Stuff
Jim Dolgin and I headed to Titusville early as planned and were rewarded with a mega-sunrise. We were back at the Kissimmee hotel by 10:15. I took a nice nap and was home at 1pm in time to watch LeBron James lead the Cleveland Cavaliers a hard fought game seven win over the Indiana Pacers and their amazing young superstar, Victor Olidipo. I wound up taking quite a few naps on Sunday …
The Streak
Today makes two hundred seventy-three days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one about 90 minutes to prepare including the time spent on the image optimization. With all of my upcoming free time (or not…), the plan right now is to try to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.
Thanks to the Patient Ones …
With the injured shoulder, the recently concluded DeSoto IPT, and the hernia surgery, I have gotten more than a bit behind on e-mails; many thanks for your patience. I have had lots more time coming up and should be completely caught up soon.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!
Booking.Com
Several folks on the DeSoto IPT used the Booking.Com link below, got great rates, and saved a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. 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 photographers 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. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.
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This image was created on the last morning of the 2018 Non-Gatorland IPT by 2018 Gatorland participant and now multiple-ITP veteran and always super-nice guy Jim Dolgin. He used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 100mm) and the greatest-ever value in a digital camera body, the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 1250 (via Safety Shift). Evaluative metering +1/3 stops: 1/125 sec. at f/5. K7500 in predawn light at 6:34am. Center AF point/Single/AI Servo rear button AF on the middle bird and re-compose. Click on the image to see a larger version. Roseate Spoonbill Quintet/pre-dawn silhouette
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Sometimes Everything Falls Into Place. And Sometimes Everything Falls Into Place Miraculously …
When Jon Dupps first mentioned on Saturday at lunch that he had to head home my mind started spinning. “Gatorland should be good but it sucks right now … Maybe Merritt Island … And when I thought of Black Point I remembered some spectacular sunrises at a location just outside the refuge where I had killed more than a few times a decade ago … Where are you headed? Oh, Palm Beach. What would you think about leaving at 5am and driving to Merritt Island? Great, would you drive my SUV?”
And thus our plans were set. But the sunrises had been dead clear for more than a week. What were our chances? After a quick coffee stop at one of the many 7-11s in Kissimmee, we were headed east and then north and then east. At our pit stop at the marine patrol station we noticed that it was not completely cloudy and that there was a nice strip of lighter sky in the east. Fortunately, the first road I wanted to turn on was blocked by a chain. The color was getting really nice and I was glad to see that the second road was not chained. After we turned right I spotted some spoonbills so we set up and moved slowly into position (so as not to scare the birds) with a glorious scene in front of us …
I helped Jim get set up as follows: Tv mode, 1/125 sec., +1 1/3 stops EC, K7500 WB, all on the tripod. We had worked the day before on setting up ISO Safety Shift on his 7D II so he was good to go. And by following the simple directions, he did just fine!
As for me, it is always nice to see a vision come to reality …
Comments and Suggestions …
Comments on suggestions on Jim’s fine image are of course welcome.
The Location
If you would like to learn my secret sunrise location in Titusville, please send a Paypal for $5 to us via e-mail with the words Titusville Sunrise Location in the Subject Line. Though there are of course no guarantees on sunrise color, at least you will know that you are in the right spot!
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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.
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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 :).
Gorgeous!
Hi Artie,
I know the location well. When Black Point Drive is crowded, which is very often, I often wind up where you did. Normally the only other people there are fishing. A few months ago there were what looked like a hundred spoonbills in the area. There were a lot of them flying back and forth between ponds. It is also a good place for osprey and stilts.
What a gorgeous image, Jim and Artie. Question: Could Jim have got the shot in Av or manual mode?
Of course. My Tv Mode just makes is easy, and let’s you select the lowest possible shutter speed that you are confident with.
with love, artie
Hey Artie, you forgot to solve the nikon quiz 🙂 really excited to hear what the mistake was..!
Bye, Jan
Thanks Jan. Did not forget; I postponed it till tomorrow 🙂 with love, artie