Considering quitting underwater photography

[MrChen]

Dear @MrChen

I think that you should open this for a vote/poll, should you quit or not quit UW Photography!!!!!!!!!

I don't think that you should take things into your own hands We are your buddies and thus we should have a say in this matter

I say NO to your quitting UW Photography!!!!

Thank you for your support

 

[MB NZ]

For my own part, overseas travel is expensive and time consuming from NZ. Carrying photography equipment was just too much hassle in the end. Add taking a small child on holiday and it all became too hard, plus I couldn't dive with my photography-friendly buddy (wife) because one of us was doing childcare.

As for diving at home, what really killed it was getting my own boat believe it or not. Dives are often tacked on to fishing trips or family days out. Spending hours in the water waiting for a nudibranch to have the right expression on it's face just wasn't going to work. Finding reliable people to go on a dive trip midweek is harder than you might think.

I really enjoyed it at the time and while I can't claim the successes that BoltSnap is having, I was winning local and holiday photography competitions and had a few photos published in diving magazines.

 

[Searcaigh]

@MrChen

By all means take a break, but I'm sure you'll think about getting back into it

Personally I can't imagine diving without a camera, and I've got more gear than I care to think about at times, including two cameras and housings from when I used film (Nikon F3 / Tussy Housing and Nikon F801 / Aquatica Housing).

Since 2002 I went digital and currently use a Nikon D7200 and D300 in Sea and Sea Housings, and have great enjoyment using them with various lenses. I generally take my best shots though when diving solo and can spend time with a specific subject, but I do like to have that extra pair of eyes to spot stuff too.

It is a shlep hauling housings and strobes on overseas trips, but the end results are usually worth it. Plus you have BHB in your backyard, I'd be diving there daily

 

[happy-diver]

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).

Ooooooooooooooh I feel good I landed a YARD long Grouper

Mate is this an American thing and are you completely lacking

"Growth rates are slow, averaging approximately four inches (10 cm) per year until the age of six years. Growth declines to about 1.2 inches (3 cm) per year at age 15, and less than .4 inches (1 cm) per year after 25 years."

and as far as cameras and diving go

If you can't see it with your eyeballs it wasn't meant to be seen
and if you can't go down there and see it for yourself bad luck

It's underwater photography, not diving, so the choice is yours

and other than that shot on the cover of Nat Geo no one cares

I don't understand some of the questioning which makes me feel like I need to defend how am feeling.

Exactly, go see someone!

Take this and your likemindeds with you

enjoy diving with likeminded people to find more stuff and share a beer and burger with after the dive.

It's not beer you drink over there anyway, it's watered down pus perhaps thats the issue

 

[hedonist222]

You have some great gear that is not going to get "less great" if it sits on the shelf for a year or three. However, if you sell your great gear at a discount and buy new gear in 3-5 years it will cost you a lot!

I suggest your pull the batteries from everything, give it a good cleaning, and store it until you are ready to use it again. You might end up booking an amazing trip to the Galapagos or Raja Ampat and get the photo bug again.

My sentiment as well.
I mothballed my DSLR housing and kit a since my last big trip 8 months ago.
Since then I went on a dive trip to Zanzibar and right now I'm in Yanbu (coastal petrotown in Saudi on the Red Sea). Happy without the camera.

Will take it though to more exotic locations when I go.

Hang on to your system, it'll cost a lot to procure again .

 

[Divin'Papaw]

View attachment 845737

Ooooooooooooooh I feel good I landed a YARD long Grouper

Mate is this an American thing and are you completely lacking

"Growth rates are slow, averaging approximately four inches (10 cm) per year until the age of six years. Growth declines to about 1.2 inches (3 cm) per year at age 15, and less than .4 inches (1 cm) per year after 25 years."

and as far as cameras and diving go

If you can't see it with your eyeballs it wasn't meant to be seen
and if you can't go down there and see it for yourself bad luck

It's underwater photography, not diving, so the choice is yours

and other than that shot on the cover of Nat Geo no one cares



Exactly, go see someone!

View attachment 845738

Take this and your likemindeds with you



It's not beer you drink over there anyway, it's watered down pus perhaps thats the issue

All sorts of hating and stereotyping all over this post, and I'm not even a hunter myself. Who pissed in your Wheaties?

 

[MrChen]

All sorts of hating and stereotyping all over this post, and I'm not even a hunter myself. Who pissed in your Wheaties?

I've already got him blocked

 

[Catito]

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.

Okay…I understand, I can take it off your hands. I live near you. By the way, I have always enjoyed your photos. Take a break. I often leave my camera on the boat because I want to feel free!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I also use a D850 with a 60 and 105mm lenses. I shoot mostly macro, but occasionally I shoot wide angle with 15 and 8mm lenses. It's a totally different experience shooting and editing wide angle. It helps keep my interest.

 

[MB NZ]

I had a 8mm lens. Loved it! Macro is good, but nothing beats a well composed and lit fisheye shot in my opinion.