Welcome to the board.
Guess I will chime in with the rest, you have no idea just how much task loading a camera adds. You really must have your buoyancy and control dead on before it's a good idea to grab a camera. In addition, both you AND your buddy need better than average buddy skills. If you are counting on insta-buddies (someone you are not use to diving with) your skills become a lot more critical. I will not dive with a camera and a new buddy. This is not something you learn in class or in a few dives, it takes a lot hours of practice underwater to get to the level you really need to be at. If you want pictures, look around the dive boat, find someone what has a digital camera and offer to buy them dinner for a CD of theirs. Throw in a beer or two and maybe they will get a few shots of you. The pictures will be alot better, you will enjoy the dive more and everyone will be safer. I send CD's to people I meet on dive trips all the time.