December 12th, 2022 What’s Up?
Sunday morning dawned mostly sunny with just a bit of fog and a west/northwest wind. I worked the backlit Vulture Trees, but the magic was lacking. Then I tried some slightly backlit vultures on the ground and might have one decent, ISO 5000 take-off image, probably my only keeper from the morning session. I drove down at sunrise and had a gorgeous, perfectly muted by fog sun ball to work with. I could’a been famous. I was working with the 400 f/2.8 and the 2X doing crane head portraits. When I sat, I was a bit too low, and when I kneeled, I was a bit too high. I shall return.
Today is Monday 12 December 2022. The forecast for this morning is for solidly cloudy dark with a NW wind — i.e., not terrible. I will head down to the lake for a bit this morning. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare including the time spent on the four image optimizations. Today makes two hundred sixty 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.
Why the 2X TC?
The birds on the Vulture Trees are quite tame, even when you exit your vehicle. I could easily have driven closer and used the 1.4X TC instead of the 2X. On Friday past, I opted to work at 1200mm rather than getting closer and working at 840mm. Why?
Your Call?
Which of today’s four (not ordinary) featured images is your favorite? Please leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice. While each photo qualifies as a bit different and I like them all, I have a clear favorite.
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This image was created on 9 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250. 1/1000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 7:49:13am on sunny morning.
Tracking: Flexible Spot/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Turkey Vulture neck-preening pose
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On Working the Same Subjects Ad Infinitum
When I am home, it is a rare morning when I do not drive down to the end of Banyan to check out the Vulture Trees. When photographing the same subjects — in this case Turkey and Black Vultures, over, and over, and over again, the key to success is to create something just a bit different. With Image #1, I love the sort of doofy position of the bird’s head. I kept four images from a series of more than 40 — this one was my favorite by far.
doofy: descriptive of and pertaining to acts or behaviors that come across in a somewhat off-kilter or awkward way that can be seen as any combination of clumsy, uncoordinated, silly, strange, ditzy, dizzy, loopy, nerdy, geeky, odd or offbeat, sometimes infused with unintentional humor.
From where I sit, doofy qualifies as different.
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This image was created on 9 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250. 1/1000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 7:55:51am on sunny morning.
Tracking: Flexible Spot/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Black Vulture — tall vertical, stitched panorama
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A Tall, Vertical, Stitched Pano
Wanting to include lots more of the hanging moss, I used one of the two buttons that I use for Focus Hold and panned down after focusing on the bird’s eye and created a few frames. I optimized both images with the same settings, cropped the moss image to include only the moss, expanded canvas on the base image, moved the moss onto that frame with the Move Tool (V), and used the arrow keys to line things up.
From where I sit, tall, very skinny verticals qualify as different.
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This image was created on 9 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250. 1/640 sec. at f/11 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:02:28am on sunny morning.
Tracking: Flexible Spot/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Black Vulture on perch with wing of flapping neighbor
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You Know the Rule
When unexpected action occurs, push and hold the shutter button. That’s exactly what I did when this bird’s neighbor began flapping in place. I kept two frames, grabbed the wing from one frame, and brought it onto the image with the best head angle. Call it a photo illustration if you wish.
In any case, from where I sit, this one qualifies as different.
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This image was created on 9 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250. 1/640 sec. at f/11 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:04:09am on sunny morning.
Tracking: Flexible Spot/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #4: Turkey Vulture — resting on branch stub
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Resting Vultures
Vultures will occasionally rest on horizontal branches. Tracking: Flexible Spot enabled me to re-compose and place the bird in the upper right corner. I stopped down to f/11 in an effort to sharpen up the moss on the trunk of the dead tree.
From where I sit, this one qualifies as different.
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All images on this card were created by Arthur Morris on the Hooptie Deux at Alafia Banks
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2023 Spoonbill Boat 1-1/2 DAY MINI-IPT: $1199.00.00. Limit: 5 photographers/Openings: 3.
A full day on WED 15 FEB and the morning of Thursday 16 FEB 2023: 1 1/2 days.
Two morning and one afternoon photo session (weather permitting) via customized pontoon boat.
For early-arriving folks, artie is throwing in a free afternoon In-the-Field session at a little-known but very active rookery in North Tampa on Tuesday 14 February.
We will be leaving the dock in Gibsonton, FL very early for the morning sessions in hopes of photographing a pre-dawn White Ibis blast-off and creating some dramatic silhouettes or pleasing blurs. The morning sessions are planned for the Alafia Banks Roseate Spoonbill Rookery. We have several options for the afternoons including returning to Alafia. We may spend one afternoon on foot at the North Tampa rookery mentioned above. There will be lots of opportunities for flight photography of several species including and especially Roseate Spoonbill. Also likely for flight photography are nesting Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, and Double Crested Cormorant, many carrying nesting material. This IPT includes all boat and guide fees, in-the-field instruction from two great leaders, chest waders (feel free to bring your own of course to assure a perfect fit), and three working lunches (Monday thru Wednesday). For the most part we will be standing in mid-calf to knee-deep water behind our tripods. We help you get in and out of the boat safely with your gear. This is likely not the best trip for folks with mobility or balance problems. Note however that some folks opt to stay on the boat to photograph. They usually have lots of chances for flight photography of spoonbills and other species but are almost always pretty far away from the spoonbills that land.
Mid-February is prime time for photographing spoonbills at the absolute peak of breeding plumage. For unknown reasons, the spoonbills at Alafia are much more colorful than the birds that breed at Stick Marsh later in the season. The Hooptie IPT represents an incredible opportunity and I do hope that you can join us. All of the images on the cards were made on the Hooptie Duex during the last two weeks of February, prime time for the spoonies in mega-breeding plumage.
You may hold your spot with an e-mail request. Then, you may either secure your spot by calling Jim or Jennifer at the office at 863-692-0906 and leaving the $599 deposit on credit card or sending your check for payment in full to us as follows with the check made out to:
BIRDS AS ART
Please send it via US mail here:
BIRDS AS ART
PO BOX 7245
Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855
If you call to leave your deposit, you will be asked to mail your check for the balance ASAP. Be sure to give us your e-mail address.
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Images courtesy of our guide; copyright 2017 Captain James Shadle (aka Froggie). All of the images here were created at Alafia Banks. Card creation and design by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.
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Everybody Wants Spoonbills!
Roseate Spoonbill is one of if not the most sought after avian photographic subjects in Florida. They are generally hard to find and somewhat difficult to approach. They are relatively easy to find at Alafia Banks—heck, you can’t miss seeing them, but even there they can on some days be somewhat difficult to approach. On some days we may be able to get ridiculously close to them. The huge incentive to get out to Alafia Banks in mid-February is the chance to photograph this species at the height of its spectacular breeding plumage…. with long telephoto lenses. A 500 or 600 with a 1.4X TC is perfect for flight.
As above, there will — weather permitting — three boat trips — 2 mornings and 1 afternoon — on this MINI IPT. All to Alafia Banks for spoonbills and Brown Pelicans (with lots of flight photography often with the birds likely carrying nesting material), Double-crested Cormorants, ibises (both Glossy and White) in breeding plumage. Many of the White Ibises will be sporting their spectacular, distended, red, naked (un-feathered) throat pouches—typically larger in the females. In addition, we may get to photograph egrets including Great and Reddish, both in full breeding plumage, shorebirds, and more. There will be lots of flight photography opportunities. Afternoon trips either to Alafia Banks for spoonbills and more or to a more sheltered inland rookery location for a variety of nesting birds. In the event of horrific weather artie will either take the group to Fort DeSoto or will conduct an image review/Photoshop session. This IPT includes lunches on the full day with small group image sharing and review and some over-the-shoulder Photoshop instruction.
The 2023 Expanded Winter/Spoonbill Boat/DeSoto 4-DAY IPT: $2199.00.00. Limit: 5 photographers.
The 2023 Expanded Winter/Spoonbill Boat/DeSoto 4-DAY IPT
Bird photographers, especially those wishing to escape the snow, ice, and freezing winter temperatures to the north of sunny Florida, can add two mornings at Fort DeSoto an afternoon at the little-known but fabulous rookery north of Tampa, a second (free) afternoon at that same rookery, to the 1 1/2 days on the Spoonbill Boat. Shared lodging is a possibility that includes watching the Super Bowl at my home on Sunday 12 February and driving over early to DeSoto. DeSoto is one of the very few bird photography hotspots that has the possibility of being great on any day of the year. It is generally superb in winter with lots of wading birds, terns, both species of pelicans, many species of shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, and lots of flight photography.
You can hold your spot with an e-mail request. Then, you may either secure your spot by calling Jim or Jennifer at the office at 863-692-0906 and leaving the $599 deposit on your credit card or sending your check for payment in full to us as follows with the check made out to:
BIRDS AS ART
Please send it via US mail here:
BIRDS AS ART
PO BOX 7245
Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855
If you call to leave your deposit, you will be asked to mail your check for the balance ASAP. Be sure to give us your e-mail address.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
December 11th, 2022 Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR Lens with extra
BAA Record-low Price!
Price Reduced $200 on 12/10/22
John Armitage is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens in excellent condition for a BAA record low $1,195.95 (was $1,395.95). The sale includes the original tripod mount, a Lens Collar Support Tripod Mount Ring RT-1 for Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens (a $29.99 value), the soft case, the front and rear caps, the original box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact John via e-mail
The skilled and venerable Anita Gail Erica North owned and used this very sharp lens a lot on her international travels when she shot Nikon. It is light in weight and focuses quickly and accurately. artie
What’s Up?
The fog was dense on Saturday morning and did not burn off until almost 11am. I created a few interesting images with the 400 f/2.8 — the best was a caracara take-off blur. There were lots of dewy spider webs but with no light and a stiff breeze from the NW, photographing them was impossible (even with digital). I spent most of the day relaxing and watching the last two World Cup soccer games. Kudos to Morocco and defending champion France for advancing to the semi-finals. Today is Sunday 11 December 2022. Though it is mostly clear with a NW wind, I will head down to the lake early looking for some more Vulture Tree silhouettes. This blog post took more than three hours to prepare, more than half of that trying to learn to make arrow shapes in Photoshop! Today makes two hundred fifty-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.
Be sure to check out the Camera Gear Shipping Warning item 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.
Photo Gear Shipping Warning
On Friday afternoon I sent my Sony 600mm f/4 in the lens trunk in the original shipping carton with the protective styrofoam corners in place. I used UPS Ground Insured.
When you need to send any photography gear anywhere do NOT be tempted by the lower rates offered by the United States Postal Service. Last year I sent a Canon RF 100-500 to the UK using the post office. It was lost in a matter of days. It simply disappeared off the radar screen. Though it was insured, and we had all the paperwork, the post office had no idea where it was. I actually got the insurance money amazingly quickly, but the whole thing was a huge hassle.
Consider this one via e-mail from IPT veteran Bill Wingfied:
I sold the Canon 600mm f/4 lens to Jack Jeffrey in Hawaii on the Big Island. The lens reached Hilo and the post office there would not deliver it to Jack or give it to him personally as I had addressed it to his street address and the USPS will only deliver registered mail to a PO Box! It has been almost a month and it is still not back to me. I hope to get it this week, check it to be sure there is no damage, and ship it back to him.
Can you say “insanity”?
Fed-Ex wanted $400.00; the post office only $180.00. Bill was tempted and wound up paying the price.
Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords 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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Click on the screen capture to view a larger version.
Diagram #1 image
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Know the Wind. Think Fast. And Act Fast
Fifteen minutes after creating the Vulture Trees sunrise silhouette bird-scape image featured in yesterday’s blog post here, I was at “A” driving slowly heading north and looking for birds. Looking to my right, I saw a Bald Eagle (at “C”) gliding south in flat flight toward the nest tree. At times, the human brain can process information as fast as a computer. With the north wind, I knew that the bird would need to fly well past the nest tree, make a U-turn, make its way to the nest, and land (at “X.”.)
I was aware that I had the 2X on the 400mm f/2.8 GM lens. I had been creating some Sandhill Crane head portraits at 1/1000 second. Realizing that I needed a lot more shutter speed, I turned the Index Finger Dial a few clicks clockwise. Next, I turned the Thumb Wheel several clicks clockwise to increase the ISO. I did not have time to check the exposure as I needed to quickly make a U-turn and wind up at “B” with my SUV facing southwest so that I could photograph out the lowered driver’s side window with the brightest sky behind the nest tree.
That done, I grabbed the lens, hit the Set button to get to Tracking: Zone AF, and stuck the lens out the window. With one second to spare, I had no time to check for Zebras, so I acquired focus and fired off about fifteen frames as the big bird braked to land. I kept three, all with the wings swept back. The last keeper was my favorite.
There is no substitute for experience, fast thinking, and fast acting.
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Click on the screen capture to view a larger version.
Image #1: The Photo Mechanic screen capture for the Bald Eagle backlit landing at nest tree image
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The Photo Mechanic Screen Capture
With significant space to the right of the end of the histogram, I knew that the image was under-exposed. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be 2/3-stop too dark. Had I not made the changes that I did, the image would not have been sharp. And the exposure was not terrible. Note that you can see the eagle’s white head in the original above.
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This image was created on 9 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. While seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined by guessing. 1/2000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode/ISO 2000. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be 2/3-stop too dark. AWB at 7:29:52am on a partly sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1A: Bald Eagle backlit landing at nest tree
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The Optimized Version
I knew the moment that I stuck the lens out the window that I would process this image as a silhouette even though I could make out the adult eagle’s white head in the raw file. That’s why I positioned my vehicle with the bright sky behind the eagle tree.
Aside from the small crop and juicing up the sky color, what major change was made in Photoshop?
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The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide
You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.
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The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide
126 pages, 87 photographs by Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.
Purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.
I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back and forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Here are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide:
- Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
- Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
- The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
- Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
- Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
- Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
- West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here you will have a chance for two difficult birds, Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
- Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.
Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.
You can purchase a copy 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.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
December 10th, 2022
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This image was created on 24 October 26 2018 on the bucket list Emperor Penguins of Snow Hill Island expedition via icebreaker. I used the no-longer available (except from BAA) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Mongoose-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II (at 850mm!) and the Nikon D850. ISO 500. Matrix metering plus about 1 1/3 stops: 1/640 sec. at f/13 in Manual mode. AWB at 3:10:36pm on a cloudy, very-bright afternoon
One AF point up and to the right of the center AF point/Single/Shutter-button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the bird’s left eye (the one on our right).
Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +7. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Emperor Penguin chick tight head portrait
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Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens (with a nice extra)
David Hawkins is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a very low $2,596.94. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the lens strap, the soft case,a Wimberley P-20 lens plate (a $55.00 value), and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact David via e-mail or by phone at 1-727-215-7567 (Eastern time zone).
Yes, I loved this still hard-to-get lens a ton when I used Nikon gear. The Nikon PF series telephoto lenses are tremendously popular as they are relatively small and light and offer great reach. Both do well with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II.The latter gets you to 840mm with a full frame body. On my bucket-list-trip for the Emperor Penguins, I brought two D850 bodies, the 500 PF, and the Nikon 80-400 VR lenses! You can see more images from the Snow Hill Island trip in the Nikon 500 PF/D850 Does Emperor Penguins in Antarctica! blog post here. The 500 PF is still hard to come by and sells new for $$3,296.95. At $2596.95, David’s lens is a steal as you save an even $700.00. artie
What’s Up?
I did fairly well at sunrise, and then spent a fun hour at the Vulture Trees. On Thursday, after the endoscopy and the anesthesia, I had lots of energy. On Friday, I was beat. After my early morning photo session, I barely lifted a finger to do anything. I did sit on the couch and watch two great World Cup soccer games. Kudos to Croatia and Argentina for advancing to the quarterfinals. Both games were decided by penalty kicks. Condolences to Brazil, to the Dutch, and to Clemens Van der Werf, now living in the Netherlands.
Today is Saturday 10 December 2022. When I went into the kitchen early, there was a grasshopper on the kitchen floor. I left it. Though the morning forecast for ILE is calling for cloudy with a NW breeze, I will be heading down to the lake early, just in case there is a nice sunrise.
This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred fifty-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.
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This image was created on 9 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at ILE. Standing at full height, I used the no-longer available (except from BAA) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 320. 1/6400 sec. at f/3.2 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be just as I wanted it. AWB at 7:13:50am on just after sunrise on a clear morning.
Tracking: Spot (S) AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection worked just fine. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
The Vulture Trees backlit at sunrise
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It Was The Frog’s Fault!
(AKA, the dog ate my homework)
Today’s image is typical of the new concept I have been working on recently, shooting the Vulture Trees backlit from across the canal between the South Peninsula and the South Field. I’ve tried with focal lengths ranging from 400mm to 1200mm. Though I like this one a lot, I think that there is a chance to do even better. Keep reading and you can learn a few things.
The Sun Peeking into the Frame
Do you like that the sun is just peeking into the frame? Why or why not? As discussed here recently, with any part of an unmuted sun in the frame on a clear morning, the sun must be completely over-exposed. If you eliminate over-exposing it, the rest of the frame will necessarily be black. I tried for almost 30 minutes to mute the sun, but did not like any of the results. If you do not like the sun peeking into the frame, remember that it was the frog’s fault. Had I not spotted it on the kitchen floor that morning I would have gotten down to the lake a lot earlier, well before the sun came into view.
Why the Tripod?
Considering the following:
1- Being relatively short in length, and with all the weight toward the rear, The Sony 400mm f/2.8 lens is easy to hand hold.
2- I had a ton of shutter speed.
Why did I go to the trouble of setting up the tripod?
Bird-scapes
How does having a single, distinctive bird in the frame when creating bird-scapes help the image?
Is there a single, distinctive bird in the frame above? Which one?
Depth of Field Question
Why was there no need to stop down two or three stops to render the trees and birds sharp?
The Homer IPTs Late Registration Discounts
If you’ve been thinking of attending one of the great trips below, please contact me via e-mail to learn of the Late Registration Discounts; I will do my very best to make it happen.
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All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK
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2023 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs
IPT #1: MON 20 FEB 2023 through the full day on FRI 24 FEB 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 2.
IPT #2: SAT 25 FEB 2023 through the full day on THURS 2 MAR 2023. Six full days/24 hours on the boat: $6600.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 3.
IPT #3: FRI 3 MAR 2023 through the full day on TUES 7 MAR 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers. Openings: 2.
Save $1,500.00 by doing back-to-back trips. Save $2500 by doing all three trips.
These trips feature non-stop flight photography as well as many opportunities to create both environmental and point-blank portraits of one of North America’s most sought-after avian subjects: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Other reliable subjects will include Sea Otter, Glaucous-winged and Short-billed (formerly Mew) Gulls.
In addition, we should see Common Murre, Black Guillemot, Pelagic Cormorant, two or three species of loons, and a smattering of ducks including two species of merganser, all three scoters, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Bufflehead, Harlequin, and Long-tailed Ducks. Close-range photographic chances for these species will require a ton of good luck. Some of these species, especially when in flocks, can, however, often be used effectively when creating bird-scapes.
If we need to be out early, we will be the first boat out. If conditions are great, we will stay out. And when there is a chance for sunset silhouettes, we will stay out and be in the right spot.
We will be traveling through gorgeous wilderness country; landscape and scenic opportunities abound.
Also featured is a professional leader, often referred to as the world’s most knowledgeable bird photography trip leader, who is conversant in Canon, Nikon, and Sony.
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All images from Kachemak Bay in 2022!
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What You Will Learn
You will learn practical and creative solutions to everyday photographic problems. You will learn to see the shot, to create dynamic images by fine-tuning your compositions, to best utilize your camera’s AF system, and how to analyze the wind, the sky conditions, and the direction and quality of the light. This is one of the very few trips Homer trips available where you will not be simply put on the birds and told to have fun. You will learn to be a better photographer. But only if that is what you want.
You will learn to get the right exposure when it is sunny, when it cloudy-bright, when it is cloudy, when it is cloudy-dark, or when it is foggy. Not to mention getting the right exposure when creating silhouettes.
You will learn to make pleasing blurs working in manual mode and to create silhouettes working in Shutter Priority mode.
Most importantly you will learn to pick your best flight images from tens of thousands of images.
You will enjoy working with the two best and most creative boat captains on their sturdy, photography-spacious, seaworthy, open-deck crafts.
The second and third IPTs are the only Bald Eagle workshops that feature an incredibly helpful first mate.
Only five photographers (not the usual six), plus the leader.
Small group Photoshop, Image Review, and Image Critiquing sessions.
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All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK
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What’s Included
One four-hour or two two-hour(+/-) boat trips every day (weather permitting), all boat fees and boat-related expenses (excluding tips), ground transportation to and from the dock and back to the hotel each day, in-the-field instruction and guidance, pre-trip gear advice, small group post-processing and image review sessions, and a thank you dinner for all well-behaved participants. Airport pickup if possible)
What’s Not Included
Your airfare to and from Homer, AK (via Anchorage), the cost of your room at Land’s End Resort, all personal items, all meals and beverages, and tips for the boat captain and/or the first mate.
Please Note
On great days, the group may wish to photograph for more than four hours. If the total time on the boat exceeds 20 hours for the five-day trips, or 24 hours for the second trip, the group will share the additional expense at a rate of $225/hour.
Some folks may wish to rent their own vehicle to take advantage of local photographic opportunities around Homer.
Deposit Information
A $3000 non-refundable deposit/trip is required. You may pay your deposit with credit card or by personal check (made out to BIRDS AS ART) and sent via US mail only to Arthur Morris. PO Box 7245. Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Your balance, due 90 days before the date of departure, is payable only by check as above.
In Closing
I have been going to Homer off and on for close to two decades. Every trip has been nothing short of fantastic. Many folks go in mid-March. The earlier you go, the better the chances for snow. The only way to assure that you are on the best of the three trips is to sign up for all three. Can you keep up with me? If you have any questions, or are good to go for one, two, or all three trips, please let me know via e-mail or give me a call on my cell phone at 863-221-2372.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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