Stuff
Wednesday was a lazy day. I finished the second edit of my recent Fort DeSoto Fall IPT images, watched some MLB games on the tube, and enjoyed two easy swims totaling one mile.
With only a single slot open on the San Diego IPT, I decided to add a second San Diego IPT — shorter and less expensive. I was glad to learn that Fort DeSoto Fall IPT participant Lee Sommie was the first to sign up for San Diego #2. See the announcement in the blog post here.
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2017 in San Diego was a very good year …. |
2018 San Diego 3 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART IPT #2: Sunday, JAN 28 thru and including a morning session on Wednesday, JAN 31, 2018: 3 1/2 days: $1699. Limit: 8: Openings: 7
Meet and Greet at 6:30pm on the evening before the IPT begins; Saturday, Jan 27, 2018.
Please remember: I go with one.
Click here for details.
The Streak
Today makes seventy-seven days in a row with a new educational blog post! This blog post took less than an hour to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not …), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of (I think) four hundred eighty something … Good health and good internet connections willing.
Booking.Com
Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July’s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you’d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks whom I see in the field, and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
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This image was created at La Jolla, CA in 2017 with the hand held the Fujifilm XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens (at 347mm) and the Fujifilm X-T2 Mirrorless Digital Camera body) outfitted with the Fujifilm VPB-XT2 Vertical Power Booster Grip. ISO 800. Pattern metering +1/3 stop as framed: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB. Shutter Button Continuous Autofocus. Additional AF information is unavailable. Brown Pelican, Pacific race in pre-breeding plumage |
Carpet Necks
Pacific race Brown Pelicans in non-breeding plumage have pure white hind-necks. In full breeding plumage they have rich, dark chocolate-colored hind-necks (like the bird in the pelican love affair blog post here). On molting birds like the one pictured above the hind-neck resembles a highly textured cut pile carpet. Years ago I affectionately nicknamed them carpet necks.
A High Level Subject to Sensor-Plane Orientation/Head Angle Question
The body of the bird in this image is oriented slightly away from me. Its head is turned a bit back towards me. Generally for this type of image I’d prefer that the head angle be 90 degrees, with the bird’s head perfectly parallel to the back of the camera. Why did I prefer the image with the head angled slightly away?
Another Fujifilm X-T2 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Image
Regular readers will likely remember that I experimented with the Fujifilm X-T2 Mirrorless Digital Camera body on my last trip to San Diego. You can learn more about that experience in the Quite Impressive: First Fujifilm XT-2 Image blog post here and in several blog posts that followed.
This image caught my eye while going through the San Diego 2017 & all XT-2 Images to Transfer folder. The glow of the colors (luminosity?) made it stand out. I converted the image with my usual ACR workflow and in doing so I eliminated the glowing colors so I re-converted it with a much lighter touch and was happy with the results.
If In Doubt …
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Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
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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 :).
I have to admit the first thing I thought was “OMG, even Artie messes up the head angle from time to time, so there must be hope for the rest of us!” Did you go with the different angle to make sure all the “carpet” on the bird’s neck stayed in the sharpest possible focus?
You are close. Simply put, with the bird’s head angled slightly away (and only very slightly) the image offered a really good look at the back of the head and neck, the neatest part of the bird.
See you in san Diego!
with love, artie
I’m planning on having a great time! Maybe I’ll have a 5d mkIV by then, although I’ve heard some swirling rumours that a 7D mkIII could be in the works for year-end 2017.