"I don't think I can take photos anymore..." The ocean after 20 years and a 360-degree camera #Diving #BlankDiver #Insta360X5 #ScubaDiving #UnderwaterPhotography

*This article contains affiliate links.

As an Amazon Associate, Soraumi Travel earns from qualifying purchases.

"I don't think I can take photos anymore..."

When I decided to return to the ocean after 20 years, the first thing I gave up on was photography.

I knew it was obvious that just diving would take everything I had.

Twenty years ago, I was one of those people who gave up on taking photos.

Underwater photography back then was, frankly, a privilege for veterans.

Carrying a heavy housing, adjusting fine settings, and on top of that, maintaining perfect neutral buoyancy.

Beginners or those returning after a long break don't have even a millimeter of room to spare to press the shutter.

I was the same way.

That's why I kept putting it off, thinking, "I'll think about it once I'm able to dive properly."

That day I almost damaged the coral.

I pushed myself once, 20 years ago.

I was trying to take a picture of the blue-green chromis in front of me, desperately trying to adjust the zoom.

In the meantime, I didn't notice that my buoyancy had collapsed.

By the time I realized it, my body was sinking, I almost damaged the coral, and I broke out in a cold sweat.

Moreover, the photo I was so focused on was blurry, and even my memory of what kind of scenery I was in remained vague.

Because I tried to take a photo, I couldn't be present in that moment.

Looking back now, that might have been the moment I decided, "I'll stop taking photos."

I fixed it to the end of a selfie stick and focused on just swimming.

After I had resumed diving and logged a few dozen dives, I went to Aka Island in the Kerama Islands.

This is the main spot, "Nishibama".

At that time, all I did was attach the Insta360 X5 to the end of a selfie stick and just swim in a relaxed manner.

I wasn't thinking about composition.

I wasn't even chasing after subjects.

Because it records in all directions simultaneously, I could decide which direction to crop after I got back on land.

"Since you won't miss a shot, you don't have to try to take one."

This one point was decisive for me.

Even the expression on my buddy's face behind me was captured.

I was surprised when I looked back at the footage.

It wasn't just the fish in front of me.

The fact that a sea turtle had passed over my head.

The surprised expression on my buddy's face behind me.

The scenery that I hadn't noticed at all at the time was all there.

The exact opposite of that day 20 years ago, when only blurry photos remained, was happening.

I wasn't trying hard at anything on the spot, yet the records just kept increasing.

It was a strange feeling.

The best part was being able to see how I was swimming.

This was an effect I hadn't imagined before buying it.

Since I'm shooting in 360 degrees, I can see myself "from behind".

What my posture looks like

How I am kicking my fins

In my case, my habit of swimming with my hands was clearly captured

It's a habit from 20 years ago

Things that didn't click when pointed out in words were immediately obvious on video

Fixing them from there was surprisingly fast

I thought I bought a camera, but it felt like I had a personal coach

The first thing I wanted to protect underwater was not taking photos

When diving after a long break, the thing I am always thinking about underwater is my remaining air

And also buoyancy, and where my buddy is

To be honest, my head is full just with that

When you add camera settings and the movement to follow a subject on top of that, something is bound to be neglected

20 years ago, I prioritized the camera and let my buoyancy suffer

I got the order wrong

The way I do it now is most helpful because I don't have to change that order

Since I can put taking photos on the back burner, I can focus only on safety while underwater

And then, after getting back on land, I can take my time choosing the angle

The fact that I "won't miss a shot" has returned to me as peace of mind underwater

I think this peace of mind is actually what I wanted most when I first started again

I am enjoying it more now than I was 20 years ago

This is something I want to write down.

My physical strength has definitely declined.

Equalizing my ears doesn't come as easily as it did when I was young, either.

Even so, I feel that I am enjoying the ocean more now than I did 20 years ago.

One of the reasons for this is that I am now able to keep records.

I can experience the Kerama Blue of Aka Island on the spot, and then experience it again once I get home.

It feels like the same single dive has become twice as enjoyable.

Things I want to write about honestly.

I don't think you'd trust me if I only wrote about the good things, so I'll also leave behind the points that concern me.

First, editing after shooting takes time.

Shooting in 360 degrees means that you have to decide for yourself later what to show.

That freedom comes back to you as an equivalent amount of work.

Also, the final cost will vary depending on how many accessories, such as a diving case, you decide to get.

This is not a piece of equipment that is complete with just the main unit.

And, although this is about how I use it, for me, as someone who dives with rental equipment, this camera is one of the few pieces of gear I own myself.

That is precisely why I am careful with how I handle it.

As long as it is a tool I bring into the ocean, the premise of handling it with care remains the same.

Finally.

Twenty years ago, I couldn't shoot and dive at the same time.

I had to choose one or the other, so I chose to dive and gave up on shooting.

Right now, I am doing both at the same time.

To be precise, it is a state of "being able to capture without trying to capture."

Technology didn't make me better at it.

Technology created a space where I don't have to try so hard.

That is closer to how it feels.

When you have a long break, the anxiety of "will I be able to go back?" inevitably comes first.

I felt that way too.

But sometimes, the things you gave up on back then come back to you after 20 years.

The ocean has always been there; it was the tools that changed.

※The following contains advertising links.

Insta360 X5 (Main Unit)

I use this to capture 360-degree underwater footage. I just fix it to the end of a selfie stick and swim.

▶ View on Amazon

▶ View on Rakuten Ichiba (Insta360 Official Store)

I also have an article that explains how to use the X5 in more detail.

How to use the "Insta360 X5" to bridge a 20-year gap: Turning the ocean of "Aka Island" into a lifelong memory.

Prices, point rewards, and sale conditions change, so please compare before choosing.

At Soraumi Travel, we share ocean knowledge that leads to peace of mind, as well as ocean scenery that makes you happy just by looking at it, on note, Instagram, and YouTube.

Experience the real atmosphere of the ocean and travel on YouTube.

See ocean scenery and travel photos on Instagram.

Stories of learning about the ocean and travels that make your anxieties feel a little lighter on note

The feelings of fear you have now will surely become "memories you can laugh about" someday.

I would be happy if we could feel the joy of the ocean together, at your own pace, without pushing yourself.