Instabuddy vs. Dive Safety

[johndiver999]

I find this statement hilarious.

That's because you are a photographer... you've made my point. A macro photographer can't fathom why another individual might like to swim toward a manta ray or dolphin or try to get close to a shark or see what's around the next corner of the wreck.

Really dedicated and serious photographers can often be fixated on rather narrow subjects and spend a ton of time trying to get the angles, the lighting, the creature to move it's position, for a school of fish to move into the scene etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with all that - just as long as all members of the team have the same objectives.

Getting your buddy (victim) to volunteer to be included as a subject is a perfect way to help ensure unification of the dive's objective(s).

In general, you don't want to buddy up with a spearfisherman (unless you want to volunteer to carry a bag of dead fish for them) or a photographer (unless you want to be photographed). Only half joking.

 

[OTF]

Communication is the answer here. Talk to the instabuddy and DM, make sure you're paired up with someone that makes sense for what you want to do, and catch it early if you're not. Have a solid plan. Just take the two minutes and talk through a dive plan instead of being passive or making assumptions. Blows my mind how infrequently that happens on public dive boats.

Divers that need to go off and do their own thing without the DM or photograph slowly should communicate that with the DM and any potential insta-buddies. Usually everyone is fine with it if such a plan gets made early and followed properly.

Speak up on the boat because you can't underwater.

 

[TMHeimer]

Communication is the answer here. Talk to the instabuddy and DM, make sure you're paired up with someone that makes sense for what you want to do, and catch it early if you're not. Have a solid plan. Just take the two minutes and talk through a dive plan instead of being passive or making assumptions. Blows my mind how infrequently that happens on public dive boats.

Divers that need to go off and do their own thing without the DM or photograph slowly should communicate that with the DM and any potential insta-buddies. Usually everyone is fine with it if such a plan gets made early and followed properly.

Speak up on the boat because you can't underwater.

Agree. But if you are on the FL panhandle in winter and a boat may go out once a month or so if they can get 4-6 divers willing to go, you don't have a lot of options. That's why you check out things with the Op the best you can and decide whether to plunk down your $100. If so, then you take what you get. You still may get stuck with a photog, but if you are rescue trained you can easier deal with a dork. If you have more choices you can easier make the decision to go or to check out what type of divers may be on the next boat.

 

[woosang]

I used to dive with my husband who is pretty lax and drive me nuts as he was always rushed to get in to do proper checks. My son and I are similar so we dive together or we get instabuddies from the DM. As we are inexperienced divers we are usually happy with who ever the DM gives us, and I will go along unless they are like the husband then its no deal.

 

[Blackcrusader]

That's because you are a photographer... you've made my point. A macro photographer can't fathom why another individual might like to swim toward a manta ray or dolphin or try to get close to a shark or see what's around the next corner of the wreck.

So your argument is now people who take macro photos do not take photos or rays or dolphins or other large marine life? really?

Here's a nice video of marine life slightly larger than macro and my dive buddy with the white shirt and white mottled fins.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

So your argument is now people who take macro photos do not take photos or rays or dolphins or other large marine life? really?

Here's a nice video of marine life slightly larger than macro and my dive buddy with the white shirt and white mottled fins.

Just beautiful. She was loving the bubbles.

What I wouldn't give for an experience like that.

 

[chillyinCanada]

So your argument is now people who take macro photos do not take photos or rays or dolphins or other large marine life? really?

Here's a nice video of marine life slightly larger than macro and my dive buddy with the white shirt and white mottled fins.

That is spectacular! The visibility was sublime! Thank you so much for sharing. I almost felt that I was there with you.

 

[Ghost95]

Instabuddy now equals offensive???

Jeez, I don't feeeeel I can have a normal conversation with a human anymore without tripping over one of their randomly selected words and offending some unknown delicate sensibility. Oh well.

Ignore.

I guess that's one less person whom I could have learnd cool stuff from and who could possibly learn cool stuff from me.

 

[Soloist]

How about “timely emotional and physical support companion.”

What about “instantaneous aquatic encouragement chaperone” for a bubbly uplifting feel-good characterization? Hopefully PADI will offer a specialties course soon. Honestly, I can’t freaking wait to be one of these!

 

[johndiver999]

So your argument is now people who take macro photos do not take photos or rays or dolphins or other large marine life? really?

Here's a nice video of marine life slightly larger than macro and my dive buddy with the white shirt and white mottled fins.

Very cool video, thanks.