And The Streak Continues…
Today was our toughest day photography-wise with bright sun and northwest winds. We photographed the raptors in flight at the Akan Crane center fish feeding and did fairly well at the Itoh sanctuary in the late afternoon.
This post marks 81 straight days with a new educational blog post, a record by far that should be extended for at least another day or so, or not. Or more…. It appears that our lodge has great internet. To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask that use our B&H and Amazon affiliate links for all of your B&H and Amazon purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store. We sell only what I use and depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what 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.
We would of course appreciate you using our B&H and Amazon affiliate links for all of your B&H and Amazon major gear, video, electronic, household, and personal purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above we 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.
Today’s blog post took 2 1/2 hours to prepare. Enjoy. As I am unsure of our travel and lodging plans for the next few days the streak is in dire jeopardy.
|
|
This Red-crowned Crane flight image was created at 1:42pm during the Day 4 blizzard on the Japan in Winter IPT with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops off the white sky: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Color temperature: Custom Pre-set. The sensor above the Central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF just caught the black secondaries of the bird’s right wing as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Angel Flight |
More Cold Wet Blizzard Images
Despite the white out conditions and the difficulty of autofocusing accurately through the heavy snow I kept 104 images on the first edit. My rules are as follows: on the first edit, if you are not sure, keep it; on the second edit, if you are not sure, delete it; on the third go through, if you do not love it, delete it. These are four of my favorites.
|
|
These tussling Red-crowned Cranes were photographed at 1:56pm during the Day 4 blizzard on the Japan in Winter IPT with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 stops off the white sky: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode. Color temperature: 7000K. Central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF just caught the black secondaries of the left hand bird’s left wing as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Tussling Cranes
|
On a Scale of Zero to Ten
On a scale of zero to ten, with zero being not bothersome at all and ten being terribly bothersome–an instant delete, what are your thoughts on the fact that I cut off the feet of the right hand crane? Please refer to the Tussling Cranes image.
|
|
This image was also created during the Day 4 blizzard on the Japan in Winter IPT with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400 at 2:07pm. Evaluative metering +2 stops off the snow: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Color temperature: 7000K. Central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF on the crane’s neck and re-compose. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #3: Swan and Crane Juxtaposition |
Juxtapositions
I am always on the lookout for interesting juxtapositions, way to include two pleasingly arranged subjects in the same frame. What are your thoughts on this image and the arrangement of the Whooper Swan and the crane?
|
|
This displaying Red-crowned Crane image was created at 2:56pm during the Day 4 blizzard on the Japan in Winter IPT with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 stops off the white sky: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode. Color temperature: 7000K. Central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF just caught the black at the rear base of the neck active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #4: Displaying Crane |
On a Scale of Zero to Ten
On a scale of zero to ten, with zero being not bothersome at all and ten being terribly bothersome, i.e., an image wrecker, what are your thoughts on the tree coming out of the cranes head? Please refer to the Displaying Crane image.
You Favorite
Take a moment to leave a comment and let us know which of the four images above is your favorite, and be sure to let us know why.
|
|
|
If you’d like to learn from the two folks who created the images in the composite above do consider one of the trips below. Denise Ippolito’s images: Japanese leaf painting, skimmer in flight, curved Keukenhof paths with tulips, copulating terns, & pink dahlia. Artie’s images: Snow Geese snowstorm blur, crane landing silhouettes, Leopard with prey in tree, King Penguin, & vertical tulip. Note: Denise alone will be leading the Torres del Paine workshop. |
A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours (IPTs)/Two great leaders: Arthur Morris & Denise Ippolito.
Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART www.BIRDSASART-blog.com for the latest images, info, & education
Denise Ippolito/A Creative Adventure www.deniseippolito.com: get yourself out of the box!
Denise’s e-books: Bloomin’ Ideas, A Guide to Filters & Effects, The Softer Side of Macro, & more. Free Monthly Creative MiniMag: www.deniseippolito.com/magazine
Nickerson Baby Beach-nesting Birds IPT, Long Island, NY: 3-Full Days/July 22-24, 2014: $1199.
Black Skimmers, Common Terns with chicks, American Oystercatcher & Piping Plover families; breeding behaviors including courtship feeding, display flight and combat, and copulations. Gulls and shorebirds.
UK Puffins IPT. Early July, 2014.
Details TBA. Please e-mail to be placed on the interested list.
Tanzania Serengeti Summer Safari: Leave US: August 9—return: August 24, 2014: $12,999.
Co-leaders: Arthur Morris & Todd Gustafson. Wildebeest/The Great Migration, cats, elephant, giraffe, zebra, birds & more. Please e-mail for brochure.
Swan Island Dahlia Farm IPT, Canby, OR, September 8-12, 2014: 5 FULL DAYS: $1699.
Leader: Denise Ippolito. 40 acres with 350+dazzling varieties of dahlias in a plethora of colors, shapes and sizes. Sharpen your technical skills and boost your creative juices. Daily assignments, image sharing, and Photoshop sessions.
Bosque del Apache 2014 A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART “Creative Photography Instructional Photo-Tour.” (IPT). NOV 24-25, 2014. 2-FULL DAYS: $729.
Leaders: Denise Ippolito & Arthur Morris. Introductory Slide program: 7:00pm on Sunday 11/23. This IPT is perfect for folks who want to learn to think outside the box, to create new and different images. Learn to unleash your creative juices at the wondrous Bosque del Apache, NWR in San Antonio, NM.
Bosque del Apache 2014 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). NOV 29-DEC 3, 2014. Totaling 4 FULL-DAYS: $1449
Leaders: Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 7:00pm on Sunday 11/29. Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet.
Antarctica/The Extended Expedition Voyage: Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and Falkland Islands: December 13, 2014 to January 10, 2015.
Please e-mail for details.
BAA offers a wide range of books, e-Guides, and educational materials and photographic accessories at the lowest prices around—25+ years of experience, and the best advice you can get. We will not sell you junk. Access the BAA Store here or call us at 1-863-692-0906.
Questions? Please e-mail us at birdsasart@verizon.net or photographybydenise221@gmail.com.
Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!
We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!
Amazon
Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.
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. 🙂
IPT Info
Many of our great trips are filling up. See especially info on the Holland, Nickerson Beach, and Bosque IPTs. Two great leaders on most trips ensure that you will receive individual attention, have all of your questions answered, and learn a ton including how to think like a pro, see the situation, and get the right exposure every time. In addition you will have fun, and make lots of great images. Click here for IPT details and general information.
My favorite is the first image. The crane looks mystical to me with the white in white contrasts.
The tussling cranes photo- probably a 5 on the cut off feet. The action is compelling but when I start to immerse myself in the story the missing feet drag my eye away from the focal pint of the image. On the other hand, it’s snow so wouldn’t feet be obscured anyway I ask myself?
Crane and swan – I like the juxtaposition but don’t like the position of the crane hind end up.
Displaying crane – background tree no problem. As said already, it’s part of the background pattern. Not sure about the feet here either though.
A million THANKS for all the incredible knowledge you so generously share.
My favourite:
Image #4 Displaying Crane
I like the composition, the background and the falling snow and of course the posture of the displaying crane. 0, to out of focus to be bothersome.
The Tussling Cranes rated as 0. The The displaying Cranes, the tree was not a bother as it is out of focus .My eyes was fixed on the action of the Cranes.
So many questions, and I’ll have one for you. First, favorite image, the first one. The bird seems to be emerging almost as a ghost from the snow/sky background. Second, missing feet, 0. Third, crane plus swan. My least favorite of the 4 images; the juxtaposition doesn’t do much for me because it’s so accidental. In other words, I don’t see a compositional or behavioral element that links them. Fourth, tree coming out of crane’s head, -1. I actually think the line from the tree through the crane and on up makes the image stronger. This is my second-favorite image. The queston for you: How often do the in-doubt images that survive the first edit make it through the final edit?
Tussling Cranes…I think the action is more important that the loss of the feet although it was one of the first things I noticed. I have seen other published images that were less than perfect because the action or sighting was more important than the framing. The tree doesn’t bother me at all due to the fact it is so OOF that I also had to go back and look at it after you ask the question.
Tussling Cranes: 0. Everyone knows the feet are there. Had you been using a zoom lens, you could have zoomed back enough to include the feet, but with the 600, the time it would have taken to physically move back far enough would have lost you the shot. “Shoot first…” The action in this image speaks for itself.
Displaying Crane: 0. The tree is far enough OOF and the bird is so sharply in focus that it’s not noticeable. I had to go back and look at it again after I read the question because it didn’t even register to me.
Wonderful images!
Tusseling Cranes 6-7 (6.5). One of the first things I noticed when looking at the whole image was that the one crane’s feet were cut off.
Displaying Crane 1. Given the snow in the shot, I didn’t notice the tree coming out of the crane’s head until you pointed it out. This is probably my favorite shot of the four you presented.
Favourite is number one, it’s great! I really like the spread wing tips, white on white, how did you not lose the crane?
The tree in the last image doesn’t bother me at all.
I don’t feel the emu-crane adds anything to the swan.
Initially even before reading the text I felt that the feet crop was a problem especially as you have similar but un-cropped images in your collection. However it is an amazing action image and as Doug says cut don’t clip. That said I would still rather have the feet present.
Tussling Cranes Feet Cut Off – 0. Like you preach, cut, don’t clip.
juxtapositions – 0. Looks fine to me. Some people might complain about not
seeing the feet, but hey, its snow.
Displaying Crane – 1. I gave it a one only cause of the tree being there.
Otherwise, I also think this is fine. It’s not like the tree is in focus
so much that its the first thing that you notice. Plus the head and beak
are going straight up, so that hides it also. And you have other trees in
the background creating a pattern so it breaks up all of the white of the
snow and Crane.
Doug