I think two big factors impact shot frequency: location and dive group composition. Some locations simply present a greater number of photographic subjects than others. We try to put ourselves in environments which offer the highest probabilities for success, but it doesn't always work out. It can be especially challenging to find good subjects in an unfamiliar location. The dive group is also a major factor. My shot frequency dramatically increases when I'm with an experienced guide in Lembeh versus when I'm trying to keep up with a cattle boat dive guide in the Caribbean. The experienced guide can queue up subjects and allow me to spend all of my time playing with composition rather than hunting.

Good information. I always wondered how many shots other photogs will take on a dive!

Are we running into a "Strobe Ban"?? Since the past 2 years I'm facing more and more dive operators that tell me that it's not allowed to use strobes underwater. 2-3 years ago I used Strobes when diving at Elphinstone and photographing the Oceanics. Last november the same operator told me that it's not allowed to use strobes once the sharks are present. In a few months I'm heading to Lundy Island UK and again the operator wrote me that it's not allowed to use Strobes when diving with the Seals. Whilst there are many articles out there about underwater photographers reporting how they captured the movement of the Lundy Island Seals with Strobelight and slow Shutterspeeds... I'm kind of confused...

Honest question, in workshops, is the value in the person conducting it in surface lectures and critique only or should there be some mentoring/instruction during the dives?

@matthewsullivan4026

4 ай бұрын

It depends! Hopefully Alex will Chime in here at some point but- Lots of instruction is of course easier above water as communication is easier. That said, I have had lots of people tell me that watching what I’m doing underwater is helpful to them and I assume even Moreso for people observing Alex shoot.

This isn't the topic I hoped it was. I was hoping to get an idea of what people think about shooting an individual creature tens of multiple times. I hate being shot with flash photography and I live in a very much brighter world that most of the beautiful creatures we go to photograph. I personally try and limit myself, especially for slow moving creatures that can't get away, for example seahorse etc. What do others do? Am I being too squeamish? Has it been proved to do zero harm? On the actual topic - honestly who cares? I'm towards the low end of shots per dive as I mostly dive in the UK an there aren't always so many good subjects and we don't always manage 1 hour dives on a site (cold, depth/NDL with no shallow subjects, poor air consumption of less experienced divers etc). That said I shot 3000 photographs with manual shots when diving and snorkelling for two days with Whaleshark in Cenderawasih last year. Whatever suits your style, location and subjects.