Dive Buddies With Camera

[gangrel441]

In my experience, the best way to handle this, especially when shooting macro, is to have only one diver with a camera, and the second buddy staying close and acting as a spotter. If you are shooting small critters on the reef, there isn't really any reason for a spotter to be more than 5 ft away, and looking for the interesting critters on the next coral head. Adding a camrea to a buddy pair cuts the attentiveness, but that can be mitigated. Adding two cameras could well be a recipe for disaster, unless both divers are trained for self-suficiency and carrying redundant gear.

 

[RJP]

i consider diving with photographers as a solo dive...they have no idea if & when you get seperated and (as on sundays dive) when they do realize it, they keep on taking shots and hope you turn up

Same here - I'd rather KNOW I am alone as opposed to THINKING I have a buddy.

 

[tstormdiver]

When I was diving with a gentleman I met up with in the Bahamas while on a live aboard. He had a video camera & I had a film camera. While we did occaisionally get a little seperated, here & there, we usually took turns. He'd shoot a couple of minutes of footage, then I got to snap a couple of pictures. It worked well for bth of us.

 

[Jon C]

In my experience, the best way to handle this, especially when shooting macro, is to have only one diver with a camera, and the second buddy staying close and acting as a spotter. If you are shooting small critters on the reef, there isn't really any reason for a spotter to be more than 5 ft away, and looking for the interesting critters on the next coral head. Adding a camrea to a buddy pair cuts the attentiveness, but that can be mitigated. Adding two cameras could well be a recipe for disaster, unless both divers are trained for self-suficiency and carrying redundant gear.

Yeah, what he said.

The other side of the coin is having a good buddy when you are taking photos...if you aren't going solo. I have one buddy who makes the area look like the tornado scene in Wizard of Oz with his poor fin management. Another stays the h*ll away from me and explores nearby. We understand going in that it is his responsiblility to stay within sight without stirring up the silt. When he has the camera, it is mine. Seems to work well with trusted buddies.

Jon

 

[Michael Schlink]

There really is a simple solution. Maintain buddy seperation that is consistent with the dive conditions, viz etc. Both of you swim together looking for photo op's, when either of you find something, BOTH of you take a few shots, each, then move on, no different then if you were by yourself. While one is taking their shots, the other hangs close and keeps an eye on everything else and the buddy. When #2 is finished off you go, repeat as needed. Also you should try setting your cameras up with similar goals however, wide angle and macro can shoot together, you'll just need to be creative and or take turns. Also you have a built in model when you need one. Another thing you can do is take pictures of each other when your buddy isn't aware. Show each other what you look like when you are taking a picture. Do you have good position, not touching the reef, etc. A picture is worth a thousand words.....................

 

[Mo2vation]

I shoot hundreds of photos a month. Some months, I shoot several thousand.

I dive with a buddy. Some dives I lead. Some dive she leads. Depends on the site and the conditions, the subject I'm after, etc. We've got a system that works for us. I say this, as she has exceptional patience, loves to dive, and is a surpurb spotter. We're a team down there. Always.

We use HID lights for communication, have about the same SAC, both dive the same type of gear, are about the same skill levels, etc. I never wonder off, and most of all: we both dive to stay found - so we're constantly checking in on each other throughout the dive. I never go more than a moment without checking in on her, nor she on me.

I generally shoot macro in low viz SoCal costal waters. Translation: lots of surge, requiring lots of patience in waiting for the shot. I'm on a subject 3 to 5 minutes, sometimes a lot longer. I'll wrap up on a rock or wreck with my legs, or I'll wedge in with my elbows, compose and hang out for the best shot. But I'm not head down 100% of that time. I'll be sure to pop up and look about every so often, and she likewise circles back to me.

One thing is for sure: we'll never leave to move to the next shot alone. She may scout around a bit (always within site of me) while I'm shooting, but she never drifts off. I will never leave a shot without her. I always get her attention before I peel off and go compose a shot, so she's not all swimming off another 100 feet before she notices I've stopped. Once I'm done, I'll pop up, look about, always (ALWAYS) find her within a glance or two, we re-connect and we move on. At this point she knows if I missed it (I sign big tears) or if I nailed it (Kirk Gibson rounding second.)

I take great offense to divers who believe diving with a photographer is "diving solo." You're simply diving with the wrong photographer. I will never lose you. If we get separated, its your fault. I'm the one moving very slowly and schlepping a huge rig, for heaven's sake. I never wander off, and will always disclose my intentions (right turn, left turn, lets go deeper, I'm stopping now, etc.) I'm very fortunate to have found a buddy that loves the slow, mask-to-the-stones, highly observant and engaged diving I do.

I am a diver sho photographs, not a photographer who dives. Diving always comes first, and that means unshakable buddy awareness. You are my back up gas, and I am yours. If I come up from a shot to consistently find myself alone, you're getting bounced from my team. I have a zero tollerance rule with regards to buddies wandering off while I shoot.

The reverse of that is also true: I'll never blow the dive plan to get a shot. If the plan is to turn at 2000#, I turn at (or very near) 2000#. I won't stay on a subject or go to the next rock and get us out of the plan. When its time to come up, I come up. If the depth is planned to be 120 FSW, I won't follow that ray to 160 FSW. We'll often modify the plan if we see something extraordinary, but I will never unilaterally wander off or abscent mindedly put us in danger or take us way off plan for a shot. Never.

---
Ken

 

[jeckyll]

Mo2vation: You may well be the exception rather than the rule. It has been my experience that most photographers are _not_ paying attention when they are going to take a picture. Many won't even signal you when they stop to take a picture.

For me, the little warning flags go up when I see a camera.

 

[almitywife]

i let the photographer lead the dive.. so when he stops... i stop

but i learnt on sunday how important a torch (or light as you call them) is as it would have helped in the pea-soup conditions we found when we seperated as one of my buddies (the one without a camera) was at least looking for me

 

[Warren_L]

i consider diving with photographers as a solo dive...they have no idea if & when you get seperated and (as on sundays dive) when they do realize it, they keep on taking shots and hope you turn up

Sounds like you're diving with the wrong people. Blanket statements about a certain group are not always true either.

I've been diving with a camera long enough to know that first priority is diving and buddy awareness. Second priority is taking photos (often of my buddy). Often times it is all about diving with people I am comfortable with and having an understanding of the objectives of the dive. We go over procedures and protocols. No different than a non-camera dive from that perspective. So don't label us all as bad buddies because you don't know any photographers who practise proper diving protocols when diving with a camera.

 

[almitywife]

nah.. they were the right people to dive with... hubby was away teaching a course and these guys i trust

or should i say... they trusted that i would be capable to handle the situation and a few days after the event im glad it happened.. i learnt from and took control of the problem (seperated buddy, shipping channel, cant see your hand in front of your face)