January 11th, 2023
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Cover Image courtesy of and Copyright 2021 Brian Sump (Sump scores!)
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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.
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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
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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).
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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
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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.
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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
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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).
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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.
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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.
January 10th, 2023 San Diego IPT Late Registration Discount
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 IPT #2 late registration discount info. The photography has been consistently and astoundingly good.
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. Several folks are in the process of registering so do not tarry.The first IPT is looking very sold out as I await the last two deposit checks.
What’s Up?
Day 3 of the 2nd San Diego IPT was quite amazing. With no big waves things were a bit difficult at the main pelican cliffs so I took the group down the hill. I quickly found a spot with great flight photography for Royal Terns and Brown pelicans. I created 5210 images. All but one of the folks in the group created more images than I did!
Today is Tuesday 10 January 2023. For more than a week, the forecast for today had been for 100% rain all day. By last night it was down to 80%. This morning is showing no rain for many hours beginning at 7:30am so that is when I will meet the group. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare and makes two hundred eighty-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.
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.
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This image was created on 6 January 2023. I used the no-longer available (except from BIRDS AS ART) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with a twist with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 50. 1/2 second at f/14 (stopped down 4 2/3 stops) in Manual Mode. AWB at 8:57:56am on a mostly sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect.
Manual focus with focus peaking performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Children’s Pool breakwater on huge surf day/100% juiced up version
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Three Versions
Today’s post features three versions of the same image, my favorite from the huge surf day in San Diego, 6 January 2023. Image #1 was my first effort and featured juiced up colors. I lowered the color temperature to bring up the BLUE and then played around with the Saturation and Luminance of the AQUAs and GREENs under the Color Mixer tab to really boost the colors. Image #2 was converted conservatively with the original color temperature, the white and black points set as usual, the Highlights slider at -40, the White slider at +20, the Blacks at -50, Clarity at +10, Dehaze at +2, and Vibrance at +10. To create a middle-of-the-road version, I dragged a 50% opacity layer of Image #3 onto Image #2.
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This image was created on 6 January 2023. I used the no-longer available (except from BIRDS AS ART) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with a twist with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 50. 1/2 second at f/14 (stopped down 4 2/3 stops) in Manual Mode. AWB at 8:57:56am on a mostly sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect.
Manual focus with focus peaking performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Children’s Pool breakwater on huge surf day/straight up conversion version
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Singh-Ray 5-stop Mor-Slo Solid Neutral Density (ND) Filter
To get down to 1/2 second, I used a Singh-Ray 5-stop Mor-Slo Solid Neutral Density (ND) Filter that was screwed on to the front of the lens. Note that I still needed to stop down to f/14 for the right exposure at 1/2 second. A 10-stop Mor-Slo™ Solid Neutral Density (ND) Filter would have been better as it would have allowed me to work at a wider aperture. I am not sure if my artie10 discount code still works at Singh-Ray but I will let you know.
Here is some advice for Sony folks that might help others as well. When shooting long exposure blurs, I find that setting the exposure to show no Zebras avoids over-exposing the brightest highlights.
Singh-Ray Filters
Singh-Ray filters have been used by the world’s top photographers for many decades. Who? Art Wolfe, Tony Sweet, Ian Plant, Denise Ippolito, Nevada Weir, Brenda Tharp, Cole Thompson, Chuck Kimmerle, and the late Galen Rowell among others. Singh-Ray has been and is the name in quality filters. I often use a 77mm warming polarizer set to dark at Bosque to get to a slower shutter speed in too-bright conditions. Toward that end, BIRDS AS ART is working with Singh-Ray to produce a 5-stop Neutral Density filter to fit the filter drawers of Canon Super-telephoto lenses. Stayed tuned for info on that.
No other filter manufacturer comes close to matching the quality of Singh-Ray’s optical glass that is comparable to that used by NASA. And they continue to pioneer the most innovative products on the market like their ColorCombo polarizer, Vari-ND variable and Mor-Slo 15-stop neutral density filters. When you use their filters, you’ll create better, more dramatic images and, unlike other filters, with absolutely no sacrifice in image quality. All Singh-Ray filters are handcrafted in the USA.
Best News: 10% Discount/Code at checkout: artie10
To shop for a Singh-Ray 5-Stop Mor-Slo Fliter (for example), click on the logo link above, click on “Neutral and color
Solid Neutral Density Filters (glass), then click on “Mor-Slo™ 5, 10, 15 and 20-Stop Solid Neutral Density Filters (glass),” choose the size and model, add to cart, and then checkout. At checkout, type artie10 into the “Have a coupon? Click here to enter your code” box, and a healthy 10% discount will be applied to your total. In addition to enjoying the world’s best filter at 10% off you will be supporting my efforts here on the blog. I use the George Lepp models in 77mm and 95mm for my 3-stop NDs.
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This image was created on 6 January 2023. I used the no-longer available (except from BIRDS AS ART) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with a twist with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 50. 1/2 second at f/14 (stopped down 4 2/3 stops) in Manual Mode. AWB at 8:57:56am on a mostly sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect.
Manual focus with focus peaking performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Children’s Pool breakwater on huge surf day/50% juiced up version
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Breaking Wave Blur Shutter Times
While photographing the huge surf just four days ago, I did lots of experimenting with shutter speeds ranging from 1/8 second to 15 seconds. Shutter speeds in excess of 2 seconds produced creamy milky water that showed little shape or form. Those in the range of 1/2 to 2 seconds showed the most pleasing bridal veil effects where the water ran down in streaks. My very favorite for those was right at about 1 second.
Your Call?
After clicking on each image to enlarge it, all are invited to leave a comment letting us know which version they liked best, the juiced up version (Image #1), the conservatively processed version (Image #2), or the middle-of-the-road version, Image #3. Please let us know why you made your choice. I have a very clear choice.
With All Due Respect
With all due respect for all the faithful bird photographers using the latest Canon mirrorless bodies, those using the vaunted (and large and very heavy) Nikon Z9, and anyone using a dSLR, the Sony a1 is the cream of the crop by far. It is the easiest to learn to use efficiently and the easiest to use efficiently. And as far as getting the right exposure, Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb wheel leaves all the others in the proverbial dust. If you would like to receive an e-mail explaining in greater detail why the Sony A1 is best y far, please click here
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Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action.
Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!
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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 9th, 2023 San Diego IPT Late Registration Discount
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 IPT #2 late registration discount info. The photography has been consistently and astoundingly good.
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. Several folks are in the process of registering so do not tarry.The first IPT is looking very sold out as I await the last two deposit checks.
What’s Up?
We spent the morning and afternoon of Day 2 of the second San Diego IPT at Santee Lakes. Both sessions were filled with learning and unique opportunities. Ring-necked and Wood Ducks along with Cinnamon Teal cooperated nicely as they responded to offering of scratch (now $2/bags at the pay booth or the camp store). With zero wind in the morning there were lot of great reflections.
Today is Monday 9 January 2023. We will be headed early to La Jolla. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred eighty-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.
It is looking as if Homer 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.
Thanks to BPN-friend Bill Dix for sharing his heartfelt letter to Phil Norton and three of his very fine images below.
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.
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Image courtesy of an copyright 2023 Bill Dix
Image #1: Gambell’s Quail
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Bill Dix
I’ve met Bill Dix in person only once or twice, once for sure at Nickerson Beach. Bill is (obviously) an accomplished photographer, one of the many who has honed his skills in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographers.Net. Bill has been a member since 2009 and participated to the tune of 12,483 posts!
At $40/year BPN is the greatest buy in an avian photographic education except for the BIRDS AS ART Blog at $0.00/year.
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Image courtesy of an copyright 2023 Bill Dix
Image #2: Ross’s Geese in flight
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Dear Phil and Phoebe
I just listened to the interview with you that Art Morris posted here in his recent “What About Bosque?” blog post here. My wife Joanne and I visited Casa Blanca in 2019. I had heard at least part of the story of your management of Bosque, and its subsequent demise when you left, but that 51-minute interview contained a wealth of fascinating detail and personal stories. I am exceedingly grateful to you for your wise, visitor-oriented management of the refuge during your tenure. You conclude the interview with a somewhat hopeful outlook, that one of these days the pendulum will (or at least may) swing back the other way and wiser government and management could prevail.
I had looked forward to visiting Bosque again, and again staying in your wonderful B&B: but alas, I understand that you will be closing the place, and besides, I don’t have that many more years to wait for the pendulum to swing. So I will treasure my short visit in 2019, and the few images that resulted from that trip. One of your wonderful turned bowls occupies a place of honor in my living room.
I wish the two of you all the best as you move on to another chapter.
Bill
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Image courtesy of an copyright 2023 Bill Dix
Image #3: Sandhill Cranes taking flight
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Your Call
Which of Bill’s three featured images is your favorite. Do leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice. For me, it is a tie for first place.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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