Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Homer Late Registration Discounts

If you are at all interested in traveling to Homer with me in FEB/MAR 2023 to photograph Bald Eagles, shoot me an e-mail for late registration discount info.

San Diego IPT Late Registration Discounts

If you are at all interested in traveling to San Diego to improve your photography and enjoy the phenomenal Brown Pelican photography this month, please shoot me an e-mail for late registration discount info.

What’s Up?

It poured all night and slacked off at about 6am on Sunday morning. I got to La Jolla at about seven. The wind was from the west at about 25mph with higher gusts. The main cliff was wall-to-wall pelicans. I made a few images of the zillions pelicans with the tripod mounted 70-200 for about 20 minutes and then — gasp — shot video for nearly 90 minutes using both the 70-200mm f/2.8 and the 600mm f/4. Thanks to Mark Smith, I have my a1 bodies set up perfectly to capture slow motion video. The next step is learning to process the videos. Mark has a great a1 Video How-to course online. If you would like advance information on the course, please let me know via e-mail.

Today is Monday 2 January 2023. The forecast for the morning is for mostly cloudy with a gentle breeze from the SW. I will head to the cliffs and probably explore a bit along the coast to the south in search of shorebirds and gulls. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes two hundred eighty 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.

My plan is to continue to post every day until the streak reaches one year and then go back to 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 has just one of my favorite-ever tripods left in stock. The 304L was my go-to tripod for more than a decade. Best to grab this last one here right now.

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 1 January 2023 at La Jolla, CA. 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 1600. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 8:48:39am on a stormy morning. Tracking: Spot (S) was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #1: Brown Pelican flock on the water

The Armada

I noticed two big groups of pelicans several hundred yards offshore. As I had never seen anything like it before, I switched from videos to stills and made a few images of the flotilla. Click on the image to enlarge it and see why this scene reminded me of a huge convoy of WW II ships with the three Heermann’s Gulls acting as destroyer escorts. Can you say “Victory at Sea”?

This image was also created on 1 January 2023 at La Jolla, CA. Again, 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 2500. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2000 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 9:46:05am on a stormy morning. Tracking: Spot (S) with Bird Face/Eye enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #2: Brown Pelican cliff party

Umbrella Excitement

To say that the sidewalk cliffs were crowded with pelicans would be an understatement. I had been looking for an image of the birds packed like sardines in a can but wasn’t finding anything. When a woman walking down the hill struggled to hold on to her umbrella, the birds freaked. Composing through the lens, I trusted Tracking: Spot S with Bird Face/Eye enabled so that I could re-compose after picking my main subject, the handsome breeding plumage bird in the upper right. I had my shot.

This image was also created on 1 January 2023 at La Jolla, CA. 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 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 88mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. A 3-stop 77mm ND filter was screwed on to the front of the lens. ISO 64. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1.3 seconds at f/11 (stopped down four stops). AWB at 10:56:25am on a stormy morning. Manual Focus with Focus Peaking. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Brown Pelicans on cliff in storm

NDs for Moving Water Blurs

I travel with 77mm and 95mm three- and five-stop Neutral Density filters. The 77mm sizes fits my 24-105 and my 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses while the larger ones fit my Sony 200-600mm. They allow me to get to very low shutter speeds even on sunny days. I even have a 10-stop ND for 77mm.

Your Call?

As expected, the really bad weather on Sunday provided many unique photographic opportunities. Heck, twice I kept my back to the wind to protect my gear as two short rain squalls swept through La Jolla.

Which of today’s three very different featured images do you like best? All are invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choice. I am not sure if anyone will go with my pick.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

On Friday, I enjoyed a different kind of wonderful morning with the pelicans. As predicted, there was a barely perceptible breeze from the east so there was not much flight and the birds that did land came in very low. The few photographers who came late left early leaving all of the beautiful pelicans for me to enjoy. With the 400mm f/2.8 on the tripod and both TCs in my fanny pack, I made my way safely down the crevice and in a very few minutes was point blank with several dozen pelicans. With its amazing minimum focusing distance (MFD) of less than 9 feet, this lens offers 0.16X magnification. Compare that to the 0.14X magnification of the Sony 600mm f/4 GM. How can the be? Magnification is measured at the MFD; the 400 f/2.8 focuses much closer than the 600mm f/4’s 14.8 feet.

Anyhoo, with either TC added, the lens I did not like for nearly forty years becomes a giant macro lens. I had a ball doing body parts and faces and bill and wing detail as the birds slept peacefully, some almost within arms-length of me. I got some good ones and learned quite a bit for the next time.

Today is Saturday 31 December 2022. The forecast for this morning is for more of the same, cloudy skies with a gentle wind from the east. I may head down the coast early. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes two hundred seventy-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.

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 has just one of my favorite-ever tripods left in stock. The 304L was my go-to tripod for more than a decade. Best to grab this last one here right now.

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 28 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. While standing at full height I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 2500. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:48:18am on a cloudy morning. Manual focus with Focus Peaking performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the higher res version. Image #1: Anna’s Hummingbird displaying

Anna’s at La Jolla

Over the years, heck, the decades, there is a single yucca tree near the pelican cliffs that the male Anna’s hummingbirds frequent often. I have never seen a female there. They are totally oblivious to the many humans that pass by within yards.

To drive away intruders, the Anna’s will display aggressively whenever another hummer zips by. At times, the will take flight in pursuit. When photographing the territorial displays, I find that shutter speeds of 1/500 sec. or faster will produce sharp images and will eliminate almost all motion blur.

This image was also created on 28 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. Again, while standing at full height, I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 2500. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:51:25am on a cloudy morning. Manual focus with Focus Peaking performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the higher res version. Image #2: Anna’s Hummingbird displaying

Hummingbird Behaviors and Habits

When perched, hummingbirds are almost constantly doing something interesting. They display (Image #1), they stretch their wings (Image #2) in a variety of ways, often fanning their tails as they do, they sing, and they threaten other birds. They are constantly moving their heads either lighting up the gorget (as in all three of today’s featured images), or turning the head and neck feathers jet-black. Photographing hummingbirds is never boring and is always a challenge.

Image design Question

Why did I place the subject right of center looking out of the frame in Image #2

This image was also created on 28 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. Again, while standing at full height, I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 2500. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:10:13am on a cloudy morning. Manual focus with Focus Peaking performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the higher res version. Image #3: Anna’s Hummingbird — shaded cave background

The Cave Background

When the hummers are perched on the yucca leaves, it is not possible to use the shaded water inside the opening of the cave as a background. When the bird perches well to your right, you are good to try for that. So I did.

Your Call?

Which of today’s three featured images is your favorite? All are invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choice.

Typos

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