Aspects Of Etiquette Pt 3

Are you the sort of underwater photographer who gives the pastime a good name? If you’re worried that you might be the other sort, SIMON PRIDMORE has a few tips

- Simon Pridmore

IN THE LAST PART of this mini-series I deal exclusively with matters of etiquette surrounding underwater photography. Not everyone will agree with my recommendations, and I’m sure the more experienced among you will have your own particular opinions and bugbears. But that’s all part of the fun.

In my career in diving I’ve often been called on to deploy my legendary diplomatic skills to defuse potential flare-ups between photographers and non-photographers.

The reasons behind the heated debates are always the same and, having been both a photographer and a non-photographer, I think I can see both sides of the argument. So here is a quick guide to the major issues, presented in the hope that mutual understanding will promote greater harmony.

DIFFERENT FOLKS

Here is the problem in a nutshell. Many divers don’t care about taking pictures under water, nor do they have any idea of how much financial sacrifice it takes to buy an underwater camera system.

For many other divers, taking pictures is the sole purpose of scuba-diving. Their systems and their photographs are of such immense importance to them that they wouldn’t bother diving at all if they couldn’t take their camera with them. Here are the main issues:

1 ENVIRONMENT

Underwater photographers are often accused of callously damaging the seabed and the plants and animals that live there while they are manoeuvring to get a good angle for their pictures.

In their defence, most photographers do not deliberately set out to wreak havoc on the reef. However, burdened as they are with the destabilising potential of a camera and strobe system, and with the technical limitations imposed by the behaviour of light under water requiring them to get close to their subject, occasional accidents are hard to avoid.