Oh how times change! An video about ethical muck photography from Lembeh

Back in 94, muck diving in Lembeh was about getting the shot (all 36 of them) and the ethics was mostly self imposed. Circa 2011... ethical muckdiving instructional videos (someone just sent this to me:)

[youtubehd]2oJODUOoWgc[/youtubehd]

This should become the dive operator equivalent of the airline safety video.

Looks great full screen, how's the quality.... although it goes soft on the edges.

LOL Wags... it's the content mate... not the quality of the shot... I just think it's funny how it goes from free for all to responsible diving as it gets more crowded. Don't get me wrong. I think it's great!

I thought the divers and guide looked familiar. Great video. Should be required for all new visitors to the Straight. Bravo.

Cheers,

Marli

Its about time someone came out with a video like this. Especially in muck and especially when mixing photographers and videographers in the same group, filming etiquette is so important. I have seen too many who had no manners under the water. The subject of buoyancy control should be heeded by all. I have been to Lembeh only 4 times but that first time taught me so much.

Steve

Great video and second it should be required viewing. Take out "landing zone" and guide manipulation and would be perfect.

I'm not sure I like the idea of the poker into the sand stabilizer idea. Image being that nudibranch, crab or eel hiding underneath getting skewered. LOL

This is a great movie and a super initiative from Critters@Lembeh. We started to use the video as a mandatory video to watch for all divers.

Unfortunately this does not only apply for Muck Diving.

Some photographers (in my experience these are more "professional wannabees") ignore the underwater environment completely, replace nudi's or alter the "scene" by breaking away corals that disturb their "composition" to get a shot... not to mention the touching of marine life to compensate their not available buoyancy...

Strangely enough some nationalities are worse than others... I will not go into details on that, we all know which ones.

I think it also is very helpful when diving centers instruct their guides to brief the divers and report to management when things like mentioned repeatedly occur.

In the worst cases these divers should be forbidden to dive and report to colleague diving centers in the area.

In the end I believe it is mostly the responsibility of the dive operators to guard the marine environment since they offer the opportunity to dive.