Gas Milage (or how do you maximize divetime)

As I am developing my skills as a diver and underwater photographer I'm starting to notice differences in my dive times according to how I shoot and I am wondering what techniques others here use when they dive on guided dives. :idea:

I've always found it hard to manage dive buddies and the rest of the group as the lone photographer on the boat. On my recent trip to Belize I found that the best way to get clear shots and stay with the group is to essentialy swim laps along the wall. I would head to the front of the pack shoot the wall ahead of the group. Pause for some macro then shoot behind the pack. Then I would repeat the process.

1) I like to get clear photos unobscured by other divers (particularly divers I don't know and while models in your photos are great, I don't want some stranger who isn't cooperating with my image in my photos :evil: )

2) I don't want to be left behind the group. Particularly on drift dives I prefer to come up where the boat does. :roll:

Unfortunately, while this strategy works I noticed a distinct reduction in my dive times despite the fact that I was making a concious effort to reduce my breathing rate. I guess this is due to swimming with the camera and swimming faster than the group. Dissapointingly I was always one of the first back on the boat. :-(

What do you do?

There's two things you can do which works for me.

First, try and find a buddy that's also a photographer. Even if only one of you takes the camera (maybe a bit safer for beginning divers) the other knows how to model and help out finding critters. Im luckily that my gf is also a diver and a photographer. She takes a Nikonos V out, i take my Subal D10.

Second, go on trips/livaboards that cater to photographers. We're joining Cathy Church on her upcoming trip to the Solomons simply because I know it'll be a geared towards photographers.

Have fun,

Cor

things to think of,

number one you are diving, number two you are taking photos, if the photos are interfereing with your diving you need to fix that (which is what your asking for now) so good first move.

secondly why rush around around the group, just stay at the back of the group, that way you can shoot without them getting in your way, or, float above them by 10 - 20 ft (bubbles can sometimes be a problem then, but that will help your air as well as remove divers from your view.

or you could do both, and the best thing to do is dive with someone who specialiss in photography as Cor said, almost everywhere has someone that does.

Giles

I don't want to stir up a whole new can of worms but... as a certified diver there is no written in stone rule that says "you can't dive unless you dive with a buddy or a guide", although many dive operators have their own in house rules, many allow VERY experienced divers the option of doing what ever the heck they want to do, with or without a buddy, so long as they for example: do not exceed the planned max depth or time, or return to the boat w/o at least 500 psi, or back on the surface in X minutes. Whether you are experienced enough for this is another question completely. Again as I've said before, don't be afraid to ask your dive operator questions about their required supervision practices before you book with them. As for me, I learned my lesson while on vacation while diving with a operator who believed in never taking divers below 60' in huge groups while banging on their tanks to control the group and the dive was over in 30 minutes, even if I still had 2000 psi in my tank.

Good Luck

Doug

Hi!

First of all, even if you don't swim around like a rocket, taking photos means spending extra air. A friend of mine who is diving for 15 years needs about 10% more when taking photos.

I think that it is important to get *really* used to your equipment first (so buoyancy is happening) and try to adopt an efficient style of movement.

This will reduce your gas consumption in general. Diving is fun, it shouldn't be stress, neither to you nor the animals you visit.

I've got a buddy who is guarding my back, finding critters and posing if I need. She also carries an additional light for helping me with macro or for good wa-shot effects.

We carefully select operators who accept us going our own way more or less (at least after the first dive). In most cases it results in something like "Let them in first so we don't have to wait too long after surfacing" to the other divers. My answer to "45 minutes or 40bar/500psi" is always "I'll take the 40bar/500psi".

We also try to find the less crowded places. If you're alone on the boat with your guide you set the pace. If the guide isn't used to photographers s/he will learn. If you're at a popular wreck e.g. you can't avoid other divers. There's still PhotoShop to correct the worst.

You have to have some experience to do this (but you should have it anyway when starting uw photography). Especialy when you carry more than a small camera in a lunch box.

Helge ;-)=)

many allow VERY experienced divers the option of doing what ever the heck they want to do, with or without a buddy

While I agree with this statement, I'd also like to point out that diving without a buddy does have it's risks, especially in regards to equipment failure. What happens if you're by yourself at the back of the "pack" and your first stage breaks, who are you going to "borrow" air from? If you're going to go solo, I'd urge you to have redundant air supplies at a minimum, as well as some sort of UW signalling device. That way you're covered if you run out of air, have equipment problems, or get tangled up.

Just my $0.02 as always.

Tom

All good advice so far - lots to consider.

Cheers

James

I agree with Tom.

Or, buddy up with another photographer. I found in Port Hardy that you can still stay close and look for the next subject while your buddy is photographing the first one. If you do have equipment failure you can still swim to them for assistance.

Redundancy would be important otherwise.

Can't resist to add my blathering:

Solo diving is definitely an option preferred by lots of UW-photographers but should only be done by really experienced and self sufficient divers (whatever that is). Also, additional training (use of redundant air sources and emergency procedures) is a good idea.

Work on your air consumption w/o the camera: buoyancy control, breathing rate, get fit (or are you?)

Remember that trying to breathe less can easily result in increased air consumption - as ridiculous as it sounds.

Most importantly: move as little as possible. Particularly on drift dives the idea is to not move at all and just drift. So why go back and forth all the time?

I always stay well behind the groups. And if you don't come up where the boat is, so what?! The boat can move and pick you up, or not? At least that was my experience in 98% of my diving in similar conditions (diving in groups off boats). If you don't feel comfortable enough yet diving without the guide consider focussing on that issue first -taking some snapshots only, maybe- and then on improving your photographic skills.

Even if you don't find another photographer to buddy up with there might be some who are happy enough to take it slowly; a MUST if you want to find the small critters anyway. Choose them.

Consider whether you want to dive long or deep. Whilst there might be a reason sometimes to go deep (sharks, rays ...) often the nice things are between 5 and 15m. So why go deeper and 'waste' air?

Last, but not least: try using a larger tank than others in the group. Many operators provide that option.

Good luck!

But do carry a good surface marker buoy (sausage or lift bag) and learn how to use it - IANTD's deep air course provides training in deploying a lift bag or other SMB using a spool or reel at deco depths. And a good audible signalling device (horn or storm whistle), and some sort of emergency beacon - either a flashing strobe or a powerful back-up light that you carry on every dive (and don't use as a regular dive light on night dives).

There definitely will be times when you get separated from the group and find yourself on your own.