Considering quitting underwater photography

[MrChen]

I own a Nikon D850, 60mm and 105mm lenses, Sea&Sea housing, Inon z330 strobes, backscatter mf2 strobes (with a snoot and other accessories), and several Light & Motion lights. The camera is amazing and BHB is in my backyard. I've been using a DSLR for 8-10 years and enjoyed it immensely. But I'm at a crossroad... None of my pre-covid photo dive buddies are diving anymore. The last two photo dives I've done, I haven't had the motivation to process and post photos. I went to Roatan and left my camera at home and didn't miss it.

I think most of this has to do with the fact that I've found a group with a private boat, and we focus on hunting. I'm having a blast cruising around on a DPV learning to spearfish. I even landed a 33 inch black grouper a couple of weeks ago (which was exciting).

So here I am with all this camera gear, spare arms, butterfly clips, batteries, chargers, etc., and I'm thinking about selling it all. I'm sad thinking about it. I've learned a lot in the last decade. I think I'm ready to hang up the camera. Maybe I'll get something smaller and more casual in the future... Thanks for reading, I just needed to write it out to make it seem real.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Not sure if I should be sad for you or happy. Crossroads are not bad things. Sometimes we just hit a shift in life and our interests change. It's not a bad thing. Underwater photography at the level you are at is a TON of work ... before, during and after the dive. If you do pull the trigger and decide to sell, I am sure your gear will find a good new home!

I hit a similar crossroads with technical diving. Trained up through trimix and enjoyed the technical diving that I was able to do. But it just got to be too much work and too much risk to be fun anymore. I sold off or broke down all of my technical gear, refocused on purely recreational diving and bought a simple GoPro to bring on most dives (I had never had one previously). I'm loving diving as much as ever and have not had a yearn to return to the deeper/longer stuff.

Best of luck in your decision my friend!

 

[Boarderguy]

Go pro on a simple handle with a single video light (optional) is fantastic for bringing home memories. Put a bolt snap on it and clip it off until you want to shoot something and then back to the D-ring. Pull stills from the video later and process them further if you like or just let it be since they're pretty good as is.

 

[MB NZ]

Quit when I realised my camera had been unused for 2 years plus. Felt sad, but also realised that I was probably not going to use it in the foreseeable future. I also morphed in to an underwater hunter. GoPro with video lights fills some of the void. One thing I would say is that I struggled to sell the camera and didn't get anywhere near what I thought it was worth. Technology moves on. Maybe I should have just left it sat on the shelf.

 

[arew+4]

Early on I was on the road to ruin with my Nikonos V system, always getting bigger better brighter things. Then dropped out of diving to raise children. Since getting back into diving I've kept the photography as a extra instead of an objective. Minimalist system TG-5 single strobe, no hours in Photoshop, just transfer them onto phone weed out the chaff. It's is actual much more enjoyable both under water and after the dives. I don't have the time equipment or under water time to get Nat-Geo photos and no longer try. I still do a few photo intensive dives per trip but also do dives with no camera hoping that will bring the whale sharks and mantas out of the blue.

 

[undrwtr1]

I did the same recently - both for land and diving. Had a Nikonos V years ago, then an Olympus 3040 with Ikelite housing and strobes then I dabbled with a GoPro with lights and most recently a TG6 setup. For land I had numerous DSLRs and lenses then transitioned to a mirrorless set up. Every time, I tired of lugging everything on trips and having to set everything up, etc. etc. and then processing the photos. On a recent European vacation, I decided to just take my iPhone and it was an epiphany. I always had my phone with me and there was no thought about lugging around anything every day or what lenses to take. Photos came out great and while compromises must be made, I was very pleased overall. For diving, I did the same - Divevolk housing with a basic light - again, so easy and the photos are quite good. The older I get, the less I want to deal with a large rig - especially when shore diving. Yes, I occasionally miss having great strobes, etc. but overall it makes diving and travel far easier. As a bonus, I can share photos immediately with friends and family.

 

[uncfnp]

Nothing like your setup but have been taking photos in one version or another since I started diving…until last year.

So far I don’t miss the camera though I admit that might change when I head to Lembeh next year. But hey, they have rentals if I feel compelled. And Eric still carries a gopro.

Life evolves.

 

[BoltSnap]

I am the opposite, ditching spearfishing and going into uw photo deeper and deeper. Can't imagine ditching photography, I have been doing it since circa 1995. I recently got into competitive UW photography and won medals for my work. I am going to the Africa Championship in 3 weeks.

 

[Green Frog]

I spent the Nineties and Oughts gathering and using Nikonos gear. Although I had a N-1, 2 N-2s, 2 N-3s and a N-V, I ended up mostly using an old N-2 that had been modified to connect to a strobe and a custom compact tray and arm we cobbled together to carry a tiny YS-10 strobe. When I was able to resume diving after COVID Bob Warkenton had retired and passed away and buying (and processing) film had become problematic, so I bought a little SeaLife Micro 3.0. What freedom! I can still take “been there” pictures and occasionally even get something really worthwhile, but I don’t have to devote time and effort (and money) to them like before.
Just my experience, your mileage may vary!

 

[tarponchik]

Why do you depend on company of others? My perfect dives are solo, when I can go as deep as I want to take a shot of an isolated coral head at 150 ft or lay down on the sand at 15 ft and wait for quater hour for some bug to get out of its hole so I can take a shot.