Amazon
In it’s infinite wisdom, the Amazon affiliate program recently eliminated all types of generic and logo links as well as product-specific links with images such as those formerly featured on the Great (Photographic Accessory) Stuff tab here (and above on the orange-yellow menu bar).
In this and many future blog posts, I will post an item that contains my Amazon Affiliate link. If you do not wish to purchase the item, you can help support the work that I do here by clicking on the link and then continuing to shop. Please consider making it a habit to visit the blog before you do your Amazon shopping online. Great news: it will not cost you a penny more, works great with your Amazon Prime or Amazon Business accounts, and will be gratefully appreciated.
Leg Cramps?
I suffered with nighttime leg cramps for several decades. I often woke tangled in the bedding in vicious pain from a leg cramp, unable to stand or find relief. About four years ago Dr. Cliff Oliver suggested that I try Quicksilver Scientific Quintessential 3.3 Sachets – Hypertonic Solution – Filtered Sea Water Hydration Packets – Liquid Minerals for Muscle Recovery, Stamina + Mineral Replenishment (30 Count). The results have been and continue to be amazing. I’ve gone from having several cramps a night to perhaps having one cramp every three of four months. This item is brought to you as a public service.
My Call
In the last blog post, all but Bill Atwood felt that the horizontal pelican flight image was the stronger image. I would agree that Image #1 was the more beautiful photo. But that only because the bird was in full breeding plumage. The bird in Image #2 was a duller 2nd year bird. The image design of Image #2, shot as a vertical original, was however, in my humble opinion, the far stronger composition. But only 25 times better. For me. Folks were reacting to the beautiful colors of the bird in the first photo.
BTW, I never asked anything about either image 🙂
Jeff: January 26, 2024 at 12:25am:
Horizontal looks better and the subject is better. Duh right. Better rethink that grip!
Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART: January 27, 2024 at 8:44am
Thanks for the advice, Jeff. But I will be ignoring it. See my reasoning in the next post.
I do agree that the bird in the first image was more colorful and more beautiful than the bird in the second image, but the image design of the vertical original is the far stronger of the two. For me.
with love, a
What’s Up?
On Friday, I took the group to Santee Lake. We were in perfect position for fire in the mist (backlit ground fog on the water), and there was a ton of steam at sunrise, but very few ducks were swimming in the right place. Both sessions were filled with cooperative ducks: Wood, Ring-necked, Ruddy, American Wigeon, Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, Lesser Scaup, Northern Shoveler, and 1.2 zillion coots. Because the photography has been so good and we have done several time consuming image review and Photoshop sessions, I am farther behind in picking my keepers than ever before. Adding in the 3100 images of both drake and hen ducks as well as some nice cormorant silhouettes, I now have more than 15,000 images to go through. Thank god for Photo Mechanic.
Today is Saturday 27 January 2024. Monte and I are headed back to Santee early. Wherever you are and whatever you choose to do, I hope that you too have a great day.
Please remember to use the B&H 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!
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.
Save 15%!
If you’d like to try out a new lens or if you need a lens for a specific trip or project (or for an IPT), LensRentals.com is the only way to go. To save 15%, simply click on the logo link above, arrange for your rental, and type in BIRDSASART15. If you type the gear you are looking for in the search box, it will pop right up. LensRentals.com offers affordable insurance. You can decline it, opt for LensCap: Damage Only, or select LensCap: Damage & Theft. Then hit PROCEED TO CHECKOUT. After you enter all of your info but before completing your order, be sure to scroll down to Promo Code box and enter the BIRDSASART15 code to save 15%.
I checked on renting a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens for a week. The cost is only $122.00. LensCap: Damage Only coverage can be added for a very low $18.00. Going with LensCap: Damage & Theft would be $27.00. The shipping charge varies. They offer an interesting program called Lensrentals HD. By signing up for this shipping discount program ($99.00/year), you’ll get free Standard Shipping on all the orders you place.
Renting a Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens for a week will cost you $536.00. The two coverage options come in at $76.00 or $114.00. Less your 15% discount when you enter the BIRDSASART15 code into the Promo Code box at checkout and enter the BIRDSASART15 codeine the Promo Code box at checkout to save 15%.
Remember, to save the 15% on your rental you must start your search by clicking on the logo above, or on this link: LensRentals.com
B&H
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. B&H will reopen on Fri April 14. 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.
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Bedfords Simplified
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Bedfords Amazing 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, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
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.
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This image was created by Monte Brown on the first 2024 San Diego IPT on 22 January 2024. He used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Mongoose M3.6 Action Head-mounted 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 6400. 1/500 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead solid perfect. AWB at 2:53:18pm on a very cloudy afternoon. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Allen’s Hummingbird male
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Ignore the High ISOs!
The Allen’s was amazingly cooperative last Monday. In very low light, we both went with 1200mm. I worked mostly and 1/250 and 1/320 second to “save a bit on the ISO.” Monte Brown, however, actually listened to the teacher and worked at 1/500 second with ISO 6400. Not only does his image look great, but all of his hummer photos were sharper than mine.
Sometimes it pays to listen to the teacher …
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This image was created by Monte Brown on the first 2024 San Diego IPT on 24 January 2024. He used the the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 500mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/640 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:45:09am on a cloudy, fairly bright morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Brown Pelican Pacific-race scratching
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Monte and Sony
Like me, Monte used Canon gear for many, many years. He has been on many IPTs. About 1 1/2 years ago, Monte bit the bullet, sold most of his Canon gear, and went all in on Sony. As you can see here today, the improvement in his images has been dramatic. As scratching is not a violent movement, he used an intermediate shutter speed here. As I had suggested, it was fast enough to render the scratching foot sharp. There is no limit as to how much you can learn on an IPT if you are open to listening and if you sincerely want to get better.
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This image was created by Monte Brown on the first 2024 San Diego IPT on 24 January 2024. He used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Mongoose M3.6 Action Head-mounted 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 2500. 1/1000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead solid perfect. AWB at 10:19:09am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Brown Pelican Pacific-race breeding plumage rear view of back of head and neck/abstract
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Long Focal Length/Distant Background
This gorgeous bird was sitting on a dirt ridge. The clouds allowed us to work well off what would have been sun angle had it been a clear day. This enabled us to use the distant cliff as background. The yellowish/brown dirt sets off the bright colors of the pelicans head and neck perfectly. I optimized all four of Monte’s images here with my current BIRDS AS ART digital workflow as detailed in the Digital Basics III Video Series.
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This image was created by Monte Brown on the first 2024 San Diego IPT on 24 January 2024. He used the the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/2500 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 11:29:03am on a cloudy, fairly bright morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #4: Brown Pelican Pacific-race braking to land
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A Blog Question
If you recognize this individual pelican, please leave a comment and let us know where you last saw it.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
One and four are as sweet as honey, right off the comb. Thanks for sharing. The Hummer is special! Thanks again.
Thanks, Jeff. And #3 ain’t bad either.
a
Artie
I do recognize that pelican! I saw it earlier this morning on the blog, huh yup same one 🙂
Monte great captures i like the head neck #3 great job on picking out a different look! OOh and you picked up the 600 omg i am envious.
I am not really feeling the scratch, i like the full flight coming in but i do not see him scratching as Arties named it the same as the scratch #2 and i like the little hummer.
Always with love b
Thanks, Bob. My scratching cut and paste error has been fixed. All can apply for a full refund by e-mailing me at BAA-could-care-less@aol.com
with love, a
Image #1 of Monte Brown and Image #2 and Image #4 of Brown Pelican are interesting and easy to see. Image #3 Brown Pelican back of head and neck is imaging but you can’t see his face. It is well made though.
Artie: in the previous blog post, my preference for the horizontal image at nothing to do with the brighter plumage. I really preferred the composition.
I understood that well 🙂
a
[Thumbs up]. Love the hummingbird image. In my experience, switching to new camera gear does two things for me. 1. It increases my keeper rate. 2. It allows me to take better images of a certain narrow class of subjects. But I’m usually surprised when I go back and look at images I took years ago by how good some of them are.
Or…… is that the clue? They’re the same bird…..?
I think Image 2 is the ‘scratching’ pelican, not Image 4!?
Not the same bird.
a