The Unexpected Mega-Afternoon on a BAA DeSoto IPT

What’s Up?

As I will be taking the Auto Train north on Sunday afternoon and spending a few days at Nickerson Beach before my trigger finger surgery on this coming Thursday, I will be busy packing for the next few days. Today is Friday 19 May 2023. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

All are cordially invited to join me next year on a Homer or a San Diego Instructional Photo Tour (IPT). I will be announcing fall dates for two or three Fort DeSoto IPTs soon.

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 4034. Yes, 4034 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

To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. Thanking me for the past 4000 educational blog posts could not be any easier and will not cost you one penny. Please shoot me your B&H receipt for major purchases.

Bedfords Simplified

Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.

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.

New Listings

Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM Autofocus Telephoto Lens

BAA Record-low Price!

John Nelson is offering a Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM autofocus telephoto lens in excellent condition for a BIRDS AS ART record-low $599.00. The sale includes the soft pouch, the hood, the front and rear lens caps, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John via e-mail.

Ideal for portraiture, the EF 135mm f/2L USM is a medium telephoto prime and a member of Canon’s L-series of lenses. The long focal length coupled with the f/2 maximum aperture afford a great deal of control over depth of field for isolating subject matter and using selective focus, and the bright aperture also benefits shooting handheld in low-light conditions. In regard to the optical design, the lens uses two ultra-low dispersion elements to control chromatic aberrations and color fringing for high clarity, and a Super Spectra coating has also been applied to suppress flare and ghosting for increased contrast and color accuracy. Complementing the imaging attributes, a ring-type USM is employed to deliver quick and quiet autofocus performance along with full-time manual focus. It is compatible with both the EF 1.4X and EF 2X teleconverters. B&H and Canon.

Canon EOS-1DX Mark II Digital SLR Camera with Extras!

BAA Record-low Price!

John Nelson is offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II dSLR camera in excellent condition for a BIRDS AS ART record low $1599.00. The sale includes the original box, one battery, the charger, the front body cap, four (4) 128 128GB CFast memory cards, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John via e-mail.

The 1DX Mark II is a rugged, fast Canon professional digital camera body. It features an excellent AF system and high quality image files with great dynamic range. When he used Canon, it was the first choice of Arash Hazeghi, the world’s premier photographer of birds in flight. Two 1DX II-s served as my workhorse bodies for several years. And I loved them. artie

Canon Fire Sale

Canon EOS-1DX Mark III dSLR

Price Reduced: $500.00 on 18 May 2023!
BAA Record-low Price!

Tom Torget is offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark III body in near-mint condition for $4249.00 (was $4,749.00). The sale includes three Canon batteries, the battery charger, the strap, the front lens cover, the manual, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 addresses only.

Please contact Tom via email at e-mail or by phone at 1-830-377-5483 (Central time).

The 1DX III is Canon’s top-of-the-line professional digital camera body. It feature’s Canon’s best-ever dSLR AF system. It is fast and rugged. BAA friend and many multiple IPT veteran Clemens Van der Werf absolutely loves his and killed with it in Homer even during blizzards! The camera sells new right now at B&H for $5,999.00; grab Tom’s camera today and save a very handsome $1750.00 on his as-good-as-new body! artie

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens

Price Reduced: $100.00 on 18 May 2023!
BAA Record-low Price!

Tom Torget is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in near mint condition for a BAA record-low $997.00 (was $1,097.00). The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the lens hood, a Wimberley lens plate, the carrying case, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 addresses only.

Please contact Tom via e-mail or by phone at 1-830-377-5483 (Central time).

This incredibly versatile zoom lens — with its amazing .98-meter close focus — was my favorite Canon telephoto zoom lens ever. By far. It is easy to hand hold, great for tight portraits, for birds in flight, for quasi-macro stuff, and lots more. For flight, it is deadly with an EOS R, R3, R5, R6, or R7! This lens sells new for $2399.00 so you can save a handsome $1400.00 by grabbing Tom’s lens right now. artie

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV dSLR

Price Reduced: $100.00 on 18 May 2023!
BAA Record-low Price!

Tom Torget is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV body in near-mint condition for $1,011.99 (was $1,111.99). The sale includes one battery, the charger, the strap, the front lens cover, the manual, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 addresses only.

Please contact Tom via email at e-mail or by phone at 1-830-377-5483 (Central time).

What can I say? The 5D IV was my favorite-ever Canon digital dSLR. I owned and used three of them while my 1DX II sat on the shelf in my garage. A new 5D Mark IV, with its 30.4MP full-frame CMOS sensor, sells new for $2,499. If you have been dreaming of a 5D IV, grab Tom’s body right now and save a neat $1,400.00. artie

The Unexpected Mega-Afternoon on a BAA DeSoto IPT

As a general rule, afternoons at DeSoto are rarely as good as the mornings. On the third day of the third Spring IPT, I headed out with “only” the Sony 200-600mm G lens, an a1, and a 1.4X TC in my fanny pack. I was so sure that we would not kill that I did not bring an extra card. Oops! It turned out to be the best session by far. Why was I so wrong? I did not expect the super high tide.

All are invited to select what they feel are the three strongest images and to leave a comment letting us know why they made their choices. Which was your very favorite? Best would be to pause the video and note the file #, like this, for example: A1G0250. Or, you can describe the image (if it is unique).

I have a single clear favorite that I will share with you here on Sunday.

Typos

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