When is a diver ready for a camera?

[cmdasia]

I think 30-50 dives is enough - you dont have to be the "superdiver" to carry a camera, you just need to show a little care or be directed to show a little care so you are more aware. Additionally not all dive sites are coral sites - indeed some of the best sites I have ever dove have been devoid of coral naturally.

Carrying a camera makes you dive a completely different style to a "normal" diver and you can learn bouyancy control from that - lets be honest a large number of dive guides lead a pack of divers on what amounts to a 200 yard sprint at best - you can maintain correct bouyancy even if you weighting is miles off so long as you are moving forward fast enough. It could be argued that carrying a camera will increase the rate at which a diver will learn "advanced" bouyancy skills because of the diving style change.

Just my opinion.

 

[ssra30]

cmdasia is right, since I took up photography, diving has become quite different. I am paying a lot more attention to the surrounding, take my time looking at everything slowly. Never notice how much macro stuffs there are until I had a camera in my hands. I also make a lot more effort not to kick up sand, destroy corals in the process. It may be partially attitude as well as the physical ability that will let you know if you are ready for photography.

 

[Gilligan]

I wish I had an answer for you Zept but I don't. I don't think there is anyway to tell if one of your dive customers is ready for a camera until you go on a dive with them.
I am a camera diver and for that reason I don't want a dive buddy. I want to take pictures, I want to spend time looking for subjects and I don't want to be responsible for a dive buddy nor do I want them to be responsible for me. Just about every dive operator I have dove with does not cater to the slow pace of camera divers. They usually buzz right along. Non-camera divers usually get impatient with the pace of camera divers. While in Cozumel last June I found myself the only diver on board with a camera and I was at the back of the group with the DM always stopping to wait for me to catch up.
Camera and non-camera divers just don't mix in my opinion and for that reason I solo dive with my camera and do as I please.
As a camera diver I can think of nothing more ideal than a dive operator that would take only camera divers. Unfortunately, the dive business doesn't work that way.

 

[wetman]

I bought a camera right after i started diving. I took it on one or two early dives and realized how much difficulty they were and didnt touch one for 2 more seasons. Just started to get back into it this year and dont find it much problem at all now. I am perfectly aware that when I have the camera i'm much less of a buddy than i should be and the guy i usually dive with realizes that as well. Its not to say i'm oblivious but when you're working on that shot you really arent 100% aware of your buddy for that duration of time. Definitely something to think about. He and I both like the end result though so its something we both deal with. He and i both are looking for the good shots between shots though.

steve

 

[clive francis]

i took my camera on my first dive as a qualified diver (pictures are on my site - Tenerife ray feeding), and my instructor did not have a problem with this as he had seen me diving during the course and we were sat on the bottom (sand) feeding the rays.

the only time he got worried was when the kneck strap got tangled in my reg/hose and i went to take the reg out to untangle it, he reached out to stop me and i calmly put my hand up to stop him, gave the ok signal and took out the reg and took the kneck strap off and replaced my reg, job done and he was happy.

I have to dissagree with cmdassia and ssra30, doing 30 dives does not make you a competent diver.

I have dived with people who have done more and vowed never to dive with them again as they are a danger to themselves and others and have no right being in the water!

 

[ssra30]

clive francis, I think you missed the main point that cmdasia was trying to make a bit. He qouted 30-50 dives but that is not the main criteria. 30-50 dives would give an average person enough chance to practice to dive comfortably, use to basic skill in diving etc. Of course everybody is different, some may require more, some less. After that, you can fine tune your diving more toward whatever you want to do, taking pictures etc.