Video Etiquette

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If you're diving with 30,000 lumens on your camera you probably should consider private charters or small groups where you won't encounter the other divers.

Wholeheartedly agree, man that's a lotta light!! Maybe you can buy a remote trigger to turn them on and off.
 
are you leaving them on the whole dive?
I leave them on most of the dive. You never know when you might drift into something, like a hidden cuttlefish or octopus that will scoot away before you can turn the lights on. When on I have the camera pointed straight down into the reef when not pointed at a subject.
 
I leave them on most of the dive. You never know when you might drift into something, like a hidden cuttlefish or octopus that will scoot away before you can turn the lights on. When on I have the camera pointed straight down into the reef when not pointed at a subject.
This is basically how I do it. I think day vs night needs to be distinguished. I haven’t shot at night and see how bright video lights could totally kill that experience. On a day reef dive I think it is acceptable to leave them on. Point them down when not filming and be conscious to not point at someone unles a person is the subject. Pointed down at the reef below you should not be to distracting especially if you and a bit back from the group.
 
I for one haven't dived with anyone sporting 30,000 lumens worth of continuous light and I could see how that would really dominate the dive experience no matter how careful the photographer. I've got a measly 5,000 lumen Kraken and it's pretty darn bright so 30K must be blinding.
 
I dive with over 30,000k....sometimes with 60,000k There are a few etiquette rules I follow.

1) I always dive at the back of the group so that I can hold back and not impact other divers or their footage
2) if we are not on a drift dive, my buddy and I will follow an alternate route to the main group
3) for night dives I wouldn’t have them on all the time, everything would disappear, I usually dive with focus light and small spotter, only turn lights on if necessary...rarely. I’m looking for good footage, not just ‘any’ footage. I also don’t want to dive in a cloud of bloodworms.
5) I always dive facing away from the group on night dives and ask people not to follow me unless they ask to.
6) I chase nothing. If it isn’t in the right spot etc, it will usually come around again eventually. I find most of the annoyed commentary is levied at inexperienced ‘photog/vidog’ divers who are chasing wildlife for less than average footage in a tight group of divers with a guide.
7)I ask people not to follow me, especially into wrecks. I may be placing lights around and taking specific setup shots. I will go an alternate route to the group so there is minimal kick up from them and from me,
8) I let people know after a dive that I appreciate it if they point stuff out excitedly, but please don’t be offended if a don’t shoot the subject. I may not have the correct lenses on or I’m not that interested in the subject.
9) I dive solo whenever possible.
10)I don’t get annoyed if divers float into shot..they don’t mean to...occasionally they can be edited out, but there is always another shot around the corner...
11) I do allow divers to follow me if they ask beforehand because they want to use the lighting on my rig for their own shots or want me to spot for them.
12) if someone spots a critter and offers to share their find with a group, they get to shoot it for as long as they want, then they backfin out and offer subject to someone else. That person should take 4/5 shots, no more than a minute or two, then backfin out and offer others. I generally wait until everyone else has taken their shots. I never shoot a subject someone else is already shooting...except whales and whalesharks....usually..
13) anyone who dives with me is allowed a copy of a shot they want from that dive if they saw something I was shooting ,but they cannot reproduce it, sell it etc.
14) if you ask me in advance, I’ll find you for 5/6 mins at the end of the dive for portrait shots. Happy to do it.
15) I opt for photography focused liveaboards wherever possible, but I also don’t apologize for my rig....for a multitude of reasons.
16) I ask liveaboards to brief everyone on etiquette on the first morning before Checkout dive.
 
I for one haven't dived with anyone sporting 30,000 lumens worth of continuous light and I could see how that would really dominate the dive experience no matter how careful the photographer. I've got a measly 5,000 lumen Kraken and it's pretty darn bright so 30K must be blinding.
Keep in mind that many lights way overstate the lumen. There are many threads on here about Big Blue being guilty of overstating. One manufacturers 5K lumen light could in reality be just as bright as another 10K light.
 
even if the lumens are overstated, a pair of them is still hella bright at full power. i would say a pair of the kraken 5k's is in the same category.
 
I guess I am confused as to why you need so much light unless you are shooting wide reef scenes. My wife shoots macro and super macro video (www.blueviews.net) with a measly pair of Sola 2100s mostly on low power. For blackwater the power might go up to half power. I couldn't imagine using 30K or 60K lumens for anything other than shooting wrecks or reef scenes.
Bill
 

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