What’s Up?
I finished the birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100 exhibit-companion e-book last night at about 9pm. I will be burning the master CD early this morning and getting it off to the manufacturing company in Richardson, TX today for overnight UPS delivery on Monday. Whew!
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I created the Canon panel for the upcoming San Diego Natural History Museum exhibit in InDesign yesterday. Please scroll down to see my request for proofreading help with the text. Note: I posted the corrected version above at 9am on Saturday morning. |
Insanity
I had the idea for the birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100 exhibit-companion e-book in my mind for about a year but never did anything about it. I always say, “Great ideas are a dime a dozen; implementing a single good idea is priceless.” As recently as two weeks ago, faced with a ton of work to be done for the exhibit and two additional writing projects, I knew that I was not going to have time to do the e-book. About a week ago, however, I thought that I just might–with the help of friends–be able to pull it off. The result? A miracle.
My first and only-ever photography instructor, Milton Heiberg, helped me put together the InDesign file for the e-book when I visited his home last Monday and Tuesday. Several folks volunteered to help me with the first edit. Then Robert “BugBob” Allen, a longtime friend from southern California sent me an e-mail after reading the December 29th Hare-Brained Scheme… blog post here. He offered to help both with both InDesign and with the final edits. Many multiple IPT veteran and good friend Alan Lillich also offered to help with the final edits. Neither knew what they were getting into. The three of us spent virtually all of our waking hours for the past three days (or at least it seemed like that…) on the next “final edit.” Think that I am exaggerating? From December 27th through yesterday the three of us exchanged well more than 100 e-mails.
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BugBob Allen with his wildflower book. Scroll down for info on Bob’s book. |
On January 1, BugBob sent this hopefully not prophetic but likely realistic e-mail:
I learned with my second book (Wildflowers, see the image in my signature block) that no matter how hard you edit, something will slip through the cracks. I had a co-author, the publisher’s editor, and 12 botanists edit my book. When I received the first bound copy, I randomly opened it up to a page and immediately found a typo in the middle of the first paragraph I read! Bob
Right after I got Bob’s e-mail I got this from Alan:
It looks great to me. The newly aligned layout is very nice. An amazingly professional book in how few days? Help aside, the selection of the photos and drafting of the text is quite an accomplishment. Not to mention the little part about creating the photos in the first place … Alan
Both Bob and Alan are incredibly eagle-eyed; they have consistently found errors that I would not have found if I live to be a hundred. So just when we were all feeling pretty good about the final “final version,” I got this e-mail from good friend Patrick Sparkman:
Thanks for sending me the final version of your new e-book. It is fantastic and I am sure it will be well received. I did not read the whole thing carefully, and it is probably too late, but I did find one mistake. In the caption that goes with the Wood Duck head portrait, you wrote “nets in tree cavities.” It should of course be “nests.” Patrick
You gotta love it.
Both Bob and Alan have my profound thanks for the incredible amount of work that they put into this project.
Wildflowers of Orange County and the Santa Ana Mountains
Wildflowers of Orange County and the Santa Ana Mountains. Allen, R.L. & F.M. Roberts, Jr. 2013. Laguna Wilderness Press, Laguna Beach, CA. 500 pages, more than 2300 photos and 360 illustrations of wildflowers, plant communities, and associated wildlife– primarily insects and birds.
It is available here from the Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society and at Barnes & Noble. The BioQuip website has sample pages here.
Many years ago, Bob learned macro photography from George Lepp and John Shaw. Then bird photography from yours truly. He teaches general nature photography and macro photography workshops in southern California. Learn more here.
Canon Panel Help Needed
If you have a good eye for proofreading and spot any errors in the Canon Panel that opened this blog post, please leave a comment. Suggestions for improvement are also welcome.
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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 🙂
Hi Artie,
Our internet has been so slow over Christmas new year that I am only now catching up with the blog.
I missed the opportunity to purchase the ebook earlier and so will wait and purchase it when available later.
It looks like all the edits have been sorted.
I must admit I liked your use of “well lighter” more than “considerably” because it’s sounds more like you. But I understand you need here to cater to a much wider readership than your regular blog readers.
For a one page kudos to Canon this is a very fine piece of work.
Well done to everyone who made suggestions.
I like the “bring vs take” comment from Sandra Nykerk. Never knew that but will remember it now.
Happy new year Artie.
All is well with us.
David Peake.
🙂 Me too on bring vs. take. And I did learn that a synonym for “well” is “considerably.”
later and ditto and much love, a
Hi Art,
My suggestions to help improve the equipment panel:
1. Be more consistent with naming of lenses (the 500mm & 600mm in particular). Not everyone who visits the exhibit may be used to the various names you give your lenses in the blog. For example, you variously refer to the 600 II as the “600 II”, the “600” and the “six”. A similar thing occurs for the 500 II.
2. Remove the second (non-bold) “zoom lenses” in the 2nd line of the super and intermediate zoom lenses section.
3. Do you need to specify that you use a black rapid strap?
4. You did not mention the fisheye (8-15mm), which I think you use more than the 11-24mm.
5. I would say “various iterations of the 70-200mm L IS lenses”. I think there has only been one iteration of the 70-200mm L IS II.
6. Alternative title: “I have relied on Canon cameras and lenses to help me capture my vision ever since I began photographing birds in 1983”.
Thanks for all you have taught me over the past few years via the blog. I will be purchasing the CD/e-book.
Hi Mr.
re:
1. Be more consistent with naming of lenses (the 500mm & 600mm in particular). Not everyone who visits the exhibit may be used to the various names you give your lenses in the blog. For example, you variously refer to the 600 II as the “600 II”, the “600” and the “six”. A similar thing occurs for the 500 II.
I need to use nicknames to save space.
2. Remove the second (non-bold) “zoom lenses” in the 2nd line of the super and intermediate zoom lenses section.
Thanks. I successfully re-crafted that.
3. Do you need to specify that you use a black rapid strap?
Yes. As I sell them in the BAA Online Store it is good for business.
4. You did not mention the fisheye (8-15mm), which I think you use more than the 11-24mm.
I do not use either one very much for birds but again space here is at a premium…
5. I would say “various iterations of the 70-200mm L IS lenses”. I think there has only been one iteration of the 70-200mm L IS II.
That is incorrect; you forgot about the 70-200 f/4. BTW, BugBob pointed out that I should have used “lens” instead of “lenses.” I made that change.
6. Alternative title: “I have relied on Canon cameras and lenses to help me capture my vision ever since I began photographing birds in 1983″.
That would be good but I went with something similar that was more in my voice.
Thanks for all you have taught me over the past few years via the blog. I will be purchasing the CD/e-book.
Many thanks for your suggestions, for you kind words, and for your upcoming purchase. later and love, artie
Thanks for all the information on your project, it is all very interesting.
Ted
Artie
Will you make your e-book available to those of us who don’t open their e-mail every day and missed the opportunity to buy an advance copy of your newest book?
Happy New Year!
Hi John, The e-book will be for sale mid-month either on CD or as a download. Have a great 2016! later and love, artie
I wonder if in the fifth paragraph heading about Canon super and intermediate telephoto lenses, the hyphen after super may be awkward. Additionally, in the same paragraph heading, I might suggest using a colon after the bold-face Zoom Lenses and starting the next complete sentence there with a capital Z. For consistency a colon might also be appropriate after the bold face heading in the sixth paragraph instead of a period after the word lenses. The semicolon after the heading in the last paragraph is fine, as both the heading and the next sentence could stand alone as complete sentences. Minor quibbles aside, the whole page is a fine description of your use of these fine photographic tools.
Hi Max, Thanks for your suggestions. The super- is fine and correct 🙂
a
Artie, under the 400mm section, there is no space after the period in the sentence: “…4 pounds lighter than the 600 II.It is relatively…” Or at least it seems that way on my screen. Enjoy the exhibit! Cheers, Willy
Under Standard and Wide Angle, it should actually be take, not bring. Almost no one uses this correctly any more, but bring is action toward you while take is action away from you. Please bring me the lens after you take out the trash.
Also, I would not hyphenate bird-scapes. Birdscapes, same as landscapes, seascapes, etc.
Thanks Sandra. I was never aware of the issues with take/bring. But I am now and will not soon forget. I did clarify your response as it was poorly crafted and confusing. LMK that my version makes sense.
As far as bird-scapes, since I iwas the one who coined the term I reserve the right to hyphenate it 🙂 a
Artie,
Here are my suggestions for editing on the Canon sheet.
On the fifth paragraph under Canon Super- and Intermediate Zoom Lenses:
…..delete the double use of “zoom lenses” in the first sentence.
…..there is a double “the” just before the 70-200 lens.
In the last paragraph, add the word “an” just before effective 640 mm.
Just my suggestions. Use them if you like.
Thanks Rob. Good stuff. Hard to believe that you were the only one who spotted the double the… No an is needed in the last paragraph as their is no object.
later and love, artie
Nicely done, Artie and friends. It is hard to proofread on a phone but I didn’t notice any typos. I think I’d add “still” about the 600: “it STILL is a large, heavy lens…”
David
That would not be needed as I am simply stating a fact 🙂 There has been no passage of time. That said, I will see you in South Georgia if not before! Have a great 2016. a
I suggest substituting a dash for the comma immediately after birds, thus making it read:
I have used Canon gear for as long as I have been photographing birds — since August, 1983.
In the text about the EF 600:
• put a period after the phrase 1.4X III teleconverter and capitalize Skilled.
• I think well lighter is awkward here and elsewhere in your text. How about removing well if considerably is too long?
• Insert a comma after heavy lens.
Elsewhere:
• In the section of text in the middle of the bottom row, make it photography in the next to last sentence.
• In the section of text at bottom right, there’s an extra space between believed and fine.
Thanks very much for the detailed story about your DVD project. I eagerly await availability of the DVD.
Warmest wishes to you for 2016, and thanks for the beautiful images and your many tips.
Hi Stu, Thanks a stack. I posted an improved version at 9am (10am according to Word Press :)) and am going to take a break from editing for a bit. Several of your excellent changes have already been implemented and I will consider you other suggestions in a bit. Again, many thanks. and thanks for your kind words. We will offer the book for sale after the exhibit opens in Mid-January. We may offer it as a download either before or on that date. That should be very convenient for overseas folks. Have a great 2016. a
ps: I uploaded a revised version at 10am eastern time that incorporated many of your suggestions plus a re-write or two that you inspired. Many thanks again. a
“Since 1983, when I first began photographing birds, I have used Canon equipment.”
That’s my shot at it. Hope it helps!
Thanks Mike. Yours is better than what I wrote, but I went with this, “Since August 1983 when I began photographing birds, I have used Canon cameras and lenses.” Here suggestion was sent to me by Andrae Acerra via e-mail. artie
Thanks Artie – The exhibit is amazing and I wish that I could be there for the opening.
last word of last paragraph “exhbit”
Thanks and fixed. At least I am consistent; I always mis-type that word 🙂
Stray “t” at the end of the lower left paragraph.
Got it. Thanks. a
Under standard and wide angle lenses, ” dea birds”
Them be dead birds 🙂 Good catch. And thanks. a
Happy New Year,
In the section on the 500mm lens did you mean to use ” well lighter”?
Yes but changed “well” to “considerably” as Alan had suggested for the e-book 🙂 Thanks. a