News

How much is a photo worth?

Published

8 years ago

October 27, 2016

Duxy

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I originally wrote this article around three years ago, after a great Lembeh trip marred only by this particular event, and have decided that it’s a very topical issue with some of the luminaries of the underwater photography world now at loggerheads about this sadly on trend bad behaviour.

I must thank Alex Tattersall for a great talk about this at DIVE 2016 which I must fess up I didn’t see personally but enough of my friends did and reported back to me. He was also being brave enough to come clean about his own past indiscretions, and pointing out miscreants still directly doing this sort of thing, or allowing it to happen and thus condoning it.

On my first trip to Indonesia I was aware of the guides willingness to orchestrate the marine life for the benefit of the photographer, but to be totally honest I have never done this myself and have always called them out on it. That is if I was aware of it.

Looking back now, there was more than one occasion that I have had my attention alerted to the most incredibly positioned nudibranch, and now in retrospect I think that the murkier waters of the Lembeh Straits and those surrounding Manado have perhaps served the purpose of hiding this sort of thing in less than plain viz.

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I really do wonder now if all the wonderfully positioned nudibranchs that I’ve had pointed out to me really were in such great positions. Sadly all this manipulation talk has now made me doubt a lot of these shots, mine included.

Prime Witnesses

I wasn’t the only one to witness this event, and in the great scheme of things it amounts to very little.

Unfortunately though it does point to a worrying trend in the world of underwater photography that I feel strongly about.

Not all share my views, granted – so by all means let your own conscience guide you.

Because of the events behind the couple of pictures I took, I could never with good conscience post these pictures without also giving the backstory to them, which really changes things quite a lot for me.

It has made me wonder how many others would do the same, when presented with the opportunity, to get a fairly unusual and unique shot in similar circumstances.

And also, how many others have taken pictures that I have been inspired by and wondered at, that are now tainted with the doubt that all may not be quite as it seems?

Maybe I’m just incredibly naive, and this is my wake up and smell the coffee moment.

OK: Here’s the story

The dumping grounds that are the Lembeh Straits are famed for the diversity of marine life of all shapes and forms, and discarded bottles actually make great shelters and homes for lots of creatures.

Towards the end of a dive in the Lembeh Straits, famed for its incredible diversity of weird and wonderful marine life, myself and some friends and fellow work shoppers were pootling about in the shallows.

One of our guides – unfair to name him – signalled for our attention as they do by tapping on his tank with his pointer.

He was about 20m distance and invisible to us, as the visibility was less than 10m. Nevertheless we found him quickly.

He pointed triumphantly to a small Mantis Shrimp on the sand, completely exposed.

We saw no burrow and there was no obvious shelter for this creature. They have a tendency to be quite shy, but often also a little inquisitive, so seeing one completely out of its hole was odd, but still appeared quite a credible scenario.

Being photographers we felt lucky that this particular individual was in a great position to get a shot.

As I lined up for the picture I realised through the magnified screen image that it was clutching a mound of eggs.

Amazing I thought, what are the chances of that eh?

I had previously only encountered egg holding Mantis hiding under ledges, and always inaccessible to me in the past.

I had cause a few years earlier to actively prevent a guide from removing one from its mound by poking it out with his pointer stick, and upon admonishment post dive he said that if I wanted to guarantee a shot of one with eggs then this was a sure fire method, and worse still that he had done this dozens of times before for other photographers from all four corners of the globe… without any previous complaints!

Anyway, back to the current situation. I took a shot and my dive buddy Phil waved and pointed behind me – our guide had moved on.

Coming from a broken home

Behind me and a few metres from our transfixed shrimp was the fragments of a broken beer bottle, the neck and the base still intact, but the middle clearly broken with the contents of sand and fragments of shells and remains of small creatures now scattered around.

I have encountered Mantis shrimps living in glass bottles before, and I was lucky enough to get a shot of one living inside an intact bottle last year, which I was even more chuffed with because I’d found it myself without the help of a guide.

So I will regularly check the discarded beer bottles and other containers that make for a great des-res for marine life when diving the underwater dumping grounds that actually make Lembeh such a fascinating and contrary place to dive.

On closer inspection of the shards of broken glass, they looked very freshly broken to me with no dirt build up and very sharp clean edges.Putting two and two together a horrible possibility dawned upon me… that someone had actually broken this bottle and frightened the expectant creature out into the open.

Phil clearly thought the same signalling as such, and to underline this thought, the poor shrimp scuttled back into the neck of the bottle.

I took a shot of it in there with its eggs, and resolved to only publish the picture with this story attached, as my conscience wouldn’t let me do anything other.

Mantis Shrimp with eggs sheltering inside a bottle.

Bottle Half Empty

Phil gently pushed the rear of the neck of the bottle back into the sand affording her some protection from the rear, but now her home was a quarter of the size it was shortly before.

We left her be and returned sadly to the surface, where our guides were slowly making their way ahead of us back to the boat.

Now, bearing in mind I have absolutely no proof of our guide’s part in all this, I kept mum, and didn’t let my anger get in the way of rationale. I didn’t need to bring the subject up though, as the guide in question, with a big smile on his face, brought up the Mantis Shrimp find himself – almost triumphantly.

I asked him how he had found it, and he said it was just there resting on the sand. I mentioned finding the bottle and he said he hadn’t seen it, which I doubted in the circumstances. He then contradicted himself by saying that he had seen the broken bottle and it must have been broken by guides on the other boat moored close by.

I have no way of knowing for definite if he was or wasn’t telling the truth, but I am sure that this bottle, intact, had been her home very recently before we saw her out and exposed, and someone had broken the bottle; who, we will never know for sure. What is worse is that it was broken by parties unknown for the benefit of photographers.

Is any photograph worth the wanton destruction of any creature’s habitat? Whoever broke this bottle thought so.

Are photographers such needy and demanding clients that the guides deem it necessary to go to these lengths to please their relatively wealthy clients?

This is not an isolated incident; I have seen other incidents of marine life manipulation for the benefit of photographer clients – not always as bad as this one, but in light of this they are the thin edge of the wedge I fear.

The underwater photographic community at large needs to try and police ourselves and each other and show intolerance for manipulating marine life. We often give people a hard time for digitally manipulating the underwater realm, but surely pushing the pixels is a small crime by comparison?

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At the time the only possible solution that I could think of that was appropriate in the circumstances was to suggest that the ‘big guy’ watching over everything knew what had happened, as he sees everything.

I’m not in the slightest bit religious personally but am aware that in this part of Indonesia everyone is devoutly christian, so I thought it would maybe make them think a bit if they had done exactly what we thought they had. If they hadn’t then no harm done, they would have clear consciences – but I did notice a fearful look flash across one of their faces, so perhaps my impression was right.

As mentioned in the update at the start of this post, we have come along quite a way since I originally wrote this blog and it has now become the current hot topic, with not only underwater photographers being held to account but also a slew of on land photographers getting up to all sorts of tricks to, in most cases, win big money prizes for their tawdry efforts.

So I’m glad it’s in the public eye, and just like the diving community no longer tolerates manhandling turtles and big fish and dolphins, we will hopefully come to abhor all sorts of manipulation for short term photographic and often financial gain.

I would also say that I don’t blame the guides completely for these actions as there is a massive disparity in income between them and their comparatively rich clients, and in the intervening years I have heard of a well known Far Eastern photographer actually having laminated cards printed with prices in US dollars in tips for the production of differing creatures on dives. This surely puts the guides under a lot of pressure, as $50 is a lot of money to them, which was the amount being flaunted as up for grabs if a hairy octopus was produced in one particular case that I heard of.

And it’s not just Far Eastern photographers doing it; I’ve heard of more than one European behaving badly to gain photographic kudos. One had a guide bring up specimens for them to shoot from greater depths than they were allowed to go because of PFO induced depth restrictions. Really?

I think the solution is easy: I would personally discourage the habit of having lists of desirable creatures, and just shoot what’s there, without any pressure on the guides to deliver, and to also tip based on an overt absence of manipulation at the culmination of a trip.

What to do about competitions though, often with huge payouts and at the very least kudos aplenty? The organisers and judges need to be very very careful with what they reward based on their own experiences and familiarity of the underwater world, and if there is the slightest sniff of doubt then they perhaps shouldn’t place a picture. It’s a shame and perhaps unfairly penalises the honest, but what else do you suggest?

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Duxy is the in house photo-pro for UK-based dive tour operator Scuba Travel. To find out about availability on Scuba Travel’s underwater photography workshops hosted by Duxy click here.

Blogs

Scubaverse Christmas Gift Guide 2024: Day 5

Published

4 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Team Scubaverse

Welcome to Day 5 of Scubaverse.com’s week-long Christmas Gift Guide!

Struggling to find the perfect gift for that special scuba diver in your life? Read on for Team Scubaverse’s pick of this season’s must-have Christmas gifts.

Every day this week, we are publishing a special Christmas Gift Guide full of different gift ideas that are all ideal for divers, so you’re sure to find something that’s perfect. Take a look at today’s selection below…

SlipIns DiveSkins

Team@slipins.com / www.slipins.com / SlipIns Facebook / SlipIns Instagram / SlipIns Pinterest

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DiveSkins are perfect for scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, paddling, surfing, and all water sports. It shows up beautifully in pictures under water.

This tight-fitting, tailored lycra suit offers maximum comfort. stretchy, breathable, fast-drying fabric with the world’s best sun and stinger protection.

SlipIns are:

*Ultimate 50+ UPF sun protection
*Abrasion protection.
*Quick dry, breathable, soft fabric
*The ultimate stinging critter protection

Save 10% on your order if you mention you saw this ad in Scubaverse in your order note!

SAVE YOUR SKIN…WEAR OUR SKINS

Team@slipins.com / www.slipins.com / SlipIns Facebook / SlipIns Instagram / SlipIns Pinterest

Diving Books from Miflex Hoses

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We stock a great range of Diving & Underground book titles, ideal to add to any order or simply buy as a gift for a friend.

Titles we have include:

Shipwrecks of the Dover Straits, Adventures Underground, Pioneers Beneath the Peak, Dive Truk Lagoon, Underwater Potholer, Images Below & many more.

From Authors including:

Stefan Panis, Martyn Farr, Duncan Price, Ron Young, Rod Macdonald, Chris Howes

Visit our website for more details.

sales@miflexhoses.co.uk / www.miflexhoseshop.co.uk / miflexhoseshop.co.uk/acatalog/Diving-Books.html / Miflex Hoses on Facebook

OrcaTorch D710 Dive Light – now available in pink!

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christmas

Already available in Black, Green, Red and Blue, the D710 Dive Light from Orcatorch is now available in Pink too.

Whether you’re a recreational or a professional diver, you’ll find the OrcaTorch D710 dive light useful in your underwater activities.

With max 3,000 lumens, the D710 is one of the strongest torches in its class. You also have plenty of brightness settings to choose from if you prefer less power.

It runs on one OrcaTorch 21700 5000mAh rechargeable battery with a Type-C charging port, easier for you to charge it anywhere. Now it offers five exterior colour options: Black, Green, Red, Blue, and Pink, to satisfy your diverse needs.

Featuring:

* Uses Luminous LED, max 3000 lumens

* Uses 1 * 21700 Li-ion battery

* 6° beam angle

* Offers four exterior colour options: Black, Red, Green and Blue

* Easy operation with side titanium alloy push-button switch

* Safe lock function, prevents mis-operation

* Intelligent Over-Heat protection

* Battery indicator

* Water pressure resistant construction, depth rated to 150 meters

* Reverse polarity protection, to protect from improper battery installation

* Over-discharge protection function

* Constructed from high-strength A6061-T6 aluminum

* Mil-Spec Type III hard anodized finish for durability and corrosion resistance

* Two sides coated toughened glass with high water pressure resistance under deep water

Sea & Sea is the home of OrcaTorch and other leading diving brands in the UK.

sales@sea-sea.com / www.orcatorch.com / OrcaTorch on Facebook / OrcaTorch on X / OrcaTorch on YouTube

Scubapro Luna 2 AI Dive Computer

Scubapro Europe Website / Scubapro USA Website / Scubapro on Facebook / Scubapro on Instagram / Scubapro on YouTube

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SCUBAPRO, the world’s premier manufacturer of high-quality scuba diving equipment, introduces its second generation Luna 2.0, an easy-to-read, intuitive dive computer loaded with easy-to-use features and available in two versions, the Luna 2.0 and Luna 2.0 AI with wireless air integration.

Designed for new and casual recreational divers, the low-profile Luna 2.0 sits comfortably on the wrist. Its oil-filled plastic housing helps ensure reliable performance to depths of 120 meters. A large widescreen display features a high-contrast black and white matrix-segment LCD with full-sized characters for easy reading in all dive conditions. An intuitive menu and simple two-button interface lets the diver navigate the system with ease, aided by clearly marked screen prompts. The LUNA 2.0 offers two algorithms – Predictive Multi-Gas Bühlmann ZH-L16 ADT MB PMG or ZH-L16 + GF PURE, plus 21-50% nitrox compatibility and three selectable gasses for open circuit diving. Three dive modes are available – Scuba, Apnea and Gauge – to suit a range of diving activities.

The Luna 2.0 AI (air integrated) offers the same easy-to-use features and functions as the standard Luna 2.0 plus adds wireless air integration. This not only enables to easily monitor ythe tank pressure, it also provides true remaining bottom time (RBT) and allows the air consumption to be factored into the decompression calculation. Also available with the Luna 2.0 AI is an optional integrated heart rate monitor that lets visually track the heart rate and skin temperature to help staying in the personal target zone.

Both Luna 2.0 models include personalized dive management functions like PDIS (Profile Dependent Intermediate Stops) which calculates an intermediate stop based on N2 loading, current and previous dives and breathing mixes, and Microbubble levels that give the option to adjust the level of conservatism in the algorithm to match the individual experience level, age and physical conditioning for a more enjoyable dive.

The soft silicone arm strap offers a comfortable fit on the wrist, plus bungee mounts on the corners of the housing allow for alternate attachment methods. A Bluetooth Low Energy interface enables the download of the dive data to any iOS or Android device or PC/Mac (firmware can be user-updated), and the CR2450 battery is rated for up to two years or 300 dives.

Scubapro Europe Website / Scubapro USA Website / Scubapro on Facebook / Scubapro on Instagram / Scubapro on YouTube

35% off Red Sea Liveaboard Scuba Scene in Spring 2025

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Embark on the ultimate diving adventure aboard the Scuba Scene, the luxury liveaboard offering an unforgettable Red Sea experience. Known for its exceptional service, safety, comfort, and world-class dive sites, Scuba Scene is the ideal choice for divers of all levels.

Dive into crystal-clear waters teeming with vibrant coral reefs, exotic marine life, and awe-inspiring shipwrecks. From the stunning Ras Mohammed National Park to the famous Thistlegorm wreck, Scuba Scene brings you to the heart of the Red Sea’s best sites. With spacious cabins, gourmet dining, and a dedicated crew that ensures every detail is perfect, this liveaboard guarantees relaxation and adventure in equal measure.

Now is the perfect time to book! Save a massive 35% on any sailing between 3rd March and 28th April 2025. Whether you’re a seasoned diver or taking your first plunge, Scuba Scene promises an experience you’ll cherish forever.

Don’t miss this chance to dive the Red Sea in style and at an incredible price. Book your adventure today!

Tel: 0800 699 0243

info@oysterdiving.com / www.oysterdiving.com / Oyster Diving Facebook / Oyster Diving Instagram

Blogs

Scubaverse Christmas Gift Guide 2024: Day 4

Published

1 day ago

November 14, 2024

Team Scubaverse

Welcome to Day 4 of Scubaverse.com’s week-long Christmas Gift Guide!

Struggling to find the perfect gift for that special scuba diver in your life? Read on for Team Scubaverse’s pick of this season’s must-have Christmas gifts.

Thalassas Ocean-Inspired Apparel

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Dive into comfort and style with Thalassas! Featuring T-shirts, hats, leggings and more, each piece is designed to bring the tranquillity and beauty of the sea to your everyday life. Whether you’re lounging by the coast or exploring city streets, our gear has you covered.

Your purchase has a purpose! A portion of every sale supports beach cleanup initiatives and organizations.

HOLIDAY BUNDLE PRICING STARTS NOVEMBER 18^th!

This holiday season, we’re offering bundle discounts on our best-selling tees, hats, and leggings! Mix and match to create your perfect set – and enjoy savings when you buy more. It’s the perfect time to stock up on ocean vibes for yourself or the diver in your life.

🌊 Holiday Bundle Discounts: Save More When You Buy More! 🌊

Don’t miss out, these deals won’t last long! FREE SHIPPING on all orders in the USA.

support@thalassas.com / www.thalassas.com / Thalassas Facebook / Thalassas Instagram / Thalassas tiktok

XDEEP Navy Signature Hoodie

info@nautilus.uk / XDEEP on nautilus.uk / www.xdeep.eu / XDEEP on Facebook

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The long-awaited XDEEP Signature hoodie is finally available! Apart from being super-trendy, it’s also quality stuff: made in EU of 100% premium cotton with solid japan-made YKK metal zippers.

The main features of this stylish hoodie are the following:

– 100% cotton
– Strong metal zipper
– High-quality print
– Made in EU

Furthermore, all XDEEP hoodies and t-shirts (including fabric) are manufactured in EU using top quality 100% cotton.

The XDEEP Signature Hoodie is perfect for keeping warm and looking trendy at the same time.

To find out more about XDEEP products, visit www.xdeep.eu.

Nautilus are the distributor for XDEEP and other leading dive equipment brands in the UK. Find out more about Nautilus brands at nautilus.uk/our-brands.

info@nautilus.uk / Buy in the UK / www.xdeep.eu / XDEEP on Facebook

Oceanarium Regulator Bags & Octo Holders

sales@miflexhoses.co.uk / www.miflexhoseshop.co.uk / miflexhoseshop.co.uk/acatalog/Oceanarium.html / Miflex Hoses on Facebook

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Oceanarium products offer great gifts for all lovers of life underwater, including unique designs of regulator bags, octopus holders, gear tags & cloak towels.

This range brings fun & enjoyment to your dive making your kit distinctive.

Check out the very popular regulator bags available in 6 designs, including the Oceanarium Whaleshark design, as well as the two new designs of Octopus Holders; Pygmy Seahorse & Jellyfish.

Buy a Christmas gift for a friend and make them smile… Diving is Fun!

sales@miflexhoses.co.uk / www.miflexhoseshop.co.uk / miflexhoseshop.co.uk/acatalog/Oceanarium.html / Miflex Hoses on Facebook

Fourth Element Pelagic Dive Watch

info@fourthelement.com / fourthelement.com / Fourth Element Facebook / Fourth Element Instagram / Fourth Element tiktok / Fourth Element YouTube

The Pelagic dive watch from fourth element combines British design with Swiss-craftmanship in a hand-built automatic watch which captures the essence of classic scuba-diving timepieces.

Named after the vast reaches of the open ocean, the Pelagic combines exceptional craftmanship with high-specification engineering. Designed in the UK and hand-built in Switzerland, it is rated to a depth of 500m. The Pelagic features a stunning automatic movement, seen through the sapphire crystal glass case back, powered by a Swiss made precision self-winding movement. This is a watch suitable for the most extreme environments on Planet Earth.

The Pelagic has a brushed stainless-steel case with the choice of 22mm silicone/rubber strap or stainless-steel bracelet. It features a helium escape valve, positioned at 9 o’clock ensuring that this watch is even equipped for saturation diving. The watch features a unidirectional black ceramic bezel, allowing maximum dive times to be planned, luminous hands and markers and date function.

Design detailing includes ‘fourth element’ engraved on the rotor, buckle (on the silicon/rubber strap version) or clasp (on the brushed stainless-steel version). The crown features the fourth element icon representing the four elements earth, air fire and water.

The Pelagic watch is packaged using only recycled materials (recycled PET) and FSC certified paper and card, demonstrating fourth element’s continued commitment to its OceanPositive mission.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

– Movement: 26 Jewel Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic with hacking function
– Water resistance: 500m / 1640ft
– Helium escape valve: 9 o’clock
– Crown: screw down locking
– Case width: 44mm
– Case thickness: 14mm
– Shatter and scratch resistant sapphire crystal
– Lug to lug: 52mm
– Case material: 316l brushed stainless steel
– Bezel: 120-click unidirectional with black ceramic insert
– Swiss Super-LumiNova C3 on markers and hands
– Strap: 22mm silicone/rubber strap or brushed stainless steel bracelet
– Warranty: 2 years
– Swiss made

RRP: GBP £1475 / USD $1975 / EUR €1795 / AUD $2950 / CAD $2595

info@fourthelement.com / fourthelement.com / Fourth Element Facebook / Fourth Element Instagram / Fourth Element tiktok / Fourth Element YouTube

Nautilus Seascape Mask & Clamshell Case

info@nautilus.uk / nautilus.uk / Seascape Mask on nautilus.uk / Nautilus on Facebook

The Nautilus Seascape single lens mask builds on the experience of proven design with the latest technology.

The ultra soft liquid silicone skirt and strap ensure this frameless mask gives the best fit whilst ensuring a wide 120 degree field of vision.

The antislip buckles means the strap stays where set it and the ultra clear, high vision tempered glass means virtually all light passes through to your eyes.
A substantial nose pocket means that equalising is a joy and that, combined with comfort, makes this the ideal mask for most divers.

To find your nearest Nautilus dealer, click here.

info@nautilus.uk / nautilus.uk / Seascape Mask on nautilus.uk / Nautilus on Facebook