The smell of burning money.

These are subtle odours, but having a sensitive nose myself, I know where you're coming from.

There is a very faint plasticky-electric scent to a charged laptop. Or then again, there's definitely a 'new camera' smell when you first crack the box, so some of the regular upgraders out there must be familiar with/addicted to that one.

The hardware doesn't offer much in the way of oflatory experience. It's travel that really sets the senses alight: to find yourself in a strange land full of alien whiffs, some welcome, others less so. Who can forget the smell of palm oil frying in a Thai street market? Or the musky blend of burning coconut husks, incense and frangipane in a Balinese temple? There are places like Port Sudan that reek of urine and marine diesel, or there's the melange of vegetation that you get on tropical islands from the Maldives to Fiji.

At the end of the day, you can't beat the frying bacon at Stoney Cove.

The vegetation of the Maldives and Fiji to -

At the end of the day, you can't beat the frying bacon at Stoney Cove.

Now that is a broad canvas, you are quite likely to get Dean over excited yet at this rate.

I would caution however that nt all of these scents are in fact positive - there was that smell emanating from my dry suit when I dropped a _lot_ of deco on a TriMix dive last year....

Paul C

The smell of burning money.

LOL, Matthew!

Plus the smell of yet another flooded Ikelite strobe battery compartment.

I would caution however that nt all of these scents are in fact positive - there was that smell emanating from my dry suit when I dropped a _lot_ of deco on a TriMix dive last year....

 

Paul C

ROFL

I hope You got some REALLY good pictures on that dive

more destination than actual diving - a mix of hot bitumen/tarmac, 2-stroke fuel exhaust salt water and the odd whiff of unbleached tabacco...

Smells are well known to be linked with memory and emotions. I have just opened an old tube of Nikonos o-ring grease. What a smell - happy days indeed. So distinctive. And what about the smell of a roll of film. Another nasal blast from the past.

 

So my question is, what are the smells of underwater photography these days?

 

Alex

I love the smell of my housing when i serviced after a hot dive, smells like... "victory"

best regards

miguel c

In 6-8 foot sees, feeling just a touch queasy, and then you get a blast of diesel fumes........

The lovely smell of new housing or strobe packing as you open them...the smell of anticipation as you hope for improvements due to hardware changes while the real issue is skill and talent...mixed with the smell of burning bank accounts in the background.

That wonderful (cough, cough) smell eminating from my booties after a weeks worth of diving!

Mike

Oh yes, the smell of o-ring grease.

There's also the smell of a new set of flooded batteries in your strobe's battery compartment!

The faint metallic mixed with salty smell of an aluminum housing after a dive trip.

various armpits on a red sea liveaboard

The cool aluminium smell of a MacBook Pro...

... the smell of fear as a water-level appears in the viewfinder at 15m...

... the new paper-smell of yet another guide to the latest Photoshop!

Tim

My favorite photo lab had a distinctive chemical smell. Prior to the instant feedback of digital, I couldn't wait to see my slides on the lightbox. Then picking up those expensive Ilfochrome prints. They closed 3 years ago.

The aroma of my 10-year-old-still-going-strong (no pun....) drysuit that has never been laundered on the inside.......

"I love the smell of drysuit boots in the morning......smells like funtime......"

My buddies used to love the smell that arose from my dry-suit as they unzipped it, especially if I had a curry the night before

Or a hired wet-suit after a seasons use at a Mediterranean dive resort that hasn't been rinsed properly... MMmmm I love the smell of old piss in the morning

I myself just love the smell of the Sea ... And of course the Stoney bacon baps/cobs

Dive safe

DeanB

. MMmmm I love the smell of old piss in the morning

DeanB

wrong forum Dean

The after effects of a large dinner of asparagus!

Walking into a dive shop and the overwhelming smell of neoprene!!