Huge Thanks!
Huge thanks to Allan Warner of Seattle, WA for his very generous BAA Blog Thank You Gift! Allan, it is greatly appreciated that you appreciate my effort here. Lots of love your way. artie
Still Room at the Inn
If you would like to join Bob Eastman and me at Sebastian Inlet for some great bird photography, please get in touch via e-mail or call or message me on my cell at 863-221-2372.We will be here until the morning of 23 November.
What’s Up?
As Roseane Rosannada intoned weekly on Saturday Night Live, “It’s always something.” On Friday morning, it was cherished top shots of the Sabine’s Gull for David Pugsley and me. On Saturday morning, multiple IPT veteran Sandra Calderbank joined David and Bob Eastman and me for what turned out to be yet another wonderful morning. We had an Osprey grab a summer flounder right in front of us as the sun shone briefly. And when it clouded over, an American Avocet and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull joined the usual cast of low tide characters for more than an hour. Everyone got some great images of the two uncommon species bathing.
Today is Sunday 10 November. All but Sandy will be headed early to Sebastian Inlet to see what the avian photography gods have planned for us. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, we hope that you too choose to have a wonderful 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.
Supporting My Efforts Here
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.
In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.
Gilda Radner
As a cast member on the original Saturday Night Live, beloved comedienne, the late Gilda Radner, created a compelling character named “Roseanne Rosannadanna” who habitually ended her routine with the line, “It’s always something.” It was her father’s favorite expression about life.
RRS TVC-33 Versa MK2 Tripod Series 3 (3 leg sections)
Used Gear Page regular Stephen Zarate is offering a Really Right Stuff TVC-33 Versa Mark II Series (heavy duty) Tripod in excellent plus condition for a very low $740.00. The sale includes a set of LensCoat leg covers, the hex wrench that came with the tripod, and insured ground shipping via UPS to lower-48 US addresses only.
Please contact Steve via e-mail.
The VERSA MK2 Tripods merge rugged construction with flexibility; they are dependable companions for outdoor photographic adventurists who value versatility in their gear. This one sells new for $1140.00. RRS
Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro
Used Gear Page regular Stephen Zarate is offering a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro tripod head in excellent plus condition for a very low $449.00. The sale includes the original box and insured ground shipping via UPS to lower-48 US addresses only.
Please contact Steve via e-mail.
The Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro is a ball head that acts like a gimbal. Incredibly counter-balanced, there is no ball head flop. Ever. I use this head pretty much every day with the 600mm f4 lens both for general bird photography and for flight and action. They sell new everywhere for $699.00. Learn more by watching the video here. artie
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8GII ED & Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G Package
Used Gear Page regular Dennis Westover is offering a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8GII ED lens in excellent condition and a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G lens, also in excellent condition for a silly low price of $829.00 for the pair. The 70-200 sale includes the front and rear lens cap, the original cordura case, the lens shade, and a RRS tripod foot. The 50mm lens sale includes the front and rear lens cap, the original box, and the lens shade. And the sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 U.S addresses only. Your items will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Dennis via e-mail or by phone at 1-206-605-0404 (Pacific time).
The two lenses in this package sell new for $2,503.90. Grab Dennis’ package for only $829.00 and save a handsome $1674.90.
The 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses are incredibly versatile. They are great for birds and wildlife, frogs and turtles and snakes, people, and scenics. This one does well with any teleconverter. Nikon’s version is a sharp, versatile, and durable telephoto zoom lens with a fast constant maximum aperture, useful in lowlight situations. A workhorse of a lens used by professionals and amateurs alike it is ideal for photojournalism, sports, and wildlife photography and is effective for almost all telephoto applications, including portraiture.
The 50mm pairs a normal field of view with an especially bright design. It is a versatile prime, well-suited for a wide range of subject matter. Characterized by its fast f/1.4 maximum aperture, this lens is adept in difficult lighting conditions and also excels at isolating subjects using selective focus and shallow depth of field techniques. A Super Integrated Coating enhances contrast and color accuracy by reducing flare and ghosting, and the rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes a smooth, pleasing bokeh quality. Additionally, a Silent Wave Motor provides fast, quiet, and accurate autofocus performance along with full-time manual focus override. artie & B&H
Thanks, Fred!
If you are old enough to remember this one, leave a comment and share any relevant memories. I remember only that it was a very long time ago. “Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat” was written by Bob Hilliard and Lee Pockriss. It was recorded by Paul Evans in 1959 and rose to #9 on the US charts. I was 12 years old. I probably identified with the driver at that time.
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This image was created on 4 November 2024 by BAA friend Fred Vaughn at Sebastian Inlet Ospreys. He used the hand held Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Camera with the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens (at 24mm). ISO 200: 1 second at f/10 in Manual mode. Image #1: Atlantic Ocean — breaking waves and barrier beach
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New Trick Thanks to Fred Vaughn
I first met Fred Vaughn at Stick Marsh a few years back. We’ve always chatted and he has always been quick to share some helpful tips with me. I, of course, have reciprocated whenever possible. In the predawn, on the morning of 4 November, I was trying for Sanderling flock blurs at the base of the North Jetty. Fred was a bit father out on the jetting with a short lens. I wondered what he was doing. When the shorebirds flock flew off to the north, I moseyed out toward Fred and asked him what he was up to. “One second pan blurs,” he said. And showed me a few on the back of his R5. There were some real beauties. I have done lots of wave blurs at shutter speeds as slow as 1/6 second, one second was a whole new ballgame for me. I was very intrigued by the dreamy look of his images and decided to try a few even though I had a much longer zoom lens than he was using, 200-600 as compared to 24-105mm. But one second is one second.
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This image was created on 4 November by yours truly on a Sebastian Inlet Extended IPT. I used 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 50. 1 second at f/10 (stopped down 1 1-3 stops) in Manual Mode. AWB at 6:31:59am, right about the time of sunrise with the usual big dark clouds to the east. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: (lower center) Expand Spot with Bird Face/Eye Detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Atlantic Ocean, breaking waves
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Reaching One Second with the Sony a-1
In Electronic Shutter, the lowest possible shutter speed is 0.5 (one-half) second. To get to slower shutter speeds, you need to switch to Mechanical Shutter button. I did that with a conveniently pre-programmed button, set one second as the shutter speed, and worked on the exposure. I needed to set f/8 as wide open at ISO 50 was showing a big over-exposure. I made about 20 images panning slowly with the braking waves. 19 were immediately sent to the trash bin. I immediately saw the potential with Image #2, above, but with the raw file properly exposed to the right, I knew that I’d be able to bring up that wonderful colors that I had seen during the image conversion and optimization processes.
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This image was created on 6 November 2024 by yours truly on a Sebastian Inlet Extended IPT. I used the handheld peashooter rig, the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 98mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 50: 1 second at f/8 (stopped down two stops) in Manual mode. AWB at 6:38:56am just after the time of sunrise with the usual big dark clouds to the east. Tracking: (lower center) Expand Spot with Bird Face/Eye Detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Atlantic Ocean — breaking wave, barrier beach, and dunes |
A Wider Vision
Two days later, knowing that I wanted a wider image that included some beach and the dunes, I returned early with the peashooter rig that got me to 98 mm at the short end. Again, I worked at ISO 50, set the ISO to expose well to the right, and panned as best as I could with the waves. Same result; all but one of the images were pure trash. Only Image #3 survived the first edit. Huge thanks to Fred Vaughn for opening up this old dog’s eyes to the one second shutter speed pan blur technique.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Sunday 9th November ??
Thanks and fixed.
a
Not a huge fan of blurs, but I like all three. Not sure which one I like best. Thanks for sharing. Might have a slow bird day but the possibilities are endless.
Perhaps you are acquiring a new taste 🙂
a
Especially like Image 3 for the balance of blur and sharp. But isn’t there a well known teacher who says “it ain’t only birds”?
On grammar, when checkout folks at Publix ask how I’m doing, I always say “good”. When I ask after them, they usually say “well,” and I often respond, “you’re not only well, but grammatical.”
🙂 Perhaps they mean that you were grammatically correct …
a
Blurs As Art
Thank you kindly.
much love, a
Great blurs. When sorting you just know a good one when you see it.
Artie
Here in Sebastian Florida at the inlet it is Sunday Nov 10th just saying 🙂
However Artie I get it one looses track of time being out in nature and being able to do things you love!
Missed you this morning Sandra another Great morning at the Inlet.
Always with love b
Beautiful art, Art!
Thank you kind sir!
a
Artie: I love image #2. Grammar: “On Saturday multiple IPT veteran….joined [two people] …and ME (not I).”
Me too! Thanks, David. I know better at least when my mind is engaged. Not to mention that I was sure that I caught and fixed that one!
with love, artie
Art: In the text that went with Image #1, you said that the image was created by “yours truly” but in the attribution under the picture you put Bob Eastman.
Good catch and fixed, Pat. But that was with Image #2 🙂
much love, artie