Stuff
I did lots of work on my upcoming audit and answered lots of e-mails. Strangely, my latest addiction is Tivo-ing and watching every UFC event on the tube…. Strange because my last (and one and only fight if you could call it that), occurred when I was about 13. At Camp Welmet. Over a girl whose name was Judy. She had a long brown ponytail. And bangs.
This blog post took less than an hour to put together and was published at 8:30am on Sunday, September 13, 2015. It is the third straight day that I screwed up the automatic “publish at 6am settings.” 🙂
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 advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few weeks we have sold nearly everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily.
You can see all of the current listings here.
Brand New Listing/Lots of Extras
Used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens
IPT veteran Larry Master is offering a barely used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in mint condition for $4750. The sale includes all the items in original box: lens trunk, lens hood, fabric front cover, rear lens cap, wide lens strap, strap for lens case, CD and instruction papers. Also included is a Kirk LP-59 replacement foot, a Kirk LP-28 lens plate on the original lens foot, a LensCoat, an Aquatech soft front lens cap, and insured shipping via Fed ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Larry by e-mail or by phone at 518-645-1545 (Eastern time).
The 300 II is a superbly sharp and versatile lens that kills with both TCs. In addition, it is a great flight lens. Larry’s price matches the lowest-ever BAA price…. artie
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This image was created at Ford’s Terror, AK on our Inside Passage cruise with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 263mm) and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/1250 sec. at f/8. Center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding). Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Denise Ippolito kayaking/backlit |
Kayaking the Inside Passage/A Different Kind of Ice Bath…
The morning’s activity on the The 87′ classic wooden yacht M. V. Discovery was kayaking. At first I said, “Not me.” But after I saw denise and our two ship mates, Diane and Jeff, get easily into the kayaks I decided to give it a go. I got in easily enough, but within two seconds I was in the water wearing the kayak as a large hat. I was concerned for a moment as I was under the boat, but within a second or two I was away and swimming gently toward the Discovery. The water was quite cold, about 40 degrees. My main concern was how I would get out of the water with my bum left knee and bad right shoulder.
There was a small gangway down with a platform at the bottom and the skiff was in the water, for rescues I suppose :). I voiced my concerns about getting out and Captain Ben Swanson came up with a plan. I pushed my self up a bit with one hand on the skiff and one on the platform. Then Ben grabbed me by the scruff of my life jacket and pulled me up as easily as if here were lifting a child’s doll. Only my ego was bruised.
Once I got out of the water I felt a lot warmer than when I had been swimming. After a minute I decided to get back on the horse. Wet clothes and all I got back into the kayak. I did of course proceed with a lot more caution than on my first attempt. I enjoyed a nice paddle around a gorgeous bay. Getting a bit chilled I was the first one back on the boat so I grabbed my 100-400 II and created a few images of the still-dry kayakers.
All in all it was a fun morning.
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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.
Just 3 spots left.
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.
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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 after July 29.
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Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).
glad you got out ok – and really glad you stuck with it and still had fun – did you manage not to catch the flu?
It was fun, but it was even more fun NOT getting that vicious flu…. later and love to you both, a
Will autofocus with the new Canon 100-400 work with the 2x II extender (the older version?) I use it with my Mk3.
Not the normal (phase-detect) AF, and it doesn’t matter what version of the Canon 2X TC you use, because you’ll be at f/9-f/11 and the normal phase-detect AF doesn’t work on any Canon DSLR if the lens’s maximum aperture is below f/8*. Live view AF will work using contrast-detect AF, which is very slow but accurate. I’ve used it to photograph a snowy owl, for example, and I got a very sharp result.
*Sometimes you can fool the camera into thinking the max aperture is f/8 even when it isn’t by using a “non-reporting” TC, or taping pins, but in my experience the AF is so slow and unreliable when you do that that it’s not worth doing. YMMV.
David is correct. “Regular” AF will not work at f/11. It never does. You can focus off the sensor in Live View as he mentions but it is very slow. Best would be to be on a tripod with a Mongoose and to focus manually. That only works of course with static subjects. See the recent post here.
What a story. I am guessing you didn’t have any gear in the kayak with you!!! Glad you could get back in. They’re so fun. And I love the photo you posted. Super light and wonderful action and composition! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks on all counts. I was smart enough not to have any gear with me 🙂 a
Artie you got guts stay well
Artie, all of your cold baths must have been good training for that dunk! I admire you for getting back in the kayak!
Thanks Carol, Yes, but there is a big difference between 58 degrees and 40 degrees 🙂 a
Artie: great image of the kayak. As for watching UFC, you should be watching your Mets instead! 🙂