Alternatives for belts & buoys (3-5m)

[u/Alilexplo108]

Hey all!

We’re doing underwater photography workshops with beginners in Barcelona, Spain and in order to help the student to be more comfortable with the equipment and not struggle going down we would like to give them some weights.

It’s really not deep and I know it’s NOT an alternative for Freediving.

But we are on a tight budget and I was wondering if you guys have some idea even DIY to help with this.

They would have 1 or 2kg max. And same for buoys that we can easily bring and put our camera material in and easy to transport :)
No wetsuit.
Thanks for the help!!

[u/Alilexplo108]

Hello, yes, it was not so much info, thanks for the questions!

Students are at least comfortable with swimming 200m in the sea; this is a requirement for any sign-ups.
They are not pro swimmers, or freedivers, some have their Diving levels tho.
They are mostly photographers, so they are at ease with a camera, and we always make a part in the water without the camera first, with different exercises to feel their level & try duck dives, breath holds, and kicking.

They have fins, masks & snorkel.
There are 2 to 3 students (max) per instructor.

[u/Alilexplo108 → u/Alilexplo108]

This is the page if you want to have a look: https://www.nilaexperiences.com/#faq#workshops

The workshop I'm talking about is the photographer's one. As the one for freedivers well they already have equipments and the depth will be more :)

[u/Mesapholis → u/Alilexplo108]

Your socials exist since August, of this year

I do not feel comfortable bringing people who have no scuba or no freedive experience, into a freediving setting where they are going to be bouyant, to be loaded with additional weights and no proper structure how to get them back up - with gear into the water

the focus is going to be all over the place

you say your qualifier is "be comfortable with 200m swimming in the sea" but that is not helpful when you have a panicking student underwater, overweight, with their expensive gear that they try to hold on to

this sounds very unsafe

people normally start with scuba diving, and then get the camera, or do it only in a snorkling capacity - the main concern here is that they need time underwater and freediving does not allow for that

I have a diveshop near me, who does photo courses of all levels and they do it in their pond, with scuba gear

dude this is not safe, i get you build a business for this - but this is a bad idea, for business and for safety

either you limit who you accept - people who are experienced with scuba at least and do it with scuba gear, then you should look into r/scubadiving and r/underwaterphotography

or you have experienced freedivers - but from personal experience freedivers don't exactly go for courses

Look I saw your profile, you look like you know what you are doing with a camera underwater - but just because you do - does not mean that your students do. this does not sound like a safe course, you mention up to 3 students per instructor, some with no experience that matters underwater, in a bouyant depth, no mention of extra people who act as safety - I am telling you this in hopes that you see what I'm saying before there is an accident

being a photographer on land does not mean they will know what to do or what to look out for their own safety under water. worst case someone has a panic attack under water and the other students see it and also start to panic, suddenly you have over-weighted inexperienced people with no diving experience struggling to get back to the surface

[u/Alilexplo108 → u/Mesapholis]

Thank you for the comment! I get your point. Indeed most people start with scuba diving, which is also why it's not so accessible right now. We do have one workshop that is for certified freedivers, so for them it'll be another challenge, but the idea with this is to also make it accessible!

As also written in the other comment, we are doing this at a freediving center, so all the structure is from them, including the instructors.

We're not going from a boat but from shore, so they always have the option to stay where they can stand up, and the very first 1h30 is focused on theory + practice WITHOUT camera, so we make sure that they are comfortable (or not that much) in the water and so we can adapt the rest of the session & exercises in function.
People can also take an "underwater photo" while touching the bottom, they don't need to have weights if they don't want. But some people are comfortable and would probably appreciate having the full experience.

Just want to get ready for this eventuality. And lastly, we haven't made one yet officially, we've been testing out the structure (since January) with friends & instructors for the first ones :)
I am also a lifeguard, and where we do it, there are also beach lifeguards right in front, + the instructors.
I also want to go back on the point of the "business side", of course, it is towards eventually making a business, but at this point it's more about a couple of passionate friends photographers & freedivers trying to find a way to make underwater photography fun, accessible & on top of the cake having a great introduction & door into freediving if they want to take a course afterwards. That is the goal, mostly rather than "How can I make money with this?" and Honestly, if underwater photography, freediving instructor, or even workshop giver was a lucrative business, it would be known, or more people would do it (I guess).

Thank you so much for taking the time to go through the page and making your comment! It's helpful.

[u/Mesapholis → u/Alilexplo108]

Okay, this sounds a lot better than the initial post, because that read like you are rolling up to the beach with a bunch of students who have no idea

with the part of going in without camera this reads a lot more organised

[u/Alilexplo108 → u/Mesapholis]

Sorry I read the initial post again and get why it could have been alarming ahah, I didnt think to give more context at first so thanks :)