A Single Day on the Fort DeSoto IPT: One thousand nine hundred sixty one images/Three hundred forty three Keepers

Used Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Lens for Sale/Price Reduced $200!

Multiple IPT veteran Bill Wingfield is offering a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $1225! The glass is clean and the lens is in perfect working condition. The sale includes the lens hood, the fabric case, and insured shipping by UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped after your check clears.

Pleasing Blurs Voting Continues Today

Join in the fun by voting on the Pleasing Blurs Category of the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition by clicking here. It seems likely that this will be the first category in which the public’s favorite will not match the judge’s first choice. Though only 7 images made it to the final round in this category, they are all strong images. Do take a peek.

The Streak Continues: 164

This post marks 164 consecutive days with a new educational blog post. With so many folks getting in the habit of using our B&H links and our Amazon logo-links why quit now? April was a record month! To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we do ask that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, and the like. We sell only what I used, tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know the tools that you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

You can find the following items in the store: Gitzo tripods, Mongoose M3.6 and Wimberley heads, plates, low feet, and accessories, flash brackets, , Delkin e-film Pro Compact Flash Cards, LensCoat products, and our unique line-up of educational materials including ABP I & II, Digital Basics, Site and Set-up e-Guides, Canon and Nikon Camera Users and AF e-Guides, and MP-4 Photoshop video tutorials among others.

I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and visiting the BAA Online store as well.

This post took 1 1/2 hours to put together. Enjoy!

Here you see 112 of the 1,961 images that I created on Sunday, May 11th (happy Mother’s Day Mom!), the last day of the Fort DeSoto IPT. The highlighted images are the keepers from this group of 112.

Easy Editing

Editing (choosing the keepers) is an easy chore for the fortunate folks using BreezeBrowser. Even when you create 1,961 images in a single day. I view my images with the High Quality setting checked so that I almost never need to enlarge an image (Control B) to check on sharpness. I Select All (Control A) and view the images in Slide Show Mode (Control S). The right pointing arrow goes to the next image. Keepers get a blue check-mark (up arrow). If I change my mind on an image, I can un-check it with the down arrow. When I am done I Only Select Tagged (F6) and then Invert the Selection (Control I). That leaves all the rejects checked. I hit Delete and the unwanted images are relegated to a Deleted sub-folder. Done deal.

Fort DeSoto participant Mary Anderson was totally amazed when she watched me edit 1168 images from our morning session in less than 25 minutes at lunch. That while I was explaining the reasons for my choices to her in detail. It would have taken me half that time to do the job in solitude. See more on BreezeBrowser below.

I borrowed the idea for the editing screen shot above from the incredibly creative Denise Ippolito who posted a similar image somewhere recently.

This JPEG represents the original image capture. It was created on the Fort DeSoto IPT on a hazy, partly sunny morning while sitting behind my lowered Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod with the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 640. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop as framed: 1/1000 sec. at f/9 in Manual Av mode. AWB. Central Sensor/AI Servo-Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed active at the moment of exposure. Two of the four active sensors must have just caught the rear end of the bird–or not. See the BreezeBrowser screen capture below. Learn everything that there is to know about the 1D X and 5D III AF systems including how to manage the various AF Area Selection Modes, when to use which one, and several ways to move the AF sensor around in the 1D X AF Guide and the 5D Mark III User’s Guide. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. .

Universal Advice for Photographing Speeding Sanderlings

Here is the best advice I can give you for photographing running shorebirds: pan faster. Actually, you need to try to match your panning rate to the speed of the bird. The problem here is that after these northbound migrants stopped to feed for a few seconds they would run to the next tidbit at high speed. And then stop abruptly without warning.

That’s why I wound up with this bird running out of the frame instead of into it. But it was the sharpest such image that I created. So it needed saving.

Image Question?

Why ISO 640 in relatively bright conditions?

This is the BreezeBrowser Main View screen capture for today’s image.

AF Expand

I usually go with AF Surround in situations like this. I am not sure how I wound up in AF Expand. With the latter, I get only four additional points around the central sensor: one left and right and one above and below. With the former, I get all 8 surrounding points. In any case, by hook or by crook, the result here was a very sharp image of a fast-moving, erratic subject.

The Breezebrowser Main View Screen Capture

Above is the BreezeBrowser Main View screen capture for today’s image. Note that the illuminated red square shows the AF point that was selected. Remember that with Expand four additional sensors are active but are not illuminated. Note: in Breezebrowser you need to check “Show Focus Points” under View to activate this feature. To see the focus points in DPP check “AF Point” under View or hit Alt L. Hit Alt M to see Highlight Alert. To learn how and why I use only DPP (Canon Digital Photo Professional) to convert my RAW files, see the info on our DPP RAW Conversion Guide here.

Note the perfect histogram the WHITEs of the bird’s belly well into the rightmost histogram box. Regular readers know that I use and depend on BreezeBrowser every day of the year. It allows me to sort my keepers and delete the rejects faster than any other Windows browsing program. We use it on the main computer in the home office to catalog our images file-drawer style. And the companion program, Downloader Pro allows me to download my images quickly and conveniently. It automatically adds my IPTC data and the shooting location. I have it set up to create a folder named by the Month/date/year. The Breezebrowser/Downloader Pro combo saves me many hours each week. To learn more or to purchase this great PC only program, click here. As far as the BreezeBrowser/Downloader Pro Combo goes, if you are using a Windows platform and are not using these two great programs you are at best, wasting your valuable time. My understanding is that Photo Mechanic is best for Mac-users who do not opt to run Parallels or VM Ware fusion on their Macs so that they can enjoy the many advantages of BreezeBrowser. See BreezeBrowswer on a Mac for details on the latter.

This 1200 wide JPEG represents the optimized image: Sanderling breeding plumage running bird moved back in frame _Y7O2777 Fort DeSoto Park, St Petersburg, FL.tif

The Image Optimization

The image optimization process here–done during our after-lunch session in the Sea Porch Cafe at the Don Cesar Hotel on St. Pete Beach, was a bit more involved than most. After converting the image in DPP, I brought it into CS-6 and dust-spotted it. Next I leveled the image going by the line of foam that you can see in the original image. Then I used techniques from APTATS II to move the bird back in the frame seamlessly. That required four moves. Next was my artistic 3X2 crop. After that I eliminated the line of foam using the protective cloning on a layer technique taught to me by Denise Ippolito. I opted not to clean the bird’s bill. I applied my NIK 50-50 layer at 80% to the bird only that was selected via the Quick Selection Tool. After saving the selection I increased the Vibrance on the bird only.

The DPP RAW Conversion Guide

To learn why I use Canon’s Digital Photo Professional (DPP) to convert every image that I work on, click here.

APTATS I & II

Learn the details of advanced Quick Masking techniques in APTATS I. Learn Advanced Layer Masking Techniques in APTATS I. Mention this blog post and apply a $5 discount to either with phone orders only. Buy both APTATS I and APTATS II and we will be glad to apply at $15 discount with phone orders only.

Digital Basics

Everything above (except as noted) is detailed in my Digital Basics File–written in my easy-to-follow, easy-to-understand style. Are you tired of making your images look worse in Photoshop? Have you no clue as to how I optimized the image above? The Photoshop techniques mentioned above plus tons more are covered in my Digital Basics File, an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. It includes my complete digital workflow, dozens of great Photoshop tips, the use of Contrast Masks, several different ways of expanding and filling in canvas, all of my time-saving Keyboard Shortcuts, Quick Masking, Layer Masking, and NIK Color Efex Pro basics, my killer image clean-up techniques, Digital Eye Doctor, creating time-saving actions, and lots more.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20% plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advise, usually sells in no time flat as did Dennis Cassidy’s 500 II recently on the blog. Larry Master’s 400 DO and his 800 f/5.6 sold within a week. From Larry via e-mail: Thanks for helping me sell the lenses so quickly!

A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART friend Kitto Kono sold her Nikon 500 to a Blog subscriber in less than a week. Janet Horton’s 7D sold this week after a $100 price reduction. Denise Ippolito’s 100-400 and her 100 macro sold in one day. Peter Kes sold his 70-200 f/2.8L IS II and his 400 DO through BAA in ten days. In the past two months we have sold a Canon 800, a Canon 500 II, 3 400 DO lenses, a Nikon 500mm, and lots more. If you are interested in using our services, please e-mail.

Fort DeSoto Site Guide

The Fort DeSoto Site Guide describes several locations where you can look for today’s featured species. I had checked this spot in the morning for naught, but in the afternoon the second time was the charm. You can get yourself a copy of the Fort DeSoto Site Guide here. Learn the best spots, where to be when in what season in what weather. Learn the best wind directions for the various locations. BAA Site Guides are the next best thing to being on an IPT. You can see all of them here. I am hoping to get a short update of the Fort DeSoto Site Guide done within the next two weeks.

Used Nikon Super-Telephoto Lens for Sale

Nikon AF-S 400mm f/2.8G ED VR AF Lens

The first is a used Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8G ED VR AF lens for $5999.00. This lens sells new from B&H for $8999.00. The price includes UPS insured Ground shipping to the continental US. The lens comes with just about everything that came with the original purchase including the lens trunk, monopod collar, front lens cover, rear lens cap, slip on HK 33 Lens Hood, Slip-in Filter Holder, 52mm screw-in NC Filter, and LN – 1 Strap. The lens is in excellent condition with some minor blemishes and scratches on the exterior body and lens hood. Photos upon request. Potential buyers can contact Kitty via e-mail or by phone: 610-995-2339. Your check must clear before the lens is shipped.

The 400 f/2.8 is superb for large mammals, for birds at close range, and for work at bird feeders. Priced at $3,000 less than new this one should sell quickly.

Used Canon Gear for Sale

Used Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Lens for Sale/Price Reduced $100!

Multiple IPT veteran Bill Wingfield is offering a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $1325! The glass is clean and the lens is in perfect working condition. The sale includes the lens hood, the fabric case, and insured shipping by UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped after your check clears.

For more than a decade I used the 100-400 to create hundreds of sharp, sale-able image. It is a very versatile lens.

You can reach Bill via e-mail or by phone at 843-729-6670.

Used Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS Lens for Sale

Multiple IPT veteran, the too-kind Jim Bicket, is offering a Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $8750. The lens is like new except for some wear on the bottom of the lens hood near the forward edge when the hood is reversed. The sales includes the LensCoat that has protected the lens since day 1, the leather hood, the original hard case and key, and insured shipping via UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped only after your check clears.

This great lens, my favorite for 3 years, sells new at B&H for $13,999.00. A month ago B&H was offering one in mint condition for a ridiculous $10,249.90; it sold overnight. Go figure. Jim’s lens will save you a ton of dough and you will have a great lens with lots of reach.

Interested folks can contact Jim via e-mail or try him at 501-915-9336.

This sale will be made through BAA. Please call Jim at 863-221-2372 (weekdays) or shoot me an if you have any questions.

Used EOS-5D Mark II for Sale/Price Reduced $100!

Doug Bolt’s 400 DO sold early last week. Doug is offering a used EOS-5D Mark II in very good to excellent condition for $1099! There is a shallow scratch on the body and a faint smudge on the top LCD. The sale includes a RRS L-plate, an off-brand vertical grip, and the original box and all the stuff that came in it. The seller will pay shipping to US addresses only. This one is a great body for flowers and landscapes. Mine saved me on a Southern Oceans cruise when I trashed two EOS-1D Mark IV bodies in a rainstorm; it was a great back-up camera body. The item will ship only when the check clears.

Please contact Doug for a link to photos of the camera and for additional info via e-mail or try him by phone at home: at 301-937-3112 or on his cell at 301-537-8073.

Used Canon EOS-7D for Sale

Doug Bolt loves his 5D Mark III so much that he is also offering a used EOS-7D camera body for $799. The sale includes a RRS camera body plate. The seller will pay shipping to US addresses only. This one is a great starter body. The item will ship only when the check clears.

Please contact Doug for additional info via e-mail or try him by phone at home: at 301-937-3112 or on his cell at 301-537-8073.

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂