The Curse of Digitial Photography

[boulderjohn]

This is just a post to remind digital photgraphers of something. Most of you don't need this post, but if only one person....

Back in the days when you went into the water with a roll of film, you might have 36 shots. Typically, you would bracket a shot you wanted to be sure of, taking three shots at different settings. Unless it was really great shot, you didn't want to blow most or all of a roll on one subject.

Today, with a big memory card and the ability to erase immediately, you can take as many shots as you want to be sure you got a good one. That is a blessing--and a curse.

Why a curse?

Ask the rest of the people in the dive group after you've taken your 15th shot of the mantis shrimp, and they would really like to get going. Take a glance at your buddy, who may be sawing at his wrists with his dive knife.

Just a plea--if you are diving with others, be considerate of their needs.

 

[_Bella_]

UW photogs have buddies??

 

[boulderjohn]

UW photogs have buddies??

Not for long.

 

[alcina]

LOL....this is one reason why a dive plan is so essential. It's more than just a buddy check and a dive site name.

If you aren't a photographer you probably aren't going to be very happy diving with one unless you are very patient! If you are a photographer and are diving with a group that isn't, you are going to have to adjust your shooting style or make a new plan.

It's all about courtesy to your buddy.

FWIW - even film shooters spend 15 + minutes with a subject to get it right

If you are buddied with a photographer why not take the opportunity to learn to dive S-L-O-W. When I have a buddy and I am doing the photo thing, the buddy usually does an orbit around me - kind of a spoke like pattern. We do not attempt to cover the site, but the area we do cover we thoroughly see. Take it as an opportunity, not a limitation. Then maybe swap dives and the photographer has to promise to let you set the pace instead of setting it.

It can work...it just takes teamwork. And is why I prefer to dive solo mostly

 

[phillybob]

i my few years of diving off new jersey, i quickly discovered that it's more a "same ocean" buddy system. 99% of the divers are spear-gunners or lobster hunters, and they're not much different than us photogs in the buddy aspect.(we all suck as buddies) it's all cool with me though. they take care of thier business and i take care of mine.

 

[Uncle Pug]

The first dives I did with my camera were on our Port Hardy trip and I tried to be very cognizant of my obligations as part of a buddy team. According to the folks I was with I did fine in that department.

Since then I have carried the camera with me on all of my dives but I don't let it set the agenda and I'm still doing my best to be a good buddy for whomever I happen to be diving with.

Now that OE2X has his PnS Nikon we can work the dive more around photography but we still keep a close eye on one another.

Still I can see how it could be a problem. I told my wife just yesterday that I would really like to just hang out for a whole dive in 10'~15' of water studying orange sea cucumbers and taking photos as well as notes on their behavior. I would actually prefer to do this solo... but there is no way I can... too many folks know me there.

 

[Snowbear]

I told my wife just yesterday that I would really like to just hang out for a whole dive in 10'~15' of water studying orange sea cucumbers and taking photos as well as notes on their behavior. I would actually prefer to do this solo... but there is no way I can... too many folks know me there.

I'd gladly be your buddy for such a dive

 

[PapaBob]

Pug:

I had to laugh at your wish. I drift dive in S Florida and none of my buddies are into photography. If I loiter more than a few moments at a location, they are gone. If I spent too much time photographing that huge green moray, I may miss the boat entirely. I have almost 20 years experience at "Dive-by Shootings". Please come to S. Florida. We can grab a dive flag and camp out on one section of reef. It would be a unique experience for me!

---Bob

 

[ssra30]

When I dive with my camera and my uw photog divebuddies, we pretty much practice starburst pattern diving.
I rely more on my pony bottle as a buddy, I'm afriad.
Of course I try to keep my eyes on my buddies, knowing how they are so much better at finding stuffs to shoot

 

[LegoPacific]

Make lemonade...

If someone is going to spend 15 minutes on a critter, then take the time to cruise around the area. Sometimes you come up with some interesting stuff that you won't notice unless you are going slow.

Just yesterday we were out at Shaw's Cove, a very popular dive site in Laguna Beach. I've dove this spot literally hundreds of times before. Usually you swim out to the "crevice" and drop, then do a leisurely circle around the reef. This time we dropped a bit sooner and took over an hour before we even reached the crevice. All sorts of fun stuff to see because we were going slow. It turned an ordinary dive into a great dive.

If we hadn't been going slow, we wouldn't have seen this cool little critter--surprising how fast it could move too: