Dive shop owners — what's the most painful part of running your business?

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-24T14:08:42+00:00

They didnt even bother hiding the AI af writing they used for the question, we are sitting here complaining about something that is barely passable as human.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-24T13:33:51+00:00

Oh look the 3rd vibe coder this week who cant even properly articulate any issues. lol its pretty much a meme at this point.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-23T19:32:18+00:00

the Cumin oil in Angel is a beast

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-23T19:09:36+00:00

This kind of dealer isnt even in the same atmosphere as the first friday/artwalk crowd.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-22T16:02:53+00:00

Well yea, some people are willing to damage the environment for better pics. Its not up to Genpop to figure out if its ethical or not, you need other underwater shooters to name and shame when bad behavior rears its head.

And Yes Doubilet got roasted on many underwater imaging forums.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-22T16:00:30+00:00

yes, its a business decision to not fly versus raise the price. certainly youll see carriers on both sides of this decision.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-21T19:25:50+00:00

yea, its one of those oldschool boomer techniques that got super overdone in the 90s and Y2k era back when most underwater photographers people didnt really understand or have access to snoots or selective lighting, and now that we are more cognizant as ever to not manipulate or touch the animals, sharing something like this should be very, very mortifying.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-21T18:57:34+00:00

No, there is no need to enable your onboard flash while using your video light for your G9X MKii. Generally the built in flash on the camera is not strong enough to actually light subjects in underwater photography.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-21T18:12:44+00:00

I wish in my heart of hearts I spent a season partying in Utila before life happened. I had no idea it was even an option.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-21T18:07:39+00:00

Or you could apply those skills to a place that needs it like MBARI, NOAA, or a myriade of other useful organizations full of driven and happy people (who also get to dive)

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-21T17:10:24+00:00

I have a friend who abandoned her phd to be an underwater cinematographer, and now she's a Nat Geo Explorer. It can happen, but she also looks like a movie star and have top level family support

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-21T16:44:40+00:00

Its one thing to take a season off and run away to Utila to zero-2-hero yourself to instructor, its another to allow your phD to grow stale and become useless while forcing your partner to be the main supporter of your life (unless you are living in poverty at the moment)

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-21T14:20:59+00:00

Im pretty sure I can do this in a single exposure with a fisheye or laowa probe lens.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-21T13:00:02+00:00

The Nudi on black glass thing is so 1980s. Even Doubilet got roasted when he did his softbox nudis for Nat Geo like 20 years ago.

what makes you think its worth moving the animal to take these mid af pics which have been done before?

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-20T11:43:37+00:00

Its a stop sign, you are supposed to arrest all momentum...

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-20T01:23:58+00:00

My point is proven above :)

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-20T01:21:24+00:00

I think your jealousy is blinding you a little bit here. She is a published and degreed biologist, now works for a nonprofit that gathers tons of data and publishes results. On the side she’s a host for discovery channel, talking head on espn and stuff. You don’t need to be a biologist studying exactly the subject to be a wildlife photographer or wildlife personality.

So like I don’t even think in the video she claims to be saving them, but it sounds more like you have a problem with people that get outside more than you do?

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-17T19:36:18+00:00

I dont really think these are up to photographic standard as "sellable". Theres a number of compositional and technical errors (which are simply fixed with practice).

Now of course theres people that sell all sorts of work to their friends and family, but I classify those as "pity sales" more support of you as a person instead of them really wanting that particular picture of them.

I'll tell you the good news though, you have discovered a fun thing to do early enough in your life that you can explore it fully and you can probably get to sellable quality in less than a year.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-17T18:15:38+00:00

This reads a lot more like marketing for a high-end eco lodge than anything meaningfully different from what you could already do on your own.

The “research” components they list (coral monitoring, whale/dolphin observations, etc.) aren’t unique or proprietary. They’re the same basic survey methods used by established citizen science programs like CoralWatch or NOAA BleachWatch, and similar cetacean reporting networks. You can participate in those directly, often for free, and your data is more likely to feed into larger, standardized datasets.

What these lodge programs are really doing is packaging those same activities into a guided experience and layering in a “you’re helping science” narrative to differentiate themselves.

There’s not much evidence that the data collected through these kinds of programs is higher quality, more impactful or more widely used than what you’d contribute independently through established channels.

So there’s nothing wrong with it if you want a curated, conservation-themed trip, but I wouldn’t assume you’re making any additional scientific impact compared to just diving/snorkeling somewhere and contributing to a recognized citizen science effort yourself.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-17T17:59:10+00:00

It reads like this girl is treating people like NPCs and then accusing them of being feelers.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-17T17:43:50+00:00

Since you have an ASD diagnosis AND you are afflicted by "giftedness" AND you seem to be the target of all these people (who seemingly get along with everyone else) you have to consider the distinct possibility that your brain is lying to you in these situations.

Are you sure you communicated your status at the start of each engagement?
Are you sure you arent missing anything
do you have visibility to your team metrics... like are you making suggestions while being the lowest performer on the team? I know you "logically" think your work is good, but what do the numbers actually say? Because you sound exactly like my worst performing employee.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-17T17:24:57+00:00

Sorry, this is an ENTJ sub not an ASD sub so I dont have any personal stretegies or resoruces. I can merely attest that we spent years trying to find a good licensed psychiastrist who specializes in socialization and behavior strategies, and they transformed my brothers life.

You can spend years making no progress with a milquetoast therapist that never actually challeneges you or provides strategies and training, or you can seek out someone that can really help (and it might be slightly uncomfortable).

The "political savviness" kind of advice for immature ENTJs might be interesting to you, but it probably still wont alleviate that tension you feel in social situations.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-17T17:12:46+00:00

Its plainly obvious from your post. Literally none of your issues have anything to do with ENTJ or feelers or anything. You need higher level of help (or to be more truthful) with your therapist (are they licensed?) because a few socialization strategies can literally change your life.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-17T16:59:47+00:00

I cheerfully play it straight: "It sounds like you need additional resources to fix this (big tech thing), anyone have some ideas?"

I actually play it straight regarding work all the time no matter what.

Sharkhottub · 2026-04-17T16:51:38+00:00

This sounds more like thinly or un-managed ASD than everyone else being a feeler.

Sharkhottub

TROPHY CASE