When can I start using my camera? (New Diver Here)

[00wabbit]

Hi,

On land I shoot photos. You can see some at deglossed.com

I just got certified and did my first dives without an instructor (just a buddy) yesterday.

Unlike the folks in the starwars storm trooper video I just saw in this forum I am concerned with my trim and learnign low silting techniques. My OW and other divers are in a local quarry where silt can be an issue in the already low visibility.

I want to take my camera so I can show my wife and family what I see. I know I shouldn't be taking it right now because I need to work on my skills.

When can I take it?

I am going to the carribean next month. I will be doing 10 dives. I was thinking of not taking the camera on the first 3-4 dives. Then maybe carry it on the next dives but keep it clipped to my lower right d-ring until I feel comfortable enough to use it.

What do you think?

Please note I am a beginner, but I am trying to learn. I am hear to learn.

[RonFrank]

What camera do you have? If its small/no flash go ahead and clip it off when you go diving on the trip.

The key is how much task loading can you handle? Can you hover 5' off the bottom without thinking? Until you can shooting will be iffy. You can park in the sand just make sure you are not destroying coral of stepping on animals homes. This includes in the sand so look before you plant yourself.

For shooting you can hold the camera and get used to aiming and then shooting. Your hands should be still anyway. Your first priority is diving so make sure your not putting your fin in it!

Many folks will say you shouldn't carry a camera period until dive # X, but I will not go that far. When your buoyancy is effortless things get easier.

[flareside]

00wabbit, you pretty much answered your own questions. Your approach sounds good. Just limit your camera to a simple point&shoot on auto and take things slow. Remember to keep a safe distance above the reef and keep an eye on your buddy. As a noob, you are probably still sucking a lot of air so keep an eye on your gauges too.

Safety first. Pictures later. And don't stress the pufferfish for tacky tourist shots.

[ben_wilson3301]

When I first started I took the camera on the second boat dive which is shallow. You can blow through air if you're not careful. The lighting is better anyway, with or without flash.

[00wabbit]

I definately won't harm the wildlife. I want to see it and not harass it. I figure I wouldn't want someone floating into my home and poking me.

For underwater I have a canon s90 with the canon housing. I got a coil clip type lanyard to keep it from floating away or dangling on the reef.
I took it with me on a discovery dive in Cozumel and got some great shots. It was just me and the divemaster in 30 ft of crystal clear water so I was able to get some nice shots without strobes.

Eventually I would like to get a real underwater rig with strobes. I have a 60d for land.

[00wabbit]

These are some shots from my s90 in Cozumel. I took these on my discovery dives.

https://picasaweb.google.com/m/viewer#album/109957120829746953190/5440532238581916817

[Wolfie]

Fwiw, I'd say don't take it. Concentrating on taking pics of your dive will be a big distraction from you diving your dive. Working on skills and overall taking in the big picture. Camera work is looking at 1 sq foot. You should be looking everywhere and taking it all in. Also on discover scuba there was one guide responsible for you. On upcoming dives you are responsible for you.

[00wabbit]

I hear you. I sort of feel this way too. I'm trying to decide. I guess the photographer in me doesn't want to miss something amazing but the diver in me doesn't want to experience the whole dive from an LCD screen.

Maybe I'll take it just in case a whale shark swims up :) but otherwise I'll just leave it stowed on the clip and enjoy the dive with my own eyes.

[herman]

Here is a test that I suggest to let you know when you are ready to take the camera with you.
Go to a pool or other safe body of water where you can't hurt anything. Get in water deep enough that you can hover horizonal without touching the bottom or surfacing. Find a spot/object on that is stationary- a nail head, dirty spot on the pool wall, anything you can easily identify, this is you subject to "photograph". Now back off 15 ft or so and swim up to the object with BOTH of you hands extended in frount of you, holding your thumbs and index fingers in a square shape (the classic movie director framing a shot pose), this is your camera. Now ease up to within 6 inches of the object, keeping it framed in your finger viewfinder. Hold that positon for at least 15 seconds with your feet staying directly behind you and your trim staying horizonal (fins don't sink or rise) then BACK away from the object 4 or 5 ft then turn and swim away using just your fins, no pushing off or skulling, your hands are holding the camera. When you can ease up to the object, hold the framing and back up, turn and swim away without crashing into the object, the bottom or losing buoyancy control you are ready to take the camera.

Unlike land photography,in UW photography 90% of all shots are taken at less than 6 feet and many are taken within inches or less so bouyancy and finning control are critical. With land photography you can replace distance with lens, in UW photography, closing the distance is the only proper way. Strobes, even the huge nuclear powered ones are only good to 8 ft or less so the only way to properly light your subject is to get close. Learn to dive first, then take the camera. Your photos will be much better and the wildlife will be better protected.

[supergaijin]

I think it depends a lot where you intend to do the photography. There are certain places in NZ for example where the the site is rock and weed which can tolerate a fair bit of fin and hand touching. In Fiordland however the coral species are very very very delicate as there is next to no natural water movement due to the terminal moraine at the mouth of the fiord.

Coral reefs in general are very fragile and do not tolerate bad buoyancy or octopus hands.

[mjh]

That you are even asking about this subject is a great start! As mentioned before taking a camera down you should have mastery over some basic skills: being able to hover in place without using hands or having one on your BC inflator, be able to back kick, frog kick, and flat spin. A few rules we follow that are accepted by many divers/photogs.

1. Do not manipulate living subjects to capture a “better” image.
2. Do not manipulate the environment in which the subjects live.
3. Let professional dive guides know that you appreciate them finding subjects, but do not expect them to manipulate them.
4. Place no more than one finger on a dead part of the reef.
5. Be aware of the configuration of your imaging equipment as you move closer to your subject or reef to avoid contact.
6. Try to avoid laying or kneeling on the bottom. Tiny, delicate creatures often live in these areas.
7. If you find a subject, it is “yours” to capture images of as long as you like. Point it out to others when you are done.
8. If another photographer/diver finds a subject you are interested in, do not “rush” them. Stay out of the frame. Wait until they are done with the subject or invite you to take over.
9. If the guide finds the subject, prepare your camera prior to moving in to take an image. Take a few images in quick order. Leave the scene without disturbing the subject or environment, so others can enjoy it. If you want to try again, get in the back of the line, if others are waiting.
10. Respect other people’s equipment. Try not to put your rig on top of others in the rinse tank. Remove your gear as soon as possible. Be aware of housings that are open and don’t drip on them.

Enjoy!

[NWGratefulDiver]

The question of when you're ready to take a camera is less about skills than it is about awareness ... at least from a personal safety perspective. New divers get task-loaded easily, and task loading tends to make you lose focus on things you should be focusing on ... like where your buddy is and how much air you have. Buoyancy control is certainly important ... but only in part for environmental reasons. The bigger reason is because for a new diver, buoyancy control takes some amount of concentration ... and you only have so much concentration to go around, so the more you apply to your camera, the less you have to work on improving your skills.

For these reasons, my answer to your question is that you're ready to start using your camera when you have trained yourself to ...

1. ... check your air frequently without having to consciously think about it
2. ... look around regularly to see where your buddy is
3. ... maintain your buoyancy while you're doing something else (practice by taking compass headings while hovering ... when you can do that comfortably, buoyancy control with a camera will be just a little bit harder)

Safety, buddy, environment, pictures ... those are the correct order of your priorities ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[00wabbit]

I think I am going to leave the camera on the boat for most dives. I really want to be a good diver. I like watching the guys on youtube giving tutorials and maintaining perfect trim and bouyancy. I think I will focus on that.

If I see something cool, I'll just remember it and look up a picture on the internet later to show my family what I saw. I am also an artist/designer so I could draw a picture later from memory too.

Thanks for the tips.

[Merlin_AZ]

mjh, great post.
I recently dove Bora Bora and Moorea.
I've only been down a few times and had a guide.
I made sure it was OK with the guide to bring a P&S camera, and things went well.
I was as paranoid as I could be about coming in contact with anything, making sure I kept my distance with great care.
I only took shots when the opportunity to do so was safe.
It was a blast, and I got great shots and video, including some shots that he took of me and my family, especially with Black tips following behind us, and some with clown fish/anemone in the foreground.

[beaverdivers]

If only all divers were as thoughtful.

Good decision!

[TSandM]

You know, I used to fall into the camp that said, "Don't take a camera underwater until you have polished your skills." That was until I watched two AOW students do their "Underwater Photography" dive. First off, the joy and excitement in their faces when they came back with images of what they saw diving was just pure fun for me and Peter (the instructor). Second, it was a humbling lesson in the need for control in the water column -- you simply can't get really good pictures unless you can be still and stay where you want to be. Both students came up highly motivated to keep working on their diving, in order to be better photographers!

But as Bob says, the big thing is safety. If your bandwidth is challenged with maintaining depth, monitoring your buddy, and keeping track of your gas, adding a camera to the equation is not a good idea. So I think you should take your camera into the quarry and play with it. See what composing and taking photographs does to your awareness and your buoyancy control. If you have the right attitude (which is, as Bob says, to put the photograph at the lowest priority) and you clearly do, the camera will make a nice educational tool in how well you are learning to manage yourself in the water.

Carry it with you in the water. You don't have to use it, but if you find that "once in a lifetime" moment, you'll wish you'd had it.

[Insta-Gator]

Hi,

On land I shoot photos. You can see some at deglossed.com

I just got certified and did my first dives without an instructor (just a buddy) yesterday.

Unlike the folks in the starwars storm trooper video I just saw in this forum I am concerned with my trim and learnign low silting techniques. My OW and other divers are in a local quarry where silt can be an issue in the already low visibility.

I want to take my camera so I can show my wife and family what I see. I know I shouldn't be taking it right now because I need to work on my skills.

When can I take it?

I am going to the carribean next month. I will be doing 10 dives. I was thinking of not taking the camera on the first 3-4 dives. Then maybe carry it on the next dives but keep it clipped to my lower right d-ring until I feel comfortable enough to use it.

What do you think?

Please note I am a beginner, but I am trying to learn. I am hear to learn.


You're wise to consider you diving skills and the task loading that comes along with using a camera UW. My best recommendation is to immediately have the camera shipped to the Hotel Cozumel to my attention. I will ensure the proper functionality of the equipment while you gain 20 or 30 experience dives. I can ship the camera back to you in early August.

Hope that helps.

[00wabbit]

You're wise to consider you diving skills and the task loading that comes along with using a camera UW. My best recommendation is to immediately have the camera shipped to the Hotel Cozumel to my attention. I will ensure the proper functionality of the equipment while you gain 20 or 30 experience dives. I can ship the camera back to you in early August.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the offer. Can I also send you my scuba pro nighthawk bc and Cressi mc9 regulator to test?
I don't have money for the shipment. Please send me a check for $10,000 as this is the only amount I can deposit at my bank and I will send you the difference. You can trust me I used to work for the king of Nigeria.

[supergaijin]

Top bloke that king- I donated when he made the Kony2012 campaign.