Disappearing Act

This Sanderling duo image was created last week at Nickerson Beach with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 800. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/9 in Manual Mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the nearest bird’s closed eye and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Disappearing Act

You have two beautifully juxtaposed sleeping shorebirds. The light is gorgeous. The wet sand background is clean and lovely. You have just butt-advanced (moved forward while seated behind your lowered tripod without putting your hands in the sand) about 15 yards while moving to your right. You are perfectly parallel to your subjects. But. The front end of a third bird (see the ORIGINAL IMAGE in the animated GIF below) is on the right frame-edge ruining your image….

Quick Masking to the Rescue

What to do? I created a series of small thin vertical Quick Masks and used the Move Tool (V) to cover the intruder.

The basics of Quick Masking (and tons more) are described in detail in our in Digital Basics File, an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. It includes my complete digital workflow, dozens of great Photoshop tips including Digital Eye Doctor techniques, several different ways of expandiing canvas, all of my time-saving Keyboard Shortcuts, and Layer Masking and NIK Color Efex Pro basics. Advanced Quick Masking Techniques including transforming, warping, and wing tip repair are detailed in APTATS I.

New Nickerson In-the-Field Dates Announced

Same as below: June 8 (am and pm), June 9 (am only). Please follow the contact directions below. I may have limited internet and e-mail access from May 30-June 6th but will surely be online on June 7.

More Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, Small Group, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction with Arthur Morris. May 27 (pm only), May 28 (am & pm) and May 29 (am only).

All 2013 of course. Right now only one person is signed up for a total of three sessions so the instruction will be practically private. This afternoon–Monday, May 27 is shaping up to be perfect conditions. To join me today, call me on my cell phone at 863-221-2372 and leave a message if no answer. Morning sessions: 5am sharp-9:30 am. Afternoon sessions: 4pm til whenever. These are priced so low that you need to e-mail for the rates. Limit 5/session.

If you e-mail, please include all phone numbers. Payment in full due immediately via credit card after calling the office on a weekday: 863-221-2372. If you would like to join me, please get in touch via e-mail. Breeding American Oystercatcher (chicks likely) and Piping Plover (chicks possible). Common Tern and Black Skimmer/courtship behaviors. Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Breeding plumage Sanderling and other shorebird species. Lots of flight photography when the wind is right. Learn digital exposure and creative image design. Learn to create pleasing blurs at 5am.

Typos

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

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And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
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.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.