The Streak Continues: 221
It is 7:30am here in the Edinburg (Scotland) Airport as we get ready to board our flight to Newark. Then it’s on to my Mom’s and then up to the NECC conference where both Denise and I are speaking. This post marks 221 consecutive days with a new educational blog post. With so many folks getting in the habit of using our B&H links and our Amazon logo-links why quit now? April, May and June have been fantastic as lots of folks are getting the message; using my affiliate links does not cost you a penny and helps support my efforts here. To show your appreciation, I do ask that you use our B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, and the like. We sell only what I have used and tested, and know that you can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know the tools that you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
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This image was created on the same morning with the hand held Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +3 stops off the light grey sky: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB in cloudy conditions. Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF on the top of the bird’s breast was again active at the moment of exposure as it should be for all flight photography. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. |
Why Stand in One Spot for 2 Hours Without Moving With the 300 II/2X III TC/1D X?
With the slight change in wind direction the puffins were not landing right at us at point blank range as they had been doing the day before. So several of us took the short walk across the island to see how the Commom Murres were landing. Quite well, thank you. Commom Murre is called Common Guillemot in Europe. It is a delightful bird with a sweet looking face and a soft chocolate-colored hood that looks almost black on sunny days. I had been looking for a good situation for photographing them in flight, or better yet, landing towards us, so when I found just that, I stood in the same spot until ten minutes before it was time to head back to the dock for the short sail to our afternoon landing.
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This image was created on the morning of July 6 with the hand held Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +3 stops off the light grey sky: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB in cloudy conditions. Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF just caught the tips of the bird’s trailing feet as originally framed and was of course active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. See below for the original image.
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The Optimized Image
As you can see by looking at the original image below, the subject was way too far forward in the frame, practically leaving the frame rather than entering it. Se more below.
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This is a JPEG that represents the original unsharpened image as it came out of camera. The optimized image is just above. I used techniques from APTATS II to move the bird back in the frame. |
Pan Faster!
My panning rate was slower than the speed of the bird in flight. As noted above, this left the bird too far forward in the frame. I used techniques from APTATS II to move the bird back and down a bit in the frame.
Your Fave?
Please take a moment to let us know which image you like best. And why.
APTATS I & II
Learn the details of advanced Quick Masking techniques in APTATS I. Learn Advanced Layer Masking Techniques in APTATS I. Mention this blog post and apply a $5 discount to either with phone orders only. Buy both APTATS I and APTATS II and we will be glad to apply at $15 discount with phone orders only. Please call Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-221-2372 to take advantage of this special offer.
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Nickerson Baby Beach-nesting Birds IPT: 3-Full Days/July 15-17, 2014: $1199. Introductory meet and greet: 8pm, Monday, July 14, 2014. Co-leaders Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito
Late Registration Discount: Call Jim weekdays at 863-692-0906 for details or call artie this SAT or SUN (6/28 or 29) only at 863-692-0806. Or contact us via e-mail.
With a small group pretty much guaranteed, do consider joining us on Long Island, NY this coming July to photograph Black Skimmers–it’s looking like a great year for skimmer nesting, Common Terns with chicks, American Oystercatcher families, and possibly some just-hatched Black Skimmer chicks. The opportunities will include chances to photograph a variety of breeding behaviors including courtship feeding, display flight and combat, and copulations. Car-pooling is recommended; if we opt to return to the beach before 5pm on cloudy days for example) there is a $30/vehicle parking fee that is not included so it is best to share that expense. Parking in the morning is free.
Because of the late date, your non-refundable payment in full is due when you register.
Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) Though we prefer a check, you can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail
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Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂
I’m torn, the face is better in the second pic but the first is overall more pleasing, especially the spread of wings.