Hand Update & Froggie Morning Lessons

Hand Update

As expected, the cultures did not grow anything. This may very well indicate that the infection has been beaten but I will likely be put on a strong, very expensive oral antibiotic to ensure that any loose ends are cleaned up after I am sent home. That will likely be tomorrow, Friday May 20. I have been on two very strong intravenous antibiotics, Vancomycin and Invanz. I am exercising the middle finger three times daily in a Betadine bath. Extension is not too bad but flexion is not fun. When Dr. Poupolo helped the finger flex this morning I did scream a few times. Each time that I work the finger, however, it is less painful and a bit easier to bend, and the range of motion increases as well. Things are looking good and my hope is that in a few weeks I will be totally out of the woods and back on the beaches with my 800 :).

Thanks a stack to all who have sent good wishes either here, via e-mail, or on Facebook. I am sending love, strength, and energy to all. Now on to some photography stuff!

Froggie Morning Lessons

Whenever I sail on the Hooptie Deux with Captain James (Froggie) Shadle, he leaves the dock in the pitch dark (usually about 1 hour and fifteen minutes before sunrise) so as to be in position when the large flocks of Fish Crow and the large flocks of White Ibis blast off. These blast-offs often coincide with peak color which usually occurs about 45 minutes before the time of sunrise. I get my 70-200 set up just as we are leaving the dock so that I am always ready. At times I have made some very nice images of huge groups of fish crows headed east into the pre-dawn color just after we have left the dock. Most folks are usually caught with their pants down. If you like creating pleasing blurs half as much as I do always have your gear ready to go in the dark: clean card in place, camera on and in Tv mode with auto ISO or ISO Safety Shift enabled. And whatever the situation, you cannot make an image unless you are prepared. And not only does James have folks in place for the best pre-dawn silhouettes they will be ensured of being in just the right spot when the sun peeks over the horizon.

More and more baby spoonbills and ibises are leaving their nests every day now; it is a great time of year to spend a morning on the bay with James aboard the Hooptie Deux, his customized-for-photography pontoon boat. Click here for more info or to arrange a day on the bay with Froggie.

Most folks would simply not believe that it is possible to create such a sharp image with stacked TCs and the 800mm lens…. The trick, as detailed in both the 7D and the Mark IV User’s Guides, is to focus in Live View with Live Mode AF set. It was on this morning when I came up with a way to improve upon the technique above and beyond what I detail in the User’s Guides. Blog readers who have purchased either the 7D User’s Guide or the Mark IV User’s Guide are invited to e-mail me to learn of this great new trick. Please include some sort of proof of purchase and type Live Mode AF Tip in the Subject line.

Shopper’s Guide

Below is a list of the gear that I used to create the images above (along with some related items). Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.

Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. Man, I am loving this lens on my shoulder with the 2X III teleconverter. I also use it a lot with the 1.4X III TC.
2X III teleconverter. This new TC, which is noticeably sharper than the 2X II TC, is designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
Canon EF 12mm Extension tube. Extension tubes are usually used to reduce the minimum focusing distance of a lens.
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My workhorse professional digital camera bodies.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Gitzo GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days.

Delkin 32gb e-Film Pro Compact Flash Card. These high capacity cards are fast and dependable.

I pack my 800 and tons of other gear in my ThinkTank Airport SecurityTM V2.0 rolling bag for all of my air travel and recommend the slightly smaller Airport InternationalTM V2.0 for most folks. These high capacity bags are well constructed and protect my gear when I have to gate check it on short-hops and puddle jumpers. Each will protect your gear just as well. By clicking on either link or the logo below, you will receive a free gear bag with each order over $50.

Think Tank Free Offer