Death Means Nothing

[RedKite 1]

When you exit the aircraft does your safety (life) mean nothing compared with getting the shot right despite your best intentions???

[davelepka 4]

Protecting my life is #1 on my to-do list at all times. Fuck the shot, and yes, fuck all you other jumpers out there.

Step 1 - survive

Step 2 - doesn't matter as long as you did step one

[jtval 0]

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Protecting my life is #1 on my to-do list at all times. Fuck the shot, and yes, fuck all you other jumpers out there.

Step 1 - survive

Step 2 - doesn't matter as long as you did step one

Agreed.
My dive plan starts with:
-Don't kill/injure anybody else.
-Don't kill/injure yourself.

Then I build on that.
But Yes I love when I get a great shot. It's like Gold.

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[Icon134 0]

I agree with what the others have said... an awesome shot is great but ultimately having everyone (including me) complete the jump safely is first and foremost the most important thing in any skydive.

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[Fast 0]

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I agree with what the others have said... an awesome shot is great but ultimately having everyone (including me) complete the jump safely is first and foremost the most important thing in any skydive.

Agreed. No shot is worth a life.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[frost 1]

sorry, but what kind of silly question is that? And what made you ask it?

[The111 0]

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sorry, but what kind of silly question is that? And what made you ask it?

I've been wanting to say something like this. The original question IMO was incredibly rhetoric if not, as you put it, silly. I'm surprised it's getting so many serious responses. "Death means nothing" sounds like the name of a goth band.

I think what's worth noting is that while nobody would straight up say "a shot is more important than my life", many people have taken extra risks to get a good shot. It's not a simple black and white issue as the original question implies. I.e. a safe shot is where I live and a dangerous shot is where I die. There are varying levels of risk and I would wager all of us have taken an extra risk for a cool shot at one point in time. If you don't agree, consider that you are ALWAYS increasing skydive risk for photos, when you wear cameras on your head in the first place. This doesn't mean that "death means nothing" to you... it just means you've accepted the higher risk for a greater reward. As long as the risk is not to others, it is morally acceptable IMO... we're all in the business of taking risks for thrills, as jumpers in the first place.

I remember a jump where myself and 2 others where flying wingsuits in formation while being shot by a very very well known photographer, who I'll leave nameless here. We were all equipped with earpieces and he had a mic and was directing us during the dive (he was above us, out of our sight). As we went through our pre-planned breakoff altitude, I heard his re-assuring voice in my ear "Guys, hold it steady for just a little bit longer, I just need a few more shots". I was laughing to myself as I stared at those cars getting bigger and bigger and wondered how much lower he was going to take this. Soon I heard "ok boys we're done here" and looked over my shoulder to see him already sniveling.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[tonyhathaway 0]

My O.C.D. has me chasing a dream my A.D.D. won't let me catch.

[tonyhathaway 0]

That last post was me being speechless. Unbelievable.......

My O.C.D. has me chasing a dream my A.D.D. won't let me catch.

[Zee 0]

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When you exit the aircraft does your safety (life) mean nothing compared with getting the shot right despite your best intentions???

What kind of a dumb fucking question is that?

Action©Sports

[RedKite 1]

Oh Dear! This has drawn a few barbs!
My question was not intended to be interpreted as dramatically as some seem to have done?

Since flying camera I have twice boarded an aircraft with no wrist altimeter (I had an audible as well but that's not the point) This is something that I had never ever done before. My reference was to the distractions that flying camera brings. I have a ritual where I make a conscious decision to check personal safety first (gear etc) and camera equipment second. Any lapses have always occurred on a short call 'we've got to go right now' situation.

The essence of my point is that inherent and healthy 'fear', 'state of focus', adrenalin' 'preparation'(call it what you will) - the stuff that is part of enjoying skydiving can become diverted towards getting the video and camera settings right and that the focus on general safety can be obscured by this.


I hope my rephrasing reduces your perception that the question is both 'dumb' and 'fucking'. You may take the view that the question is still 'dumb' - I am
at a loss to see the relevance of the other term!

Best

RedKite

[davelepka 4]

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I have a ritual where I make a conscious decision to check personal safety first (gear etc) and camera equipment second. Any lapses have always occurred on a short call 'we've got to go right now' situation.

That is a skydiving mistake, not a camera-flying mistake. Make sure you are a solid skydiver before attempting to become a camera flyer. If the cameras are getting in the way of safe skydiving, then video work may not be for you.

[tonyhathaway 0]

Maybe put on all of your "skydiving" things FIRST, then when you're done, grab your "camera" things on the way out to the plane.......that is the order they are going to be used anyway......just a thought.

My O.C.D. has me chasing a dream my A.D.D. won't let me catch.

[johnboy 0]

I too have developed a pre-jump ritual to the point that I have more than once driven the DZO/pilot a bit nuts that I'm not ready when he decides I am. In spite of the butt chewing I have received for this, I won't bend. I've not been flying camera long enough to get so comfortable as to get cocky, and quite frankly, I hope I never do.

My ritual, btw, includes touching all my handles before I leave the aircraft. Nuerotic (sp?) as that may be, I was real glad this past weekend when I had to chop that I was able to do so without hardly having to think about it. With a beautiful wife of twelve years and three little girls I like coming home to, I plan on being conservative in my choices forever.

Though the question was asked rhetorically, death may not mean much to you when your dead, but it has the potential to upset a few people around you!

Off topic briefly, thanks to all the guys smarter than me posting here regularly. I hope one day to consider myself amongst the better of the camera flyers rather than the average one that I am now. Getting my jump numbers up to match my time in the sport should help a bit! However good I get, I appreciate being able to learn from all of you.

[champu 1]

Besides... if you get yourself killed getting the shot there's a good chance you'll break your camera as well...

...that's just not acceptable.

[davelepka 4]

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My ritual, btw, includes touching all my handles before I leave the aircraft.

Anyone who doesn't do this, along with check their pin, pilot chute, and their chest/legstraps and friction adapters, is a retard.

It's a short list, and you've got time. I go through the whole thing at least four times, if you want to talk nuerotic. I can literally only think of one time that I found something out of place, but I still check and re-check.

If you really want weird, my buddy counts the clicks on each side as he snugs up his Bonehead chincup. I think he goes five clicks on each side, and if he loses track, or goes a click or two over, he starts the whole process over again.

[jtval 0]

I count clicks.

7 on each side.

8 feels too loose and 6 hurts my jaw during the jump and my ears won't pop under canopy.


7 is just right.

I touch my handles (check of 3's)a bunch of times.
I look over everyone else's gear that I can.
and for fun, I also shout random words at people as they sit in the plane.

"douche bag" and "Asshole" are among the normal ones.

But for the last 8 months I've been trying to give this one guy a complex.

I tell him things like.
"Dude, you smell like a gerbil cage."
"you smell like anna nicoles cunt"
"You smell like a cat shit on you gear bag"
"you smell like a maggots asshole."
etc


You get the idea.

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