December 30th, 2022 What’s Up?
As below, Thursday morning proved to be quite interesting.
Today is Friday 30 December 2022. The forecast for this morning is for more of the same, cloudy skies with a gentle wind from the east. As always, I will be at the cliffs early. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred seventy-seven 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.
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iPhone pano of the pelican cliffs early on Thursday morning.
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Pelican Cliffs Pano
First, note the undisturbed pelicans on the main cliff on the left side of the image. Coast Walk is on the extreme right. From right to left in the distance are La Jolla Shores and then Torrey Pines. Standing just this side of the Western Gull in the center with the tripod-mounted 400mm f/2.8 was, as noted below, perfect for incoming and fly-by Brown Pelican photography.
The apparent tsunami in the bay was caused by operator error — faulty panning when creating the iPhone pano.
A Strange but True Little Person/Midget/Dwarf Story
The amazing pelican photography at La Jolla continued on Thursday morning. Early on, I was the only photographer there. After doing some flight blurs with the 200-600, I did some more high ISO flight in low light with the tripod-mounted Sony 400mmm f/2.8 and the a1. Then I worked several gorgeous carpet necked pelicans with the tripod-mounted 600 f/4. I am glad that I got both big lenses to San Diego. (I shipped the 600 via UPS Ground insured.)
The flight photography all morning long was superb with dozens of pelicans flying in and around almost constantly. At about 9:00am, I noticed a guy climb over the fence on the downhill sidewalk across the small bay. I put the big lens on him and saw that he was photographing the pelicans with a cell phone. He was a little person, a dwarf or a midget, whatever is politically correct today. Anyhoo, his actions drove about 200 roosting pelicans off the hillside. While that helped the flight photography, it surely was not too cool. Not to mention that if he had slipped, he would have died.
Thirty minutes later, he showed up at the main cliffs, walked down into the crevice on the left, and scared away about three dozen birds. He climbed up on a ridge and continued photographing the pelicans and making selfies. As he was now even with me and several other photographers, I called out to him: “Sir, please do not scare off the rest of the birds.” He smirked. Then he continued to walk towards the point, scared away all the birds, turned around to face us, and smiling — laughed in our faces. Nice guy. After he left, the birds flew back in creating more great flight chances as the wind was perfect from the east.
Then he went up Coast Walk, climbed over the fence there, again scared some more birds, and again risked his life. The last we saw of him he was trespassing in a area surrounded by “Native tree restoration area — Please KEEP OUT” signs.
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Man and dog scaring the remaining pelicans off the cliff
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Hard to Believe
By 10:30am, hundreds of pelicans had returned to the main cliff while creating still more great flight photography. Then the gentleman in the image above walked down the steps and came through the gate. His entire head was covered with tattoos. He was being dragged by a very large dog. Is that a pit bull? He barely slowed down as he walked toward the point, scaring away every pelican that was up top. I simply gave up retired to the deck as did many others. The man and the dog followed. With a friendly smile he said, and I quote, “I’m sorry that I scared all the birds away. I did not notice that you were photographing them.”
Go figure.
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The iPhone Photography e-Guide
To order your copy of the The iPhone Photography e-Guide please click here.
The PDF is sent link by e-mail for downloading: the file is relatively huge at 216 MB.
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Hard to Believe
Cliff has a great eye and wonderfully creative vision. Yet it is still hard for me to believe that he can make so many great images with “just“ an i-phone. Almost more amazingly, Cliff captures with his iPhone and does all of his post-processing on the phone! In this great e-Guide written for BIRDS AS ART you will learn to set up your iPhone quickly and efficiently and how to to use it. In addition, there are dozens and dozens of tips on Cliff’s favorite apps and his favorite gear. Scroll down to the bottom to see the Table of Contents.
The iPhone Photography e-Guide: $20.00.
To order your copy of the The iPhone Photography e-Guide please click here.
Dr. Cliff Oliver
Dr. Cliff Oliver is an award-winning photographer, former photography instructor for the San Diego Natural History Museum, cutting-edge integrative health care professional, and international workshop leader. He created and taught the first 5-day immersion iPhone photography workshop at Hollyhock, Canada’s premier Leadership Learning Center. He teaches quarterly iPhone photography classes at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library School of the Arts (these include Art on the iPhone, iPhoneography, Portraits and Selfies, and Practicing in the Field). His images have been on the cover of WildBird magazine, on display at Scripps Oceanography Institute, and been honored with multiple first-place finishes in the International Exhibition of Photography Del Mar. The San Diego Natural History Museum’s, “Birds of the World” centennial exhibit featured several of his images. One of his iPhone images received an honorable mention in the Athenaeum 23rd annual juried exhibition. He has displayed images at Art Speaks: Expressions of Hope and Healing and has produced a series of books, called Zen I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII that feature original images that promote inner peace. The last 4 books feature only images taken on the iPhone. He teaches individuals and groups the skills of capturing iPhone/mobile photographs and then how to create personalized works of art.
Learn more about Cliff and what he does on his Center for Balance website here. And don’t forget, if I had never met Cliff I would be pushing up daisies somewhere. To request my Health Basics File that contains the whole story, please shoot me an e-mail by clicking here..
You can learn how I got interested in iPhone photography and see some of Cliff’s great iPhone images in the 2018 blog post here.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
December 29th, 2022 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.
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This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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The 2022/23 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) IPTs
San Diego IPT #2. 4 1/2 DAYS: SAT 7 JAN thru the morning session on WED 11 JAN 2023: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings: 2.
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: 5.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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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.
What’s Up?
Again, the dire weather forecast for this week failed to materialize. It rained most of the night and quit at about 6am. There was a strong NW wind so the cloudy skies were a blessing. I did high ISO flight, mostly with the tripod-mounted 600mm f/4. The incoming pelicans were parachuting down with their feet hanging below them as they floated down to land. As the wind dropped, I created many fine images of the male Anna’s Hummingbird — 70 keepers after the first edit! I used the tripod-mounted 600mm f/4 with the 1.4X TC. This bird has been quite reliable this year. I went to Hospitals for the sunset that showed promise but fizzled. I had some nice land/sea/wave-scapes lined up with the tripod-mounted Sony 70-200mm II lens. As I was shooting down from atop the cliff, the zillion tourists were somewhat of a problem.
Today is Thursday 29 December 2022. The forecast is for cloudy with a gentle SE breeze. I will be at the cliffs early. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred seventy-six 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.
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Be sure to click on the image to view the larger, high res version. See me in the center of the pupil.
Image #1: Pelican Eyeball Self-Portrait
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Pelican Eyeball Self-Portrait Courtesy of the Sony a1
And Excellent Long Lens/TC Sharpness Technique
Yes, that is my reflection in the center of the bird’s pupil, working off the tripod just beyond the fence. Pretty sharp, no?
There is a spot at La Jolla where, in certain weather conditions, you can get 15 feet from the pelicans without even trying. You can get a bit closer by putting one leg of the tripod over the fence — just do it slowly. To ensure accurate focus and sufficient depth of field where you need it, learn to use Focus Peaking. Most modern dSLRs and mirrorless bodies offer this feature. With Sony, I set Focus Peaking up so that the in focus overlay is red.
When working with long effective focal lengths and relatively slow shutter speeds, you need to employ your best long lens sharpness techniques. Join me on an IPT to learn exactly how.
The astounding image quality of the a1 speaks for itself in this huge crop of the image below. And the same might be said about my long lens sharpness techniques.
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This, the original image for the eyeball crop above, was created on 27 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 1000. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/60 sec. at f/9 (stopped down 1 1/3-stops). AWB at 3:50:15pm on a cloudy afternoon.
Manual focus with Focus Peaking performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the higher res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican (Pacific-race) 2-year old resting — face portrait
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Looking for Special & Executing the Plan
I walked by this resting young bird about six times while searching for a colorful adult. Each time I passed it, the pink eye-skin called out to me. Finally, I succumbed and went to work. I set up perfectly parallel to the face. I was lucky to have the out-of-focus feathers of the next young pelican as the brown background. Focus Peaking showed me that f/9 covered the face. Experience told me that I could make sharp images at 1/60 sec. at 840mm. And Zebras showed me that I needed ISO 1000 to create a perfect exposure in the low light. Vision plus technique paves the road to making successful images.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
December 28th, 2022 Your Call?
Which of today’s three featured images is your favorite? You are cordially invited to leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice. For me, this one is a very close call.
Induro GIT 304L Tripod
Out of production for more than two years, BAA has just one left in stock. The 304L has been my go-to tripod for more than a decade. Best to grab the last one here right now.
What’s Up?
It finally happened: an only fair morning at La Jolla. It could have been great. But. After a spectacular sunrise, I noticed a single photographer sitting low in the rocks in the crevice near the point, up top. He was still and quiet and did not scare any birds. When nearly all of the young pelicans flew off, I walked up behind him and said, “Good morning.” No response. Louder. No response. Louder still, from 10 feet away. No response. I was going to suggest that if he moved back to the main cliff, that there was a good chance that lots of pelicans would fly in.
There were several possibilities:
1- He was deaf.
2- He had ear buds in and was listening to music.
3- He chose to ignore me.
I figured that if he did not speak English, he would have at least turned around.
I decided to head south and explore the low cliffs.
If he is there tomorrow, I will make sure to get his attention.
Along the coast, I photographed some surfing pelicans and some surfing humans. And I played around with a tame Whimbrel that was hanging out with two young Black-bellied Plovers. In the afternoon, working with slow shutter speeds at 840mm off the tripod, I worked tight detailed head shots of the pelicans by the downhill fence.
Today is Wednesday 28 December 2022. It is supposed to rain overnight and be partly-sunny turning sunny in the morning. So much for the ominous weather forecast. I never worry about dire forecasts until it begins to rain heavily. This blog post took two hours to prepare and makes two hundred seventy-five 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.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
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This image was created on 26 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 and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1000. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 7:20:17am on a cloudy 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 (Pacific-race) in pre-breeding plumage (white-necked)
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Lots Of …
On the day after Christmas, there were again a zillion pelicans on the cliffs. And, with the day being a federal holiday, there were almost as many photographers. As would be expected, several of those were quite lacking in field manners. There was one man working with a 600 lens on a tripod. Twice, I set up to shoot to his side. And twice he moved right in front of me. I said, “Excuse me, you just blocked me.” He said, “I was here first.”
Go figure.
Getting the Green Background
On the pelican cliffs at La Jolla, the best way to get a green background is to have some birds perched well up on the upper cliff either in the shade or on a cloudy day. There are patches of green vegetation on the opposite cliff. You need to line things up carefully as there is lots of of grey and brown there as well.
There was a young (thirty-something) photographer working this bird with me while 25 others down the slope ignored the beautiful bird with the white hind-neck. I complimented him on knowing his way around birds as he moved very slowly when changing his perspective.
A late-arriving photographer came through the gate and walked briskly between us and the bird. I raised one hand, motioning him to slow down, and said, “slower please.” He continued on, turned back to me, and said, “I gotta be somewhere.” I said, “You might have scared our beautiful bird.” He said, “Did I scare it?”
Go figure.
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This image, of the same bird, was also created on 26 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 1250. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/60 sec. at f/14 (stopped down 2 2/3 stops). AWB at 7:20:17am on a cloudy 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 #2: Brown Pelican (Pacific-race) in pre-breeding (white-necked) plumage — resting
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Point-blank Resting Pelicans and Depth of Field
I added the 1.4X TC and moved a bit closer to the bird. I made some images at f/6.3 and then went down to f/11 and eventually to f/14. Focusing on the eyes, the feathers of the folded near-wing and the breast sharpened up nicely, but the distal half of the bill is soft as it inside the zone of sharp focus. As I point out often here, when you are working anywhere near the minimum focusing distance, depth of field with long effective focal lengths — 840mm in this case, will be measured only in fractions of an inch. Notice that I am confident of making sharp images at 840mm with shutter speeds as slow as 1/60 sec. Even using the self timer I would not be confident at 1/30 sec.
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This image, of the same bird, was also created on 26 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 1250. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/60 sec. at f/14 (stopped down 2 2/3 stops). AWB at 7:36:22 am on a cloudy 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 #3: Brown Pelican (Pacific-race) in pre-breeding (white-necked) plumage — bill pouch fully distended
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Getting Lucky
When teaching folks to photograph the pelicans at La Jolla, I recommend that if they are working with a long focal length and the bird does a head throw, that they acquire focus quickly, frame the image as best as they can, and press the shutter button without attempting to change any of their settings. So when the beautiful bird leaned forward and distending its bill pouch, I did as I teach but figured that I had zero chance at 1/160 sec. But, as the golfer stops for an instant as he or she transitions from the backswing to the downswing, my bird held still just long enough to produce one fairly sharp image. The other eleven in the series were all badly motion-blurred.
The Lesson
When you are working around other photographers, use common sense, move slowly, keep your eyes open, and be sure to look behind you whenever you move.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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