Not a bad thought, at all.chrpai:
It happened to me...
- Thread starter Mo2vation
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
I know this story exactly! It happened to me on a beach dive in Omi-shima, Yamaguchi, Japan. I had two other divers with me, both friends and one an instructor (Fukugawa-san)who I have also dived with about 50 times. It really was the same scenario - normally both Fukugawa-san and I have cameras (we are normally in Okinawa) but this day only I had mine as the vis wasn't very good - and he was more interested in being tour guide for the two of us. I stopped for what seemed like moments to get a macro shot - when I looked up - gone!!! I knew our compass bearings so headed off in that direction and then decided to do the lost buddy ascent - went up - nothing - hung around for a couple of minutes waiting - still nothing (we had been diving off a rounded headland with lots of large rocks in the water. Then I decided to call my dive and head back - had about 500 meters round the headland back to the beach - as I came round in sight of the beach I saw them about 30 meters ahead. Actually he had been quite out of order as he hadn't realised for quite a long time that I wasn't still with them and hadn't waited (some buddy!!)
It does prove the point though that it is easy to get separated if cameras are involved. Although I don't agree with the practice a lot of photographers dive solo because of this, especially if they are not going deep (no light anyway) and they are just dropping to one spot which they don't really leave. In Okinawa I always make it very clear that I want my own guide - and I probably pay too much attention to the camera and shots I'm taking. The dive shop we use knows all about what we want so I always have my back covered! I wouldn't take the camera down if I had been buddied with a novice/inexperienced diver - there is no point - they need too much watching! If I really am doing a dive for the photos, then I'll tell the DM onshore before we go anywhere to make sure that I don't get such a pairing.
It does prove the point though that it is easy to get separated if cameras are involved. Although I don't agree with the practice a lot of photographers dive solo because of this, especially if they are not going deep (no light anyway) and they are just dropping to one spot which they don't really leave. In Okinawa I always make it very clear that I want my own guide - and I probably pay too much attention to the camera and shots I'm taking. The dive shop we use knows all about what we want so I always have my back covered! I wouldn't take the camera down if I had been buddied with a novice/inexperienced diver - there is no point - they need too much watching! If I really am doing a dive for the photos, then I'll tell the DM onshore before we go anywhere to make sure that I don't get such a pairing.
This is the exact reason why i HATE being a buddy to a photographer. You essentially dont have a buddy. They are too busy trying to get a good pic.
Arnaud
Contributor
Actually, until the "incident", I thought we had been doing pretty well. I've been handling the navigation and contributing a good number of Ken's subjects. I like to take my time and look at stuff, so as long as Ken doesn't take 45 min. to set up a shot (and clearly, he doesn't), I'm pretty sure that this modified association can work out.
OP
LUBOLD8431:
It was rule number 2b on Ken's list:
#1 - do not buddy with Rebreathers
#2 - do not buddy with:
a) Hunters
b) Photographers
#3 - do not buddy with the morbidly obese
So moving behind the lens, its been like "OK Ken, do NOT become one of those divers..." I entered this endeavor (UW photographer) believing there was a balance that could be achieved.
But the more I actually, you know, try it - the more I find that the quality of the shot is in inverse proportion to the level of my personal buddy-ness. If I'm being the wacky coo coo buddy nazi I usually am, I'm getting ho hum snapshots. To seriously compose a shot, take several shots with different exposures, angles, lighting, etc... my buddy-ness is diminished for the sake of the shot.
As I gain more experience with the cam, I'm confident I will be quicker (read: make less stupid mistakes requiring re-takes! :bonk: ) I can improve this. But you know what happens then: I'll start reaching for more ambitious shots to fill that newfound time gap my experience deliverrd, and I'll be back here again. Maybe it'll never get better. Maybe its not possible... I dunno. Solo diving for serious camera time is looking better all the time. Casual camera time for buddy diving. Still working through all of this.
While I (and others) will argue there is no shot worthy of being unsafe to capture, there is this balance I'm striving to achieve. And from this side of the camera, its a lot tougher in practice than in principal.
K
Let me ask you this Ken, if your buddy was in serious trouble, and you needed to help him (and needed both hands for whatever reason), or he would be toast, would you even have to think about ditching that camera???
If you say "Yes", I think you should be diving solo from now on.
I was in Bonaire two or three years ago, or so, leading a group trip there. On this trip, we had three guys who were really into taking nice shots, and two more guys who had cameras, but werent so intense as the other three. Let me say that this trip, I was worried every single dive that somebody would have an issue, and I would have to save someone. Well, it was me that had the problem. And guess what, no one saw anything. I dont even like being in the same water with photographers. They jinx me...
Forgot to say that one of the "photographers" was so into getting the "best" shot that they kicked me in the face, knocked my mask OFF my face, and my second stage out of my mouth.
If you say "Yes", I think you should be diving solo from now on.
I was in Bonaire two or three years ago, or so, leading a group trip there. On this trip, we had three guys who were really into taking nice shots, and two more guys who had cameras, but werent so intense as the other three. Let me say that this trip, I was worried every single dive that somebody would have an issue, and I would have to save someone. Well, it was me that had the problem. And guess what, no one saw anything. I dont even like being in the same water with photographers. They jinx me...
Forgot to say that one of the "photographers" was so into getting the "best" shot that they kicked me in the face, knocked my mask OFF my face, and my second stage out of my mouth.
I don't know about Ken - I clip my camera rig to my harness so I can let it go and have two hands free in an emergency - wouldn't have to think at all.LUBOLD8431:
I sympathize with you though - we do make lousy buddies! Still - some people like the pics we take!
KrustyTheClownFish
Registered
LUBOLD8431:
Maybe they were professionals, taking stills for the new Padi Rescue Manual?
I've been fortunate with one of my regular dive buddies so far when I've been taking pics. As long as I make copies of the good ones, she's patient and happy. As for the camera, I too have it clipped to a d-ring with a coiled lanyard so in an emergency I can drop it.
Yes - just a little bribery often does the trick. :54:warren_l:
Similar threads
