2 quick questions

[cfenton]

Quick Disclaimer: I am not a DIR diver, however I do subscribe to most of their practices. I dive sidemount, which isn't allowed, and also do photography, which also isn't allowed...The pistol grip lights are not allowed.

Isn't allowed by who?

It just makes sense...

At the end of the day isn't that all that matters. I've never met a GUE or UTD trained diver who made a decision because it "isn't allowed." But, I think most of us choose to dive this way because "it just makes sense"...at least to us.

 

[GShockey]

, and also do photography, which also isn't allowed.

I know about 60 or 70 other GUE instructors who are going to be disappointed to find this out.......I'm not sure what we are going to do with all our cameras.........

 

[tbone1004]

Guess "not allowed" wasn't the right choice, but if you are diving with a camera you aren't DIR. Want to explain how you can be a good buddy while you're filming something? If I'm using a camera I'm focused on whatever is in the viewfinder, not my buddy. This isn't a problem, but you're not monitoring your buddy while you're filming. Even if you're filming your buddy, your buddy position goes against DIR. You can't film something from less than a foot away when he's right next to you. Angles don't quite work out

Sidemount according to GUE isn't DIR. Their CEO said so, and I think it's on their FAQ page. Something about not having a manifold between the two bottles.

Pistol grip lights don't allow you to use a reel, which is a problem. They also are downright awful for signalling, but it's mainly you not being able to run a reel with it.

 

[GShockey]

Want to explain how you can be a good buddy while you're filming something?

Sidemount according to GUE isn't DIR. Their CEO said so, and I think it's on their FAQ page. Something about not having a manifold between the two bottles.

Pistol grip lights don't allow you to use a reel, which is a problem. They also are downright awful for signalling, but it's mainly you not being able to run a reel with it.

sigh......

 

[ucfdiver]

do photography, which also isn't allowed.

Ummm...who told you that?

As for sidemount, no it's not DIR, but it's not forbidden either. At least that JJ character doesn't seem to think so...

I appreciate your interest. From our perspective sidemount is a useful tool in certain, though fairly limited, conditions. There are some logistical benefits in with very difficult site access, in scouting certain locations and more obviously in exploring very small cave. However, all of these speak to a very small population making it less efficient to invest considerably in the discussion and refinement of broader standards. Yet, we have began codifying some of these and will address this more formally in the mid-term.
Best Wishes,


Jarrod Jablonski
CEO Extreme Exposure
CEO Halcyon Manufacturing
President Global Underwater Explorers

You might want to write GUE directly and let them know SM isn't OK with them too, it's on the agenda for the 2010 conference.
http://www.gue.com/?q=en/node/1561

At least your disclaimer let us all know you don't know WTF you're talking about.

 

[Sas]

Want to explain how you can be a good buddy while you're filming something?

I dive with my camera 99% of the time and do not have trouble sticking with buddies and paying attention to them...

 

[ucfdiver]

I dive with my camera 99% of the time and do not have trouble sticking with buddies and paying attention to them...

A camera severely limits awareness. In a cave I've found it to be incredibly task loading, as you're often looking through the viewfinder and keeping an eye on the light isn't easy. Video lights are blinding against backscatter and further complicate this. This is why when possible we bring a 3 man team, almost a "babysitter".

If anything, photography is a perfect fit for the "team diving" concepts.

 

[Sas]

A camera severely limits awareness. In a cave I've found it to be incredibly task loading, as you're often looking through the viewfinder and keeping an eye on the light isn't easy. Video lights are blinding against backscatter and further complicate this. This is why when possible we bring a 3 man team, almost a "babysitter".

If anything, photography is a perfect fit for the "team diving" concepts.

There are ways to deal with it. I have a simple P&S (small with no strobe). When I go cave diving it gets set on one setting and left for the duration. Can fit in my pocket or be clipped off quickly. I only dive as a buddy pair in caves but it just works with my buddy... we have the same pace, watch out for each other, and have not had any trouble paying attention to each other.

For something more complicated then it would be more task loading for sure though. And when I am solo diving I take a great deal more photos so you definitely have to modify your photography to work in a buddy team but it is not really difficult...

 

[Hepcat62]

Quick Disclaimer: I am not a DIR diver...
<snip>
...and also do photography, which also isn't allowed. I still use the minimalist approach for most applications and all that other stuff. It just makes sense...

Caveat - I'm at step 0 when it comes to DIR training, but as I understand it one of the big tenets of DIR can be stated as not taking equipment that is not in support of the dive objectives - that is to say, only take what is necessary. If photography is one of the objectives of the dive, then it's necessary - you bring a camera. Discuss it with the team in planning, and make sure team roles are assigned appropriately.

It seems to me that focus and awareness are not mutually exclusive. During my recent UTD Essentials course, I was always very intensely focused on my current task. That does not mean I was not at least somewhat aware (at least after day 1 ). I'm not facing my instructor at the moment, but I know where he is - I can see his light. The better you are at being aware, the more complex the tasks you can accomplish while remaining aware become.

If a dive is at or near the upper bound of your current skill set, you don't handle a camera on that dive. Cameras, like any activity, consume bandwidth. If you're already bandwidth-limited, leave the camera home. There's nothing uniquely DIR about that - we tell the same thing to new PADI OW graduates...

Edit - I should say that I agree with ucfdiver that a camera does limit awareness. it shouldn't completely eliminate it though. I also agree that the team diving concept works great for photography.

 

[Ben_ca]

Here's a discussion we had on the NorCal subforum on Photography and DIR

To top it off Rob had an outstanding write up on Team Photography that got published in Quest