Underwater photography: Dealing with the guilt

So yesterday, I did one of my very first dives as a photographer accompanied by a non-photographer. (I've done one or two with my husband, when he didn't bring his camera, but they were fully negotiated ahead of time.)

I ended up feeling horribly guilty, because we moved SO slowly, and I'd sit at a subject and take a picture, look at it, change settings, and take another one. All the while, my friend was just kind of . . . there. He did some spotting for me, which was great, and he was trying out some new gear, so he didn't mind having some time to hover and swim around a bit, but I didn't end the dive feeling that it had been a great diving experience for him. This is leading me to feel much less eager to offer to dive with people, unless I do a bunch of pre-apologizing.

How do you all deal with this? For folks who aren't photographers but dive with them, how do you feel about those dives? What do you do to keep things interesting while the photographer has his nose in the camera? For people who shoot, do you change your photographic behavior? Or pick specific buddies?

I'm new to this, and trying to figure it all out. I do remember many dives I made with NW Grateful Diver, when he was first using a camera. They're where I polished my back kick . . .

You'd probably just be better off solo diving.

That thought has crossed my mind . . .

Hi TSandM,
I deal with this a LOT during trips as, one of my areas in photography is landscape. Usually I try to either let the people with me know before hand or try to find someone who is either willing to "hover" while I do my photography or shares my passion of photography. (Noob question follows.) Are there places/operators who do "specialty" kinds of dives like photography? Maybe hit those. Just my brand new $.02.

(Thanks for your reply to my equipment comparison question!)

Rainer:

You'd probably just be better off solo diving.

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TSandM:

That thought has crossed my mind . . .

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:shocked2: Blasphemy!





:lol:

I will usually take a few photos of my non photgrapher buddy to keep them 'involved' or after I have taken my photos, I will hand them the camera and let them have a few shots. I may think twice about handing it over if I had a large investment in a system.

In all seriousness, I have no idea. I very rarely dive with a photographer, but a good friend has just started bringing his DSLR more often, so I think it's inevitable that I'm going to find out soon what it's like to play teammate to someone shooting stills. Honestly, I think I might not love it. First, for now, it's the camera or the scooter, which just ruled out a bunch of fun scooter dives we can do together. Second, while I like going slow over a site, I'm not one to just stop in one little spot for an excessive period, especially if the only thing of real interest is what the other diver has his big camera hovering over and blocking my view. Third, given our local vis, especially from shore, most days are going to be macro shooting ones, which means I don't even get pictures of me!

I sometimes shoot video (CSI Sierra), but that doesn't seem the same to me as shooting stills. I have no controls for the video, so I'm never fiddling around with knobs. I don't even have a screen showing me what I'm capturing, so there really isn't much to distract me. I basically point the lens at the subject, shine some light, compose and go. It really doesn't change much about how we'd dive normally, apart from some minor attention being diverted away (which is a real effect).

*I* am now in the market to house my own DSLR, so realize I might be putting my other buddies in the same hole. Will be curious how it works out. I will say, having done a couple of dives where we've had two people in the team shooting (stills/video), it's FAR from ideal. I don't think I'd do another two person dive with both shooting, and even three person dives with two shooters aren't that great...

Lynne,

I was a fairly new diver when I use to buddy with photographers and did not mind because I knew their goal was taking pics. Post-Fundies, I did not mind even more so because I could practice hovering, reaching for my D-rings to clip and unclip, flood my mask, reaching my valves, even practiced my kicks while they concentrated on their shots. I'd also helped them spot things to shoot. I knew early on that if I dived with a photographer their attention would be compromised during portions of the dive so I stayed close to him/her in case either of us had an issue.

Fast forward three years and now I have new camera with housing and have been playing with it underwater. I am fortunate to have very patient buddies who help spot things to shoot and they hoover around as I attempt to set up my shots. I pick buddies who don't seem to mind because I'd also captured some great underwater shots of them. My buddies know they will end up in some pictures if I have my camera with me regardless of whether they want to be or not.

During a recent Bonaire trip, on two particular dives, we were a team of three and each had a camera in our hands. During our post-dive debrief, we discovered that although each were distracted with taking pics we always knew where each buddy was throughout the dive. Every time I took a shot, I'd look up and both buddies would be where I last saw them. We believe the situational awareness from our similar training was the factor. What could have been stressful dives with three photographers were surprisingly very relaxed.

Rainer:

I will say, having done a couple of dives where we've had two people in the team shooting (stills/video), it's FAR from ideal. I don't think I'd do another two person dive with both shooting, and even three person dives with two shooters aren't that great...

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Chris - Just reading this now after my post. I've only had two dive experience with a three person team of all photographers but was lucky it worked out. During most of my dives in Bonaire my buddy (also my cave buddy) and I each had a camera and we commented how keeping an eye on each other despite each having a camera was not as bad as we thought it would be. It may be the result of our Fundies and cave training, both stress situational awareness.

Tomorrow should be interesting, Lynne ... we'll all three have cameras ...

... and scooters ... :shocked2:

But the answer to your concern is to dive with a photographer's dive buddy ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)