Should Instructors/Divemasters be taking pictures/videos on the job?

[littleleemur]

What are your thoughts on Instructors/Divemasters taking Video/Photos on a job? when leading a group of experienced divers? when teaching a course other than videography/photography?

[The Publisher]

With experienced divers, no problem, with inexperienced divers, it depends on things.

Is the person distracted? Is the camera system huge and would interfere with a rescue?

[Chantelle]

On GUE courses, they will have the instructor doing their thing, and a separate person along to use the video camera. In my opinion, that's the way to go... experienced or not. If there's one time an instructor can miss a mistake a student is making, Murphy will raise his head, and it will be while he's getting ready to shoot something. With a DIR~F, where there are up to 6 students in the class, there will be an instructor, an assistant, and a camera person. I think that if you're taking any course, whether it be OW or Tech 2, the instructor's undivided attention is important.

Just my 2 1/2 cents. :)

[seasnake]

I've taken my little point and shoot along on the last dive of the basic course, and took pics of the students underwater, gives them a nice souvenir of the course. But I do agree with the idea that the professional doesn't need any distractions . . . I guess they would have to use good judgement. If you are guiding a group of experienced divers it probably wouldn't be as much of a concern as the first day you take a new class underwater.

[Diverdaniel]

I agree with Seasnake and Chantelle,
althogh, in a perfect world, it would be done the GUE way. i fully agree with that.
BUT since this world isnt perfect and not all diving agencies/diveshops give a rats behind about how it shold be.. it is done in all manner of diving activities, Intro's (i dont know what crazy instructor would agree to photo while woth a one on one with a person who never ever submerged his face under water in his life, let alone ver dived) guided dives with experianced certified divers is one thing, speialty course of varios types also, and what Seasnake says about that an instructor should use common sense, well seasnake my friend, this doesnt happen, cause there are nistructors out there, most of them mind you, that have no commn sence, that need the money, that were certified to be instructors without common sence even entering the OWI course.
there have been cases: instructor loosing Intro diver(im not kidding), instructor losing a 6 diver OW course on the 3-6th ow dives
all this, soley because the diveshop has sold a camera to some one/whole course.

in my eyes, today, with diving education going down the drain and diving instructor training turning shorter and easier,this is the way i see it, it should not be done, instructors just ondt have the sense of responsiility and the common sence to know when to shoot and when not to.

[thalassamania]

Dealing with a camera, even thinking about taking pictures, interferes with the SA of the instructor who should be, in my opinion, focused first of all on minimizing student risk and then on maximizing student learning.

[lars2923]

Weird a subject on carrying a camera while teaching would come up.
Personally, the question I ask myself: How would I justify in court should something happen that I was unable to assist or failed to assist in a rescue
because I chose to carry a camera and was taking pictures at the time and
could have acted sooner but didn't because I was focused on taking a picture and not the student and their safety...?
Simply, what would the court say/ask...?
I choose to hand the camera to a friend or staff member to do the
work of video or photography.

[Tigerbeach]

I took pictures of some of my students when, in my opinion, it was safe for me to do so. I taught them how to swim, taught them their skills sets, have watched them practice from day one, and know them underwater better than they do.
At the end of their checkout dive, if they asked me to, I would have no problem with it.

[seasnake]

I wouldn't even take my camera with me on a fun dive if I was diving with someone whose skill level I was unsure of and wasn't completely confident with. In an ideal world, it would be great on a basic course to have a trained safety diver for each student, the instructor, an assistant instructor, and then a videographer shooting feedback video to be viewed later in class for training purposes ... then you could have a still photographer and possibly another videographer for the souvenir stuff. Would require a lot of volunteers though.:)

[Diverdaniel]

in agreement with Lars.
Seasnake, too many chefs spoil the broth :)
i woldnt call all that ideal, but, to each his own budy :)
that would be woryless though

[seasnake]

ha ha ... I hear ya' ... ;)

[Diverdaniel]

:)
got to love pics of you nd yer divers though
good momento's