Code of Conduct for Diving with & Photographing Pygmy Seahorses

[captain]

Don't try to ride them.

 

[vladimir]

Five photo limit? What is that so that his photo sales are better? The number of photos taken has nothing to do with potential damage. At most, this would seem to be targeted at limiting the time spent in a location to limit potential damage. If so, say no more than 5 minutes or something. IMHO, this photo limit takes whatever credibility this so called code had and throws it out the window.

I disagree. As you say, this would limit the time that a pygmy sea horse is stressed by a diver putting a strobe within a few inches of its face, and limit the stress on a seafan that is often being touched by the camera rig or the diver or a "coral kebab," as RoatanMan so eloquently put it. Also, there is some question over how well these animals can tolerate the strobe's flash. They are not adapted to cope with harsh sunlight and have no protection for their eyes. If you take pictures of transparent anemone shrimp, for example, you will see them jump after each strobe flash--so it clearly has an effect on them.

(A) They will come from nowhere and barge in if they know I had seen something nice. They believe they have all the right.
(B) I always do and keep the distance from them.
(C) I never wait because I never interested what they had seen.

If that is the case then yes, you are diving with exceptionally rude photographers. I have rarely witnessed that sort of behavior.

 

[Centrals]

If that is the case then yes, you are diving with exceptionally rude photographers. I have rarely witnessed that sort of behavior.

Am I alone on this? Read post #9.
"rarely witnessed" meant you had seen it before.

 

[vladimir]

Am I alone on this? Read post #9.
"rarely witnessed" meant you had seen it before.

I have witnessed "that sort of behavior," on a few rare occasions, yes. By "that sort" I mean photographers who are oblivious to their fellow divers. The specific behavior you cite--kicking other divers--will be new to me if I witness it. The occasional (unintentional) rudeness that I have witnessed certainly doesn't merit a blanket statement like this:

Code of conduct for photographers!!!
Fat chance.
There is no such thing as etiquette for them. It is first come first serve, the rest can wait or pi#% o&*.

I have been kicked so many time by these bunch anti-social SOB that I know how to deal with them.

I would take it personally if it wasn't so silly. The logistics of kicking somebody as you approach a spot that they already inhabit seem unlikely. Were they intentional kicks? Roundhouse? But I suppose anything can happen in a pack of poorly skilled divers following a divemaster like leashed dogs. I don't dive that way, or with dive operators who conduct dives that way. I am surprised that a diver with your experience does.

 

[beanojones]

Sign me up! I still believe we need "ten" rules for underwater photographers, accepted and taught by all agencies. Include:

1. No more than one finger on a dead part of the reef, sand, substrate.

I have no more than one finger (two if I am british) for someone who needs to use hands on the bottom to get the shot.

 

[Centrals]

I have witnessed "that sort of behavior," on a few rare occasions, yes. By "that sort" I mean photographers who are oblivious to their fellow divers. The specific behavior you cite--kicking other divers--will be new to me if I witness it. The occasional (unintentional) rudeness that I have witnessed certainly doesn't merit a blanket statement like this:

I would take it personally if it wasn't so silly. The logistics of kicking somebody as you approach a spot that they already inhabit seem unlikely. Were they intentional kicks? Roundhouse? But I suppose anything can happen in a pack of poorly skilled divers following a divemaster like leashed dogs. I don't dive that way, or with dive operators who conduct dives that way. I am surprised that a diver with your experience does.

Intentional or accidental kick, I never bothered to find out. I stay away from photographer and centainly would not point out anything interesting to them.
Anything can happen even in a pack of skilled divers if there is photo opportunity.

 

[mjh]

A lot of interesting comments. Reality is digital cameras are becoming a standard part of many peoples initial kit, like it or not. The "Rules" will never be followed by all nor can be enforced by anyone but at least they give a starting point people can have a conversation about.

Dive Guides tips do depend on happy customers. We have spoken to many operations, some in Lembeh and they all have said they would love a poster they could point to titled "NAUI/PADI/SSI Ten Rules for Underwater Photography". Helps move some of the "blame" from the guide to the Agency. They would at least get people thinking about what they are doing. But in the end it is up to us to police our own. As mentioned we tell guides we appreciate them finding things for us but please do not manipulate them. I have no problem being the "Jerk" anymore (with my wifes approval) and as tactfully as possible will approach fellow photogs when witnessing repetitive intentional or lack of experience "issues". Even if it gets them looking over the shoulder next time they go in for a shot I consider it a win. Of course I am not perfect but it is something I think about on every dive, throughout the dive.

Sure it is frustrating to see people showing off shots you know they decimated the reef, brittle star, substrate to get but we have to start somewhere. Our little blurb on this issue: Aquablue Dreams

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Code of conduct for photographers!!!
Fat chance.
There is no such thing as etiquette for them. It is first come first serve, the rest can wait or pi#% o&*.

I have been kicked so many time by these bunch anti-social SOB that I know how to deal with them.

... those aren't photographers ... they're divers with cameras.

Come to think of it ... I'm not even sure they're divers ... more like tourists on scuba gear ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Laurie S.]

... those aren't photographers ... they're divers with cameras.

Come to think of it ... I'm not even sure they're divers ... more like tourists on scuba gear ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I totally agree! I'm an underwater photographer and have had encounters with other divers who are camera happy and oblivious to their surroundings. I go my own way and avoid the crowd to get my shots. I don't want to get kicked or run over, both of which have happened to me. I even had one guy come up under me so closely that he got hooked on the retractor on my compass and then blamed me for having a retractor on my BCD when we got back on the boat! Uh, dude, I was in position and not moving just above the bottom shooting a wreck's props, you were the one who smacked into me. I didn't know what was going on when suddenly I was being pulled away and saw the guy's head between my legs. My dive buddy saw the whole thing and was laughing when the guy started blaming me.

I don't remember ever putting a finger on a reef to get a shot. I have done it on a rock wall or boulder, but only after making sure i'm not disturbing anything. If I don't get the shot, well, then I'll get the next one.

 

[vladimir]

I even had one guy come up under me so closely that he got hooked on the retractor on my compass and then blamed me for having a retractor on my BCD when we got back on the boat!

I once had a young woman with long, beautiful hair (yes, a photographer) swim under me and get her hair tangled in my gear. She wriggled a bit and then, realizing it was only making matters worse, stopped moving and waited for me to disentangle her. I produced my trusty shears, reached in front of her so she could see, and snipped them a couple of times. Not funny! She screamed loudly enough for me to hear, and I opted to carefully disentangle her hair so we could continue the dive.