Juvenile Gray Angelfish

Juvenile Gray Angelfish, originally uploaded by Scubaben.

IT'S CALLED THE "FANTASY DIVE." Budding and experienced shooters appreciate Cathy Church's custom photography tour, created to maximize learning opportunities. Church and her team of three photo pros dive the Sunset House reef--just two minutes from their classroom at Cathy Church's Underwater Photo Centre and Gallery--almost daily, so they know which blennies, mutton snapper, gray angelfish and Christmas tree worms cooperate best for posing sessions. Instructors swiftly guide students to guaranteed amiable subjects and then help them work all the angles, adjusting strobes or suggesting different camera settings to try. Freed from trying to keep up with a big dive group, the students set the pace.




Experiences like this make Grand Cayman and Sunset House an ideal setting for a weekend of mastering underwater photography while earning PADI's Digital Underwater Photographer specialty. The swimming-pool-like conditions off the island eliminate shot-ruining hurdles from surge that knocks the camera out of position to rough seas that stir up sand and create backscatter. In addition, the reef's proximity to shore means more time underwater behind a camera and less time sitting on a boat.

Much of the Sunset House reef lies g between 40 and 60 feet, so divers here gain abundant bottom time, increasing the odds of a serendipitous encounter with a southern stingray or green sea turtle. The sponges, each twisting and curling into its own distinct shape, can also produce frame-worthy images if captured with correct lighting. As much as the dependable subjects deliver for beginners, it's often the smaller, rarer finds--such as a sea hare, red clingfish or a green-banded goby--that inspire more-seasoned shooters. Experience aside, the one shot that every camera-toting Sunset House guest takes home is of Amphitrke, the bronze mermaid statue found at 55 feet.

But even the most stunning subjects won't wow unless the person behind the lens learns to capture the moment. The staff at Cathy Church excels at tailoring instruction, from knowing how much assistance to offer in the beginning to challenging students to solve problems on their own later in the session. Lessons vary from buoyancy control behind the camera to using strobes creatively, and adding texture and shadows to subjects. Aided by a concentrated style of teaching and the perks of the location, Church finds every student achieves better shots in just one afternoon. The half-day investment typically bumps a photographer's skills to the next level, which he can appreciate the rest of the weekend at sites such as Three Sisters on the East End or Stingray City in the North Sound.

But it might take that fantasy trip--to Grand Cayman or anywhere you love to dive--to truly appreciate the payoff from a weekend with Cathy Church and Sunset House.--Brooke Morton

Quick Guide CATHY CHURCH'S UNDERWATER PHOTO CENTRE AND GALLERY AND SUNSET DIVERS PADI Five-Star Resort * Boat: M/Y Photo Journey, three divers plus Cathy Church and captain * Nitrox * Gear and camera rental * On-site storage * Guided tours * Nearest airport Owen Roberts, Grand Cayman * Instruction in PAD1 underwater photo and video courses * Other amenities: Private boat charter includes Cathy Church instruction on boat and underwater, unlimited air or nitrox, free use of camera up to SLR Nikon with lenses and strobes, snacksand lunch. Gear washed and stored for multiday charters * cathychurch.com, sunsethouse.com

The Eyes Have It: Photo tips from Cathy Church

Viewers are drawn to five aspects of a photo: 1) the brightest area; 2) the most colorful: 3) the area of highest contrast: 4) the area of sharpest focus: and 5) the eyes, if the subject in the photo has eyes. A great photo is often one where most or all of these aspects converge at the main point of interest; a distracting photo is one where these areas conflict or the viewer has to search for that main point of interest.

Source Citation
"Capture your dream." Sport Diver May 2010: 64+. Popular Magazines. Web. 28 Apr. 2010.
Document URL
http://find.galegroup.com/gps/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&docId=A224522051&source=gale&srcprod=PPPM&userGroupName=broward29&version=1.0


Gale Document Number:A224522051

(Web-Page) http://scuba.diver2007.googlepages.com(Album / Profile) http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10028&id=1661531726&l=c7a1668cdc

leonard.wilson2009@hotmail.com

Mutlicolor modern mobiles

Oh, holy moley, Jordan Ferney has done it again. These DIY mobiles are amazing:

Can you believe she made them herself? They're simply sewn-together strips of vellum, hung from the ceiling on their own string and weighed down by a fishing weight. I love that you can make these mobiles in any combination of colors you want so that they match your party!

Also, she made all of these for less than 25 bucks, so that's a huge amount of impact (it basically transforms the space) for not a lot of dough. I'm a little intimidated by the sewing aspect, but it seems pretty simple overall.

Thankfully, Jordan was kind enough to provide instructions and photos for how to do this yourself, here.


Wouldn't these be perfect for a wedding shower or modern grown-up birthday party? Just tweak the color scheme accordingly and you're seriously set on decor. Love, love, love.

Bringing the outside in, part deux

I featured a lovely round plant table here and a garden window (a greenhouse window/shelving set-up type thing) here. So - for posterity's sake, and perhaps for some inspiration if you're looking to bring the green in when you don't have your own garden (like us!) - here's another bringing-the-garden-in way to go:

This look is a bit more organic and unstructured than the plant table or garden window (see links above for photos), but I like the layered look it creates. It's much more wild garden and a little less English garden, but it's cool nonetheless. Would you do this in your home?

Photo of Nina Shen (of Dwell Studio)'s apartment, as spotted on Design*Sponge.

Arizona Fights ILLEGAL Invasion

On Friday, the Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, signed into law a bill that is designed to put an end to the illegal invasion that has been going on in this country.

Many press accounts call it an Anti-Immigration law. Others are saying that it's discriminatory and will lead to racial profiling. It is not Anti-Immigration. It's anti invasion. The law does not state that if you're not an American you're not welcome. It says that if you're in Arizona illegally, you're breaking the law. There is a similar federal law. The difference between the two is that the Federal Government has done nothing to enforce the law.

In 2006, President George Bush with his new best friend Senator John McCain wanted a new immigration bill that included amnesty for those currently here illegally. They didn't call it amnesty, but it amounted to amnesty in that those here could work towards citizenship and remain.

The public outcry put a quick stop to this. They didn't want a reward given for committing a crime. Illegal aliens cost us big dollars. We educate their children, we pay for their health care, they collect our social security dollars, they get refunds on their tax returns despite not having paid any taxes during the year.

McCain even stood in front of a group of people offered them money for working in the fields claiming that Americans wouldn't do that job. He backed off in a hurry when a group of people stepped up and asked where to sign up.

The new Arizona law does not just go after illegal immigrants, who are in fact, invaders of this country, but it also includes punishment for employers that hire illegal invaders.

In 2006, the Democrats didn't want the new law to go after the illegal invaders but rather go after the employers that hire them. As if it was the employers sole responsibility for illegals being here. Now they are claiming that the Arizona law is akin to Nazi Germany where everyone had to carry papers on their person. It is already law that any foriegn visitors to this country carry their visas with them at all times.

This new law goes after the illegal invader. It goes after the employers that hire the illegal invaders. It also specifically prohibits racial profiling, which is something that I disagree with. It's highly unlikely that blonde haired blue eyed women are illegals from south of the border. It's also unlikely that they will have bright red hair and freckles.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the Democrats reasons for allowing the illegal invaders to stay in this country is so that they can recruit new voters. The Democrats need the poor to vote because those that are satisfied with living off of government benefits have their best friends in the Democrat Party. It is really the Democrats only chance to come close to victory in coming elections.

The Democrats have one problem. The American people. In Arizona 70% of the people were in favor of this new law. Governor Brewer has been running at 46% in polls for her re-election. Since signing the law last week, she has jumped 16 points!

Boycotts are now being called for of Arizona. San Francisco has already stopped all travel of city employees to Arizona. Another California legislator wants Governor Schwarzenneger to stop all business transactions with Arizona. People are even calling for a boycott of Arizona Tea. Arizona Tea is a New York company! I'm more inclined to stage my own boycott of anyone that wants to boycott Arizona even though boycotts don't really work.

Arizona is not the first to enact a law like this. Utah already has one in place and now Texas is wanting the same type of law.

If California wants to complain and refuse to do business with Arizona due the law, the illegal invaders can just move a few miles to the west and cross in California. Then California can either welcome them with open arms or have the Arizona problems. How many citizens of California will have to die, or be kidnapped before they start looking at the same type of law as Arizona?

Remember Robert Krentz was murdered by an illegal invader who then fled back to Mexico. His dog was also killed. Why aren't the Democrats and PETA complaining about the death of the dog by the illegal invader?

I've long thought that retirement for me may be in Arizona. This law only makes the state of Arizona more enticing to me for my retirement years.

You're welcome to comment.

Brett

Sleep with the fishes, literally

I featured a floating, underwater cabin a bit ago here, but it just got totally schooled by this:

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, a luxury hotel in the Indian Ocean, is celebrating the five-year anniversary of its underwater restaurant by turning it into a private two-person suite temporarily. Private champagne dinners and breakfast in bed are only part of the perks, though I imagine that sleeping under the ocean is pretty cool in and of itself.

Looks like sunglasses are required during the day.

I'm in.

Spotted here.

Evil Scuba Cat

Evil Scuba Cat, originally uploaded by goodygoody4me.

IT HAD BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE MIKE STARK, OWNER of Scuba Cat Diving, had sunk a small smuggling boat to create a new dive site off Racha Yai Island, just south of Phuket. The dive site, Marla's Mystery, quickly became home to lionfish, large groupers, batfish, cleaner shrimp and a moray eel. To celebrate the first anniversary, an underwater bathtub race was held. Holes were drilled in the sides of 10 tubs so that small fish, but not their larger predators, could get inside them.



The tubs were launched into the water where divers scrambled to get into them. Seconds later, the tubs and riders had become completely submerged and disappeared from sight. At 105 feet, the tubs were flipped over and placed around Marla's Mystery. And thus, 10 new condos for Thailand's fishy friends were created!

Source Citation
"Scuba Cat's Diving Bathtub Race. (Freeflow)." Skin Diver Mar. 2002: 21. General OneFile. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.
Document URL
http://find.galegroup.com/gps/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&docId=A83058166&source=gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=22054_acld&version=1.0


Gale Document Number:A83058166

(Web-Page) http://scuba.diver2007.googlepages.com(Album / Profile) http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10028&id=1661531726&l=c7a1668cdc

leonard.wilson2009@hotmail.com