San Diego IPT Late Registration Discount
If you are at all interested in traveling to San Diego to improve your photography and enjoy the phenomenal Brown Pelican photography this month, please shoot me an e-mail for IPT #2 late registration discount info. The photography has been astoundingly good.
Homer Late Registration Discounts
If you are at all interested in traveling to Homer with me in FEB/MAR 2023 to photograph Bald Eagles, shoot me an e-mail for late registration discount info. Several folks are in the process of registering so do not tarry.
What’s Up?
I enjoyed another great am session at La Jolla on Thursday despite the sometimes drizzly weather. There are still a zillion pelicans, probably five to ten times more than I have seen in the last five decades of visiting La Jolla in winter. With the low light and light rain for the past few days, both the 400mm f/2.8 and the 70-200mm f/2.8 II (that latter usually but not always with the 1.4X TC) have been my most valuable lenses.
Today is Friday 6 January 2023. The forecast is for cloudy with a gentle east breeze early on (very good) switching to the north at about 9am (bad unless the clouds persist). The surf forecast is for 15 to 20 footers that would match the highest waves in 100 years in San Diego. In general, high surf conditions are great for bird photography as it keeps the birds moving when it breaks on the lower cliffs and drives the birds to the higher cliffs. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred eighty-four days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
It is looking as if Homer will be sold out fairly soon.
My plan is to continue to post every day until the streak reaches one year and one day and then go back to posting every other 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.
Induro GIT 304L Tripod
Out of production for more than two years, BAA just sold its last one. The good news? We have located two more new-in-the-box tripods. They will be available for shipping at the end of January. Best to order yours now to be sure that you get one. We will not run your card until your item ships. The 304L was my go-to tripod for more than a decade. Best to grab order yours right now to avoid being disappointed.
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, or to any prior purchases.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
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 on 5 January 2023 at La Jolla, CA. While standing behind my somewhat lowered tripod, I used the no-longer available (except from BIRDS AS ART) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Brown Pelican Pacific-race breeding plumage adult — head and bill portrait |
The Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM Lens in the Dark
The light gathering capabilities of the 400 f/2.8 are a huge plus in low light. With the wide open lens on the tripod, I am confident making sharp images at 1/60th second. Early on a dark cloudy morning, I lowered my tripod about a foot, dialed up the ISO until there were significant Zebras on the yellow and white feathers of the birds crown, and fired off a dozen virtually indistinguishable very sharp images.
Image Design Question
Why did I lower my tripod before creating Image #1?
Image Question
Does anything about Image #1 bug you? What and why?
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This image was also created on 5 January 2023 at La Jolla, CA. While standing at full height, I again used the no-longer available (except from BIRDS AS ART) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Brown Pelican Pacific-race breeding plumage adult in greenery |
No Problem Adding Green Here
With this handsome adult pelican sitting in the wet vegetation, adding green was not a problem. I long ago gave up my vertical grip and have no problem at all working in vertical format either on the tripod or when handholding.
Image Question
Does anything about Image #2 bug you? What and why?
Your Call?
Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? Why?
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Image #1 and #2 of Brown Pelican Pacific are both interesting and well made!! So close to the Brown Pelican Pacific in both images!! Cute pictures Arthur Morris!!!
Re the image design question: I’d venture to say the bill tip was in the green and you preferred it in the brown. This also aligns the background delineations with the delineations of the bird’s neck and body.
I like both images, though image 2 stands out a little better. Image 1 is great because you get a closer view of the pelican’s head and bill. The blue eye just draws you in. Image 2 has the clover and grass in front of the board which really makes the image stand out. Of course, in image 2, there is that feather sticking out of the back of the bird’s head. Reminiscent of Dennis the Menace’s cows lick.
Artie
I couldn’t find image #2 they both say image #1 and the same description 🙂
However in the top image a bit strong on the green patch mid way on the bill, the bottom image a slightly little bit more head turn would be ideal but i love the greens at the bottom and it balances out the rest in the photo. IMO
Always with love b
Nice diffuse light and of the two, I prefer image #1. Looking at the images, perhaps what I would have liked to see in image #1 is the tip of the beak being in focus. Maggi mentioned the contrast of the bill and the white feather on the neck though that doesn’t trouble me. Secondarily, and it’s a minor issue and one which we can’t always control is the bokeh. I find the green “blob” by the bill distracting. In image #2, although the pelican is looking straight at the viewer, I wish the bill was offset a bit more to it’s right to allow for better visualization of the neck. The bits of vegetation poking up are an inevitable consequence of the setting, and while at first I wondered if it looked better without the shoot at the bottom right, it does form a nice receding line with the other ones. Perhaps moving to the right would have obviated the drop off at the bottom right of the frame and created more bill offset though it might not have been possible? Have a lovely and productive weekend!
In #2 bill tip not sharp? Otherwise lovely with the green.
To be really picky, maybe that odd splash of white feather a the base of the birds neck in Image 1…. Maybe there’s a greenish cast to the white head feathers of the bird in image 2? However, that’s really nit-picking, they are both superb portraits of this amazing bird.
It’s Friday 6th January 2023 this side of the pond.
Same here, thanks.
a