Change Your Life

Consider changing your life and becoming a much better bird photographer by joining me on a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). DeSoto, San Diego, Homer, and the yet-to-be announced July 2024 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime all offer the opportunity for you to improve your skills both in the field and at the computer and to make some astounding images as well. Click here and see which IPT might be best for you.

What’s Up?

As usual, I walked/rope flowed 2.8 miles on Sunday morning and then headed home. Again I did my easy 48-length morning swim and a 40-length swim at 5:00pm after dinner for a total of one mile. With Hurricane Ian looking as if it were going to make a direct hit on first DeSoto IPT, both participants opted to re-schedule. And best of all, the AirBnB folks offered me a full refund! I was glad to learn that IPT veteran Dane Johnson’s Canon 100-400 II sold for the asking price just after being listed last week.

Today is Monday 26 September 2022. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took almost three hours to prepare makes one hundred eighty-five days in a row with a new one.

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!

Instagram

Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.

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. Order yours here while they last.

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.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

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. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. 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.

Your Image Optimization Skills Matter!

This image was created on 18 October 2021 on a BAA In-the-Field Session at Sebastian Inlet, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 640. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/3200 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect (plus a bit). AWB at 9:17:14am on mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Mullet school under attack from below

Blastoff!

Schools of baitfish are often herded to the surface by larger predatorial fish. At times, large schools of the smaller fish will break the surface in fear of their lives. Such blastoffs leave them open to attacks from above by the master of the air and sea, the Osprey. When conditions are right, October offers some fabulous photography at Sebastian Inlet as large schools of migratory fish are heading south. I will be visiting Sebastian more than ever this October.

BAA In-the-Field (ITF) Diving Osprey Sessions

You do, however, need to know when to stay home. One of the beauties of scheduling and ITF session with me is that we can decide whether (weather) or not to go. If the morning forecast is for sunny with a brisk NW wind, you can re-schedule or opt for a refund.

The cost of three hours of intense and personalized photographic instruction is $300.00. In addition to the Ospreys, Brown Pelicans, several species of terns, and Laughing Gulls often get in on the fishing action. Backup subjects include several species of shorebirds, herons, and egrets, and especially, Wood Stork.

At present, the following dates are available:

OCT 13-19, OCT 27 & 29-31, and NOV 4-12 (All 2022, of course.). Afternoon sessions may be added on for $200.00. Multiple day inquires are available for those coming from out of town. Fly to Orlando and grab a motel in Vero Beach.

Contact me via e-mail to arrange your dates.

This image was created on 18 October 2021 on a BAA In-the-Field Session at Sebastian Inlet, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 640. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/3200 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect (plus a bit). AWB at 9:17:55am on mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: a Photo Mechanic screen capture of the Osprey emerging with a Mullet in its talons image

A Rare Sidelit Flight Image

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When shooting flight, I strive to point my shadow at the bird, usually not being more the 15 – 20° off sun angle a. But when spectacular action occurs right in front of you, albeit 70-80° off sun angle, what’s a photographer to do? Frame, acquire, focus, and shoot. The exposures that I set for Images #1 and #2 were perfect for the birds, but when the sunlit fish made their way into the frame, their bright sides were of course overexposed. That is where your image optimization skills pay off big time. Your handling of the raw conversion in such situations is the basis for the success of the image. I thought that I might have to do two different raw conversions for each of the two images — one normal one and one to save the blown highlights and then combine them and paint in the saved highlights. But by carefully handling the Whites, Highlights, and Shadows sliders, I avoided the extra work. And was happy with the resulting image below.

Note the red over-exposure warning on the cheek of the fish. RawDigger and Photo Mechanic rarely agree, but it this case, both were accurate.

This image was created on 18 October 2021 on a BAA In-the-Field Session at Sebastian Inlet, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 640. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/3200 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect (plus a bit). AWB at 9:17:55am on mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #3: Osprey emerging with a Mullet in its talons

Balancing the Color

I hated the color in the raw file as captured and as seen in Image #2, above. There was a CYAN color cast and the BLUEs were off as well. Some work on the Color Mixer tab during the raw conversion paved the road to success. To deal with the heavy shadows, I relied on Tim Grey Dodge and Burn, lightening the shadowed areas in 20 or 30% increments. Next was some Eye Doctor work. Though they are the same “image,” Images #2 and #3 are vastly different, a no contest if you would. Note also that I added a bit of canvas below (using Content-Aware Crop) and removed the white latch on the Osprey’s left wing. Everything above as noted in BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). Details below.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

Everything above– but for the Color Mixer stuff, and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with my complete digital workflow, Digital Eye Doctor Techniques, and all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — is covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: most of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.

You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. You can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here. Today, I convert my Sony raw files in Photoshop with Adobe Camera Raw.

You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.

Typos

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