Your Call?
Which of today’s four featured square images do you like best? Why?
My Call
In Thursday’s blog post, I agree with all who commented that the vertical crop was the most powerful. Thanks to Cliff Beittel for his erudite (as always) comment:
Cliff Beittel/April 27, 2023 at 11:20am
(1) While theoretically you can hand hold a 24mm lens at 1/4 sec., that won’t stop subject movement, so I’m not sure ISO 1000 and 1/1600 sec. is ridiculous given a great sensor, Topaz DeNoise, and the chance of squabbling or flying birds. (2) Yes, I could imagine getting closeups, as 24mm makes the birds look twice as distant as they were. (3) But I wouldn’t have been at all sure I could get a result as great as your vertical twosome, a family jewel reminiscent of your best gannets.
Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART/April 28, 2023 at 4:56 pm
1- I had not thought of that. In the same situation, I would, however, cut the ISO and the shutter speed in half.
2- Isolating the head was the biggest problem.
3- Thanks for your kind words.
The Fact$ of Life
Right now, the market for editorial sales of natural history images has virtually disappeared. The incomes of the world’s top stock photographers are down by at least 90%. Like me, most depend on income from photo trips, the sale of educational materials, and income from this or that affiliate program.
In 2001, BAA sold the publication rights to images for nearly one-quarter million US dollars. That amount dropped to about $20,000 by 2011, and in 2017, to slightly more than $2,000.00. We’ve stopped counting. IPTs used to fill within days. Now I am happy to go with one or two folks, but I’d much rather have you along. And so it goes. In 2009, I turned to creating educational blog posts, now to the tune of 4010. Yes, 4010 educational blog posts. So, please remember to use either my B&H or Bedfords affiliate links for your major purposes. It does not cost you one cent to do either.
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. When I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
B&H Simplified
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Iceland
My decades-long dream of spending time on Grimsey Island, Iceland, with the puffins — 13 days in this case!, will be realized this coming July. I am doing back-to-back trips as a participant. If anyone would like information on the world’s greatest Iceland/Atlantic Puffin trip this coming July, please contact me via e-mail.
What’s Up?
My Bonaire vacation continues to be both productive and restful. On Friday morning, Steve and I revisited the Main Pond at the sewer works. We did well, but not as well as I had expected. On Thursday evening Steve, Mere, and I dined out with Elsmarie Beukenboom, recently knighted by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands honoring her lifetime of work in nature management and cultural affairs on Bonaire.
Today is Saturday 28 April 2023. I fly back to Miami this afternoon and will spend the night there, wake early, and head either to Wakdahatchee or Green Cay. This blog post took about three hours to prepare including the time spent on the image optimizations. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
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!
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.
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This image was created on 27 April 2023 at one of the two ponds by the sewer works on Bonaire in the Caribbean Netherlands. Seated on hard pan with the tripod lowered, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 1250: 1/3200 second at f/5.6.(wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:43:39am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed quite well. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Lesser Yellowlegs defending feeding territory |
Square Crops
I do not hesitate to go to a square crop if the raw file calls for it. With this image and with #4, flamingo reflections made going 1:1 the obvious choice.
Getting both birds in the frame with too much focal length (840mm) was a struggle — in most of the images I clipped one or both birds as they tumbled about.
Robus RC-5558 Versus Robus RC-5558-3
The Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod has four leg sections. The Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod has three leg sections. At the last minute, I decided to bring the RC-5558-3 to Bonaire. Both weigh almost exactly the same (5.2 and 5.1 lbs. respectively) and can support any lens that you own. The closed length of the 5558 is 22.5″ as compared to 26.9″ for the 3-leg section 5558-3. That makes the 5558 a bit easier to pack. I recently came to realize that it is easier to work with a 3-leg section tripod than it is to work with a 4-leg section tripod as there is one few twist lock to deal with.
Topped by a Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro, either should be fine for folks up to about 6′ 1″ tall. Taller folks or those who need a tall tripod when working on a ladder, for example, are directed to the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod that comes in just about one foot taller and weighs only 5.6 lbs. If you are looking to save a bit of weight check out the Robus RCC-5560 Vantage Series C 4-Section Carbon Fiber Compact Tripod.
Do know that on average, RWS (Really Wrong Stuff) tripods cost more than twice as much as the comparable Robus models and do not perform as efficiently as my Robus 5558s do.
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This image was created on 27 April 2023 at one of the two ponds by the sewer works on Bonaire in the Caribbean Netherlands. Seated on hard pan with the tripod lowered, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 1250: 1/5000 second at f/5.6.(wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:49:15 am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed quite well. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: Black-necked Stilt flapping after bath |
Is Image Rotation Needed?
For this one another flamingo necessitated the square crop. As I looked at the image, it seemed to need a bit of counter-clockwise rotation. But, when I did that, it looked as if the bird would fall over frontwards. WDYT?
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This image was created on 28 April 2023 at one of the two ponds by the sewer works on Bonaire in the Caribbean Netherlands. Seated on hard pan with the tripod flattened, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 800. 1/800 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect. AWB at 7:43:39am on a mostly cloudy morning. Tracking: Expand Spot with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: White-rumped Sandpiper ruffling |
Northbound White-rumped Sandpipers
I have seen northbound birds of this species only a handful of times in more than four decades of birding and photography, twice since I moved to Florida in 1993. I was surprised, no, make that shocked, to see that they are seen regularly on Bonaire in spring (and then again in the fall on their way to the wintering grounds in southern South America). Small numbers do winter occasionally in the Caribbean.
To ID this species note that it is larger and longer-winged than Leasts and Semis, has an orange base to the lower mandible, streaks on the side of the upper breast, and of course, a white rump that is most readily seen in flight.
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This image was created on 27 April 2023 at one of the two ponds by the sewer works on Bonaire in the Caribbean Netherlands. Seated on hard pan with the tripod lowered, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 800: 1/1000 second at f/5.6.(wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:49:15 am on a mostly cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed quite well. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #4: American Flamingo preening |
Two Different Flamingoes
As we sat behind our tripods photographing the Black-necked Stilts, two different flamingoes walked from the south end of the pond to the north end of the pond. Each fed and drank and preened and posed for a while. The first one, the duller one, walked back to the south end of the pond, the other took flight. It was a close as I had ever come to a wild flamingo.
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Image #4A: Huge crop of the American Flamingo preening image |
What Can I Say?
The fine detail in even huge crops of sharp Sony a1 files is indeed astounding.
Your Call?
Which version do you like best, I, the horizontal crop that includes the head of the third bird, or II, the crop to a 2X3 vertical? Why?
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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)
If you have been continually impressed by the quality of the Sony a1 images that you have been seeing on the blog, know that 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 142 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 seven 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.
Can’t get enough flamingos, and the beauty in Image 4 really fits the square frame. The stilt is sweet too, and I think it can be leveled better in ACR’s Geometry panel by drawing guidelines (1) along the back of the left wing and its reflection (but ignoring the tips of the primaries), and (2) along the top of the blue water. That actually tilts the bird clockwise a bit and looks natural. Had a big night with six stilts myself in the past week and spent a lot of time getting the birds and their ripples leveled.
On the Robus tripods, I thought about the Induro you had for sale a while back but decided it wasn’t tall enough (though I’m only 6’2″ these days). Bought the Robus 5570 before that brand showed up in your captions and love the height for nesting birds. Even with a very high angle shot, I can have the viewfinder at eye level or above using a 500 f4, teleconverter, and the EF-to-R converter.
Thanks for your kind words. As for leveling the stilt image, when I draw a line along the top of the blue water, I get a CCW rotation. And I hesitate to level via the reflections when they are not distinct … Speaking of Black-necked Stilts, where did you photograph yours?
Paraphrasing Red, (played by Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption) who said, “Some birds are not meant to be caged, that’s all,” (Perhaps) some images are not meant to be leveled 🙂
And yes, the Robus tripods are great.
with love, artie
It’s been the privilege of a lifetime to be out in the field with you, Artie. After following your blogs and videos online forever, experiencing your pursuit of the best possible images in person is on a whole ‘nother level. I’m profoundly grateful, and will be a much better shooter for your counsel. If anyone reading this has not yet experienced an IPT with Artie, you are missing out on a tremendous opportunity to learn from the master.
As for “Hip to be Square” day, I like Image 2 for the composition and wing action of the Stilt, and how your light-handed optimization rendered details like fine water droplets so impressively. Image 3 caught nice action, and a pleasing sense of motion. Image 4 is a beaut for balance between the leg, body, neck and head, and the alignment with the clean greens in the background. And 4A truly brings home just how closely the wild flamingos approached us, and how effective 840mm was for nailing the detail. Marvelous.
Hy Steve, Thanks for your more than kind words. Please send my love to Mere and I look forward to seeing you both and working with you again on the upcoming Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime 🙂
with much love, artie
Images #1 and #2 and #3 and #4 and #4A are good and interesting! Image #2 Black-necked Stilt flapping after bath is for the song “Splish Splash I was taking a bath” — HaHaHa!!