January 13th, 2023 San Diego IPT Late Registration Discount
If you are interested in joining me in San Diego to improve your photography by leaps and bounds and enjoy the phenomenal Brown Pelican photography this month, please shoot me an e-mail for IPT #3 late registration discount info. Though different every day, the photography has been consistently and astoundingly good.
Homer Late Registration Discounts
If you are interested in traveling to Homer, AK 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. The first IPT is looking sold out as I await the last two deposit checks.
What’s Up?
BAA blog volunteer proofreader Jordan Cait joined me for an In-the-Field session at La Jolla on Thursday morning and learned a ton from the first minute. When the sun came over the hills to the east, he was in the right place at the right time with his Canon R5/EF 70-200mm L IS lens/1.4X TC with the one gorgeous pelican on The Ridge that performed well for about a dozen photographers. He wound up with one great one and learned a lot from his errors. He had such a great time that he went home and purchased the R5/R6 guide! Later in the morning we walked down to the point at La Jolla Cove and enjoyed some great pelican flight photography.
Today is Friday 13 January 2023. Be sure not to walk under any ladders. Again, I will be heading to La Jolla early. The peregrine has not been relocated. Yet. This blog post took more than an hour to prepare and makes two hundred ninety 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 #1 and #3 will be sold out fairly soon. Please do not forget to use my B&H or Bedford’s affiliate programs for your new gear purchases.
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.
|
|
|
This image was created on Tuesday 10 January 2023, the fourth morning of the second San Diego IPT by IPT veteran Steve Murdock. He used the tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera.
ISO 400. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/320 sec. at f/9 (wide open). When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be 1/2 stop too dark. AWB at 8:47:55am on a partly sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone with Bird Face/ye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: Peregrine Falcon stretching
Image courtesy of and copyright Steve Murdock 2023
Image Optimization by BIRDS AS ART
|
Steve Murdock
Steve Murdock is a tall, friendly, smiling man. I vaguely remember that he attended a Bosque IPT with his son in 2006. He has enjoyed three or four distinct and different careers and as a result is an interesting guy to talk to with an eclectic knowledge base. He knows a lot about a lot.
He arrived at the San Diego IPT with a Sony a1 and a 200-600 and had little idea as to how to use the camera effectively as it was not set up for efficient use. I copied my camera settings onto a card and loaded them onto his camera and to both of Bryan Love’s a1 bodies as well. Bryan had pretty much been in the same boat as Steve. It took me about two minutes to teach both of them how to use the camera. Both were quick studies.
Tuesday past, when we spent two hours with the tame peregrine, there were very tight shooting windows due to the dead vegetation on the cliffside between us and the perched raptor. As long as you worked wide open, the intruding thin branches were not evident in the images. Kudos to Bryan who was the first to walk up the path well past the bird to see if there were any alternative shooting locations. Steve, who had added the 1.4X TC to his set-up, followed suit and found a wide-open angle past Bryan.
Steve seemed a bit leery about my exposing far to the right in all situations and wound up a bit dark with his very fine image. Going vertical to include the suffused green at the bottom was brilliant. As you will see below, the Sony AF system did the rest brilliantly.
Steve got a bit lucky by creating a super-sharp image at 1/320 second. In retrospect, what would have been a better choice of ISO? Why?
Via e-Mail from Steve
I learned a lot during the excellent workshop. Your energy and enthusiasm are infectious. Stay safe and hope to see you again soon.
Steve
|
|
Image #1: a7INFO screen capture for the Peregrine Falcon stretching image.
The green crosshair icon shows the location of the active AF point.
Image courtesy of and copyright Steve Murdock 2023
|
Science fiction-like AF
With all dSLR bodies, the speed of initial AF acquisition and tracking accuracy suffered with the addition of any teleconverter. With the Nikon D850 and the 500mm PF lens and the TC-E 14 for example, AF beyond the center point was extremely poor at best. That the Sony a1 with the 200-600 and the 1.4X TC tracked the peregrine’s eye perfectly as the bird leaned forward to stretch is beyond remarkable.
I’ve said to before and I will say it again, a Sony rig with the a1/200-600/1.4X TC set up properly as detailed in my a1 User’s Group e-mail/guide, will change your life.
For the Eagle-Eyed
What five small changes were made during the image clean-up? You can compare the original in the a7INFO green capture with the optimized version (IMAGE #1.).
|
|
|
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 124 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.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
January 12th, 2023 San Diego IPT Late Registration Discount
If you are interested in joining me in San Diego to improve your photography by leaps and bounds and enjoy the phenomenal Brown Pelican photography this month, please shoot me an e-mail for IPT #3 late registration discount info. Though different every day, the photography has been consistently and astoundingly good.
Homer Late Registration Discounts
If you are interested in traveling to Homer, AK 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. The first IPT is looking sold out as I await the last two deposit checks.
What’s Up?
The last morning of the 2nd San Diego IPT was phenomenal. There were fewer pelicans on the Left Ridge, making it easy to isolate single birds. The Left Ridge offers clean ,distant backgrounds. Those range from deep Pacific-blue when the sun is shining to cyan when it is a bit cloudy to white as in today’s featured image when it is cloudy or foggy. Can you say high key? Without the high winds of the previous day, there was little flight photography. But, by going with the 600 rather then the 400, I made some really nice images of red-pouched birds well away from the main cliff.
Then I took the group down the coast to The Crevice to try for some surfing pelicans. There was some big surf there and we arrived at high tide, so I was surprised that one Black Oystercatcher with its sidekick Whimbrel were resting near their usual hangouts. We had a few good chances with the surfing pelicans but I did not get anything memorable.
After wishing everyone well, I headed to Cafe Vahik for brunch. In the afternoon, for old time’s sake, I drove down to Imperial Beach and walked along the shoreline down to the Tijuana River. The huge expanse of wetlands to the east has been protected (i.e., closed) for several decades. Anyhoo, I came across a Say’s Phoebe, two dozen Western race Snowy Plovers, four Dunlin, a few Sanderlings, several Marbled Godwits, and hordes of Willets. I stopped at Silver Strand State Beach for sunset and was fortunate to find a single cooperative Willet that was sun-setably cooperative.
Today is Thursday January 12 2023. I am meeting blog regular Jordan Cait at the main pelican cliff for a morning In-the-Field session. This blog post took more than an hour to prepare and makes two hundred eighty-nine 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 may be sold out fairly soon. Please do not forget to use my B&H or Bedford’s affiliate programs for your new gear purchases.
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.
|
|
Photo Mechanic 42-image screen capture
|
The Exciting Story
As you can see in the screen capture, I was working vertically when I created _A1G3984. The last image in that 34-frame sequence was made at 8:47:40am. When the young pelican to its left began to stretch 10 seconds later, I followed my own advice — when unexpected action happens press the shutter button. I created 27 images, each with one or both wings clipped. The first one was made at 8:47:49. The last vertical, _A1G4011, was created at 8:47:50am. Thus, the vertical sequence ran for less than 2 seconds.
The bird held the pose seemingly forever, and turned a bit so that the pose became more dramatic, I decided to go for the gusto and rotate the lens to horizontal. It took about two seconds to switch from vertical to horizontal and two more seconds to fit the bird in the frame. I remember holding my breath and praying that the bird would continue to hold the pose. The first perfect stretch was created at 8:47:54am. The last frame was made at 8:47:55am. The 13-frame perfect sequence was created in well less than two seconds.
The entire stretch lasted for about six seconds. In bird photography, that is an eternity.
The last image in the screen capture is the optimized version of _A1G4022, my pick as the best of the verticals.
|
|
|
This image was created on 11 January 2023 at La Jolla, CA, the last morning of the 2nd San Diego IPT. While standing at full height, I used the no-longer available (except from BIRDS AS ART) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 800. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 (wide open). When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to dead soliid perfect. AWB at 8:47:55am on a partly sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S with Bird Face/ye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version.
Brown Pelican wing stretch
|
Elegant Angularity
Adding diagonal lines to your compositions is always a huge plus. Here, the bird’s elegant pose provided the angularity. All I had to do was hope that the pose would last long enough for me to get from vertical to horizontal — it did! And then fit the entire subject in the frame. I did!
Your Thoughts?
What do you like about this image? What don’t you like? Would you have added a bit of canvas all around?
|
|
|
This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
|
The 2022/23 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) IPTs
San Diego IPT #3: 4 1/2 DAYS: THURS 19 JAN thru the morning session on MON 23 JAN 2023: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings: 4.
Please e-mail for information on personalized pre- and post-IPT and In-the-Field 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.
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 as well, often 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.
|
|
|
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. 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 2022/23 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.
January 11th, 2023
|
|
|
Cover Image courtesy of and Copyright 2021 Brian Sump (Sump scores!)
|
The BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide: $75.00
The guide is 82 pages long: 21,458 words. More than 50 DPP 4 Autofocus-depicting screen captures. And a 31 minute 44 second educational video. This guide took three and a half months of hard work and a ton of help from at least seventeen very helpful and generous folks.
The guide covers — in great detail — all Menu Items that are relevant to bird, nature, and wildlife photography. It does not cover video. The section on AF methods and the AF Gallery has been expanded from the R5/R6 AF e-guide. It remains the one of the great strengths of this guide. I share my thoughts on what I am sure is the single best AF Method for photographing birds in flight. As most of you know, the guide includes a simple and easy way to change AF Methods that was introduced to me by Geoff Newhouse. In the AF Gallery you will see exactly how Face Detection plus Tracking AF works. In the Educational R5 Gallery video, I share my favorite R5 images along with dozens of bird photography tips and techniques.
In addition, I teach you how to get the best exposures with your R5. Detailed instructions on using the great In-camera HDR and Multiple Exposure features will be appreciated by creative folks who like to have fun. The three shutter modes are explained in detail as well. Bruce Dudek solved the can’t-get-to-Auto ISO problem that had stumped everyone at Canon. This information is of course shared in the guide. You will learn how to set up your EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) and Screen toggle options. Not to mention that the mysterious performance of the Q Button is revealed and simplified. Brian Sump’s images reveal how well you can do when using the R5 with EF lenses using one of the three Canon EF-EOS R Mount Adapters (as Donna did with Image #1 below). You will learn how I use Customize Dials to put either ISO or EC on the Thumb Dial and how to set up and save Custom Shooting Modes (C1-C3) that can remember both your Customize Dial and Customize Button settings! That is something that none of the SONY bodies do. 🙁 Near the end of the guide I share my all-important MY MENU items with you.
Like all BAA educational materials, the R5 guide is written in my informal, easy-to-follow style. I am quite proud of this guide and look forward to hearing your thoughts on our hard work.
You can purchase your copy of the BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide for $75.00 here in the BAA Online Store or by calling Jim in the office weekday afternoons at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.
San Diego IPT Late Registration Discount
If you are 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 #3 late registration discount info. The photography has been consistently and astoundingly good.
Homer Late Registration Discounts
If you are interested in traveling to Homer, AK 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. The first IPT is looking sold out as I await the last two deposit checks.
What’s Up?
Day 4 of the 2nd San Diego IPT was quite amazing. With a big surf and a 15-20 mph wind from the east, the IPT boys and girls enjoyed a fabulous morning of pelican flight photography. Again, for me, the Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens with the a1 proved to be deadly. The flight action was still hot and heavy just before 10:00am when John Dupps, who had taken an exploratory walk with his Nikon 80-400/Z9, let the pelican photographers know that my La Jolla friend Laurel Strohmeyer had a Peregrine Falcon on a fairly clean perch inside of 55-feet with a distant ocean background. The entire group spent the next two solid hours creating probably more than 10,000 images of this handsome adult raptor, probably a male. It flew from the perch several times but always returned. I am hoping that I will find it in the same spot for the next two weeks. Though I managed to miss the ruffle five times, I kept 172 peregrine images out of the more than 2,000 that I created. In addition, I kept 72 very fine pelican images, most of those flight shots.
Conditions on Tuesday morning ranged from cloudy-dark to cloudy bright with a bit of a drizzle here and there. Mind you, the forecast for Tuesday had been for a 100% chance of rain all day. We did not see another photographer all morning.
On Tuesday evening, we enjoyed a fine thank you dinner at Beaumont’s Bird Rock Eatery in La Jolla.
Today is Wednesday 11 January 2023, the last morning of this 4 1/2-day IPT. The forecast is for partly cloudy skies with a gentle east breeze. We will start at the main pelican cliffs. I will be meeting the group at 7am. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare and makes two hundred eighty-eight 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 may be sold out fairly soon. Please do not forget to use my B&H or Bedford’s affiliate programs for your new gear purchases.
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.
|
|
Images courtesy of and copyright 2022: Sanjeev Nagrath
Photo Mechanic screen capture: two slightly out-of-focus Brown Pelican carrying large fish in pouch images
Image Optimization by BIRDS AS ART
|
Wow!
We abandoned the main pelican cliffs on Monday in search of more action and found it in spades after a 1/4-mile walk. When repeat client Sanjeev Nagrath showed me a series of images on the back of his R5 of a pelican in flight carrying a huge fish in its pouch, I was mega-excited. Sanjeev first studied with me at Nickerson Beach and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge last summer. You can see three of his fine images in the Like Bringing a Bazooka to a Knife Fight blog post here.
I encouraged Sanjeev to purchase a 600mm lens for his upcoming trip to Africa after he told me that many had advised him that this 100-500 would be “more than enough.” He was thrilled that he did, and I was thrilled that he used the BIRDSASART discount code at Bedfords. Anyhoo, he is still relatively new to using the 600 and has not done much flight photography with it. Using a tripod-mounted 600mm lens for flight photography is a skill that takes years to perfect, and even then, properly framing large-in-the-frame birds is a tricky proposition. As a result, several of the images of the pelican were mis-framed, and the focus was off slightly.
He showed me the images on his laptop at lunch on Tuesday. We decided to work with the two images above and see if we could create something memorable. I loved the flat flight pose in the _J7A4898 image (on the left above), but the left primaries were clipped. My plan was to grab the primary tips from the _J7A4903 image (on the right above) and to resize and warp them to reconstruct the missing primary feather tips in the base image, _J7A4898 (after expanding the canvas right and below).
|
|
Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Sanjeev Nagrath
Image #1A: an unsharpened 100% crop of the out-of-focus original Brown Pelican carrying large fish in pouch image
Image Optimization by BIRDS AS ART
|
Sharpening the Image
I sharpened the bird selectively using the masking feature of Topaz Sharpen AI and then selected the bird’s face with the quick Selection Tool (W) and the Lasso Tool (L) and sharpened that selection with a Contrast Mask. Be sure to click on the optimized image below to see the (quite amazing if I do say so myself) final image.
|
|
|
This image was created by repeat client and friend Sanjeev Nagrath on Monday 9 January on Day 3 of the 2nd San Diego IPT. He used the tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Canon RF 600mm f/4 L IS USM lens and the highly touted 45MP Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 500. Exposure determined via test image and blinkies evaluation: 1/2000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual (M) mode. AWB at 10:15am on cloudy-bright Lightbox of a morning.
Full screen Eye Detection AI Servo AF (as detailed in the EOS R5/R6 e-Guide) was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Sanjeev Nagrath
Image #1: The optimized Brown Pelican carrying large fish in pouch image
Image Optimization by BIRDS AS ART
|
The Optimized Image
I am quite proud of the image optimization. I have been coming to La Jolla for more than 50 years, and had never seen a pelican flying with a large fish in its pouch.
The Sanjeev Pelican Image Optimization Video
I created an informal video of the entire image optimization process. The video includes the following:
The two raw conversions
The Topaz DeNoise noise reduction.
Adding canvas right and below using Content-Aware Crop
Painting a Quick Mask of the primary tips from _J7A4903
Moving that selection on a layer roughly into place on the base image, _J7A4898
Re-sizing and warping the added wingtip feathers and refining those with the addition of a Regular Layer Mask
Flattening that Layer and sculpting and refining the feather detail using the Clone Stamp Tool
Sharpening the bird selectively using the masking feature of Topaz Sharpen AI
Sharpening the face using a Contrast Mask
The un-edited video detailing the entire process is available to you for a mere $10.00. Do understand that it was created in a restaurant not a recording studio. That said, everything I said is legible and as always, the directions are easy to follow. All of the techniques used are covered in detail in Digital Basics II.
To purchase a copy of the video, you can send a PayPal for $10.000 by clicking here, or by calling Jim at 863-692-0906 weekdays (Friday before noon).
|
|
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).
You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.
|
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
The techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with my complete digital workflow, Digital Eye Doctor Techniques, and all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the 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.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: most of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. You can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here. Today, I convert my Sony raw files in Photoshop with Adobe Camera Raw.
You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
|
|
