Rob Mc

Wow so a lot of those subjects go hand in hand it sounds like. I’m kicking myself for not starting out in a technical field, my 8 years in the film industry has given me lots of hands-on experience with acquiring photogrammetry and lidar data but no technical background or ways to analyze/use that data. I’m actually just starting the process of going back for a masters in image science. It’ll take me a while but I’m genuinely excited about learning this stuff. I’ve been doing some volunteer survey diving for Reef Check in California and crossing paths with researchers in a variety of fields, but getting more involved like you is a really exciting goal for the future. That’s awesome your experience has led to full-on involvement with projects. And the aspect you mention about diving places people don’t normally get to visit is spot on. In my short time volunteering I’ve quickly realized that even just one cove over from a recreational dive site may be completely different, and visiting a research site with actual researchers gives a totally different perspective. I can imagine the locations you get to visit are on a whole other level. With your expertise and level of involvement, is it a sort of "science first" scenario with opportunities for photography when time allows?

That's amazing! I use photogrammetry a lot for work myself but it's for film & game industry assets, not research. That's a really awesome application! What sort of background did you start out with to get into that line of work? Were you always doing image processing or GIS type work or coming at it from another field perhaps? Really interesting stuff!

Ah that makes sense. The question of where it will go and getting passed around for other purposes was my main concern and I wasn't sure how to start. Thanks guys.

Has anyone had an opportunity to volunteer with an individual researcher? There's obviously challenges such as geographic location and access limitations (like if they work for government agencies) but it seems like there's so many areas of ocean research happening every day, there wouldn't even be enough of us on this forum to capture it! Conservation groups are usually smart about marketing, but for individual scientists with super specific projects and tight budgets, they need our photo skills more than ever. Just wondering if anyone here has experience in working with scientists to showcase their work?

Giving my video clips and photos to a nonprofit conservation group sounds very fulfilling, especially if those photos/videos weren't otherwise being used. Finding a new purpose for non-portfolio work seems like a great idea. But with all the stories here of people removing your watermarks and not crediting you it seems like the act of giving material to a non-profit might seem like you're "donating" it and I'd imagine that adds a level of vagueness to how it is shared and where your material goes. Several groups that I have contact with are very low-key and low budget so anything "legal" looking might scare them instead of getting my material out there. Does anyone have advice on how to properly go about this with non-profits? Maybe I'm overthinking this but it just seems like you'd want to clarify the terms as much as possible as if it were a for-profit scenario even if it's awkward?

Thanks for the great information! Sorry about the repeat post, I searched the forums but didn't see those previous threads for some reason. Gave the other posts a thorough read. Interesting findings on the two systems. Would love to test both the Laowa and EMWL myself!

Anyone have a chance to try the Venus Optics Laowa 24mm probe lens underwater? I noticed Nauticam has a port adapter for it and LensRentals.com offers the lens with various camera mounts. Just wondering if anyone’s had any experience using one underwater? Since the widest aperture is f/14 right off the bat I’d imagine you’d want to be cruising at a high ISO and plenty of strobe power. It’s a unique perspective above the surface but I’d love to know if anyone’s taken the plunge to haul that thing around underwater. If that ends up being me then I’ll definitely share the results of my endeavors!

Hello everyone, My name is Rob McClelland. I'm an imaging specialist in the film industry living in Southern California. Lots of camera experience topside but very new to underwater and I'm enjoying the new challenge. Looking forward to learning and sharing with you all!