What’s Up?
I’ve been stalled on getting my 2018 tax return info as I need Jennifer’s help with some stuff and she and Erik met Alissa and Ajiniyaz were on the Outer Banks for a week-long vacation. All four of my grandchildren were there. Jen will be back in the office today, Tuesday, September 3. Yikes to that — where did August go? So for the past two days, I got back to work on the Nikon D850 User’s Guide and made some good progress.
In the previous Back in the Saddle blog post, only two folks took a crack at the AF point question. If you have a moment, you might wish to re-visit that by clicking here . In the same vein, I would appreciate your comments on today’s two featured images as requested below.
This blog post took about three hours to prepare.
Great News!
I learned early yesterday that Mary van Deusen and her friend Patti Romano will be driving down from South Carolina to join UK Puffins and Gannets veteran Shonagh Adelman on the 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT at the end of this month. Then things got even better when DeSoto IPT veteran Jim Miller e-mailed letting me know that he would also be joining us. Everyone is excited. There are still two spots left on this great workshop.
IPT Updates
- The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Free Morning Session on Tuesday, October 1. Limit 6/Openings 2. Afternoon session on Friday, September 25 at 4pm, followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
- The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
- The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)
Click here for complete. IPT info. Couples, IPT veterans, and folks wishing to sign up with a friend or with a partner are asked to contact me via e-mail
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock since the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
BIRDS AS ART friend Don Carter is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $5998.00. The sale includes the lens trunk, the rear lens cap, the original tough front lens cover, the lens strap, a Kirk replacement foot, a LensCoat cover and a LensCoat Hoodie, a Think Tank Glass Limo, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Don via e-mail or by phone at 1-630 390-0903 (Central time zone).
The 600 II has been the state of the art super-telephoto lens for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many years. When I was using Canon and could get it to my location, it was always my go-to weapon. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. And the Think Tank Glass Limo is a great extra; this telephoto lens backpack has helped me tremendously on many trips over the past two years, most especially, the Emperor Penguin trip.
With a new one going for $9,499, you can save a cool $3,501.00 by grabbing Don’s excellent lens now. The new, lighter 600 III goes for $12,999.00! artie
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM Lens
Sold first day!
BIRDS AS ART friend Don Carter is also offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $1196.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, an RRS replacement foot, a LensCoat, the tough fabric carrying case, the original box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. This lens was been recently cleaned by Canon Professional Services. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Don via e-mail or by phone at 1-630 390-0903 (Central time zone).
The Canon 100-400 II was one of my favorite-ever Canon lenses. I loved, loved, loved its versatility and its .98 meter (3.2 feet) close focusing distance. I rarely went into the field without my 1-4 and I used it often with the 1.4X III teleconverter. I used it for general bird photography, bird scapes, and as a quasi-macro lens. It sells new right now for $1799.00. artie
Canon EOS-1DX Mark II dSLR
BAA Record-low by far price!
Don Carter is also offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II dSLR in excellent condition for a ridiculously low $3599.00. The sale includes the body cap, the battery charger, one extra battery, the cables, DVDs, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. This camera was recently been cleaned and checked by Canon Professional Services. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Don via e-mail or by phone at 1-630 390-0903 (Central time zone).
The EOS-1DX is Canon’s flagship professional camera body. I made many fine images with mine. It is rugged and fast and features Canon’s best AF system. artie
|
|
This image was created on the morning of July 25, 2019 on the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850 ISO: 800. Matrix metering +2 1/3 stop off the light gray sky: 1/640 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode was perfect. Natural Light AUTO1 WB at 9:58am on a solidly overcast morning. Center d-25 Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure. The outer assist point caught both the base of the lower mandible and the spot where the neck meets the upper breast. IAC, the image was sharp on the eye. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #1: Flightless Cormorant (calling) on nest with three eggsClick on the image to enjoy a larger version. |
Could Not Find My SONY 1.4X Teleconverter …
On the Galapagos trips aboard the Samba, we keep our gear either on one long bench seat in the dining area/living space or behind the right-hand dining table. Before each landing, I give a briefing as to what gear you will likely need. Sometimes I refine my suggestions after breakfast as we are packing our stuff just prior to boarding the pangas. On the morning of Thursday, July 25 I could not find my SONY 1.4X Teleconverter. My plan had been to bring only the SONY 100-400 GM but when I could not find the TC I opted to go with the Nikon 500PF. I knew that I would miss the ability to zoom out to do the birds on the nests but decided to go with the extra reach.
As she often did, Anita North kindly helped me to try and find the missing TC but we were both unsuccessful. I often did the same for her — between the two of us, we were always looking for something. I wound up having one of my best mornings of the trip despite not being able to zoom out mechanically. Instead, I used the good old human zoomin’ technique: stepping back when I needed to get wider. On the Punta Albemarle (Isabela) landing, it is important to be very careful when moving about on the lava rocks; you must move slowly and pay attention so that you do not wind up falling.
|
|
This image was also created on the morning of July 25, 2019 on the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime and again I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850 ISO: 800. Matrix metering +2 1/3 stop off the light gray sky: 1/800 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode was perfect. Natural Light AUTO1 WB at 10:18am on a solidly overcast morning. Center d-25 Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure. For this one, the selected AF point was on the base of the bill right below and on the same plane as the eye. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #2: Flightless Cormorant sitting on nest with three eggsClick on the image to enjoy a larger version. |
The Different Backgrounds
I am pretty sure (but not positive) that both of today’s featured images are of the same nest. I am sure that the birds had switched during the 20 minutes that had elapsed between the two photographs. One mate goes fishing or spends time in the water gathering nesting material while the other one incubates. Then they switch roles.
Note that the backgrounds in the two images are different. For the first image I was standing at full height and as a result, there are some out-of-focus rocks in the background. For image #2 I squatted down a bit for a cleaner sand background. Sitting down in this situation would have resulted in a sore butt and would have brought the distant low lava cliffs into play.
The Lesson
Small changes in your perspective can make big differences in the success of an image.
Your Call?
Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? Each has something different going for it so be sure to let us know why you made your choice.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the 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.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
Both images are good. I like the second image more that first image. If the dark sport is not there then I might have liked first one more than second one.
I think image #1 is more informative, the wings are noticeably small hence the name given to the bird. The eye and open bill are shown to better effect also. I by far prefer the background and immediate foreground in #1
What I do not like (in both) is the fact that the tail has been chopped off – why would you want a picture of a bird with its tail chopped off? I can understand a close up of say head and neck but chopping the tail off puzzles me. Perhaps it was just a case of being too close or the only lens with you at the time.
Hi Jon, Thanks for your comments. How anyone could like the background in #1 better than the background of #2 simply baffles me 🙂
Your comment on the tail being “chopped off” mystifies me as well. The image design in #1 is for me, a perfect front-end vertical. I would not have liked it had I clipped the tail. That said it seems that you did not read the blog post as I stated that I only had the 500 PF on that landing and that it was difficult and dangerous to move about …
with love, a
Hi Artie, great shots. I was SO tempted to go on that trip. I like the first better for the action and the stunning blue eye. The background is slightly distracting, but I actually think the bird “pops” more against this background. As someone mentioned, I too would lighten the dark blotch and call it good. Ready for some football?
Hey Ed, Good to hear from you and thanks for your comment. And yes, I am ready for some football. Please see my e-mail on the potential September 29-October 13, 2020 Galapagos trip.
with love, artie
#1 for the reasons already stated, and I will add that while #2 is cleaner in several ways, #1 seems to make better use of the tight frame. “Fills” it more, I guess. There is something about #1’s cut off body that works, whereas for some reason I feel like I want to see the whole bird in #2. Perhaps because the eye is more centered than in #1?
That is to say, #2 might just work better had it been taken as a horizontal shot.
Also, the bird is not quite as pleasingly parallel to the sensor as #1.
But both rock! Beautiful…
I would have loved a horizontal with either of them but I was limited as noted in my Reply to Jon. As for your second comment, perhaps I was higher in image #2 …
with love, artie
ps: are you on BPN?
I am!
See you there 🙂
a
Hey Arthur, Going to go with image #2. Like the layering in the foreground. The bird isn’t as tight as in image #1. The background is nice and clean. Also like the “S” the bird’s neck makes.
Photo #1 for the open bill, brighter eye and the feeling the bird is doing something.
Did you find the missing TC?
Of course, as soon as we got back on board. In a wool hat right in my Think Tank roller.
with love, a
Image #1 is by far a more dynamic image, showing more of the bird’s body and showing some of the bird’s active behavior. While the background may be less than 100% ideal, could not the dark area – primarily to the left of the bird’s head – be lightened a bit to make is less dark as it currently is? The action is just too compelling in image #1 to not try and minimize that one distracting area.
Lightening that dark blotch would improve the background to my eye also.
I concur with Elinor. The activity holds my interest. If there is something in the background which still distracts, clone it out. For me that would be unnecessary.
Both photos, because you are far away, give the same impression of your being level with the bird, which I really like. Photo 1 is my favorite because of the open bill (the bird is active), the emphasis on the blue eye and the full wing with all the delicate feathers. The background with some dark areas doesn’t bother me although the background in #2 is more beautiful.