Selfie sticks - for selfish selfholes?

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I don't own a GoPro but I try to stay away from all divers who have any kind of photographic gear in their hand, whether they are equipped with a GoPro stick or a fancy DSLR rig. I have seen really good and really bad divers using both ends of the photographic equipment spectrum. The bad divers I stay away from because I don't want to get smacked with the pole, and I stay away from the good divers so I don't interfer with their photography. One nice advantage of the GoPro pole is that it tends to keep the bad divers a little farther away from the reef. During a recent dive in Belize, a couple with hand held underwater cameras were climbing over, laying on, banging into, and knocking over coral and sponges trying to get their close up shots. Watching them I was thinking it was too bad they did not have a GoPro on a 6 foot stick. At least the coral would not have been so badly trampled.

Yup. That's the only advantage to them, AFAICS.
 
I think it's just a current fad. It's an extension of the land selfie craze taken with phones, and adopted by the Gopro crowd. Before phone cameras I seldom heard of someone trying to take a hand held selfie with a regular digital camera or before that a film camera. Setting it up on a tripod and using a timer yes, but a hold at arms length pointed at yourself, no.

People ask "why do they do it", maybe the answer is "Because they can".
 
I think it's just a current fad. It's an extension of the land selfie craze taken with phones, and adopted by the Gopro crowd. Before phone cameras I seldom heard of someone trying to take a hand held selfie with a regular digital camera or before that a film camera. Setting it up on a tripod and using a timer yes, but a hold at arms length pointed at yourself, no.

People ask "why do they do it", maybe the answer is "Because they can".

Yeah, that's exactly what's going on (I haven't seen it, diving mostly solo or with classes, but I just know....).
 
This, above. The head spins at the ridiculous smug superiority and self-righteousness expressed here. I have never, ever, been able to record myself in a dive, and I have done some quite thrilling and scenic ones. Now, I can, if I choose, have a memory that I could not have created before and keep for a lifetime. And your problem is . . . . . ??????As for using an extension pole to place a very small camera closer to animals or in tight spaces, that is far less intrusive than swimming up to them in full gear, blowing bubbles, with a huge rig, which is almost guaranteed to scare off the animal. It is amazing what a difference 6 feet of space makes, when the huge, bulky, loud, bubbling object is that far away and the only thing close to the animal is a 2 inch by 2 inch box. This absolutely gives the ability to get different and dramatic close perspectives without disturbance. Like anything else, if it appears that placing the camera in this way disturbs the subject, then back it off, which applies to all photographers.Oh, and, counter-intuitive though it seems, the pole does indeed help stablilze the image. The dampening effect of the water on the long pole with its much greater surface area and mass compared to the camera takes out pretty much all small vibratory movements--the most irritating for video. This is why a lot of pros mount their rigs on DPV's, same principle.Sheesh, get a life, everyone.
Wow well said, I have to commend you on a great detailed response to this topic. I find that depicting all those who choose to use a camera pole when diving as narcissistic is extremely judgmental and offensive to some including me. I love using the camera pole and I am not narcissistic and I believe that the camera pole bashing is pretty silly.

Everyone should have a choice to use what ever they like or feel comfortable using as long as they are "CONSIDERATE and RESPECTFUL" to the natural inhabitants and other divers.Its a much better approach when some can give a recommendation rather than just bash or ridicule, I find that does nothing except create havoc and the side that is being judged unfairly, will lash out in defense.

I hope all those critical of camera poles realize that you are speaking to a very large group of users. As a matter of fact their is a post on this forum on "show me your selfie". I am sure everyone on that post is not a "JACK WHOLE" or "NARCISSISTIC".

Don't take the fun out of what other people like to use. Being considerate goes both ways!


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Personal opinion only, but to me selfies seem like a good indication of a narcissistic personality.

I find that depicting all those who choose to use a camera pole when diving as narcissistic is extremely judgmental

True SB style hyperbole/straw man


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I have been traveling the world mostly alone for the last 25 years and I also dive solo. The benefit of my job is I see lots of places on the company tab, but before selfie sticks all I had was pictures of places. Could have been a post card except I am a piss poor photographer. Now on occasion I take a picture of my self with a selfie stick.

I really don't care what others think about it. If you verbalize it to me I will tell you for FCK OFF. How I take my pictures is none of your damn business unless somehow I am damaging the reef by being an idiot.
 
we are all narcissists (said Freud), but most of us manage it well and don't need no selfie stick

:D
 
I like the selfiestick. I use it when teaching and for other things. Sometimes you can use the stick to move more close to fish.
 
Does the stick actually help in stabilization?
Yes. Before selfie sticks were a 'thing', I made my own GoPro accessory from the telescoping handle of a car window scraper. I did so because my first GoPro mount, a pistol grip type (also homemade), yielded terrible video, magnifying every minute movement of my hand. The "stick' produced markedly smoother video, and I dare say smoother than a lot of video shot using newer GoPro trays. And I must agree, any simple mount for a tiny powerhouse video camera is far less obtrusive than $10,000 of tray, housing, arms, strobes, and video lights. And I have yet to take a selfie, four years into the GoPro ... but if that's your deal, go for it!
 
My wife says (on land) selfie sticks have been around for 5 years and I should get out more.
 
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