Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Your Call?

Which of Markus Leinberger’s two featured images is your favorite? Why?

My Call

Obviously, I loved both images in Friday’s blog post. My favorite, however, was image #2 in part because I love the aqua color of the Gulf water, and also because I anticipated the action as the male hopped off his lady friend. I was lucky with Image #2 as — contrary to my usual style, I stayed back to include the bystander tern. I got two frames with the intruder bird in the frame. In the second of those it was positioned perfectly to tell the story.

2024 Galapagos registrant David Pugsley (with wife Michelle) read my mind when he left this spot-on comment:

April 15, 2023 at 10:14 am

#1 is simply epic and my favorite. One wouldn’t even think to photoshop such a grouping, let alone expect it to actually happen. Was serendipity a factor? Absolutely! That’s part of the fun. #2 shows an expected behavior after copulation so you were ready and waiting.

My response:

You nailed it 🙂 Image #1 is the full frame horizontal image. And yes, I had seen the display just minutes before with another pair. They do not always follow up with that.

much love, a

Thanks to buddy Bob Eastman, Adam, Chris Davidson, and others for their heartfelt comments as well. You can read them and additional responses in the blog post here.

What’s Up?

Saturday morning at DeSoto was excellent. It dawned for what seemed would be a hazy, hot, and humid Florida day, but a fairly dense fog rolled in and cooled things off until late morning. I worked the terns in the fog and then got low on four handsome Marbled Godwits feeding on a small, clean sandbar. Then I spent an hour with a flock of molting Red Knots in a tidal stream right in front of the North Beach parking lot. Sunday morning at DeSoto was excellent again at the New Far Bar. After creating more than 1300 images of a (likely) mated pair of dark morph Reddish Egrets, I concentrated on the Royal and Sandwich Terns. I took both afternoons off.

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.

Canon EOS-1DX Mark III dSLR

Tom Torget is offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark III body in near-mint condition for $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 $1250.00 on his as-good-as-new body! artie

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV dSLR

Tom Torget is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV body in near-mint condition for $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 $1,300.00. artie

Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR

Tom Torget is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II body in near-mint condition for $449.00. 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).

If you are looking to get started with a Canon dSLR, Tom’s 7DII is for you. Both Patrick Sparkman and I used and loved the 7D Mark II until about five years ago when we both committed to using full-frame Canon bodies. We both made some truly great images with it. Two of my three 2016 Nature’s Best honored entries were created with the 7D II, one still, and one video. The 7D Mark II remains one of the greatest-ever values in a digital camera body. artie

CANON EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens

Tom Torget is offering a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 II USM lens in near-mint condition for BAA record low $797.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the lens hood, 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 24-70II is the serious landscape photographer’s dream lens. It sells new for $1,699.00 so you can save a sweet $902.00 by grabbing Tom’s near-mint copy today. artie

This image was created in San Diego, CA on 24 January 2023 by Markus Leinberger. He used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 800: 1/2500 second at f/6.3 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. Image #1: Female American Kestrel carrying lizard Image courtesy of and copyright 2023 Markus Leinberger

Markus Leinberger

Markus Leinberger lives, works, and photographs in Germany. Over the years, I’ve met him and his lovely wife at many North American bird photography hotspots. Last winter in San Diego he kindly shared a tame lady American Kestrel with me. The bird hunted regularly in a large field on Fiesta Island. I was standing right next to him on the afternoon that he made this fine image. I had the perfect rig in my hand — the Sony 400mm f/2.8 lens with the 1.4X TC and then a1 — when the bird flew right at us with its lunch. I came up empty. It was the hat’s fault! Actually, it was operator error. Learn more below.

It was the Hat’s Fault!

Actually, this is a great hat for bird photography. I purchased it last year on the advice of Christy Cox whom I met at the GNPA Annual Conference last year at Jekyll Island, GA. She attended the post-event IPT. It took me a while to get used to the hat. The rear drape was a royal pain as it is held on by tiny plastic hooks. When one broke, I simply ditched the rear drape. With the sun behind me I keep the front sun drape tucked in. They only make one size but over time I have stretched mine so that it fits well. This hat replaced the beyond bedraggled one that I had been wearing for three decades. It was a gift from Alfred Forns of Miami.

On the kestrel afternoon I learned an important lesson. When you are doing flight with the sun and the wind (properly) behind you, you must get in the habit of tilting the front brim up. I do that now reflexively. But on that fateful afternoon in San Diego, I neglected to flip the brim up. (Operator error.) Anyhoo, when the bird flew right at us and right down sun angle, I raised the lens and my shooting hand got tangled up in the brim :-(. That was the last time I made that mistake. If you see me on a sunny day I will be wearing one. I just ordered two more.

An Unsolicited e-Mail from Cristy Cox

Artie, What an adventurous, no-nonsense, get straight-to-the-point, information filled, awe-inspiring IPT! It pushed me beyond my comfort zone on many levels and I have been forever changed! I appreciate your direct approach to life and your invaluable knowledge, insight, skills, and expertise in photography. You are an amazing trailblazer in the industry, which makes one of your first photos, Fire in the Mist so fitting! You are still setting the world on fire.

I appreciate you “making me famous” with the blog post. I am excited to put into practice all the techniques you provided to be a better photographer!

Safe Travels! Be Well! Hugs and Love! Cristy

This image was created at La Jolla, CA on 22 January 2023 by Markus Leinberger. He used the tripod-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 6400: 1/800 second at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. Image #2: Brown Pelican quartet sunset flight silhouette with one midair head throw Image courtesy of and copyright 2023 Markus Leinberger

Image Sharpness Question

With both dSLRs and mirrorless bodies, the modern standard shutter speed for flight photography is 1/2500, 1/3200, or faster as conditions allow. Aside from the fact that Markus was on a tripod, what was the #1 factor that enabled him to create a sharp sunset silhouette at “only 1/800 second?

Improving Your Nature Photography

I’ve said it here often, “One of the very best ways to improve your nature photography is to look at and think about as many excellent photos as possible.” Markus posts regularly in the Forum för Naturfotografen here. Only members see the names of the posters, and the jpegs are small and don’t look such good, but many of the images are spectacular. they include birds, flowers, macro, scenics, and mammals large and small. Check ’em out.

Oh, and attend an IPT 🙂

The 2023/2024 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) IPTs

San Diego IPT #1. 3 1/2 DAYS: WED 27 DEC thru the morning session on Saturday 30 DEC 2023. $2099.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: photographers.

San Diego IPT #2. 4 1/2 DAYS: TUES 9 JAN thru the morning session on SAT 13 JAN 2024: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers.

San Diego IPT #3: 4 1/2 DAYS: TEUS 23 JAN thru the morning session on SAT 27 JAN 2024: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers.

Please e-mail for information on personalized pre- and post-IPT morning sessions.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

I discovered some really neat spots on my 2022/23 visit. As a result, the first and second IPTs may include an afternoon or two of landscape photography.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning, there is usually some excellent flight photography, at times with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego. Each IPT will include one or two duck sessions.

Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The San Diego Details

These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon shoot. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Deposit Info

A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2023/2024 San Diego IPTs. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.

Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

Typos

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

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%). (Can you say Darrell Gulin? 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 4002. Yes, 4002 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 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. 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.

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.

What’s Up?

The first morning of the second DeSoto IPT, another private affair with only a single registrant — Steve Pumillia from MN, got off to a great start. Steve showed up wanting to learn about to work in Manual mode (and get the right exposure) and how to deal with a zillion Z9 images. We enjoyed a great sunny morning on Tuesday and got him in the groove with Manual mode and exposure. At our working brunch, we got him set up with Photo Mechanic and RawDigger,” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>RawDigger. He is a quick study. Everyone who shows up with a fast frame-rate mirrorless camera body but does not own Photo Mechanic (PM), winds up purchasing a PM license from BAA after they see the speed and ease with which I pick my keepers.

With wind against sun conditions on Tuesday afternoon, I met Steve at his hotel in Tierra Verde and we continued with image review and Photo Mechanic lessons. When it clouded over, we headed out for a short session and did amazingly well as an Osprey repeatedly dove for fish right at us at close range. I created 4581 images and finished the first edit by keeping 383 photos.

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.

Beyond Epic DeSoto Morning

Wednesday dawned spitting rain and dark and windy. It turned out to be one of my best morning sessions ever. With an east and cloudy conditions, we headed to the new North Beach hotspot. And oh lord, it as hot. We got on a Royal Tern flock of about a hundred birds. Most of the time there were two or three pairs copulating, many of them with clean backgrounds. The morning brightened, but thankfully, the sun never broke through. We photographed in the soft light until after 12:30, met for our working brunch at 1:30, and cancelled the afternoon session (as we had planned all along after the very long morning.)

When the smoke had cleared on our amazing morning, I had filled a personal record high 2 1/2 Delkin Devices 160GB BLACK CFexpress Type A Memory Cards with 7380 as yet unedited images. Heck, I rarely fill one card. Oh what a morning. And conditions are looking perfect for Thursday morning and afternoon as well.

This Just In (Amazingly!)

In less than one hour, before hitting the sack at 9:45pm on Wednesday night, I deleted 7042 out of 7380 raw files, keeping 318 very fine images. All thanks to Photo Mechanic. It was pretty much like Christmas morning.

This image was created on 11 April 2023 on the first morning of the second DeSoto IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x 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 640. 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be 1/3-stop from being dead-solid perfect. AWB at 7:52:43am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Royal Tern hopping up to chase off an incoming tern

Hopping

While this tern was courting his mate, another bird flew in to challenge him. He jumped up to chase off the intruder. Sony AF took care of business without a problem.

Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action. Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. By June 1, 2022, the group was up to an astounding 139 lucky and blessed folks. (More than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive six e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.

All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide here in the BAA Online Store.

This image was created on 11 April 2023 on the first morning of the second DeSoto IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x 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 640. 1/5000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:09:27am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Royal Tern female grabbing crab from male/courtship feeding

And Crabby

There was lot of courtship feeding going on on Tuesday morning. Most of the time, the males were bringing greenbacks to the females. When I saw this bird fly in with a soft-shelled baby crab for his honey, I wheeled to my left, and though it was 15 degrees left of sun angle, I fired off a short burst and wound up with several really good ones.

Your Call?

Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? Why? While I love both of them, I have a clear favorite.

Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, many in full breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull landing on head of Brown Pelican, Laughing Gull in flight, Reddish Egret sunrise silhouette, Great Blue Heron with needlefish, Yellow-crowned Night Heron with ghost crab, Roseate Spoonbill, Sanderling in breeding plumage, and white morph Reddish Egret in glorious breeding plumage.

The 2023 Spring Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo Tours (IPTs)

Spring Fort DeSoto IPT #3: Tuesday 9 May through the morning session on 12 May 2023. 3 1/2 Days: $1899.00 includes three working brunches. Limit six photographers/Openings: 4.

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for terns and gulls, wading birds, and shorebirds in spring. Many of the birds will be in full breeding plumage. Simply put, DeSoto is the new Ding Darling. Migrant shorebirds are in abundance, and many are exceedingly tame. We should have great chances on Royal and Sandwich Terns and both white- and dark-morph Reddish Egrets. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two along with some American Oystercatchers. We will enjoy lots of great flight photography, especially with the Brown Pelicans.

Again, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull in flight, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Sandwich Terns copulating, Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egret with reflection, breeding plumage Short-billed Dowitcher, American Oystercatcher, Royal Tern, white morph Reddish Egret, and Snowy Egret in marsh.

In Addition!

We should also get to photograph a variety of other shorebirds including Black-bellied, Semipalmated, Wilson’s, Snowy, and Piping Plovers, Willet, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, Marbled Godwit, and most especially, Red Knot, with many individuals in their handsome breeding plumages. In spring the T-shaped peninsula and the newly formed sandbar, Outback Key, are literally packed with avian treasures.

With just a bit of luck, we may get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable species: Roseate Spoonbill. And we will surely get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. With luck, they will have Laughing Gulls landing on their heads. And though not guaranteed, Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.

Yes, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: breeding plumage Dunlin, dark morph Reddish Egret displaying, Laughing Gull vertical front-end portrait, Laughing Gull with prey item, landing on head of Brown Pelican, breeding plumage Royal Tern displaying, Royal Terns — pre-copulatory stance, Laughing Gulls copulating, Laughing Gull head portrait, breeding plumage Sandwich Tern with fish, and a rare treat, a breeding plumage White-rumped Sandpiper.

What You Will Learn on a DeSoto IPT

• 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
• 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
• 3- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 4- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
• 5- To age and identify many species of shorebirds including various sandpipers, plovers, dowitchers, and possibly yellowlegs.
• 6- To spot good situations and to choose the best perspective.
• 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
• 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography.
• 10- More than you could ever imagine.

You got it by now! Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Roseate Spoonbill, immature Brown Pelican in flight, the heron/egret hybrid, American Oystercatcher feeding, immature Royal Tern on railing, Great Egret morning silhouette, Black Skimmer in surf, and underside head portrait of Great Blue Heron.

The Details

Morning sessions will run two and one-half to three hours; afternoon sessions about two. There is never a set schedule on an IPT — we adapt to the conditions. On cloudy mornings with the right wind, we may opt to photograph till noon and skip the afternoon session. That especially when the afternoon weather is looking iffy. We may opt to visit a great North Tampa rookery if conditions warrant that.

There will be a Photoshop/Image Review session before and after brunch (included) each of the three full days. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. Each of these IPTs will run with only a single registrant as I do not like disappointing anyone. The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area (rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away).

Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field as early as possible and stay out late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:30am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We will be getting wet.

Your $599 deposit is due now. Credit cards are OK for that. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. Once you leave a deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check three months before the trip begins. If you wish to pay in full right off the bat, you can make your check out to BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice two months before the trip. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together may e-mail for discount information.

Typos

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