Selfie sticks - for selfish selfholes?

[Lorenzoid]

Pole=Selfish? Judge much? Really?

A diver is selfish if he lets his gear--whatever it may be--get in the way of his fellow divers' enjoyment of the dive. Some do. Some don't. From what I have observed, selfie-sticks seem to encourage careless behavior. Keep the thing stowed close to your body when swimming along in a group, and extend it judiciously, checking first to make sure others are not anywhere near where you are sticking it, and everything should be fine.

 

[DaleC]

Yep, keep it compact like a normal camera system.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Yep, keep it compact like a normal camera system.

From what I've seen, large camera rigs with strobe arms, etc., are generally commanded by people who have good diving skills and at least reasonably good etiquette. They pay attention to what they're doing and to their subjects and fellow divers. They find a subject, photograph it, and move on. In contrast, I have seen all too many people swinging their GoPros-on-a-stick wildly to and fro like a blind man's cane, and it can be annoying when it swings in front of my field of vision. I'm certain DaleC isn't one of these people, but I think the ease with which this can be used to capture a lot of subject matter and low cost relative to a big camera rig makes it an attractive tool for inexperienced divers.

 

[tridacna]

From what I've seen, large camera rigs with strobe arms, etc., are generally commanded by people who have good diving skills and at least reasonably good etiquette. They pay attention to what they're doing and to their subjects and fellow divers. They find a subject, photograph it, and move on. In contrast, I have seen all too many people swinging their GoPros-on-a-stick wildly to and fro like a blind man's cane, and it can be annoying when it swings in front of my field of vision. I'm certain DaleC isn't one of these people, but I think the ease with which this can be used to capture a lot of subject matter and low cost relative to a big camera rig makes it an attractive tool for inexperienced divers.

When you say "generally" you really are 'generalizing'. I've seen just as many idiots with giant rigs dominate seahorses and frogfishes (which they did not find). They hang in the way of others taking as many shots as they need whilst not caring about letting other divers taking a sneak peak at their subject. I've seen them tug other diver's fins to get them out of the way. Their urgency to get that perfect shot overtakes any manners or pleasantries whatsoever. I've seen those big rig megadiver photographers holding onto sponges to get their buoyancy just right while kicking up the bottom and anything else in their way.

Size of your rig or how long your pole is, is no guarantee of photographic skill underwater. Or manners for that matter.

 

[DaleC]

I'm certain DaleC isn't one of these people...

Oh, don't be too certain

When I was doing that bike video I was keenly aware of how I could have looked to cars or other cyclists, holding my "selfie stick" and shooting myself riding. Oh well. It was all part of my plan to add different camera angles to my video so it wasn't a one perspective show. When I shoot, my mind is often already in post production thinking about how I can blend clips.

 

[Lorenzoid]

When you say "generally" you really are 'generalizing'. I've seen just as many idiots with giant rigs dominate seahorses and frogfishes (which they did not find). . . .

Absolutely. I am generalizing from the relatively small number of GoPro-on-a-stick enthusiasts I have seen. Don't get me started about the people who think they are professional photographers with huge, expensive rigs, who expect you to get out of the way for them. But at least they seem to be aware of my presence, not oblivious. They may think their giant "pro" camera rig gives them special right of way, but at least they are usually aware I am there and where there camera is in relation to me.

 

[boat sju]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9bk5PxyKzFja1dsSm9vdEl6SzA/view?usp=sharing

gopro on a stick video. Just wanted to see if I could attach a video

 

[Michael Guerrero]

I've taken a couple dozen dive videos and my family always complains that they can't see me during them. For some reason, they tend not to care about some stranger in scuba gear I've captured in the frames. So now I turn the camera around every once in a while to get some selfie video. They like the videos better now, and sit through a bit more of them before realizing they have better things to do with their lives.

 

[uncfnp]

Now this I think we can all agree is disturbing and no stick needed...

https://www.facebook.com/120Sports/videos/973713932666799/