Photo kind etiquette

[Ministryofgiraffes]

For me...if I'm there first...it's mine. Don't jump into the photo with your stinking GoPro just so you have a video of you diving with a shark.

I would advise you to do the padi ‘self sufficient diver’ qualification that way there is no one anywhere near you....also you may find you have more fun/success if you hang back when being lead by a DM. Less hassle/rookie divers stay very close to DM etc..sharks swim past them towards you etc etc.

 

[Lorenzoid]

general international consensus regarding photography of marine life: . . . .

Consensus among photographers regarding photography, it seems to me.

/Stepping onto soapbox/ My fellow divers, in my humble opinion, the same etiquette should be broadly applicable across the board to photographers and non-photographers. And that etiquette should be along the lines of what our parents taught us when we were toddlers: share, play nice, etc. The other divers are our family for the week. Don't be competitive (unless of course you booked a photography competition). Spend as much time in a spot as your personal circumstances may necessitate, but be reasonable about it, keeping your fellow divers in mind.

/Off soapbox/

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

I got this nice little shot as 8 other divers were fervently swimming after a turtle as if it were the only one in the ocean back is always best... as long as you don’t want to go through swimthroughs...

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

100% agree with lorenzoid. People are going to get giddy. No point getting too upset. Whatever you missed/had photobombed will likely come along again..,

 

[Gene]

I'm a professional photographer and have made my living at it since college in the mid 80s. While most of my shooting is not in the water, some of it is. (I shoot a lot in our Florida springs and caves.)
I have noticed a big increase of serious amateur photographers and videographers since digital photography started. I didn't realize that shooting film and using a darkroom was a barrier.
Photographers, regardless of professional or amateur status, should mostly let the wildlife come to them, or approach them slowly and passively. Obviously being aware of your fellow divers and photographers, sharing the subject matter and being respectful of all. (Those behind the camera and in front of it, whether a person or animal.)
Take turns and if you miss a shot, that's okay as there will be another one for you sooner or later.
It's helpful to have a small discussion about this before submerging as that gives everyone a better chance of being on the same page. (Not that an overly aggressive person will play nice in the heat of the moment, but at least you have the discussion.)
I always have a pretty thorough safety briefing before diving for a shoot, letting everyone know that our safety is the number one priority. Again, you can always re-shoot later.
Sounds like some NYC paparazzi-style photogs have taken up scuba diving...

 

[Cali_diver]

I have taken thousands and thousands of pictures so now I don't. I will only take a couple pictures of a subject that a guide finds then move on. With pelagics I have been on so many boats where divers are told do not chase the Mantas (insert any form of life) and they always do!!!!! Always. A good photographer will not because they know it will only be a picture of the rear! We tend to swim the opposite way of divers that chase.

I will try to find a subject (usually common) that is involved in a certain type of behavior. Quite often I will just sit and watch and wait for said behavior. When I have divers come close to see, what occurs next often depends on what is happening. If said behavior isn't occurring, I will often point out the subject with the usual reaction of "is that all...smh". Now if I have been waiting patiently for some action and it finally occurs then no way am I going to stop and share. I learned a lesson on a night dive while watching a box crab releasing its babies into the water column. Someone came along and we showed her the crab with much excitement. She then proceeded to shove her camera passed the crab and towards a stupid clownfish as she covered the crab with her body. We had to lift her off and hold her back while continuously trying to point out the crab but she insisted on video taping the clownfish. At dinner that night we were talking about how cool the crab spawning was and she said with disappointment that she missed it because no one showed her.

 

[stuartv]

I've dived NC a decent amount. I don't recall ever having a guide in the water. There are a few wreck sites that are small enough that it's hard to get away from the group and have your own space to work in. Club Aeolus is one that readily comes to mind. Mostly, I have never had a problem getting away from the other divers (even from a 25-diver boat, like the Olympus) and being free to shoot what I wanted without harassment like the OP described. It is hard for me to imagine diving NC from a 6-pack and not being able to ditch a loser who had no clue they were messing with my compositions. Unless, of course, you're specifically going for a composition that requires being in a certain spot and the strokes just happen to come there to play.

I agree with what @davehicks said about etiquette.

If we're obligated to stay in a big group following a guide, then share and share alike on visiting with the critters.

But, if we're just in the same ocean, an opportunity that I find is mine until I'm done with it. If you see me camped out waiting for the right moment and you decide to come up and see what I'm doing and run my subject back into its hole, I am going to be pissed at you and, I think, rightfully so.

 

[myshadeofred]

I've dived NC a decent amount. I don't recall ever having a guide in the water. There are a few wreck sites that are small enough that it's hard to get away from the group and have your own space to work in. Club Aeolus is one that readily comes to mind. Mostly, I have never had a problem getting away from the other divers (even from a 25-diver boat, like the Olympus) and being free to shoot what I wanted without harassment like the OP described. It is hard for me to imagine diving NC from a 6-pack and not being able to ditch a loser who had no clue they were messing with my compositions. Unless, of course, you're specifically going for a composition that requires being in a certain spot and the strokes just happen to come there to play.

I agree with what @davehicks said about etiquette.

If we're obligated to stay in a big group following a guide, then share and share alike on visiting with the critters.

But, if we're just in the same ocean, an opportunity that I find is mine until I'm done with it. If you see me camped out waiting for the right moment and you decide to come up and see what I'm doing and run my subject back into its hole, I am going to be pissed at you and, I think, rightfully so.

Yeah..this trip wasn't guided and she found her way back to me. It was a low viz day and we didn't stray too far from the tag line. But this chick just got my goat...I was looking down at a beautiful sandbar shark trying to get a nice full body shot and there she comes with her friggin gopro...and away it went. Bluh.

 

[stuartv]

Yeah..this trip wasn't guided and she found her way back to me. It was a low viz day and we didn't stray too far from the tag line. But this chick just got my goat...I was looking down at a beautiful sandbar shark trying to get a nice full body shot and there she comes with her friggin gopro...and away it went. Bluh.

That is a serious bummer. Sand Bar sharks are hard to find down there most of the time, and hard to get close to even if you do find one.

Not sure if it's an option for you, but since I switched to diving a CCR, I have found that when something like that happens, I can usually just hang around and wait for all the OC divers to head back for the boat. I camp out and the sharks come back. Then I get my photo. I might be the last one back on the boat by 5 minutes. Maybe 10. But, I haven't had a reason to do that very often and I haven't gotten yelled at yet.

I also think it's perfectly reasonable to bring it up during the dive briefing before a dive like that.

DM: "Okay, anyone I have any questions?"

Me: "I don't have a question. I just want to say that I will be trying to take pictures down there. I will do my best to stay out of everyone else's way and I would appreciate the same courtesy in return. If you do happen to swim right into the middle of a shot I've been working to get, we're going to find out how long it takes these trauma shears to cut through a low pressure hose."

 

[myshadeofred]

That is a serious bummer. Sand Bar sharks are hard to find down there most of the time, and hard to get close to even if you do find one.

Not sure if it's an option for you, but since I switched to diving a CCR, I have found that when something like that happens, I can usually just hang around and wait for all the OC divers to head back for the boat. I camp out and the sharks come back. Then I get my photo. I might be the last one back on the boat by 5 minutes. Maybe 10. But, I haven't had a reason to do that very often and I haven't gotten yelled at yet.

I also think it's perfectly reasonable to bring it up during the dive briefing before a dive like that.

DM: "Okay, anyone I have any questions?"

Me: "I don't have a question. I just want to say that I will be trying to take pictures down there. I will do my best to stay out of everyone else's way and I would appreciate the same courtesy in return. If you do happen to swim right into the middle of a shot I've been working to get, we're going to find out how long it takes these trauma shears to cut through a low pressure hose."

@stuartv That is perfect. Definitely something I wish I had thought of before the dives. Polite and to the point. Yes...I have dove NC about 5 times and this was my first seeing the shark. Great experience though. Can't wait to do it again.