What’s Up?
Sunday morning was shaping up to be a dud. I was about ready to head home before 7:30, but I paused when I stepped off the pier hoping that something good might fly by. Something did and I made the most of it. Then I got on the ground on Park Avenue and let the Wild Turkey poults come to me. That worked well too.
Today is Monday 27 June 2022. The forecast is for partly cloudy with an east breeze. You will find me on the pier early. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 Minutes to prepare and makes one hundred one Dalmatians in a row. Oops, I mean one hundred one days in a row with a new post.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!
BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)
Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.
Induro GIT 304L Price Drop
Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906.
Please Remember
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
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If You Enjoy the Blog …
Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.
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. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
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This image was created on 26 June 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing just left of the pier, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined accurately using Zebra technology. ISO 1600. 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect. AWB at 7:28:51am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Osprey with matted grasses for its nest |
79 Images in Three Seconds
I saw an Osprey fly over the marsh to the left of the pier and was surprised when another Osprey appeared to my left and dove into the marsh grasses with its talons outstretched. I knew that it was going in to grab some nesting material as I have seen them do this before. I got on the bird and fired off a long burst. When the smoke cleared, I had created 79 images in about three seconds. I kept ten. My three favorites are featured in this blog post.
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This image was created on 26 June 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing just to the left of the bade of the pier, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined accurately using Zebra technology. ISO 1600. 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect. AWB at 7:28:52am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Osprey with matted grasses for its nest |
Questions
Which is the best image of the three? Why? Which image has the worst wing position? Could it be that the image with the worst wing position is the best image?
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This image was created on 26 June 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing just to the left of the bade of the pier, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined accurately using Zebra technology. ISO 1600. 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect. AWB at 7:28:53am on a somewhat hazy but sunny morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Osprey with matted grasses for its nest |
Right Place, Right Time, and Dumb Luck? Or Not?
As I walked off the pier and decided to hang out for five minutes, I asked myself, “What bird is most likely to fly by?” The obvious answer: “Osprey.” I set the shutter speed to 1/3200 second for flight, and the aperture to f/5.6. I use the wide-open aperture for 99% of my flight photography as the distance to the bird will almost always provide enough depth of field to cover the entire subject. As for the ISO, I had previously been shooting the Osprey in flight on sunny days at 1/3200, f/5.6 at ISO 1250. With the haze, I added 1/3 stop of light by going to ISO 1600. When the first Osprey flew by, I framed the distant, small-in-the-frame subject, half-pressed the shutter button, and checked for Zebras. With just a few, I knew that the exposure I had set would be perfect.
Yes, I was at the right place at the right time. And I was glad (and lucky) that the action occurred right in front of me and right down light angle. But had I not been ready for Osprey flight, my good luck would have gone for naught. In this and most instances, being prepared was much more important that being lucky.
Lots of folks think along those lines.
“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” Alexander Graham Bell.
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Benjamin Franklin
“I believe luck is preparation meeting opportunity. If you hadn’t been prepared when the opportunity came along, you wouldn’t have been lucky.” Oprah Winfrey
“Only I have no luck any more. But who knows? Maybe today. Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.” Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
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Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action. Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points! |
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. By June 1, 2022, the group was up to an astounding 124 lucky and blessed folks. (More than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive six e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.
All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide here in the BAA Online Store.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
All gorgeous images of my favourite bird. I’ll be the odd one out and say I prefer image #1.
Image 2 has the worst wing position but is nevertheless the best image due to its great background.
I’m going with 2, and….
“The harder I work, the luckier I get”.
All the best.
Guido
Image is my favorite for all the reasons others have said they prefer it. As you know, my favorite quote on luck is Branch Rickey’s: “Luck is the residue of design.”
Image #2. I wish we could edit these posts!
I would have to pick image #2 as my favorite.
Image #1 has the worst wing position – the wings are not fully stretched, and the angle of the left wing makes it such that less of the upper side of the wing is visible.
It was a hard choice to pick between #2 and #3. I love the broken off bits of grass in the last image and it really adds to the story. But I have to go with #2 for the following reasons:
1. Your own mantra “add green whenever possible” and I love the layer of green in this image.
2. The head angle is better in image #2. Maybe it’s not the head angle but the direction of the eye. In image #2, the bird is looking more towards the viewer compared to 3rd image where the eye is looking forward.
3. I like the wing position better for #2. Even though the 3rd image has better position for the right wing, the 2nd image shows a lot more details of the top side of the left wing.
4. Upon close inspection, the 3rd image is a tad bit less sharp than the 2nd image.
Image 3 for me. Clean background and falling debris makes it.
For me it’s image 2. The head is slightly higher giving a sense of more power along with the higher back wing. If you look at the necks of all three you can see the difference. I do like the grasses falling off in 3.
Artie,
In image 2, I’m not exactly sure what the background is (lake vs distant land vs sky vs other), but it gives the impression of a slanted horizon line to my eye. It looks like it could benefit from a very slight rotation clockwise overall.
Ryan
Artie
There amazing and show a great sequence no nits from me! oops 1 wish i took them 🙂
Always with love b
I was surprised to see ospreys still gathering materials to build nests at this time of year.
I’m torn between image two and image three (though I really like the first image). What stands out for me on image three is that the bird takes up more of the frame. Image two stands out for the layers of background colors, starting with the green, the blue/grey moving into light blue, the grey streak, followed by the line of blue/grey. This is the image that probably has the worse wing position.
Attributed to Seneca: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”