artie: Locked and Loaded /Photo by Jennifer Morris

Stuff

Our red eye flight to EDI was a piece of cake. I actually slept pretty well. Denise did not. We met the group at about 10:15 am, met met our transfer truck right on time, picked up our rental vehicles, stopped for a great lunch, and arrived at our lodgings just after 3:00pm. Then it was off to the local market for a group shopping trip. It was really great fun. Then your truly prepared a sumptuous dinner of baked chicken thighs, steamed cauliflower, and steamed kale. It was the first time for me and several others. It is super healthy, really tasty, and went great with the cauliflower. With lots of butter.

It is scheduled to be published automatically at 9:00am eastern time on Tuesday, June 30. Tomorrow is our first puffin boat trip; everyone on the sold out UK Puffins and Gannets IPT is thrilled (and that includes the two leaders!) This blog post is the 172nd in a row.

Yours truly at Orlando International Airport with 2 checked bags, my big Think Tank rolling bag, my Urban Disguise Laptop Bag, and my Xrtrahand vest by Vested Interest. Image courtesy of and copyright 2015: Jennifer Morris

Par For the Course…

I’ve done this a few times. Yet each time for me is more exciting than the last. With all of my diabetic needs and supps it is not possible for me to travel with one checked bag so two it is, here are 47 and 45 pounds respectively.

The 29 inch Samsonite Four-wheel Spinners

About two years denise introduced me to these great bags. They allow me to get around airports without having to rent a luggage cart; heck, as much as I travel they have already paid for themselves.

Recently, after having one of her soft-sided spinners wrecked during a flight, she switched to one of the Samsonite Hard-sided 4-wheel Spinners You will need to scroll down. In the meantime, mine have held up quite well, even the zippers.

Laptop Security Tip

If you are not lucky enough to get TSA-Pre-Check, the tendency is, when you are going through security, to grab one of the large plastic trays, put your laptop in it, and place it on the belt first. Bad idea. I did that twice today and twice the tray with my Macbook Pro Retina was nearly toppled off the end of the belt by the stuff behind it. From now on it is everything else first, laptop last.

Think Tank Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag

It is very simple, without my Think Tank Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag, I am not going anywhere with my 600 II. Above it comes in at a svelte 44.25 pounds, 4 1/4 pounds heavier than the legal US limit. I have only twice been hassled for roll aboard weight, once flying out of Nairobi, and once in London. Be sure to have a big smile for the gate agent. Pull your rolling bag with the laptop bag atop it on the side opposite the gate agent. In other words, if you are handing over your boarding pass with your right hand, be sure to be pulling your roll-aboard with your left hand with the bag somewhat hidden behind you. And that goes triple if you are wearing a photo vest. Again, I have been hassled about the vest only a very few times in three decades of flying around the world. And I have always talked my way past the agents. Being a diabetic carrying insulin in the vest has saved me on occasion.

Think Tank Urban Disguise Laptop Shoulder Bag

Both denise and I use and love this amazing bag as it has tons of room and enables us to bring tons of extra stuff. A nine inch band of fabric allows you to easily slide the laptop bag safely and securely onto the extended handle of your Think Tank roller. If you take a close look at Jen’s image you should be able to note that feature. Combined with the two Samsonite spinners this allows me to make it through airports easily on my own without a cart. Carpeted areas can be a challenge with the spinners….

Please click on my Think Tank affiliate link here to earn a free gift when you purchase either a Think Tank Rolling Bag or an Urban Disguise laptop bag.

Delkin Flash Cards

As always, both denise and I will have a 64gb Delkin e-Film Pro Flash Card in each camera body so that we never have to change cards in the field thus reducing the risk of losing a card…. Please note the new lower prices here. I do have a few extra 32 and 64gb cards in a Delkin CF Memory Card Tote, mostly to protect against operator error….

In 2015, we are offering a 3-DAY IPT before Thanksgiving and a 4-DAY IPT after the holiday. You can attend either and spend Thanksgiving Day with your family. Sign up for both and we will be glad to apply a $100 discount to your balance. We know that there are lots of less costly workshops being offered these days. Many of them are downright cheap. Please remember that you get exactly what you pay for. With us you will have two full time pros there for you every minute we are in the field. Together they have more than 28 seasons of experience at the refuge. If you want the finest in photographic instruction and want to be assured of being in the right spot at exactly the right time every day, do join us.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 3-FULL DAY IPT: NOV 22-24, 2015. $1149. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet and introductory slide program after dinner on your own at 7:00pm on SAT NOV 21.

Tens of thousands 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. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 3 morning and 3 afternoon photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/21, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $449 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

In 2015, we are offering a 3-DAY IPT before Thanksgiving and a 4-DAY IPT after the holiday. You can attend either and spend Thanksgiving Day with your family. Sign up for both and we will be glad to apply a $100 discount to your balance. We know that there are lots of less costly workshops being offered these days. Please remember that you get exactly what you pay for. If you want the finest in photographic instruction and want to be assured of being in the right spot at exactly the right time, do join us.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 4-DAY IPT: (three full and two 1/2 DAYS) NOV 28-DEC 2, 2015. $1499. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet at 3pm on SAT NOV 28 followed by an afternoon photo session at the crane pools and the introductory slide program after dinner on your own.

Tens of thousands 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. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 4 afternoon (11/28through 12/1), 4 morning (11/29 to 12/2) photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/28, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

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