What’s Up?
Wednesday morning — 10 JUNE 2020 — was still and foggy to start followed quickly by still and sunny. I made two really good flower images and found a wonderful old oak tree in damp woods. It was covered with moss and Baton Rouge (strawberry) Lichens and more than a few air plants. Those photos were somewhat disappointing. As I continued exploring and photographing, I met a Willie Nelson-type guy named Ralph on a bike. We got to chatting and he took me to a spot a block from his home near Orange and Magnolia that was rife with several new-for-me wildflower species. Ralph volunteers at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. He knows a lot about a lot and is quite willing to share. Bingo!
I’ve been doing my now regular 66 lengths (3/4 mile) earlier in the day to avoid the late afternoon thunderstorms. On Tuesday afternoon it rained hard for more than four hours. On Wednesday the daily monsoon lasted only about an hour. How’s that for progress?
I was thrilled to learn that thee sale of Carol Anderson’s Canon 200-400 with Internal TC and her 1DX Mark II became pending.
On Thursday, I am planning to record the RawDigger Flower and Static Subjects Exposure Guide. I will follow that up with the RawDigger Avain Exposure Guide. More on those soon.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
SONY e-Guide Discount Program
Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.
Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.
|
|
88 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris |
The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)
Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.
Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.
Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.
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.
|
|
This image was created on 3 JUNE 2020 at the TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport by Greg Gulbransen. He used a tripod-mounted Rodenstock 32mm lens on the Phase One IQ4 150MP Digital Back with the XT Camera body. ISO 100. Three seconds at f/14. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Greg Gulbransen. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. TheRe-constructed Lounge |
TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport
The TWA Hotel is located on the grounds of John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York. It opened on May 15, 2019. It utilizes the headhouse of what was the TWA Flight Center airline terminal, designed in 1962 by the architect Eero Saarinen. The TWA Hotel project added two buildings on either side of the existing headhouse. The two buildings contain a total of 512 rooms between them along as well as a conference space, six to eight restaurants, and an aviation history museum. There is a rooftop infinity swimming pool and a 10,000 square feet observation deck. Many of the TWA Flight Center’s original details, such as the custom ceramic floor tiles and the 486 variously-shaped window panels, were replaced with replicas of the originals. These details give the hotel a 1960s-era vibe, and include brass lighting, walnut-accented furnishings, and rotary phones. The hallways contain red carpeting, evocative of the color of the furniture in the original TWA lounge. The rooms, however, also contain modern amenities such as blackout curtains and multi-pane soundproof windows. The large departure board, a split-flap display made in Italy has been a feature of the building since the Flight Center’s opening in 1962; it was fully restored as part of the hotel project. The TWA Hotel also includes a cocktail lounge inside a preserved Lockheed L-1649 Starliner, the last model of the Lockheed Constellation line of airliners; the lounge is nicknamed “Connie”.
Right now, room rates at the hotel are surpsingly low, almost surely due to the restricted travel policies in place. Learn more here.
Greg Gulbransen
Greg Gulbransen, a pediatrician from Long Island, is an incredibly talented photographer. You can see collection of his an eclectic images on his website here. If you take a minute to follow the link to Greg’s gallery, you will see some gorgeous and moving photography. After browsing several of the galleries I spent an hour reading and following a few links under the IN THE NEWS tab. One of Greg’s polar bear images was named grand prize winner in the 2016 The Weather Channel “It’s Amazing Photo Contest.” The first prize was a handsome $15,000.00.
If you are curious about the gear that Greg used to create today’s two featured images, note that the price tag for his kit is well in excess of $75.000.00. Greg has led a beyond-amazing life and I am proud to call him a friend.
|
|
This image was created on 3 JUNE 2020 at the TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport by Greg Gulbransen. He used a tripod-mounted Rodenstock 50mm lens on the Phase One IQ4 150MP Digital Back with the XT Camera body. ISO 64. Four seconds at f/14. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Greg Gulbransen. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. The Long TWA Hallway |
The Long TWA Hallway
Greg stayed at the hotel last Wednesday night and did some fine architectural photography. He sent me a selection via DropBox and I fell in love with the two images featured here today. Each image is a 2-frame X 2-frame stitched panorama. His photo sessions at the hotel marked the end of his COVID QUIET project. He photographed streets and parks and buildings all over New York City, all completely devoid of people. In his words, he was documenting NYC empty.
The Long TWA Hallway leads from a lower lobby to an upper lobby. Outside the windows of the second-floor lobby is an old Lockheed L-1649 Starliner painted in TWA colors. TWA was in and out of bankruptcy twice during the 1990s and closed up for good in 2001 when it filed for a third and final bankruptcy and was acquired by American Airlines.
Your Fave?
Which of today’s two images is your favorite? Please let us know why you made your pick. I will share my clear favorite with y’all here in a future blog post.
If In Doubt …
If you are 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 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.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links or Bedfords 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 regularly visit 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 :).
Had many good memories passing through that terminal repeatedly when I was young. Back then the country was optimistic and focused on a bright future of possibilities. It seems like so long ago. Though I like the photos, I’m not sure that I am enamored with what they’ve done to the place?
Well, as the alternative was the wrecking ball, me-thinks that it is a pretty cool place; I hope to stay there one day on the way to somewhere great.
with love, artie
I like the second image. It reminds me of the space station in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Great images! And thanks doc!
Greg’s images are amazing Artie! Thanks so much for sharing / shouting out. The COVID Quiet section is just incredible. All very moving and technically perfect.
Thanks, Craig. That’ss what I said. It is always a plus to view good photography no matter the subject material …
with love, artie
The first image strikes my fancy. Love the nastalgia of the TWA Starliner, royal red furnishings, and the feeling you are about to travel somewhere interesting. Tack sharp. Perfect exposure. Love the way your eyes are directed toward the plane which is shown in crisp detail.