Buddies

[TimIngmire]

How do you guys manage new buddies when wanting to take photographs?

I ask because this weekend I was diving with new people which in itself is not a problem but kinda meant that I found I couldn't really focus on taking photo's without wondering about the buddy. On day 1 I was with a divemaster which was good but I still found myself not settling down for a good long wait for the more elusive subjects or just making do with a couple of shot of each subject rather than a series. The second day I was with two open water divers (one of whom was doing her 7th dive). I managed to get 3 quick shots (of the snail on the bryozoan posted earlier) but the rest of the time I was in Dive Leader mode.

I've not been in this situation before especially not since I've become more determined in my UW photography - It seemed to have a real impact.

The two key problems are that
1. I am becoming more 'selfish' in my desire to get pictures and therefore in the time I spend on each subject
2. I know I've lumbered myself onto somebody else who has paid for a good dive and is suddenly paired up with a damned photographer and this can impact on their enjoyment of a dive - I feel this accutely.

How do you deal with it when in the same situation?

[Chippy]

Dive Solo!!

(i'm sure I've probably just opened myself up to get flamed here LOL)

[Mike W]

Ok Chippy, here goes!

[size=18px]I couldn't agree more![/size] Er, maybe not the flaming you were expecting?

Whenever I'm 'buddied' with another diver, especially one I don't know, I find myself thinking more about them than pictures. Like many others I've done a bit more diving than most, so find myself defaulting to dive leader, and that doesn't sit well with photography when you've made the move from being a diver who takes pictures to being a photographer who dives. Even when I'm in the water with a pro guide I still find myself not settling down to wait or contenting myself with just one or two pics when I'd prefer to dig around a subject - which is daft when I'm effectively paying for their time.

Last autumn I was at the Brum Dive Show, and went to one of the phot society stands - won't say which, don't want to drop anyone in anything - and asked the guy how I got to move my pics from their current level (Not too bad, but not fantastic) to the next level up. First point the guy I was chatting to made was to stop diving with buddies and hit the water solo.

Of course, getting dive operators to allow this is another matter - so I went to a few UK dive centres exhibiting at the show and asked 'em about photographers diving solo. The responses were all just about the same - 'We don't recommend it, and we'd strongly advise against, but if you insist OK'.

Overall, I've found the best approach is just to be upfront that you prefer to solo, and then to repay the operator by sticking to the dive plan and surfacing when and where you agreed to.

[Chippy]

I totally agree. Of course safety is ALWAYS my primary concern:-

1) I always have surface cover - or at the bare minimum have someone (usually my long suffering girlfriend) on the surface that knows where I am, when I'm going in and when I'm scheduled to be out.

2) Limit my depth to 15m (almost all my solo's are shore dives in under 10m of water anyway)

3) Use a pony cylinder, even on shore dives - it might be overkill but I'd prefer to still be alive to tell the tale should anything go pear shaped!

I must admit that not all my photo dives are solos (i'd say 70& are). My main buddy knows my priority is photos (rather than covering lots of ground) and that I may very well be sat in the same place for some time. Having a buddy is definately a bonus sometimes though - Whilst i'm snapping he is often looking for the next subject to photograph.

[Tank]

I agree with solo diving while wanting to specifically do photography. I have done this and can say it is a great way to "learn" about taking shots. I was able to stay in one location just adjusting the camera, taking note of the settings and basically understanding how different things work while underwater.
I have only solodived from shore and a max floor depth was about 10 meters. Have a friend there to keep an eye out topside too.

Here is a blog entry from last year. Just on about my solodiving.
http://www.scubabreaks.blog-city.com/read/764058.htm

[Dr. Dive]

For me, going solo is not an option - at least not until there's a reasonable course/specialty to take. Equipment etc. also have to be upgraded to cope with the safety issues.

In my experience, there is only one solution to Tim's problem (without going solo, that is): Dive with other UW photographers! I've done this quite a lot, and it's hardly ever a problem.

I'm also lucky enough to have a girlfriend that is very patient with me when taking pictures; she doesn't mind "hanging around" for sometimes extensive photo-sessions - there's always something to look at anyway, as she says.

Yes, I am lucky, I know. No, she's not for sale, rent, hire, swap or anything of that nature

[Mark Davies]

Originally Posted by TimIngmire

The two key problems are that
1. I am becoming more 'selfish' in my desire to get pictures and therefore in the time I spend on each subject
2. I know I've lumbered myself onto somebody else who has paid for a good dive and is suddenly paired up with a damned photographer and this can impact on their enjoyment of a dive - I feel this accutely.

Yet none of this was a concern for any of the previous 53 dives that we have done together?

Glad to see you're beginning to appreciate the true value of a good quality camera bitch!

Actually, I've never really seen it as too much of a problem (even though I moan about it constantly - but that's just friendly ribbing). I usually find I see more when diving with Tim, especially the small stuff. And I usually get to cover the site two or three times as I have to keep going to and fro when I realise that I've lost him (again!) and he's yards behind on the fringes of visibility with his beloved contraption poked into some hole. He's diving solo already - with an inconspicuous minder in the background. (He needs one, frankly ).

I do get to practice bouyancy quite a bit, as I'm floating about waiting for him, but dives can start to feel a little cold when you're not doing much.

Got to admit I've been thinking about getting a camera of my own, just to give me something to do while I'm waiting. Pity Tim's 5050 got broken as I could have just borrowed that when we are diving together.

We're off to the Red Sea in the Autumn so I'll have to have one by then, so I can show him pictures of all the schooling hammerheads that he missed while trying to get that perfect picture of a pyjama slug!

[TimIngmire]

And its all very much appreciated mate. Although if you are getting cold then just swim in circles around me

If you can get hold of a 5050 then I'll happily let you use the case and stuff for it.

As for needing a minder, I can't imagine what you are refering to

[Jules]

I have tried two approaches..

Firstly dive with someone who enjoys being a photographers buddy. Someone who likes to point things out to you and is happy to point their torch at a subject if you ask them to. Team phototaking.

or secondly dive with another photographer. This sort of ends up being two people solo diving together. You get in together and stay within looking and nodding distance and get out together. Of course you make sure you take all the shots you want of the octopus before alerting your buddy to it's existance... (people have been drowned for less! so I wouldn't really do that)

Both have upsides and downsides. I think the most important thing is that the photgraphy is the secondary activity. On dives where either of you is not fully happy then taking pics is the first task to dump as taskloading can be a real problem. First sea dive this year , 30 m on air in bad viz and i was a total muppet anbd narked as anything. I was supposed to be dive leader but soon resigned and told my buddy to take over. Took two pics on that dive I think!

I am lucky enough not to have to dive with strangers very often. If I did I expect the photgraphy would have t ogo on the back burner if the buddy wasn't photofriendly. If you are diving with inexperienced divers they are usually happy to pose since you will give them a copy of the pics afterwards.

[TimIngmire]

Originally Posted by Pixie

I think the most important thing is that the photgraphy is the secondary activity.

I think this is the problem tho Jules. Increasingly I am wanting the photography to be the primary activity but unless I'm diving with somebody I can trust and not worry over (eg Mr Davies) then it can't be that. Imagine buying a Ferrari but you're told to drive on the motorway at 30mph - (OK assuming that you're not on the M25 / M62 etc etc) - how frustrating?

Mmm, am I starting to sound a little DIR?