Am I onto something?

OK, here's the story:

I got my OW - and AOW - last year. Since I've been taking pictures topside for a couple of decades and sometimes get a few shots I feel good about, I bought a house for my Canon G9 and started bringing it underwater. Note that I haven't been able to afford a strobe yet, so most of the pictures are taken in available light. So far I've had to focus my attention on my diving and haven't been able to "work" my pictures properly, but I still would like some feedback on my first feeble attempts at UW photography. Is there a future in UW photo for me? I'm currently spending quite a chunk of money on building an OM-D system, should I reconsider that and keep to topside photography?

(All the pictures are hyperlinked to the full version on Flickr)

Only time will tell!!! It is a fun hobby though!

Hi and welcome to Wetpixel!

It's apparent to me from your Flickr page that you are a photographer. I sense you wouldn't be happy diving without a camera. We have a name for that, ....... swimming. Borrow a strobe and checkout the possibilities with your G9 or just go for it. You won't be sorry.

Equal Opportunity Statement ; It should be noted that you are asking a bunch of people who have all spent thousands of dollars on their passion (sorry John, not a hobby) if you should too.

Good luck,

Steve

I really like your photo of the bubbles. Photography is a marvelous passion and too keep our vision alive we need to constantly challenge ourselves. I believe that the challenge of photography underwater only serves to strenthen ones overall photographic ability.

In the end, if you like, do it

If you like UW Photography? Then go for it.

Can you imagine diving without a Camera? Then think about it.

... and then go for it anyway

It is your decision, your money and your passion. Basically all of us here on Wetpixel have been in your situation.

We decided to go for it. So, as Steve writes you are asking the wrong bunch.

All of us would probably say that it keeps costing us a lot of money, but giving us a lot of joy.

Steve implied in hobby...

Webster dictionary:

Hob´by

A subject or plan upon which one is constantly setting off; a favorite and ever-recurring theme of discourse, thought, or effort; that which occupies one's attention unduly, or to the weariness of others; a ruling passion.

Sorry for being a smartass!!!

Passion, hobby or addiction...i do it for fun and like Storker, every now and then i get an image that I feel good about and then it all makes sense....to the weariness of others....

Dive in Storker!

I like the "or to the weariness of others" part. That certainly rings true in my household

I like the "or to the weariness of others" part. That certainly rings true in my household

Sounds familiar somehow ...

Thanks for the encouragement, guys!

I sense you wouldn't be happy diving without a camera. We have a name for that, ....... swimming.

It should be noted that you are asking a bunch of people who have all spent thousands of dollars on their passion (sorry John, not a hobby) if you should too.

I really like your photo of the bubbles.

Thanks. It was really a grab shot, I saw the subject just accidentally while looking upward. Sometimes those grab shots turn out nice, and this is one of those I was kinda happy wiith

Photography is a marvelous passion and too keep our vision alive we need to constantly challenge ourselves. I believe that the challenge of photography underwater only serves to strenthen ones overall photographic ability.

I absolutely agree. I know I have to work quite a bit on my WA composition skills, as I've been more of a short tele perspective type of guy topside. But it's a fun challenge, and I hope that since I can't stay in the tele perspective rut underwater, I might acquire some skills which can be useful also topside.

If you like UW Photography? Then go for it.

Can you imagine diving without a Camera? Then think about it.

 

... and then go for it anyway

I guess I've already made the decision. But man, I though GAS was expensive topside. And my wife thinks my topside photography already is expensive enough, so I foresee some bargaining in the near future...

I guess I've already made the decision. But man, I though GAS was expensive topside. And my wife thinks my topside photography already is expensive enough, so I foresee some bargaining in the near future...

Welcome to the club! Once addicted...you can never go back. And yes...there will be lots of bargaining in the future. But keep in mind, that can be used to your advantage.

Looking forward seeing how things progress with you - DIverPam

Hi John, we may be struggling under slightly different definitions, two people "separated by a common language", I'm not sure. For me a hobby and a passion are two very different things. Your passion defines who you are, a hobby is what you do in your spare time. I think this lady has it about right, from the website Psychology for Photographers;

"Passions are often confused with hobbies, but there is a critical difference. A hobby is “a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation.”Passions, on the other hand, are not relaxing. Passions don’t leave you alone. Passions insert themselves into your life whether you have time for them or not. Passions soothe you and drive you crazy at the same time. We think of a passion as something we love, an overwhelming feeling of devotion and obsession. But in older English, ‘passion’ also meant ‘suffering‘. And even now, passions will exact a high price from us – but one we never seem to mind paying.

Underwater photography is a perfectly good hobby, it's just not a hobby for some of us here and I just wanted to make sure Mr. Storker knew what kind of "passionate" people he was dealing with.

Cheers,

Steve

Steve,

This pretty much sums up my relationship with photography

Touché

We should point out that most of the people that have a passion for underwater photography need professional help - and I don't mean with getting good pictures!

We should point out that most of the people that have a passion for underwater photography need professional help - and I don't mean with getting good pictures!

John - What happens when the one who is passionate about underwater photography is the professional in their every day life?! Oh...I just plan another dive trip.

And Steve...well said. I for one and defined my by passion - underwater photography - and it drives me.

Happy diving and photography - Pam

Well, my first question is are you shooting and adjusting in RAW? If so, you can make multiple copies of the RAW file (in separate folders) and adjust each for foreground, background, pot, etc, then edit them in Photoshop and use them in a composite photograph masking in/out what you do/don't want. You can manipulate your existing photos and learn a lot of learning about underwater shots before investing.

You'll then know if it is a hobby or a passion?

Yes, there is a future for you!

Your images are like diamonds in the rough!

To realize your potential, you should immediately upgrade your equipment!

Consider a Nikon D3 or maybe a Canon 2X Magnum. Better still, one of each. A wide angle and one for marco.

Just think of the buzz in seeing all that money fly away!

:laugh:

 

Underwater photography is a perfectly good hobby, it's just not a hobby for some of us here and I just wanted to make sure Mr. Storker knew what kind of "passionate" people he was dealing with.

Ain't that the truth...

Storker wrote:

... I've been taking pictures topside for a couple of decades and sometimes get a few shots I feel good about, I bought a house for my Canon G9 and started bringing it underwater...

... and so we ought to add that he's going to encounter that ghastly moment when you realise that it's all different underwater, that you have to learn a whole new set of photographic techniques (and, yes, okuma, spend all that money...)!

... you can make multiple copies of the RAW file (in separate folders) and adjust each for foreground, background, pot, etc, then edit them in Photoshop and use them in a composite photograph masking in/out what you do/don't want. You can manipulate your existing photos...

Or cheat, as it's known to the passionate...

...there will be lots of bargaining in the future. But keep in mind, that can be used to your advantage.

Hm. Mind sharing a few insider tips? I mean,being the other gender and all that?

Well, my first question is are you shooting and adjusting in RAW?

Yup. I learned pretty quickly to intensely dislike JPEG and the limited amount of adjustments that format gives me.

If so, you can make multiple copies of the RAW file (in separate folders) and adjust each for foreground, background, pot, etc, then edit them in Photoshop and use them in a composite photograph masking in/out what you do/don't want. You can manipulate your existing photos and learn a lot of learning about underwater shots before investing.

Now, then, this really isn't my cup of tea. Coming from a long experience with film before finally going digital in '09, heavy 'shopping isn't what fits my temperament and ideas for my own photography. I have little problems cloning out small insignificant details, using HDR techniques to capture a larger tonal range than my sensor can capture in one shot or making the occasional composite. But generally I don't like to do much more than I could in the wet darkroom. Others peoples' MMV, surely, but this is me.

Yes, there is a future for you!

Your images are like diamonds in the rough!

To realize your potential, you should immediately upgrade your equipment!

Consider a Nikon D3 or maybe a Canon 2X Magnum. Better still, one of each. A wide angle and one for marco.

Just think of the buzz in seeing all that money fly away!

:laugh:

Vade retro... (and don't mention C*non, I'm a NIkon guy topside )