The Ugly Side of Underwater Photography
Notes From the Back of Beyond II
We took a busman’s holiday last weekend and went diving on Bali’s north coast. It’s easy diving around Tulamben; porters carry the tanks and you just walk off the beach. Great schools of trevally surround the Liberty Wreck and the black sand slope to the east is a famed critter diving mecca. It should have been a beautiful morning dive, but what we saw underwater shifted our moods a full 180 degrees. We finished the dive almost ashamed to call ourselves underwater photographers.
About 50 feet down the slope, hovering close to the substrate, we spent about 15 minutes searching for unusual species of nudibranchs. We weren’t the only ones in the water-Tulumben is a popular dive area-and another group of divers was nearby. From the amount of silt that drifted our way we figured they had found an interesting subject so we finned over to take a closer look. There were about ten of them, armed with all manner of image-capturing gear, and they had surrounded a Wonderpus photogenicus, one of the recently described long-armed octopuses that is often confused with the Mimic Octopus. A few divers had still camera housings mounted on video housings, a few had both wide angle and macro rigs cobbled together with a tangled web of multiple strobe cords. One diver caught our attention; she had a small video housing and had settled down gently on the bottom, waiting patiently, and so we decided to hang around to see what happened.
For more than 30 minutes we witnessed one of the lousiest displays of buoyancy skills we have ever seen outside of an entry level class. You would have thought that the current was running at four knots, there was that much sand blowing through the water. The lone divemaster vainly tried to keep order so everyone in his group could photograph the creature, but he gave up after about 15 minutes and took off down the slope. A couple of photographers shot 50 or more frames (yes, I counted), and no one wanted to “share”. One anxious, double-rig-carrying oaf couldn’t wait for his buddy to finish with the octopus, so he positioned himself over the top of the offending diver and literally picked the guy up off the bottom by his BC and shoved him out of the way. One “good buddy” yanked so hard on on another’s full foot fin that he pulled it off and just tossed it aside, leaving the diver to try and catch up with his free-floating fin before it was out of sight. ”Well,” I thought, “that’s one way to to keep a subject for yourself. What’s next? Slicing regulator hoses?”
Just as it seemed like the lone, patient diver might get a chance, the octopus escaped and the group swam off in a cloud of silt. The remaining would-be videographer didn’t move for several seconds. The she looked our way, shrugged, and headed back toward the beach.
As we were ascending I thought about the octopus, the rude photographers, and I couldn’t help but mutter “get a life” through my regulator. What was so important about photographing that octopus that it could trigger mass behavior like that? I mean, we make our living selling photographs of marine animals, but being able to pay our credit card bill on time doesn’t mean that we need to trash a dive site, harass an animal, or endanger another diver. Sure we’ve all been guilty of taking too much time with a subject, with digital it’s hard stop photographing a charismatic subject. Still, perhaps it’s time to agree to and sign not only the standard CYA (cover your ass) diver’s release form, but also a Photographer’s Code of Ethics that covers how we’ll treat the reef, the animals that live there, and our fellow divers.
Some divemasters, celebrity group leaders, and cruise directors admonish their guests to take care of the environment and share subjects. Others don’t. Are we losing the joy when we senselessly compete for images? Recently a liveaboard owner called us with questions about our upcoming group. “What kind of people are they?” he asked. I wasn’t sure what he meant. He explained, “You know, do they like to sit on deck and watch the sun set or are they staring at their computers or taking apart their cameras whenever they aren’t in the water? I just finished with a group like that and let me tell you it was boring and awful.”
Taking pictures is just one of the reasons we like diving. We like the sunsets, talking about good books, sharing stories with friends, new and old. Let’s cut out the competition and bring back the joy.
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Strangely enough, my recent grouse about dayboat divers was driven by experiences on Bali’s northern coast!
Well, Bali’s north coast is a great place to dive and meet interesting people. I wouldn’t want UC readers to think otherwise. It’s the same as any other place. Pick your operators carefully, check out the other divers if possible, and put yourself in a place where you’ll be able to hang with your own kind.
UW photographers can forget about what led them to diving in the first place. I am very fortunate that I dive for a living, however I now make a point of leaving my camera top side at least 50% of the time I dive. Yes I miss some great photographic opportunities, but I ’see’ a lot more. I know that this may sound stange, but it’s true.
I prefer to have only 4 photographers at a time, and I usually will allocate 1 DM per couple if possible. Mixed groups of photoraphers / non photographers are much easier to deal with, and a lot less likely to want to ‘hog’ a subject.
There is no easy answer to this problem, however the industry will need to address it sooner rather than later.
I understand what you mean by seeing a lot more if you leave your camera on the boat. So many times we are honed in on a crab or some other small animal, and when we get back to the boat everyone is hysterical over seeing the whale shark giving birth to the hammerhead!
Your diver to DM ratio sounds about right for a quality experience, but so many operations can not afford that kind of service. Some how a standard needs to be set and followed. Unfortunately common courtesy doesn’t seem to be working any more.
Thanks for your input.
One way to avoid the aggressive, self-centered, “me-first” UW photographer, is to dive with friends, who you know well and who are great company. Our group is mixed with both photographers and non, and they are generally well-behaved, and like to dive because they enjoy all aspects of the travel trip - social, diving, photography, cultural, and other interests. However, on some group trips we do share a boat or resort and this can lead to some very unpleasant underwater tactics by other photographers who are only interested in getting the shot. Usually these people are not interested in the marine biology of the animals they shoot, and are also quite ignorant about the marine ecology in which they are diving, or the fascinating animal interactions that can be observed by the observant diver, which can make a dive trip truly memorable. It’s too bad there are some bad apples. I have only experienced a few rude photographers and it made me sad and mad. The animals really suffer. Let’s all agree to be friendly when underwater and share the beautiful marine animals. I firmly believe that the “leaders” of the group, the divemasters in particular, should make an orientation lecture and clearly stress the importance of courtesy and clearly state what is expected in terms of behavior. So stated, and all agreed to, I believe that most divers will understand how important these principles are to follow. If some divers cannot comply they should be told to stop shooting since they are not following agreed upon group rules. Tough love.
Another way to avoid a mess like this is for both divemasters and group leaders to instigate what we call the ‘6 frame rule’. This was a system we developed years back when taking part in groups with some less than considerate people onboard. All photographers are asked to only shoot off 6 frames, then move away and let someone else have a go. Most critters will hang around long enough for the non-photographers to see what the fuss is all about and for the photographers to rejoin the queue and come back for more images.
You can see the same scene in Crystal River Florida during manatee season almost daily as people hungry to interact with and photograph manatees pursue these creatures (often called cash cows) to the max.
Thank you Burt and Maurine!!!!!! Sadly I am seeing increasing instances of this behavior on dive trips, particularly on live aboards- unless I happen go to a place( Gangga Island- superb) where there are fewer photographers and more divers who just adore experiencing the beauty of the oceans.
Had similar problem in Cocos that almost came to fisticuffs, and I don’t even take pictures !!
To all of the above,
Thank you so very much for your comments. I think we must have touched a nerve with many people, photographers or not. If this is an across-the-board problem then I suggest that Cruise Directors and Divemasters make photographer behavior a part of the briefing. If this isn’t done, then the group leader, as in Beth’s comments, must add to the briefing. Additionally, if a client gets out of hand or continually breaks the rules, then the group leader must take the lead in talking to him/her privately in order to change this behavior. Tough love, indeed!
Let’s get out there and enjoy ourselves, interact with some incredible marine animals, have adventures, enjoy the sunsets, and experience being “out there”!
Some basic commonsense for photographers… You are not the only diver in the group.. Having a camera does not entitle you to hold up the group while you fiddle with your gear getting into and out of the water. You do not have sole propriety over any object in the water that holds your fascination. If a divemaster points out an interesting critter he did not point it out for you alone… Having said that I will show a diver with a camera an interesting critter but this is usually after I have had a chance to show others first.. “Photographers” are not the only divers in the water and having a camera does not mean your “right” to take photos excludes my “right” to enjoy my dive… Having watched “camera” divers in action it reaffirms my desire to dive without one..
Things get even worse at night, when everyone brings out the multi-K candlepower lights. I tried to take some photos of mantas off the Kona Surf in Hawaii, and the sea horses off the town pier in Bonaire. No luck–I was blinded by glaring lights on somebody’s camera rig in each case. Heaven help the critters! And then there was the poor octopus living in an old scuba tank at the end of a pier in Bonaire. As he sidled out at dusk, he was met by a blinding group flash from 13 “paparazzi” waiting for him. Tarpon and big jacks love these blinding flashes. They scoot in and gobble up all the disoriented little fish. For crying out loud, keep that light intensity down!
I dabble in underwater photography myself and am very aware of what I am doing and where I am in relation to the reef and other divers at all times. Over the last few years I have been leaving my camera on the boat more and more. I see the type of behaviour described above everywhere there are photographers–there is at least one aggressive one, and a few who can not manage their buoyancy and take a photograph at the same time–the result is reef damage. Last time I went to Cozumel (April 09) I noticed that the dive operator I have been using for years, gave pre dive instructions that included a stern, pointed direction to “those of you with cameras” to stay above the reef, control their buoyancy, and a warning that if they damage the reef they would be sent back to the boat and that would be the end of their diving. I had not heard this stern admonishment directed at divers with cameras on previous trips. This particular operator has always stressed avoidance of the reef, and my hope is that they follow through on the threats. Whether this is particular to this operator or a new impetus from the Mexican government, I don’t know. I did notice new posters on the boat printed by the Mexican government addressing photographers and expectations–so maybe a little badly needed public education is getting pushed by the government. I have seen horrible behavior in Florida but because no divemasters accompany the divers, enforcement would be nil.
Tough love is right! We only host groups occasionally but we always add to the divemaster brief regarding being considerate to the rest of the group. Of course, it’s not just photographers, some people are just nutters underwater. No matter who it is, none of us should be embarrassed to take a buddy aside and say “hey, you probably didn’t realise but….”. There is never a point where we should stop learning AND sharing the joy of being underwater.
As a nature, wildlife and underwater photographer, I understand the plight of finding the perfect photographic opportunities. While participating in the 2009 Bonaire Shootout, I had a similar incident as described by the bloggers of this topic. I knew the frogfish was going to “belch” and had setup my camera to photograph this occurrence while being very careful NOT to touch the coral with my body or my fins. Just as the lever went down, someone came in on top of me pushing me down onto the sponge causing me to breath in to get away before any more damage was done just to get the “belching” frogfish pic. We were told countless times to share the subjects, take a few frames, back away to allow other photographers in, and if you want another shot then come back after everyone else had had their turn. The problem with that was EVERY photographer wanted to stay around. Sadly, I have seen photographers grabbing the coral to steady themselves for the perfect “tack sharp” photo or moving a subject into a better position to get the most composition pleasing shot! No shot is worth the destruction of the reef or the stressing out of the marine life.
Having said that, I just recently returned from diving the Big Island with photographers and non photographers. This group was very courteous making a point to show me things to photograph.
I am an amatuer underwater photographer and read this with amusement. I try to be considerate of other divers and the reef. I blame digital photography for intensifying obnoxious photographic behavior. I’m happy to say that I still shoot film, am limited to 36 exposures my entire dive, and am therefore destined to be polite and considerate while diving. I tend to allow non-photographers a chance to take a close look before I gently and with neutral buoyancy move in to get a shot. I’ll take several shots, move away and return later after other divers have had a turn. My husband has gone digital and it really is obnoxious. I’ve often noticed that my first shot is often my best, even after bracketing and re-composing. I think the same about the 30+ shots my husband can take. I hope that we aren’t blinding all the little critters that we admire. Not all people carrying cameras are obnoxious and disrespectful. We’ve encountered several pros on our trips that are very respectful of the reef. The pictures taken are shared with the non-diving world, showing the beauty that needs to be protected.
I’d just like to add some perspective: Burt and Maurine are two of the most laid back and nicest people you’ll ever meet. I’ve literally spent months and hundreds of hours underwater with Burt in Indonesia. And if these two gentle souls are getting agitated about bad behavior, particularly from photographers, then it’s really got to be bad out there. That’s why since I sold the last of my diving companies in early 2005, I only run “invitation only” full boat charters usually two weeks in length to the best places in th world (Indo-Pacific such as the Solomons on the Bilikiki or Indonesia on Paradise Dancer. Some of these folks have been going with me for over 35 years. Everyone is a good diver, respectful of their fellow mates, well-mannered u/w and willing to share photo subjects graciously, and great company at sunset cocktails and dinner. One guest refers to my exclusivity and hard rules for inclusion as “The No Assholes Dive Tours.” I guess that’s the ultimate compliment.Know who you’re going with. And don’t go with the buttheads. Life’s too shot. Good work, Burt and Maurine. It needed to be said and you guys are so above reproach that you can get away with calling a spade a spade. Now what about Bantin in a speedo?
Bret Gilliam
My husband and I *just* had this conversation two weeks ago in the Maldives! One of the divers had a huge, expensive video rig and was very rude to the Maldivian boat crew regarding the way they handed him his camera once he was in the water. Never mind that they barely spoke English. I also observed this same diver dislodge a huge boulder on one of the reefs with the most beautiful coral, sending it cascading down doing untold damage to the area. I couldn’t believe it! I think a lot of photographers are now more intent on getting their “trophy” than they are of taking care of the reef for others to enjoy.
We used to love liveaboard diving. We did two trips a year for 5 yrs. But, because the dive boat personnel don’t want to mess with their tip… they don’t monitor the guests that are drunk by noon, hog photo subjects, harass critters, hog the camera table, etc. The prevailing attitude is to let the considerate guests deal with the jerks on their own.
So, now we only go to dive resorts because it’s easier to avoid the jerks.
I believe that this laissez-faire attitude on behalf of dive boat crew works against them and their employers in the long run. Jerks are also inconsiderate when it comes time for them to tip. And, they also can have a negative affect on the tips from the other guests. Especially,when the divemaster or captain could have gotten more involved to keep the jerks in check.
Maurine and Burt,
This is a sad commentary indeed on some underwater photographers. I’ve seen everything you have described and would like to add 2 more examples…while diving in Lembeh strait one of the UW photographers in our group was dangerously low on air while we were at 110 feet. Instead of making surfacing his priority, he grabbed the DMs octo to give him more time to get one more shot of the hairy octopus he was torturing. He chased the poor animal around the reef and poked at the hole it retreated to to get it to come out one more time then nuked it with dozens of flashes. On another dive in PNG a well known so called nudibranch expert decided it was ok for her to remove a nudibrach from the reef, place it in a plastic bag and bring it to the surface, at which time she decided to spin the bag closed pending our next dive to a location that had sand with better contrast for her photo. If I didn’t witness it myself, I would not have believed it. Her actions were condoned by the boat operator who said it was ok because it was for, “scientific purposes.” Her wetsuit and fins were so abraded from lying on the coral we nick-named her Pig-Pen.
Good buoyancy, etiquette and respect for the reef are often left behind when something interesting or rare comes into view. I wholeheartedly agree that waivers should include affirmation by the diver that they will follow good diving practices and if they cannot the consequence should be no more air fills.
I wonder if the good and patient diver you mentioned will read all these comments and know that her simple act was so much more important than all of the silt filled photo rejects the herd of divers produced…and I wonder if all the guilty phot-hogs (pun intended) will think twice about raping the reef in the future. Sadly, probably not.
Elissa
I’ve logged 200 dives in the past two years as a traveling recreational diver currently obsessed with the sport. I have seen enough around the world now that I detest 95% of divers I meet who carry a camera (I don’t ‘carry’).
The first problem I observed is that divers who ‘carry’ make terrible dive buddies. They are so intent on photography they don’t have the attention span to be a good buddy. It’s not that I could be drowning while they are framing shots - I’ve had enough training to be always focused on maintaining my self-rescuing position. Rather it’s that they aren’t self-rescuing themselves because the pace of the dive is driven by the camera rather than the buddy relationship. I’m constantly either waiting for them to shoot off 100 frames or chasing them down as they swim rapidly off to the next target without noting where I am. My first solution was to reject ‘carrying’ divers as buddies or insist on a three/four person team with only one camera. After a bit, I found this approach impractical on most liveaboards. My second solution has been to get solo-certified and always carry a pony tank capable of getting me to the surface from 111 ft. Now, if I’m stuck with a photographer who won’t behave like a good dive buddy underwater, I have a choice. I can chase them down - or not. If the camera is more important to them than me so be it.
The second problem I observed was reef destruction. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen a photographer intent on shooting something like a little seahorse: a) break off or crush a coral head because they can’t maintain buoyancy while shooting, and b) then turn around and kick the seahorse in the face while moving on to the next subject.
I propose three interlocking solutions in the spirit of scuba being a self-policing sport:
1) The major certification agencies could offer a ’safe photographer’ certification. The certification would ensure that the photographer has been trained and tested in proper buddy behavior, proper buoyancy control, and reef protection while shooting.
2) Just like we need a release form and an extra cert card to dive nitrox, we could require a release form and the cert card described in item #1 to carry a camera in the water. If you cannot produce a safe photographer certification card then you cannot carry a camera.
3) Let’s encourage soft-policing by other divers and provide an enabling mechanism for enforcement. A clause in the release form for being a ’safe photographer’ is explicit consent to restrict photographic activities if one is observed by others damaging the reef. If a diver observes a photographer damaging a reef while shooting, they can report it (anonymously maybe, or maybe not) on a sheet on the boat just like the nitrox sign-out sheet. One strike is a warning, two strikes then you don’t carry a camera the next day, three strikes you’re out - no camera for the rest of the trip.
It maybe fruitless but I believe I’ve outlined a viable path to reducing the destructive impact of underwater photographers through certification and peer pressure.
-Marc
PS. My rant is aimed at the amateurs not the pro’s. Pro’s mainly dive solo because the best shots aren’t there if other divers are around.
I’ve been diving all over for about 20 years now and have observed one thing that I almost consider a fact. If you want to watch Jekyll and Hyde in action then take a perfectly capable, friendly, and environmentally-conscious diver and put a camera or video housing in his/her hand before a dive. And the degree of radical change is directly proportional to the size/complexity/expense of the camera and video equipment. I’ve watched it happen over and over with my own friends and complete strangers.
I’ve watched these people destroying coral, pushing other divers out of the way, or just monopolizing interesting spots underwater time after time.
In the past year I was also at this same dive site in Bali where I dove with a very nice young lady from Singapore and her digital camera. She was no different from any other man or woman with a camera. She was ignoring everything around her when she was taking her pictures. She was routinely kicking coral to take pictures of other coral or fish. She was laying on top of a flat layer of Elkhorn coral growing off the side of the wreck so she could get a better picture of some of the small fish. Her bouyancy skills were abandoned to get the picture. At one point I couldn’t take it anymore and lifted her away from the coral and moved her. The divemaster never stopped her once. I discussed this with a manager from the dive company later and he told me he would address it but it was likely because the divemaster did not want to lose the tip from the customer.
I’ve recently started doing underwater photography myself and although I do attempt to be extremely careful I notice I am now more of a hazard underwater as well. The camera simply distracts us too much. There needs to be more awareness about this and a more proactive approach by the dive charter companies and divemasters leading the groups.