Which of today’s four featured images do you like best? Why?
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%. 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?
My flight to Bonaire was blessedly uneventful. I had a bit too much red wine to drink and the flight attendant kindly brought me four packs of delicious, shelled pistachios — all in all a perfect snack for diabetics. I flew down at the invitation of Steve and Meredith Schnoll who will be joining me on the Galapagos trip this coming August.
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.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Wood Stork chick about two weeks old. Version I.
Eliminating Rookery Clutter at 1200mm!
Almost without exception, wading bird rookeries are difficult places to shoot due to the unending clutter and whitewash. Murphy’s law of Nests states that all bird nests have at least one distracting stick too many. In an effort to come up with attractive, uncluttered images I will often turn to the Sony 600mm lens with the 2X TC and an a1. With Canon, I was able to create some sharp images of static birds at 1000 and 1200mm, but the files were nowhere near a sharp or detailed as my Sony images are at 1200mm. The Nikon TC-E 20 was and pretty much remains a dog. Sharp images made with the Nikon 2X TC were rarer than hen’s teeth for me.
I am still on the fence as far as image quality with the Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM and the 2X TC with the a1.
This chick, a single, was in a nest atop the colony; that allowed for what I consider a pleasing, mostly white sky background. In the first version here, I increased the saturation and decreased the luminosity of the GREEN and YELLOW channels in Color Mixer to bring up the relatively dark, out-of-focus tones in the background.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Wood Stork chick about two weeks old. Version II.
The Pure White Sky Version
For Version II, I increased the luminosity of the GREEN and YELLOW channels in Color Mixer to render the sky a nearly pure white. I did follow that up with some Content-Aware Fill work and then applied a layer of my usual 64.8 pixel Gaussian Blur on a layer and painted that in after adding an Inverse Layer Mask, all as detailed in BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Your Call? (II)
Which version do you prefer, Version one where we can make out a few out-of-focus leaves in the background, or Version II, with the nearly pure white sky background? All are invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choices. I have a clear favorite here.
This is an Unsharpened 100% crop of the Wood Stork chick about two weeks old. Version II image.
Astounding Sharpness and Fine Detail at 1200mm
I was not kidding. Sharpness and fine detail at 1200mm with the 600mm f/4 GM, the 2X TC, and the a1 are consistently astounding. Can your gear achieve results like this at 1200mm?
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Wood Stork — Wood Stork — adult bill and breast feathers, backlit. Version I.
Opening Up the Shadowed Side
When I am creating strongly backlit images like this one, I am usually intent on creating a silhouette. For a change of pace here, I decided to attempt to open up (lighten) the detail and colors on the shaded side of the bird. I only rarely go that route.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #4: Wood Stork — adult bill and breast feathers, backlit. Version II.
The Black and White Silhouette
With the version, I opted for the stark black and white silhouette that I envisioned as I pressed the shutter button.
I Could’a Been Famous
Moments before I created this image, I missed the money shot as the chick reached up to beg for food. I took my eye from the viewfinder to scratch my nose 🙁
Your Call? (III)
Which of the Wood Stork bill images do you like best, Image #3 tat shows some shadowed side detail, or Image #4, the stark silhouette? Again, I have a clear favorite.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
In Tuesday’s blog post, my tied-for-first “Fun-in-the-Fog” images were #3 for the angelic pose, the soft light, and the very fine post-processing, and #4, the striding Marbled Godwit, for the exquisite walking pose and the lovely Gulf-of-Mexico toned background that merged seamlessly with the sandflat.
Thanks to the two new Sony a1 Info Group members, Martin Mikulas and Tilo pristine Samter.
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%. 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?
Stick Marsh on Wednesday morning was a total bust. Zero spoonbills flew in for sticks and only a very few were seen flying around anywhere. It would seem to the casual observer that last year’s S-96 construction project continued to have a deleterious effect on the breeding success of this Roseate Spoonbill colony. Despite numerous requests for help from Florida Audubon and the FWC last year, nobody gave a rat’s ass. My simple request for baseline data at the colony was ignored, as were all of my other concerns and questions.
On Thursday, I left a day early on my way to MIA and Bonaire to visit Wakodahatchee Wetlands where the Wood Stork rookery is thriving in spades, having driven out large numbers of smaller wading bird species that had previously nested at this location. A few pairs of Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets persist, along with a few pairs of the smaller species like Snowy and Cattle Egret. With bright sun, Thursday afternoon was a bust. Friday morning dawned sunny with scattered clouds; I concentrated on backlit 1200mm images; long focal lengths can go a long way to eliminate ever-present rookery clutter. I will share some with you here soon.
I fly to Bonaire on Saturday morning.
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.
Brain Surgeon Operates Successfully on Florida Birds at My Favorite Photo Hotspots!
After spending more than five months in Africa photographing on her own, my friend and former student, many multiple IPT veteran, retired neuro-surgeon Anita North, flew out from Toronto, Canada to Tampa for her annual, month-long central Florida bird photography vacation. If you are not familiar with Anita’s work, you will learn during this seven-minute video that Anita is indeed a very fine photographer. You can check her out on Instagram at anitanorth1 (or by clicking here). Be sure to scroll down to see her stuff from Africa.
If you wanna be like Anita, join me on the last Fort DeSoto IPT.
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 $599 deposit is due now. Credit cards are OK for that. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. Once you leave a deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check three months before the trip begins. If you wish to pay in full right off the bat, you can make your check out to BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice two months before the trip. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together may e-mail for discount information.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which of today’s four featured foggy day images do you like best? Why did you make your choice? Though I like all four images, I have two clear favorites.
My Call
My favorite Markus Leimburger image was the four pelican sunset silhouette image. Why? The midair head throwing pelican won the day for me.
Sharp Flight at 1/800 Second
In large part, Markus was able to create a sharp flight image with his tripod-mounted 600mm f/4 because the birds were relatively distant. This rule is immutable: All things being equal, the closer the subject, the greater the degree of blurring at a given shutter speed. A Snow Goose flying by you at 30 feet with a shutter speed of 1/30 second will be rendered as a psychedelic blur of color. Each goose in a flock of flapping Snow Geese 200 yards away will be rendered fairly sharp at 1/30. Period.
The Fact$ 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%. 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?
Sunday morning at DeSoto was fair at best and Monday was downright not-too-good, the latter in part because I had to leave early to pack up my AirBnB and head to the Apple Store in Brandon and then home to get ready for my trip to Bonaire. My “t” and “h” keys were sticking. Ben at the Genius Bar did a stellar job while cleaning the entire keyboard from below.
I will be heading early to Stick Marsh tomorrow morning as the season is winding down.
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.
This image was created by Anita North on 15 April 2023 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. She used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 320. 1/2500 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 8:24:00am on foggy morning.
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: Arthur Morris with 400mm f/2.8 GM lens
Image courtesy of and copyright 2023: Anita North
Clean Sand at the New Far Bar
Thanks to Anita North for grabbing this snap of me hard at work in the fog on Saturday morning past. Much of the beach and most of the sandflats at the New Far Bar have been scoured clean of debris by the high tides that reshape the sandbars almost daily. The clean sand provides some sweet backgrounds for a variety of subjects both avian and human. I came home from the GNPA annual conference last April with two very nice yellow GNPA t-shirts and COVID. Thanks to a long-term course of Ivermectin my fever lasted two hours and I was feeling fine in less than two days. Those of you suffering long-haul COVID syndrome — tiredness and coughing, might wish to write me or otherwise explore an Ivermectin protocol.
This image was created by yours truly on 15 April 2023 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on the beach (as above), I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250. 1/3200 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 8:08:27am on foggy 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.
Image #2: Royal Tern with fish for mate
Hunting for My Honey
In April, male Royal Terns carrying fish continually circle the flocks on the ground searching for their special lady friend. They often swoop low over a female on the beach, usually one well away from the flock, only to deny her a snack to continue their search. The performance of Sony a-1 AF in the fog was quite remarkable. The circling males offer great flight opportunities in any weather.
This image was created by yours truly on 15 April 2023 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on the beach (as above), I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250. 1/4000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 8:16:53am on foggy 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.
Image #3: (Angelic) Royal Tern landing in fog Arthur Morris with 400mm f/2.8 GM lens
The Densest Fog
Saturday dawned with a hazy sun in the eastern sky. We were blessed when a thick layer of fog rolled in, saving everyone on the beach from what was looking like a very hot, steamy morning. This image was made when the fog was at its thickest, thus the angelic look. When I raised the lens, it was impossible to see the birds at any distance. As they began to take shape in the viewfinder, I would have press the shutter button to acquire focus and then fire away. Even Sony AF cannot focus on a bird it cannot see. This image was cropped from a horizontal original and several birds on the ground (including one just to our right of the subject) were eliminated in PhotoShop.
This image was created by yours truly on 15 April 2023 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on the beach (as above), I used the toe-pod technique with 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 1250. 1/2500 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 9:06:23 am on foggy morning.
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 #4: Marbled Godwit striding on sandflat
Super-Clean Sand with a Gulf of Mexico Background
When I saw four Marbled Godwits foraging on a super clean sandflat at the terminus of Outback Key on a dropping tide, I sat down on the ground and created about 500 images using a variety of low perspective techniques. I kept too many; this is just one of my very favorites. When I saw my first marbled on the South Flats of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in 1977, I was enthralled by the alabaster pink base of the bird’s bill. At the time I had no idea that seeing that single bird would change the course of the remainder of my adult life, but that is exactly what happened. Learn more about shorebirds in my softcover book, Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers.
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.
