All about Underwater Photography

Among the most exhilarating photography shooting experiences, is marine photography. The interminable diversity of aquatic life and unbelievable sub-marine creatures presents underwater photography as one of the richest providing unique experiences in the world of photography. The type and durability of the camera determine the quality of images you would get. The skills and the camera, therefore, form the heart of underwater image capturing.

Underwater shooting started a couple of decades ago. Underwater explorers and scholars like Clint Tackitt mostly carried it out. Fewer shots were taken because of the compact cameras used and the disk space was limited. Nowadays, sophisticated hi-tech digital cameras are used in carrying out underwater photography. This has raised the bar when it comes to general image quality bringing great underwater shooting experience. Anyone can take photos underwater but taking quality world-class shots requires some skills and a little bit of experience. To get great and unparalleled shots underwater, read on, for you to note some basics.

Some Basics

Make your distance and the subject as close as 12 inches. This minimizes blur effects since water reduces contrast, color, and sharpness. Your camera flash should be on at all times to make the best composition. The preferred mode is the forced flash mode. To achieve a better composition, it is necessary to get low while shooting at an upward angle and avoid centering the image. Shooting down at the subject is not advised by Clint Tackitt.

Carry with you an external strobe to minimize back-scatter and make sure it is away from your underwater housing. If not comfortable with this mode, use the automatic white-balance or the underwater mode. Setting your camera to the highest resolution is a priority accompanied by the lowest ISO to start with.

With the digital cameras, they offer the aperture priority mode/the manual mode. Be conversant with these modes as they offer flexibility in maintaining the equilibrium between the light from the camera flash and the natural light. When utilizing the natural light, make sure that the sun is behind you.

To capture accurately fast-moving sea creatures, it requires a quick and a precise focus. This comes in handy with the use of the Spot Focus Mode. With this mode, you must learn how to focus on an area without taking any photos and recomposing.

Shutter speed is very important during underwater photography. Shutter speed gathers for the general sharpness of the image. It differs for still objects, slow-moving objects, and fast-moving objects.

Most of the underwater photographs can utilize an increase in contrast during the post-processing of the images. It is advisable not to overdo it.

Caring For Your Underwater Housing

Actually, seawater is indeed very harmful to your camera. When out of the water, dry the camera using a towel while removing sand using a blower.

Remove any sand or grease which may be on the O-ring area. The indented sections should be thoroughly cleaned using a cotton swab. Remember to put the camera into the housing carefully not to let the water in.

To carry out underwater photography, you need to know the lighting techniques, required equipment, and some tips. Underwater photography is a rewarding experience but it comes with its own challenges. But once you comprehend the working of the camera, the properties of light, composition among other things, you will commence creating quality underwater photos like Clint Tackitt.

Assisted Living Communities – An Overview

Clint Tackitt: Assisted living communities combine affordable housing options with personal care and other services (meals, housekeeping, etc).

It helps bridge the gap between independently living in the community and complex residential care (skilled nursing facilities). Assisted living communities are designed to emphasize choices and continued responsibility, encourage personal decision making, and support independence and privacy and support families.

Although assisted living communities differ between states and provinces, most follow the same basic guidelines as described below. Contact local communities to learn about specific resources in your area. Clint Tackitt is one of the passionate people who are linked with the Assisted Living communities and helping others.

Who is Eligible?
– Individuals wishing to live as independently as possible in a housing environment
– Individuals that can direct their own care
– Individuals that require personal and support care
– Most residents are seniors but there may also be residents who need additional support services due to injury or disability

What Personal Care is Available?
– Medication reminders
– 24 hour response system (call alert system – typically a pendent or bracelet call button worn at all times)
– scheduled personal care (grooming, bathing, dressing)
– Unscheduled care (toileting, etc)

What Support Services are Available?
– Meals (typically 2 meals – lunch and dinner, with the option of adding breakfast but many residents have breakfast in their apartments as they have a kitchenette)
– Housekeeping
– Laundry (some communities only include linen service and personal laundry is an additional charge). Some communities have laundry facilities that residents can use.
– Social and recreational activities (each community is different but most offer activities on site as well as outings to shopping, local recreational and seasonal activities, etc).

What does a Typical Assisted Living Unit Feature?
– Apartment size of about 500 square feet
– Includes kitchenette, living room, bathroom and bedroom
– Is designed to maximize the residents independence to accommodate their changing needs
– Most apartments have bathroom safety features such as grab bars and walk in showers – Some communities have Jacuzzi tub baths that residents who need personal assistance with bathing can access. These tubs have lift systems to help them into tub.

Can Residents Bring Their Own Furniture and Host Overnight Guests?
– Yes. They function much like rental apartments.

How Much Does It Cost?
– varies depending on location and government funding
– Some state/provinces partially fund assisted living facilities

People like Clint Tackitt need to step forward to help others through Assisted Living communities.

Learn Everything You Need to Know About Underwater Photography

The most important element of success with underwater photography is your choice of camera. You should buy a Camera designed specifically for underwater photography.

Personally, Clint Tackitt recommends starting out with a disposable or inexpensive underwater camera to see if underwater photography is for you.

Before you go scuba diving, it’s a good idea to practice taking photos underwater in a swimming or wading pool. You can drop some heavy objects that will sink down to the bottom of the pool and then float some lighter objects in the water, as well. Try shooting from different angles.

For beginners who don’t have professional lighting equipment, it’s a good idea to shoot photos within the first few/top meters of water. If you want to shoot photographs of objects further down, select an area of shallow water where the light will be better.

Initially, it’s also easiest to shoot in clear water, as well. Murky water or water with lots of sediment makes it difficult to see your subject. It’s also easy to stir up particles of the sediment that can show up in the photograph as they float through the water.

Use an underwater photographer’s mask so you can see properly while diving and clearly see the image you’re composing. Then be sure you don’t just snap a photo. Instead, compose a picture. Just like other types of photography, underwater photography should be deliberate and focused.

Follow the rule of thirds, diagonals, or other commonly accepted guidelines for composition when creating underwater photographs, just as you would for other photos.

Underwater photography lovers like Clint Tackitt looks for colorful, interesting subjects to photograph. Then get as close to your subject as you can and use the flash. Remember, the deeper underwater you go, the less light you have, and thus the fewer colors will show up. A flash revitalizes your color.

Try to change the angle of your camera as necessary so your background is a solid color or a neutral color so that your subject really stands out.

Try close up or macro photos with a macro lens. Then experiment with a telephoto lens to get close-up shots of your subjects without spooking the fish or other underwater creatures. Try different lenses to get different effects.

Prepare your camera properly before immersing it. This means making sure you have a fully charged battery, your memory stick is properly installed, the lens is clean, the lens cap is off, your settings have been selected the way you want them (be sure to set your autofocus point before you take the camera underwater), and the camera housing does not leak. Also, test any flash or strobes to ensure everything is working properly.

Many of the principles of “normal” photography apply to underwater photography, as well, but it is particularly important to plan ahead for underwater photography, as it’s much more difficult to change a memory card or a battery or do some of the other things that can be quickly adjusted outside of the water. Take your time to familiarize yourself with your camera, plan for your photo session, and then have fun experimenting underwater!

Your Ultimate Guide to Getting Started With Scuba Diving

Have you been recently introduced to Scuba diving and wish to explore the sea with your diving skills? Here is everything you ever wanted to know about scuba diving and what all will you require to get started.

Scuba diving, as we all know, is a practice of streaming through the sea with equipment for continuous oxygen supply. This is the best and most adventurous thing that someone who loves the underwater world can do. Once you get started with it, you can become a professional scuba diver just like Clint Tackitt.

List of essential things required for Scuba diving

1. The first thing you will require is a high-quality diving mask. You will require it to see clearly in the water. It allows you to avoid blurred vision during your underwater journey.
2. Other than this, you will need a wetsuit that is reliable and help you stay in water for a longer duration. This also helps in maintaining your body temperature.
3. The next in this list are fins. They help in doubling your experience by making your moves effortless.
4. Without a good diving cylinder, you cannot think of scuba diving. Clint Tackitt encourages the divers for choosing the best quality and light-weight cylinders.
5. Diving footwear is a must to protect your feet from getting hit by jagged rocks and other hard surfaces.

On top of that, divers should also carry depth gauge, submersible pressure gauge, compass, and tank banger.

Ten Tips for Choosing the Right Assisted Living Community

Relax, choosing the right Assisted Living Community doesn’t have to be daunting. You just have to know what to look for and what questions to ask. Clint Tackitt suggests that it is important to know what kind of lifestyle you would like to have and if the Community is able to supply your needs. Don’t be reluctant to ask. This is your life and happiness we are talking about.

Trust your first impression and look beyond the fancy decor and brocade draperies.

1. Are the staff smiling and interacting with the residents or is the place quite like a morgue, you feel like you have to whisper and everybody is sitting around asleep in wheelchairs, being ignored.
2. Eat a meal there. I’m quite serious! Good food is an essential indicator of quality in other areas. Don’t just look at the menu-see the portion size and taste it. Are snacks and fresh fruit available in the dining room throughout the day? Food is very important and sometimes the last remnant of pleasure in a senior’s life.
3. Does the place smell of disinfectant or is the air clean and fresh and there are fresh flowers and live plants? Is there a pretty outside garden?
4. Do they have a piano and/or an afternoon social hour?
5. What kind of activities do they provide? Do they provide intellectual pursuits with trips to concerts and plays or is it just balloon volleyball, bingo and arts and crafts. Is there a concierge service for transportation?
6. Is there a library and an in house beauty/barbershop?
7. Is there an internet cafe and computer classes available?
8. In the actual apartment — check for these items and don’t assume they will be there: Grab bars in the tub and shower; Non-slip surfaces in tub and shower; Raised toilet seats; Emergency call buttons in the bathroom, bedroom and living room.
9. Do the closets have double-hung rods and shelves? Most Assisted Living apartments are quite small and will not fit a standard chest of drawers in the bedroom. Ample storage in the closet is essential and should also be reachable to a senior who may be in a walker or wheelchair. If you find the closets are not properly fitted, get them done before you move in,.
10. If the senior needs a power chair, is there an outlet outside their door where it can be parked to recharge?

Clint Tackitt is dedicated to Assisted Living communities and helped many for choosing the right one.

Clint Tackitt | 3 Tips For Scuba Diving

Curiosity to know and experience new things is always in human blood. As per Clint Tackitt Scuba diving is the most amazing way to experience the underwater life. It gives us chance to open our eyes in the water and see the various underwater creatures. We are living on earth where 70% of water around us. There are many spots for scuba diving. But before you choose the location to enjoy this underwater activity you need to learn few things and need to purchase some important equipment.

Here are few things that you should know before your scuba dive.

1. Fitness: Scuba diving is one of the most amazing adventures. For enjoying this physical and mental fitness both can’t be compromised. People Medical conditions like recent surgery, head injury, blood pressure problems and spinal issues are not allowed to go underwater. Physical fitness highly matters in scuba diving. Its totally different environment underwater. Our body is not habitual of the same. Even normal cough or fever can give you big trouble. If I talk about the mental strength then person need to prepare his mind for this unusual experience. Focus and clear thinking can lead to smooth dive.
2. Safety first: Safety is the one of the most important thing that should not be compromised even 0.1%. Knowledge of scuba equipment, safety gears and proper training is required. Always keep in mind that your safety is your responsibility so never trouble yourself. Always follow the procedure. Never be over confident.
3. Always choose right diving school: Just reading about the scuba diving is not enough. It is a practical thing and you need to learn it. Always choose the authorized school to learn. There is no shortcut for learning so avoid such foolish idea.

I am Clint Tackitt, one of the passionate scuba diver. And trust me once you learn scuba diving you will find the amazing experience of underwater beauty. Nature is full of adventure. We just need to learn proper way to enjoy this beauty.

Clint Tackitt | Things you need to know about Scuba Diving

Scuba diving is an underwater adventure sport that requires some special breathing and swimming equipments. These equipments are underwater breathing equipment which helps the divers to breath under water. Some consider scuba diving as a dangerous sport, every year there are many accidents are reported all around the world. But some of us love the Scuba Diving. Clint Tackitt is one of the Scuba Diving lover who also passionate about underwater photography.

For being a scuba diver you need to get the scuba diving certificate. For certification your swimming skills, physical health are checked. For being a certified Scuba diver you need to follow the rules of the government.

Steps to be a Certified Scuba Diver

1. Sign Up for Scuba Diving lessons –First step is to sign up for diving lessons.
2. Watermanship Test – In this test you have to swim continuously for 200yards and have to float for 10 minutes without the help of any equipment.
3. Sign a liability wavier form– This form will state that your instructor or dive school is not responsible for any kind of accident happen while scuba diving.
4. Study the rules for scuba diving and practice in the pool with the diving instructor and after completing your open water training and certification dives you will get your certification card.

Your passion about anything motivates you towards learning. Clint Tackitt is one of the live example we have who love Scuba Diving