What’s Up?
Wednesday 25 MAR 2020 dawned dark and gray here at Indian Lake Estates. I plan on getting back to work on the almost finished SONY guide this afternoon now that things here are settling down (at least here at ILE). If you missed yesterday’s blog post here, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the tricolored juxtaposition image.
Things brightened up here by 9am so I headed down to the lake. With a southwest wind, I gave up on the idea of doing some flight shooting at the low Osprey nest but did make lots of (yet-to-be-edited) images of foraging Cattle Egrets from the car with the handheld SONY 200-600 and the a9 ii.
Be smart and be safe.
Today’s Entertainment
The Johnny Cash train runs on. I discovered another YouTube Johnny Cash superbly crafted retrospective gem, CMT Inside Fame: Johnny Cash 2003. While watching and listening to that one, I heard a snatch of Drive On. I did a search, found it here, and listened in awe, grateful again for drawing 356 in the first draft lottery … I am very glad that I never got to hear the men and the monkeys in the jungle scream. The complete lyrics are below.
Thanks to Ted Willcox for sharing his favorite Johnny Cash song, Flesh and Blood. I tracked that down and loved it. Discovering great Cash songs that I have never heard before is quite rewarding. The incrediblde greatness of Johnny Cash is hard to fathom.
Drive On
Johnny Cash
Well, I got a friend named Whiskey Sam
He was my boonierat buddy for a year in Nam
He said I think my country got a little off track
Took ’em twenty five years to welcome me back
But, it’s better than not comin’ back at all
Many a good men I saw fall
And even now, every time I dream
I hear the men and the monkeys in the jungle scream
Drive on, it don’t mean nothin’
My children love me, but they don’t understand
And I got a woman who knows her man
Drive on, don’t mean nothin’, and don’t mean nothin’
Drive on
What I remember one night, Tex and me
Rappelled in on a hot L.Z.
We had our sixteen’s on rock and roll
And with all that fire, I was scared and cold
I was crazy, and I was wild
And I have seen the tiger smile
I spit in a bamboo viper’s face
And I’d be dead, but by God’s grace
Drive on, it don’t mean nothin’
My children love me, but they don’t understand
And I got a woman who knows her man
Drive on, it don’t mean nothin’, and don’t mean nothin’
Drive on
It was a slow walk in a sad rain
And nobody tried to be John Wayne
I came home, but Tex did not
And I can’t talk about the hit he got
But I got a little limp now when I walk
And I got a little tremolo when I talk
But my letter read from Whiskey Sam
You’re a walkin’ talkin’ miracle from Vietnam
Drive on, it don’t mean nothin’
My children love me, but they don’t understand
And I got a woman who knows her man
Drive on, it don’t mean nothin’, it don’t mean nothin’
Drive on
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The Nikon 500mm PF Lens
Steve Elkins at Bedfords asked me to let folks know that he has two of these hard-to-get-your-hands-on lenses in stock. The 500 PF was my very favorite Nikon lens. Save $50 by getting in touch with Steve as noted below.
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 over $1000.00, 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. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.
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 10 MAR 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1600. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — I went with lots of Zebras on the sky: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:36am on a cloudy bright morning. Zone AF-C was the ticket. Click on the image to enjoy a larger sharper version. Image #1: Purple Martin female in flight |
Martin Flight Photography
Wikipedia, on Purple Martins: They are known for their speed, agility, and their characteristic mix of rapid flapping and gliding flight pattern. . Martins like swifts and swallows are fast, darting, erratic flyers. Twenty minutes of trying in a neighbor’s yard left my arms fatigued and my spirit broken; I have not been back since …
One thing is for sure, strong folks with high-level hand-eye coordination and superior fine motor skills would surely do better than I do.
With SONY gear in my hands, even I have a chance; I was thrilled to get one sharp one. Heck, I was thrilled to get one in the frame!
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This image was created on 10 MAR 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1600. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — I went with lots of Zebras on the sky: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:36am on a cloudy bright morning. Zone AF-C was the ticket. Click on the image to enjoy a larger sharper version. Image #2: Purple Martin female in flight |
Difference?
Can you see a difference betweeen Image #1 and Image #2? If yes, what is it? If yes, which one do you prefer?
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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 or Bedfords, 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’m with #2, for the same reasons as Richard and John.
Just a bit lighter and the extra detail under her left (our right) wing’s dark spot inboard.
Be well out there.
From all I can tell, they are the same basic image. The second seems to be modified with a plug-in similar to NIK Detail Extractor. No?
Same exact image. No plug-in or Nik.
with love, artie
Love Mr. Cash. I may be the only one and maybe my Tablet screen is a factor. I like #1. The bird appears darker/deeper in color and it draws me to it more than #2 which is brighter. Which is your Fav?
PS I liked the Juxtoposition shot but really liked the beautiful shot of the Tri-Colored Heron. Never seen one in SoCal. Loved the 1st time I saw one in your book I believe.
PPS. I googled L-Lysine supplement info and I was right. Just Google pros and cons of L-Lysine.
Helps with cold sores and Herpies viruses……Probiotics build immune system which is largely in our gut system. Great shots. Never had a sharp shot of a Martin or swallow. They are quick little buggers!
Hi Jeff, I will share my thoughts in the Friday blog post.
Thanks for commenting.
with love, artie
Thank you for sharing your photos. I feel the #1 photo was a bit sharper than #2. I keep trying to make photos of birds as you do, but I have a long way to go to close to your shots. I know it is Spring, as my beautiful pair of Blue Birds Have returned. I am going to work hard to get some great shot of them.
Thank you again for sharing.
Thanks for your comment. The sharpness in each of these images is identical. They are both from the same RAW file.
with love, artie
I like #2 because the brightness seems correct, whereas #1 seems a little under exposed. Is the ISO of 16,000 correct? If so, was it almost dark when you took that photo?
Bingo on the brightness. The ISO was 1600. Thanks for catching my typo. It has been fixed.
with love, artie
I like #2. Sharper, but not crunchy. Well done. Brighter also and that needed to be done.
Have you tried the topaz applications? Denise AI, Sharpen AI?
Exact same image, just lightened.
I will be try8hing Topz Sharpen AI soon.
with love, artie
Hi, Artie. Thanks for the Johnny Cash lyrics; he was such a star. Sheila and I went to Atlanta to see EmmyLou Harris this past November. Another great one.
Image 2 is lighter than image 1 and so more detail is visible. I prefer image #2 because image #1 is too dark for my taste.
I forgot to add, great sharp images. I’ve struggled to good good sharp images of least terns flying; also challenging. I get some good ones but my keeper rate isn’t very high.
Interesting comments about Johnny Cash & the Vietnam War … I had been a young Bar Mitzvah boy from Tennessee. I met Johnny Cash & my uncle Mickey Cash got drunk with him a couple of times. Haunting singing voice & compelling lyrics. In the first draft lottery, I was at the university, but a little behind in my class hours. My birthday was #1. My life changed after that. I sure like looking at your lovely pictures.
Hey Jimmy,
No relation I assume? Agree with haunting & compelling.. Did you serve?
with love, artie
Least Terns are tough, but easy compared to martins 🙂
with love, artie
YAW. These lines makes me really glad that I did not go:
And even now, every time I dream
I hear the men and the monkeys in the jungle scream
Emmy Lou is great too. I will share more on how I lightened the image on Friday.
with love, artie
Re yesterday’s images, and to make sure you do get at least one response, albeit from a complete novice!
To be completely honest Artie, whilst I appreciate the time and skill it took to create, the juxtaposition yesterday didn’t do a lot for me…. I think the foreground bird was just too low in the frame, would have been better tucked in to the curve of the neck of the background bird if at all possible. However, the second of yesterday’s images of the heron, was superb. What a beautiful bird.
Given this enforced isolation, I think it’s a good time to learn how to use my very inferior camera system again!
PS… Thanks for the tips on what to take to help boost the immune system. I was hospitalised with pneumonia 4 months ago, so I am decidedly twitchy about this wretched virus….
Thanks. The chance was there for maybe three seconds and I was not too happy with the result either 🙂
stay well, artie
Artie, Believe I prefer #2. A little lighter and subjectively more detailed. ? detail extractor/tonal contrast
Just lighter. Stay well.
with love, artie
Hey Arthur, Nice flight frame of this martin. Looks like image #2 had some detail extractor applied or maybe just upped the exposure some. My favorite Johnny Cash song is Sunday Morning Coming Down. The live version from The Essential Johnny Cash is the best one. Was also wondering if you have any suggestions for window mounts or beanbags for shooting from a vehicle?
Hi John,
Just lightened. Love Sunday Morning Coming Down too. And Give My Love to Rose as well.
For a decade I used the BLUBB, a heavy beanbag that I invented. More recently, I set up my tripod in the car and take advantage of the FlexShooter Pro.
with love, artie