Am I Ready to Dive with an Underwater Camera?
Underwater Photography or Video are one of the draws for scuba divers, being able to document what you see whilst diving is certainly appealing. However there are a number of factors to consider before adding an underwater camera to your list of things to think about on a dive. Once you are ready, having a camera underwater and documenting what you see is great fun, and it will likely help to improve your marine life identification skills.
My dive buddy Chris with his underwater camera - Photo by Shannon Moran.
When underwater, safety needs to be our primary concern, cameras are a huge distraction. It’s very easy to loose your group or buddy. All you have to do is stop or swim away to take a quick photo, and before you know it you have lost everyone else. Planning can help to prevent this, if you agree a plan with your buddy or a signal that can be used when you see a subject, then they know not to carry on swimming and accidentally loose you!
Slow and steady, can you approach marine life slowly without scaring it away? Are you able to swim in a horizontal position without kicking up sediment beneath you? Control is key, to be successful as an underwater photographer or videographer you need to be able to control your movements underwater. Buoyancy control must be natural and require little thought, you should be able to move without using your hands to stabilize yourself, the last thing you want is to find the perfect subject and then disturb all of the sediment or scare it away because you couldn’t control your position in the water.
But where do I start with underwater cameras? If you already use a camera on land you may find the switch to underwater easier than a complete beginner, but the settings and workflow are very different underwater. I would recommend sticking with the same system you are used to. If you are looking to purchase a new camera and don’t know where to start then I would always look for a compact camera or action camera which is easy to use and already waterproof or can be placed in a waterproof housing. A GoPro or Olympus TG is a good place to start, they are rugged, easy to use and cheap in comparison to many camera systems, if you enjoy using that and are looking to improve, our team can always offer advice on upgrading to a new camera system.
The short answer is you will know when you are ready, you will feel comfortable with every part of a dive and confident enough with your buoyancy that you can add an extra piece of equipment to your checklist. Introducing a camera is an amazing way to share your diving experiences with friends and family, and can become a hobby or even a career!
By Shannon Moran @ShannonMoranPhoto www.shannonmoranphoto.com