Underwater Upgrade

My name is Dustin Chilton and I'm a Professional Scuba Diver. I've worked in Israel, Egypt, Thailand, the US, & South Africa as an Instructor, Guide, and Videographer.

Life as a liaison between man and marine is hard work. Often falling asleep in front of a laptop whose keyboard is filled with sand, only to wake up long before dawn to haul gear, boats, and people to the ocean. 10-12 hour days are normal (6-7 days a week), and the humidity turns each papercut & mosquito bite into scars that freckle your skin. There are no sick days, rarely are there contracts, and you drink more beer than water because it's the only other hobby you can afford. Your entire body is in a constant state of exhaustion from lifting cylinders, loading boats, and the silent, tiring process of nitrogen desaturation. Which is completely justified the day you spend an hour listening to a mother Humpback Whale sing lullabies to her newborn daughter or get to meet a Bull Shark in clear blue water.

Videography is my passion within a passion. The attached video was made for a group of volunteers from Operation Wallacea in Sodwana Bay, South Africa. It was shot on a Sony Actioncam AS-15. A simple camera that does the job, but lacks many of the important capabilities a more serious underwater video system should have (like a viewfinder or zoom function). I am proud of the films I have been able to make in the last six months in South Africa (and they have made my living) but in order to continue building my skillset and experience: I need a better camera.

One of the biggest lessons from the last six months is that videography means constantly solving problems. One problem is that I dive every day with Lawyers, Accountants, Doctors, and other clients who can afford their own specialized equipment. Most of them have no more than a basic idea how to use it, scant experience with it, and no knowledge of the dive location. As a Professional Diver, those are my skills. 

A friend of mine who's a very successful businessman asked me 'what would you do if you had a million dollars?'

I laughed and said 'the same thing, but with better equipment.'

I'm right on the edge of making a real life out of my greatest passions, please help me leap this hurdle.