I would prefer DD and others not to handle the wildlife, but I am to the point where I am not going to fuss about it. We can co-exist in harmony as far as I am concerned.
I do put my knees and/or hand gently down on the sandy/rubble bottom when I am trying to steady myself for a supermacro shot. Is that better or worse than gently playing with an eel?
Some of my photographer friends are constantly turning over rocks/shells to look for nudis. Definitely bad for the critters who live there or hide there during the daylight hours. I give them a hard time about it but it doesn't affect their behavior.
Some photographers are constantly moving critters to black pieces of plastic or to other locations for a "better shot" and those same photographers have been recently seen kicking other critters while trying to take pictures. They will claim innocence and say it doesn't harm the animals, however I personally would consider that worse than playing with an eel.
It is most disappointing when a cool critter disappears to die of starvation in someone's fish tank, but so long as it is not a prohibited species it is legal. I used to get steamed about this, and while I would prefer that collectors go to nearby areas to get the same critters, they could be just like me and not have a boat to do so.
That being said, it is a public space and we have to share it with others who might find different activities fitting their interests, and so long as it is legal try to exercise patience and understanding to the best of our abilities.
I do put my knees and/or hand gently down on the sandy/rubble bottom when I am trying to steady myself for a supermacro shot. Is that better or worse than gently playing with an eel?
Some of my photographer friends are constantly turning over rocks/shells to look for nudis. Definitely bad for the critters who live there or hide there during the daylight hours. I give them a hard time about it but it doesn't affect their behavior.
Some photographers are constantly moving critters to black pieces of plastic or to other locations for a "better shot" and those same photographers have been recently seen kicking other critters while trying to take pictures. They will claim innocence and say it doesn't harm the animals, however I personally would consider that worse than playing with an eel.
It is most disappointing when a cool critter disappears to die of starvation in someone's fish tank, but so long as it is not a prohibited species it is legal. I used to get steamed about this, and while I would prefer that collectors go to nearby areas to get the same critters, they could be just like me and not have a boat to do so.
That being said, it is a public space and we have to share it with others who might find different activities fitting their interests, and so long as it is legal try to exercise patience and understanding to the best of our abilities.