Selfie sticks - for selfish selfholes?

[RJP]

If you don't like selfie sticks or divers with selfie sticks, can you elaborate on why?

Lots of people use selfie sticks, out of the water and in the water. As with most things in the world, it's the dumb people that ruin it for everyone else.

 

[uncfnp]

Does the stick actually help in stabilization? Shouldn't it amplify any hand movements instead since a small movement of the wrist results in a relatively larger movement of the GoPro? I don't know about selfish but for some reason the divers I've seen with these stick tend to be of poorer skill and compensate for their inability to get close to subjects with proper technique by shoving the stick at the subject.

Before the day of "selfies" early gopro videographers were using pvc pipes and even broomsticks. And it wasn't to take selfies.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
As for using an extension pole to place a very small camera closer to animals or in tight spaces, that is far less intrusive than swimming up to them in full gear, blowing bubbles, with a huge rig, which is almost guaranteed to scare off the animal. It is amazing what a difference 6 feet of space makes, when the huge, bulky, loud, bubbling object is that far away and the only thing close to the animal is a 2 inch by 2 inch box. This absolutely gives the ability to get different and dramatic close perspectives without disturbance. Like anything else, if it appears that placing the camera in this way disturbs the subject, then back it off, which applies to all photographers.
. . .

No disagreement with what you said. I would just add that you're comparing a single shot with a GoPro to a single shot with a large rig. What I have observed is GoPro users swinging their sticks all over as they swim around, poking it here and there, not pausing even long enough to know if it disturbs the subject or fellow divers. It's like it induces a don't-care attitude because it's so effortless.

 

[Adobo]

Does the stick actually help in stabilization? Shouldn't it amplify any hand movements instead since a small movement of the wrist results in a relatively larger movement of the GoPro? I don't know about selfish but for some reason the divers I've seen with these stick tend to be of poorer skill and compensate for their inability to get close to subjects with proper technique by shoving the stick at the subject.

The first *selfie stick* I bought was specifically to help in stabilizing shots of other subjects.

It never occurred to me that you could invert the orientation of the camera to take pics/vids of yourself until I videos of people who did just that.

The gopole guy used to post vids of how to stabilize shots using these sticks. Here is an example:
[video=youtube;MZEYz_eNoVU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZEYz_eNoVU[/video]

Using a selfie stick to stabilize shots underwater is a different thing though.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

As for using an extension pole to place a very small camera closer to animals or in tight spaces, that is far less intrusive than swimming up to them in full gear, blowing bubbles, with a huge rig, which is almost guaranteed to scare off the animal. It is amazing what a difference 6 feet of space makes, when the huge, bulky, loud, bubbling object is that far away and the only thing close to the animal is a 2 inch by 2 inch box. This absolutely gives the ability to get different and dramatic close perspectives without disturbance. Like anything else, if it appears that placing the camera in this way disturbs the subject, then back it off, which applies to all photographers.

I have seen selfie poles used to get up close and personal with rather large Moray eels as well as other marine life - if you dont have the calioons to take the photo up close and personal with your hands maybe you should not be taking that photo... Go for the seahorse instead...

 

[miked]

I have my GoPro on a short handle (less than a foot long). merely to stabilize the pix. I ahve seen people use the longer poles to get closer to Coral and fish, without damaging or spooking them (I think??)
That said, last year on a dive trip I was on a boat with a guy that had one of the yard long sticks. I wasn't diving with him, but when I got home as I perused Youtube, I saw him on the title page(?) of a video. I clicked to watch the video...it was 5+ minutes of HIM!!! no fish, no coral, no wrecks, just him.
I guess "Narcissist" fits the bill.

 

[archer1960]

Does the stick actually help in stabilization? Shouldn't it amplify any hand movements instead since a small movement of the wrist results in a relatively larger movement of the GoPro? I don't know about selfish but for some reason the divers I've seen with these stick tend to be of poorer skill and compensate for their inability to get close to subjects with proper technique by shoving the stick at the subject.

The extra weight and moment arm of the stick slows down hand motions so that it looks a lot smoother in the final shot than it does hand-held.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

I have seen selfie poles used to get up close and personal with rather large Moray eels as well as other marine life - if you dont have the calioons to take the photo up close and personal with your hands maybe you should not be taking that photo... Go for the seahorse instead...

That's pretty funny. I like someone with a good sense of humor.

 

[Frosty]

My personal experience with selfie stick owners is that as a rule they seem to be terrible divers. I know that's a horrible generalisation but it does seem to be the case.

 

[uncfnp]

To read SB it would seem that anyone that takes pictures underwater is the devil incarnate. If they take a picture of themselves with a pole, they are narcissistic and as such they are offensive to fellow divers. But it's ok if someone else takes it and they can even use it as their SB avatar/profile pic. If they take a picture of marine life, they are harassing the natives. If they don't use a pole, they are destroying the reef with their fins, hands and bodies. They all have poor buoyancy control and are rude to their fellow divers.



I give up.