Early Morning Bath. And an ISO/Shutter Speed Lesson

What’s Up?

The third morning of the first DeSoto IPT was not as great as the first two, but we had many fabulous chances. The stars were a dancing Reddish Egret and a nice variety of cooperative shorebirds including Willet, Sanderling, Red Knot, and Black-bellied, Piping, and Semipalmated Plovers.

There is lots of room for you on the second and third DeSoto IPTs. See the details below. Today, Wednesday 22 September 2021, is the fourth and last morning of the first DeSoto IPT. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have/had a great day. This blog post took about forty-five minutes to prepare including the time spent on the image optimization.

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This image was created on 21 September 2021 on the third morning of the first DeSoto IPT. While seated on dry sand behind my lowered tripod, I used the Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/ Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the beyond amazing Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only). ISO 2500. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the exposure was about 1/2 stop too dark: 1/1250 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:26am on mostly clear morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed about perfectly and produced a sharp-on-the-eye image. Be sure to click on the image to view the spectacular hi-res version. Image 1: Black-bellied Plover flapping after bath

Early Morning Black-bellied Bath …

A large cloud above the western horizon reflected gorgeous light into the main pool as the sun fought its way through the light clouds in the east. We had some Marbled Godwits, Black-bellied Plovers, and Willets right in front of us. I was working wide open at 1/640 second at ISO 1250. When I saw the black-bellied dipping its breast in the shallow water, I alerted them to the fact that the bird would soon be flapping, and that with the wind from the east, it would turn and flap right at us. Knowing that I would need a faster shutter speed, I increased the ISO and the shutter speed three clicks each to get to ISO 2500 at 1/1250 second. As you can see above, the resulting image was sharp on the eye.

The ISO/Shutter Speed Lesson

When you need speed to stop the action, do not be concerned with the ISO, especially when you have Topaz DeNoise AI to clean things up beautifully.

The Fall 2021 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tours

Fall 2021 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #2

3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 5 October through the morning session on Friday 8 October. $1999.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers/Openings 4.

Fall 2021 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #3

3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 19 October through the morning session on Friday 22 October. $1999.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers/Openings 4.

Fort DeSoto in Fall

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With any luck at all, we should get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy, American Oystercatcher is pretty much guaranteed. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two. And we will get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.

On this IPT, all will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button.. Everyone will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. Most importantly, you will surely learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it). The best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever and whenever you photograph.

There will be a Photoshop/image review session during or after lunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time.

These IPTs will run with only a single registrant (though that is not likely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with Gulfport AirBnB information.

A $500 deposit is due when you sign up and is payable by credit card. Balances must be paid by check after you register. Your deposit is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out with six folks, so please check your plans carefully before committing. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand, or by sending a check as follows: make the check out to: BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, clothing, and gear advice. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

Up Early, Stay Out Late!

Obviously folks attending an IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of the sweetest light and sunrise and sunset colors (when possible). The good news is that the days are relatively short in early fall. I really love it when I am leaving the beach on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving. The length of cloudy morning sessions will often be extended. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.