Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Stuff

I am just about ready to meet the accountant on Thursday for our pre-audit meeting. I skipped my swim as my shoulder ached a bit but enjoyed my ice bath a ton. I will be back in the pool tomorrow for sure.

This blog post took about 1 1/2 hours to prepare, most of that time for the writing. It should be published automatically at 6am on Wednesday, September 23, 2015. Please remember to use my B&H affiliate links for your major gear purchases; online orders only; no phone orders. Won’t cost you a penny! And helps me out tremendously. Many thanks for considering this important request.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. You can always see what is for sale and what has sold along with the prices on the Used Gear Page by clicking here.

New Listing

Used Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L Lens

Roger Windemuth is offering a used Canon 400mm f/5.6L lens in excellent condition for lowest ever BAA price of $840. The sale includes the tripod collar, the front and rear lens caps, the case in new condition, the original box, and the Canon CD. Once your check clears–PayPal is also an option–your lens will be sent insured by either USPS or FedEx Ground–your choice. Please contact Roger by e-mail or phone at 360-904-2726 (Pacific time).

I put my then beloved “toy lens” on the map more than 20 years ago by pioneering its use for photographing birds in flight. Wow, did I love that lens along with the Canon A2 camera body and Fuji Velvia pushed one stop to ISO 100! Though I sold mine a few years back it is still a great lens for flight for those who do not depend on IS and it makes a great starter lens as well. Put it on a tripod with the 1.4X III TC, a 7D II, and the Mongoose M3.6 and you will enjoy 896mm of effective reach. Again, this lens is priced to sell. artie

Would You Believe This Fish Story?

2015 was a bad year for catching halibut in Alaskan waters. On our Inside Passage cruise, Captain Ben said that they had caught only a handful all season. We fished for a few hours twice. I love using a diamond jig–a shiny four-sided metal lure–for halibut, rather than bait; it is way more fun. I landed two “chicken halibut” on the Discovery, perfect eating sized halibut that weigh 10-15 pounds. One was more than enough for dinner for everyone on board including the crew. I also lost a big Silver Salmon, about 20 pounds, at the net.

On the bear boat, I would often grab a rod at dusk while we were anchored up in a protected bay. I tied on a jig at Geographic Harbor after a great day of photographing bears eating salmon. Fish on, but not a big one. It was a small pollock of about two pounds. Next cast, another fish. Chuck told me that it was the first year that he had ever seen the young pollock in the bays. “They are eating every baitfish in sight,” he said. After catching and releasing several between a pound and a half and two pounds, I suggested to Chuck that they might make a nice dinner. Donna and Bev, who had also gotten their fishing licenses, joined in the fun. We caught as many as we wanted and then Chuck and I went to work filleting what would become another great dinner.

On the bear boat, the halibut story was the same. Chuck said, “There just have been no halibut. We’ve caught only above five all season.” The first time that we fished, I got skunked. Along with the rest of the fisher-gals. The next day I got two decent keeper halibut–one about 20 pounds, both on the diamond jig. (High tides are usually not very good for bear photography.)

The group decided that we had done so well for four days with the bears catching salmon photography that we should navigate back to Kodiak to try for Sea Otters. So we did, crossing the Shelikof Strait in time for a late afternoon of otter photograph from the skiff. Everyone had a ball as we had a big group of otters in the kelp at Whale Pass. Once the tide quickened the little sea mammals scattered and we headed back to the boat.

I grabbed my jig rod to try for halibut but caught only a few small bottom fish. I cut some up and the group joined as I chummed up a few Black-legged Kittiwakes for flight photography. I put my teaching hat back on and we all had more great fun. Before heading in for dinner, I put two large fish baits on heavy rod with two big circle hooks for halibut and forgot about it.

I was climbing into my very comfortable bunk when I remembered that I needed to check the baited halibut rod. At about 9:30pm I went to check on the rod. I had left the drag loose to prevent a big halibut from breaking the line or the rod. I noticed that a lot of line had been pulled off the reel. I figured that I had hooked some kelp and that the tide had taken it out with the strong current. It took quite a while just to reel in the slack. After that it was just hard work reeling in a dead weight. As nothing was pulling I was sure that there was a big load of kelp on the line.

Whatever I had on the line it did not feel like a fish. I reeled and reeled and soon the presumed kelp was near the surface. Then a funny thing happened, a big halibut saw the boat and started taking out line again. I realized that I would need the captain to help me land what felt like a pretty good fish. Chuck was already in bed and it was pitch dark. I called out, “Chuck, Chuck” and miraculously he heard me and said “Is that you causing trouble again artie?” Yeah. I have a big halibut on. Can you help. When he first got on deck he thought that I had hooked kelp but just as he said that the fish made another run.

Once the fish was at the surface he saw a nice halibut of about 20 pounds and said, “We can swing it into the skiff.” He tried but could not lift the fish into the skiff. Then he shouted, “You’ve got two, a doubleheader!” He climbed down into the skiff and pulled the first halibut into the engine well. The second fish was a lot bigger. He loaded the harpoon one into the well and then we saw that the second one was about a 40 pounder. He got tied them up by their tails with heavy rope and put them in the water. And then we both hit the sack.

The next day I organized a photo contest. Whomever took the best image of me and my halibut would have their photo appear in a blog post. Thanks again to Elston for sharing his excellent image with me. I especially liked that he went vertical and not only did he avoid cutting my feet off he included the rope on the floor of the skiff with a nice border below.

I Love Fishing, and Eating Fish!

How do you like the smile on my face?

That afternoon I shipped home 37 pounds of halibut fillets from Kodiak via Fed-Ex.

IPT Updates

Assorted IPTs

There is still time to join Denise Ippolito and me for an inexpensive Creative Adventure workshop/HDR seminar at Old Car City in White, Georgia. You can learn more here. The first (3-DAY) Bosque IPT is a near-sellout but there is still a bit of room on the second (4-DAY) trip. See below for details. Like pelicans? There are still a few spots open on the San Diego and Lake Kerkini, Greece IPTs. Same with both Palouse workshops. Finally there is still a single spot left on the UK Puffins and Gannets IPT. Click here and scroll down for complete info on all of those.

The Namibia and Galapagos IPTs

Both of the above mentioned trips are off to great starts with 5 or 6 spots spoken for on the April 2016 Namibia trip and 4 or 5 deposits on the way for the 2017 Galapagos Photo-Cruise IPT. Learn more about the Namibia IPT here. And learn more about our next great Galapagos trip here. Denise Ippolito will be co-leading both of these great workshops. Lots of Happy Campers are on board already. And Bill Lloyd who recently joined us on the 2015 UK Puffins trip is signing up for both Namibia and Galapagos!

The 2017 Bear Boat IPT(s)

Mid-July offers folks the very best chance to photograph football sized Brown Bear cubs at famed locations like Hallo Bay in Katmai National Park, AK. The sows almost never bring their tiny spring cubs out in the open in June or even early July; they are so small then that predation by other bears is likely. But by mid-month, these little cuties are often seen nursing and frolicking with each other. Though little in nature photography is guaranteed, mid-July offers the absolute best chance to photograph the small cubs with their moms. In order to get our mid-July dates we had to reserve out dates four years in advance. We can guarantee that you will see and photograph a great variety of Brown Bears, the coastal from of Grizzly Bear, at close range. They will be of different age classes and and come in a great variety of colors–the blondes are my favorites. They will be clamming and grazing on the luxuriant meadow grasses. In addition, we will get to photograph both Horned and Tufted Puffins and several species of shorebirds. Common Mergansers with chicks are possible. Wolf is a remote possibility.

If you would like to be put on the Interested List and receive early notice of the two great trips that we are planning, please shoot me an e-mail with the words “2017 Bear Boat Spring Cubs IPT” cut and pasted into the Subject line. Denise and I hope that you can join us. Dates and rates TBA very soon.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 3-FULL DAY IPT: NOV 22-24, 2015. $1149. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet and introductory slide program after dinner on your own at 7:00pm on SAT NOV 21.

Just 2 spots left.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 3 morning and 3 afternoon photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/21, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $449 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 4-DAY IPT: (three full and two 1/2 DAYS) NOV 28-DEC 2, 2015. $1499. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet at 3pm on SAT NOV 28 followed by an afternoon photo session at the crane pools and the introductory slide program after dinner on your own.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 4 afternoon (11/28through 12/1), 4 morning (11/29 to 12/2) photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/28, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail after July 29.

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

A Belated Happy Birthday

I’d like to wish my Mom, Hazel Louise Morris, a belated happy birthday; she was 93 on Saturday. She’s been a great Mom forever. I got to “see” her today when my younger daughter Alissa Skyped me on her i-Pad.

Condolences

Condolences to both the NY Football Giants and their fans (like me). They made history on Sunday. They became the first team in NFL history to lose their first two games after leading both by ten or more points in the fourth quarter.

Stuff

After tons of work today I have only one major task to complete before tidying things up for the audit of my 2013 tax return, all Schedule C. With what I have learned going over 2013 however, I will be completely re-doing my 2014 return…. Therefore, no end is in sight.

Another sunny swim today and another very cold ice bath. This blog post should be published automatically at 6am on Monday, September 21, 2015.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. You can always see what is for sale and what has sold along with the prices on the Used Gear Page by clicking here.

Brand New Listing

Canon EOS-1D X

Multiple IPT and a Creative Adventure Workshop veteran Patrick Sparkman is offering a used Canon 1D X in excellent condition for $3,650. The sale includes the manual, an extra battery, the battery charger, two 32 gb CF Cards, and insured shipping via FED-EX Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Patrick by e-mail or by phone at 858-740-8455 (Pacific Time Zone).

This rugged professional body has been my everyday workhorse camera for more than 2 1/2 years. It is fast and dependable and has what is surely the world’s greatest AF system. Best of all, Patrick takes very good care of his gear.

ps: Patrick and wife Robin have traveled with denise and me pretty much from one end of the planet to the other. We consider them both the dearest of friends. artie

Why is an old car graveyard like a heron and egret rookery?

Why is an old car graveyard like a heron and egret rookery?

At rookeries such as those at Gatorland and St. Augustine it is easy to create more than 1,000 lousy images in a single photo session. There are lots of subjects and there are lots of distracting elements.

At old car graveyards like the one at Old Car City, GA it is easy to create more than 1,000 lousy images in a single photo session. There are hundreds of subjects and there are lots of distracting elements.

Join denise and me in White, GA during the second week of October: learn to see a good image, to frame what you see, and to isolate your subject while winding up with a pleasing background. In short, learn to see and think like a pro. We will be looking over your shoulder and reviewing your images on the rear LCD while we are in the field so that we can offer compositional and exposure guidance right on the spot.

Creative Thinking Question

Do you see one or more images within today’s image? If yes, what is it that you like, and how would you go about framing and creating the image that you see in your mind’s eye?

Old Car City

Old Car City, in White, Georgia, boasts 4,500 old cars on 34 acres mostly along wooded trails. Old cars have an allure that can’t be explained. They feature sublime colors, are full of interesting curves and lines, and many have unique hood ornaments and emblems. Old Car City is a treasure trove just waiting to be unwrapped by folks who have or learn to develop a creative eye. During this workshop we will cover all of the steps needed to produce eye popping HDR images of old cars, trucks, buses, wheels and much, much more. So get out your old jeans and dirty sneakers and prepare to roll up your sleeves for another creative adventure. Join us for a workshop and seminar rolled into one.

My Old Car City Gear Bag

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. Talk about versatility…. This lens, on the tripod, will practically be a one-size fits all answer to my lens needs on this IPT. It was a fairly easy decision to leave the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens at home for OCC. Why? With the 100-400 II being a a tripod 100% of the time, the speed of the 70-200 f/2.8 is a non-factor.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens. I am not very good with this lens and in addition, I love to work tight rather than wide. I would expect to use it rarely if ever during the workshop. Denise is a master with this lens. At some point, I would love to do a blog post featuring some of the many outstanding images that she has created over the years with this lens. The images feature an amazingly wide range of subject matter.

Micro Four-Thirds Stuff

If things worked out as planned, denise and I will be testing some of the latest/greatest micro 4/3 cameras and lenses. If that happens, we will let you know if we had any fun and made a few good images….

Camera Bodies

5D Mark III. For flowers, scenics, and Urbex photography the 5D III is always my first choice.

EOS-1D X. I will have my rugged pro body along as a back-up.

Think Tank Rolling Bags

As I will be traveling very light I will be using the smaller of my two Think Tank rolling bags, the Airport International™ LE Classic.

Think Tank Urban Disguise Laptop Shoulder Bag

Both denise and I use and love this amazing bag as it has tons of room and enables us to bring tons of extra stuff. We both use the largest, top of the line model.

Please click on my Think Tank affiliate link here to earn a free gift when you purchase a Think Tank Rolling Bag.

Delkin Flash Cards

As always, I will have a 64gb Delkin e-Film Pro Flash Card in each camera body so that I never have to change cards in the field thus reducing the chance of losing a card…. Please note the new lower prices here. I do have a few extra 32 and 64gb cards in a Delkin CF Memory Card Tote, mostly to protect against loss.

Old Car City Workshop October 9,10, & 11th 2015: $399. Workshop fee includes two $25 admissions!

Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris.
Monday Morning Railroad Museum Add-on: $50!

Thursday Evening, October 8, 2015

Meet & Greet. 8:00 pm at the hotel ~ Join the group for an informal meet and greet session: folks will have the chance to get to know each other and the schedule a little bit better. Denise will give a brief orientation and while this is not mandatory it is a valuable addition to the workshop. Door Prizes will be given out at the Meet & Greet; you must be present to be eligible.

Friday October 9, 2015

9:00am- 9:30am ~ HDR Photography Overview, on location at Old Car City
9:30am -10:30am ~ Exposing Properly for HDR’s & Histogram Review. During this session at Old Car City we will show how to properly expose all of your bracketed images. This will help you to capture all of the information needed to create a true HDR image. Note: this is more involved than simply setting your camera to auto bracketing. We will also explain in-depth how to correctly read your histogram while uncovering lots of misconceptions.
10:30am-12:00noon: ~ Composition Work: In-the-field hands-on work including creative image design, highlighting interesting details, when to go wide, and getting in close for background elimination.
12:00noon- 1:00pm ~ Break for lunch on your own-there is a restaurant directly across the street from OCC.
1:00pm- 4:00pm ~ Photo shoot at Old Car City.

Saturday October 10, 2015

9:00am-12:00 noon ~ Photo shoot Old Car City
12:00noon- 1:00pm ~ Break for lunch on your own.
1:00pm- 4:00pm Photo shoot Old Car City

Sunday October 11, 2015

9:00am- 1:00pm~ HDR Image Processing using Nik HDR Efex Pro and creative post-processing tips using a variety of plug-ins, filters and effects, layers and masks. At this time workshop participants are encouraged to share 5 images that they have captured during the workshop. These can be shared and viewed on your laptop or iPad or you can put them on a thumb drive for us to project. Best but not mandatory to bring your laptop.

Optional Add-On Day, Monday October 12, 2015

If you would like to join us at a nearby railroad museum/yard for a morning of photography the day after the workshop, simply let us know. You can pay the additional fee upon registration or on the spot with cash or check. Arrangements have been made so that we will have the place entirely to ourselves; they are normally closed on Mondays. We will be able to photograph the insides and outsides of the old trains, even an old mail car. If you like old trains then this day is a perfect addition to the workshop.

To Register

To register, please shoot me an e-mail and then either send your check made out to “Arthur Morris” for the total amount due to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855 or call Jim at or Jen at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. At this late date payment in full is due.

Stuff

Took a day off from audit stuff on Friday; Jennifer did not. 🙂 I sent Jim home early for service above and beyond the call of duty. As usual.

After somewhat of a lull, several more items on the Used Gear Page sold in the past few days. See the complete listings here.

This blog post is scheduled to be published at 6:00am on Saturday, September 16, 2015. Please remember to use my B&H affiliate links for your major gear purchases; online orders only; no phone orders. Won’t cost you a penny! And helps me out tremendously. Many thanks for considering this important request.

Still More 100-400 II Versatility

The 100-400 II kills on the cliffs at LaJolla. While hand holding it I am able to quickly get into position in a variety of situations where it would be impossible to do so with the tripod-mounted Canon 200-400 with Internal 1.4X Extender. The close focus and zoom range also make it extremely valuable with San Diego’s gorgeous pelicans. And as you have seen in other San Diego blog posts, it does quite well with the 1.4X TC though you are limited to the center AF point by necessity. It is entirely conceivable that you could do all of your pelican photography with only the new 1-4….

Being able to get really low allowed me to use the gray sky as background and to achieve the high key look that I wanted.

White Sky Pelican Pose Choices: What You Lookin’ At? vs Standard…

Which pose do you think is more powerful? Why?

How is the head angle in the standard pose?

San Diego

It ain’t just pelicans!

2016 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) JAN 8 thru the morning of JAN 12, 2016: $1899 (Limit: 10)

Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins
Two great leaders: Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito

Join us in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s and Double-crested Cormorants in breeding plumage with their amazing crests; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heerman’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions likely; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the two IPT cards there are some nice landscape opportunities as well.

Did I mention that there are wealth of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter?

The San Diego Details

This IPT will include five 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, five lunches, after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions, and a thank you dinner. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility.

A $499 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at 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, will be due on 11/1//2015. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

Stuff

More work on the audit. A swim and an ice bath. This week’s ritual. I am making some good progress on the audit.

This blog post took well less than an hour to prepare. It should be published automatically at 6:00am on Thursday, September 16, 2015.

When Unexpected Action Occurs, Push the Shutter Button!

In The Art of Bird Photography II (ABP II: 916 pages, 900+ images, on CD only; the continuation of the classic how-to The Art of Bird Photography) I wrote something to this effect: When unexpected action occurs, push the shutter button! Do not think of the shutter speed; do not think of the aperture; do not think of anything. If you try to change something the only thing for sure is that you will wind up with nothing.

It has taken me more than a decade or two, but I may finally have learned this lesson. At least once…. Someone in the group called out, incoming Bald Eagle left. I had been set up for dark bears in Manual mode at 1/200 at f/5.6 in dreary conditions. I was likely +2 stops off the light grey stream-side rocks which was probably more than +3 stops of the grey sky. I wheeled the lens to my left, acquired focus, and ripped off three frames.

Many folks advise that shutter speeds as fast a 1/1600 sec. are needed to create good flight photographs. I advised otherwise in the blog post here. At 1/200 sec. I did not think that I had much of a chance. But the eyes and the faces of two of the three images were more than sharp enough. Don’t think: push the shutter button.

The more closely you can match the speed of the bird with your panning rate the more chance that you have of making a sharp-on-the-eye image at a silly-slow shutter speed….

Learning flight photography. Learning to work in Manual mode.

There is no better place to learn place to learn flight photography while working in Manual mode than a Bosque IPT with artie and denise. And there are tons of opportunities to do that every day. And so much to learn. Scroll down just a bit to learn more.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few weeks we have sold nearly everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily.

You can see all of the current listings here.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 3-FULL DAY IPT: NOV 22-24, 2015. $1149. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet and introductory slide program after dinner on your own at 7:00pm on SAT NOV 21.

Just 3 spots left.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 3 morning and 3 afternoon photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/21, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $449 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 4-DAY IPT: (three full and two 1/2 DAYS) NOV 28-DEC 2, 2015. $1499. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet at 3pm on SAT NOV 28 followed by an afternoon photo session at the crane pools and the introductory slide program after dinner on your own.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 4 afternoon (11/28through 12/1), 4 morning (11/29 to 12/2) photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/28, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail after July 29.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

The 3 originals for this in-camera Art Vivid HDR image were created at Old Car City in White Georgia with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4x Extender (at 250mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/10 sec. at f/16 in Av mode (+/-2 stops). As with many of my flower images I used the 2-second timer and Live View (for mirror lock) to ensure a sharp image. Central sensor/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the 8 and re-compose. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Grill and hood ornament detail of a vintage Plymouth Belvedere

New HDR Thoughts…

I have long been a fan of in-camera HDR images with both the 5D III and the 7D II. But more recently I have come to realize that many such images have image quality issues that result from the in-camera blending. Keeping the camera perfect solid-still on a tripod and working with Auto-align disabled reduces such image quality problems. With light sky clouds and darker foregrounds I have recently begun working with a single image–always the best exposure, and have come up with a nice workflow that yields optimized images with great tonal range. I am not sure that such an approach will work with Urbex stuff like old cars. I am most interesting in learning Denise’s HDR workflow. If you attend you will see me taking copious notes at the Sunday image processing seminar/session.

Your Favorite?

Which of today’s two images do you like best? Please let us know why you made your choice.

Old Car City

Old Car City, in White, Georgia, boasts 4,500 old cars on 34 acres mostly along wooded trails. Old cars have an allure that can’t be explained. They feature sublime colors, are full of interesting curves and lines, and many have unique hood ornaments and emblems. Old Car City is a treasure trove just waiting to be unwrapped by folks who have or learn to develop a creative eye. During this workshop we will cover all of the steps needed to produce eye popping HDR images of old cars, trucks, buses, wheels and much, much more. So get out your old jeans and dirty sneakers and prepare to roll up your sleeves for another creative adventure.

My Old Car City Gear Bag

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. Talk about versatility…. This lens, on the tripod, will practically be a one-size fits all answer to my lens needs on this IPT. It was a fairly easy decision to leave the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens at home for OCC. Why? With the 100-400 II being a a tripod 100% of the time, the speed of the 70-200 f/2.8 is a non-factor.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens. I am not very good with this lens and in addition, I love to work tight rather than wide. I would expect to use it rarely if ever during the workshop. Denise is a master with this lens. At some point, I would love to do a blog post featuring some of the many outstanding images that she has created over the years with this lens. The images feature an amazingly wide range of subject matter.

Camera Bodies

5D Mark III. For flowers, scenics, and Urbex photography the 5D III is always my first choice.

EOS-1D X. I will have my rugged pro body along as a back-up.

Think Tank Rolling Bags

As I will be traveling very light I will be using the smaller of my two Think Tank rolling bags, the Airport International™ LE Classic.

Think Tank Urban Disguise Laptop Shoulder Bag

Both denise and I use and love this amazing bag as it has tons of room and enables us to bring tons of extra stuff.

Please click on my Think Tank affiliate link here to earn a free gift when you purchase a Think Tank Rolling Bag.

Delkin Flash Cards

As always, I will have a 64gb Delkin e-Film Pro Flash Card in each camera body so that I never have to change cards in the field thus reducing the chance of losing a card…. Please note the new lower prices here. I do have a few extra 32 and 64gb cards in a Delkin CF Memory Card Tote, mostly to protect against loss.

Old Car City Workshop October 9,10, & 11th 2015: $399. Workshop fee includes two $25 admissions!

Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris.
Monday Morning Railroad Museum Add-on: $50!

Thursday Evening, October 8, 2015

Meet & Greet. 8:00 pm at the hotel ~ Join the group for an informal meet and greet session: folks will have the chance to get to know each other and the schedule a little bit better. Denise will give a brief orientation and while this is not mandatory it is a valuable addition to the workshop. Door Prizes will be given out at the Meet & Greet; you must be present to be eligible.

Friday October 9, 2015

9:00am- 9:30am ~ HDR Photography Overview, on location at Old Car City
9:30am -10:30am ~ Exposing Properly for HDR’s & Histogram Review. During this session at Old Car City we will show how to properly expose all of your bracketed images. This will help you to capture all of the information needed to create a true HDR image. Note: this is more involved than simply setting your camera to auto bracketing. We will also explain in-depth how to correctly read your histogram while uncovering lots of misconceptions.
10:30am-12:00noon: ~ Composition Work: In-the-field hands-on work including creative image design, highlighting interesting details, when to go wide, and getting in close for background elimination.
12:00noon- 1:00pm ~ Break for lunch on your own-there is a restaurant directly across the street from OCC.
1:00pm- 4:00pm ~ Photo shoot at Old Car City.

Saturday October 10, 2015

9:00am-12:00 noon ~ Photo shoot Old Car City
12:00noon- 1:00pm ~ Break for lunch on your own.
1:00pm- 4:00pm Photo shoot Old Car City

Sunday October 11, 2015

9:00am- 1:00pm~ HDR Image Processing using Nik HDR Efex Pro and creative post-processing tips using a variety of plug-ins, filters and effects, layers and masks. At this time workshop participants are encouraged to share 5 images that they have captured during the workshop. These can be shared and viewed on your laptop or iPad or you can put them on a thumb drive for us to project. Best but not mandatory to bring your laptop.

Optional Add-On Day, Monday October 12, 2015

If you would like to join us at a nearby railroad museum/yard for a morning of photography the day after the workshop, simply let us know. You can pay the additional fee upon registration or on the spot with cash or check. Arrangements have been made so that we will have the place entirely to ourselves; they are normally closed on Mondays. We will be able to photograph the insides and outsides of the old trains, even an old mail car. If you like old trains then this day is a perfect addition to the workshop.

To Register

To register, please shoot me an e-mail and then either send your check made out to “Arthur Morris” for the total amount due to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855 or call Jim at or Jen at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. At this late date payment in full is due.

Stuff

I did lots of work on my upcoming audit and answered lots of e-mails. Strangely, my latest addiction is Tivo-ing and watching every UFC event on the tube…. Strange because my last (and one and only fight if you could call it that), occurred when I was about 13. At Camp Welmet. Over a girl whose name was Judy. She had a long brown ponytail. And bangs.

This blog post took less than an hour to put together and was published at 8:30am on Sunday, September 13, 2015. It is the third straight day that I screwed up the automatic “publish at 6am settings.” 🙂

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few weeks we have sold nearly everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily.

You can see all of the current listings here.

Brand New Listing/Lots of Extras

Used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

IPT veteran Larry Master is offering a barely used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in mint condition for $4750. The sale includes all the items in original box: lens trunk, lens hood, fabric front cover, rear lens cap, wide lens strap, strap for lens case, CD and instruction papers. Also included is a Kirk LP-59 replacement foot, a Kirk LP-28 lens plate on the original lens foot, a LensCoat, an Aquatech soft front lens cap, and insured shipping via Fed ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Larry by e-mail or by phone at 518-645-1545 (Eastern time).

The 300 II is a superbly sharp and versatile lens that kills with both TCs. In addition, it is a great flight lens. Larry’s price matches the lowest-ever BAA price…. artie

Kayaking the Inside Passage/A Different Kind of Ice Bath…

The morning’s activity on the The 87′ classic wooden yacht M. V. Discovery was kayaking. At first I said, “Not me.” But after I saw denise and our two ship mates, Diane and Jeff, get easily into the kayaks I decided to give it a go. I got in easily enough, but within two seconds I was in the water wearing the kayak as a large hat. I was concerned for a moment as I was under the boat, but within a second or two I was away and swimming gently toward the Discovery. The water was quite cold, about 40 degrees. My main concern was how I would get out of the water with my bum left knee and bad right shoulder.

There was a small gangway down with a platform at the bottom and the skiff was in the water, for rescues I suppose :). I voiced my concerns about getting out and Captain Ben Swanson came up with a plan. I pushed my self up a bit with one hand on the skiff and one on the platform. Then Ben grabbed me by the scruff of my life jacket and pulled me up as easily as if here were lifting a child’s doll. Only my ego was bruised.

Once I got out of the water I felt a lot warmer than when I had been swimming. After a minute I decided to get back on the horse. Wet clothes and all I got back into the kayak. I did of course proceed with a lot more caution than on my first attempt. I enjoyed a nice paddle around a gorgeous bay. Getting a bit chilled I was the first one back on the boat so I grabbed my 100-400 II and created a few images of the still-dry kayakers.

All in all it was a fun morning.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 3-FULL DAY IPT: NOV 22-24, 2015. $1149. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet and introductory slide program after dinner on your own at 7:00pm on SAT NOV 21.

Just 3 spots left.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 3 morning and 3 afternoon photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/21, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $449 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 4-DAY IPT: (three full and two 1/2 DAYS) NOV 28-DEC 2, 2015. $1499. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet at 3pm on SAT NOV 28 followed by an afternoon photo session at the crane pools and the introductory slide program after dinner on your own.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 4 afternoon (11/28through 12/1), 4 morning (11/29 to 12/2) photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/28, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail after July 29.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

Arctic Pro Muck Boots

As a diabetic, my feet are often cold. More so of course when I visit cold places to photograph. Both artie and Denise Ippolito wear Arctic Pro Muck Boots to keep their feet warm. And dry. In Japan. In the Falklands. On South Georgia. In Antarctica. At Bosque. For all of their cold weather photography.

Variety, the spice of life

Arctic Pro Muck Boots come in a variety of styles and patterns for both men and women. For more options, click here

Questions and comments on Arctic Pro Muck Boots are of course welcome.

Boot Puller Boot Remover

Thanks to multiple IPT veteran Muriel McClellan for recommending this accessory. I need to get a pair as I have struggled at times to get my boots off after a long day. I am not sure why but such difficulties seem to increase with each trip…. 🙂

Stuff

As I prepare this blog post I am flying at 35,000 feet on my way to MCO. Online and plugged in. 🙂 It will be good to be home for a while. I have been on the road since August 10, almost a month.

This blog post took a solid three hours to prepare. It was published at 8:15am on Thursday, September 10, 2015. Please remember to use my B&H affiliate links, especially for your major gear purchases.

The Namibia and the Galapagos IPTs

Both of the above mentioned trips are off to great starts with 7 or 8 spots spoken for on the April 2016 Namibia trip and 5 or 6 deposits on the way for the 2017 Galapagos Photo-Cruise IPT. Learn more about the Namibia IPT here. And learn more about our next great Galapagos trip here. Denise Ippolito will be co-leading both of these great workshops. Lots of Happy Campers are on board already. And Bill Lloyd who recently joined us on the 2015 UK Puffins trip is signing up for both Namibia and Galapagos!

Why So Far in Advance?

Several folks have asked why we are asking for deposits for trips like the Galapagos Photo-Cruise (above) and the Bear Boat IPTs (below) so far in advance. We often hear, “2017????”

A Galapagos Photo-Cruise involves leasing the vessel for nearly $100,000, that after putting down a hefty deposit to secure the dates. So we must know that we can put x number of folks on the boat fairly far advance to avoid taking a bath of many tens of thousands of dollars. That’s why you often see phrases such as “this trip needs 9 to run by fill in the month and year….” By planning far in advance we generally have a good idea as to whether we can make our nut, that is, get to our break-even point. On the rare occasion that we do need to back out, the tour operator has time to fill the dates.

With the Bear Boat trips mentioned below the situation is similar but not identical. We cannot show up with a client or two and expect the outfitter to be happy with us. So we ask for nonrefundable deposits both to protect ourselves and the outfitters. In this specific instance are trying to put together back to back trips and need to know if we can make both a go, again mainly to keep the outfitter happy. Former colleagues of mine have learned that once you screw an outfitter badly that the well dries up pretty quickly and your business is no longer welcome. Denise and I strive to avoid that at all costs.

Many folks plan and budget for their photo travels well in advance. We have heard this all too often, “That is the perfect trip for me and I would surely sign up if I were not already signed up with A for their B workshop….” So just inside two years for most big trips seems to offer a fair balance for us and for most folks. Some folks are reluctant to sign up for a trip that is 22 months away. They often say, “How do I know where I will be in 22 months?” I say, “Yes, you are right and I feel the same way. But do understand that you do not know for sure where you will be in 22 days. Or even in 22 minutes. Or in what condition. :)”

The 2017 Bear Boat IPT(s)

Mid-July offers folks the very best chance to photograph football sized Brown Bear cubs at famed locations like Hallo Bay in Katmai National Park, AK. The sows almost never bring their tiny spring cubs out in the open in June or even early July; they are so small then that predation by other bears is likely. But by mid-month, these little cuties are often seen nursing and frolicking with each other. Though little in nature photography is guaranteed, mid-July offers the absolute best chance to photograph the small cubs with their moms. In order to get our mid-July dates we had to reserve out dates four years in advance. We can guarantee that you will see and photograph a great variety of Brown Bears, the coastal from of Grizzly Bear, at close range. They will be of different age classes and and come in a great variety of colors–the blondes are my favorites. They will be clamming and grazing on the luxuriant meadow grasses. In addition, we will get to photograph both Horned and Tufted Puffins and several species of shorebirds. Common Mergansers with chicks are possible. Wolf is a remote possibility.

If you would like to be put on the Interested List and receive early notice of the two great trips that we are planning, please shoot me an e-mail with the words “2017 Bear Boat Spring Cubs IPT” cut and pasted into the Subject line. Denise and I hope that you can join us. Dates and rates TBA.

Priceless Image Perfection?

For me, today’s image–with the salmon’s gills splayed, its mouth wide open, and the bear’s teeth bared–is quite special. The image as presented is pretty much right out of camera. I did remove a brown thingie from the bear’s snout and a very few grains of sand and specular highlights. I would appreciate hearing as to whether you think this image is strong enough to be entered in the BBC and Nature’s Best contests? If I do enter it, I would prepare a version that matched the RAW file, that is, one without any clean-up.

As is almost always the case with bear photographs, my NIK 50-50 recipe did wonders on the bear’s fur. Remember, since we are properly exposing for the brightest silver and white highlights on the salmon, the bear’s fur will be about 1 2/3 stops under-exposed. We reviewed that concept numerous times on the Bear Boat IPT. It is covered in great detail in the chapter on exposure in the original “The Art of Bird Photography.” ABP is curre available in soft cover only.

Was I happy choosing the 500 II over the 200-400 with Internal Extender?

For the first day or two of the Bear Boat IPT, I was wishing that I had brought along the 200-400 with Internal Extender rather than the 500 II. Especially since multiple IPT veteran Phil Frigon had his along. But in retrospect, many of my very favorite images–including today’s featured image–were created at 1000mm (albeit at f/8). Even with the internal TC in place and an external TC added, the 2-4 gets you only to 784mm (again at f/8). Rounding that off to 800m still gives a tremendous advantage in reach to the 500 II/2X II TC combo by a factor of 100 to 64. Why? The size of the subject in the frame is proportionate to the square of the focal lengths. Why? Because the size of the subject in the frame is the area covered by the subject, and area is a function of length X width.

There were two 600 IIs on the trip. The difference in weight of the 500 II as compared to the 600 II is only 1.61 pounds, but it seems like a lot more when you are carrying the lens around all day. The difference in bulk, however, is astounding. The smaller 500 is easier to travel with, easier to carry in the field, and all around easier to work with. And I am able to hand hold it for short periods of time without much of a problem (especially when photographing from the skiff). The 600 II seems huge in comparison.

Lastly, the 500 II was a great fit with the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, always on my shoulder via a Black Rapid RS-7 strap.

With so many folks looking to go lighter and lighter, the 500 II makes a great choice and offers you 20X magnification with the 2X III in place and a full frame camera body. And the 7D II with the 1.4X III TC and the 500 II gets you out to 1344mm, nearly 27 X.

Was I happy choosing the 500 II over the 200-400 with Internal Extender? Yes, very.

The Palouse IPTs

Rolling farmlands provide a magical patchwork of textures and colors, especially when viewed from the top of Steptoe Butte where we will likely enjoy spectacular sunrises and possibly a nice sunset. We will photograph grand landscapes and mini-scenics of the rolling hills and farm fields. We will take you to some really neat old abandoned barns and farmhouses in idyllic settings. There is no better way to improve your compositional and image design skills and to develop your creativity than to join us for this trip. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Photoshop and image sharing sessions when we have the time and energy…. We get up early and stay out late and the days are long.

After 6 days of back-breaking scouting work in early June 2014 we found all of the iconic locations and, in addition, lots of spectacular new old barns and breath-taking landforms and views. On three additional scouting days in 2015 we discovered several more truly amazing locations. We will teach you what makes one situation prime and another seemingly similar one a waste of your time.

What’s included: In-the-field instruction, guidance, lessons, and inspiration, our newfound but very extensive knowledge of the area, all lunches, motel lobby grab and go breakfasts, and Photoshop and image sharing sessions when possible. There will be a meet and greet at 7:30pm on the evening before each workshop begins.

You will learn and hone both basic and advanced compositional and image design skills. You will learn to get the right exposure every time. You will learn to develop your creative eye. You will learn the basics of HDR (high dynamic range) photography. You will learn a variety of in-camera creative techniques. Most importantly you will learn to see the situation and to create a variety of top-notch images. Do see both of our blogs for lots more on that in the coming weeks. You will learn how the quality and direction of light combine to determine the success of your images. And–please don’t gasp–we will be working quite a bit with sidelight when creating landscapes. Lastly, we will be doing some infrared photography.

To Sign Up

A non-refundable $699 deposit is due now. The balance will be due on February 15, 2016. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

With the spectacular success that we enjoyed in 2015 it seems quite likely that this one will fill up very quickly. Please let me know via e-mail that you will be joining us. Then you can either call Jim or Jennifer at 863-692-0906 during business hours or send us a check to leave a deposit; the latter is preferred. If by check, please make out to “Arthur Morris” and mail it to: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via e-mail: artie or denise.

Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options. You can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check. Whenever purchasing travel insurance be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

GALAPAGOS Photo Cruise of a Lifetime IPT/The Complete Galapagos Photographic Experience. August 8-22, 2017 on the boat. 13 FULL and two half-days of photography: $12,499. Limit: 13 photographers plus the leader: yours truly. Openings: 7.

Same great trip; no price increase!
This trip needs nine to run; in the unlikely event that it does not, all payments to BAA will be refunded in full.

My two-week Galapagos Photo-Cruises are without equal. The world’s best guide, a killer itinerary, a great boat (the Samba), and two great leaders with ten Galapagos cruises under their belts. Pre-trip and pre-landing location-specific gear advice. In-the-field photo instruction and guidance. Jeez, I almost forgot: fine dining at sea!

The great spots that we will visit include Tower Island (including Prince Phillips Steps and Darwin Bay), Hood Island (including Punta Suarez, the world’s only nesting site of Waved Albatross, and Gardner Bay)—each of the preceding are world class wildlife photography designations that rank right up there with Antarctica, Africa, and Midway. We will also visit Fernandina, Puerto Ayora for the tortoises, Puerto Egas—James Bay, and North Seymour for nesting Blue-footed Boobies in most years, South Plaza for Land Iguanas, Floreana for Greater Flamingoes, and Urbina Bay, all spectacular in their own right. We visit every great spot on a single trip. Plus tons more. And there will be lots of opportunities to snorkel on sunny mid-days for those like me who wish to partake.

It is extremely likely that we will visit the incredible Darwin Bay and the equally incredible Hood Island, world home of Waved Albatross twice on our voyage. The National Park Service takes its sweet time in approving such schedule changes.

We will be the first boat on each island in the morning and the last boat to leave each island every afternoon. If we are blessed with overcast skies, we will often spend 5-6 hours at the best sites. And as noted above, mid-day snorkeling is an option on most sunny days depending on location and conditions. On the 2015 trip most snorkeled with a mega-pod of dolphins. I eased off the zodiac to find hundreds of dolphins swimming just below me. Note: some of the walks are a bit difficult but can be made by anyone if half way decent shape. Great images are possible on all landings with either a hand held 70-200mm lens and a 1.4X teleconverter or an 80- or 100-400. I sometimes bring a longer lens ashore depending on the landing. In 2017 I will be bring the Canon 400mm IS DO II lens. In the past I have brought either the 300mm f/2.8L IS II or the 200-400mm f/4 L IS with Internal Extender.

An Amazing Value…

Do know that there are one week Galapagos trips for $8500! Thus, our trip represents a tremendous value; why go all that way and miss half of the great photographic locations?

The Logistics

August 6, 2017: We arrive a day early to ensure that we do not miss the boat.

August 7, 2017: There will be an introductory Galapagos Photography session and a hands on exposure session at our hotel.

August 8, 2017: We fly to the archipelago and board the Samba. Heck, on the 2015 trip some people made great images at the dock in Baltra while our luggage was being loaded!

August 22, 2017: We disembark late morning and fly back to Guayaquil midday; most will overnight there.

Most will fly home on the early morning of July 23 unless they are staying on or going elsewhere (or catching a red-eye flight on the evening of the 22nd).

$12,499 includes just about everything: all transfers, guide and park fees, all food on the boat, transfers and ground transportation, your flights to the archipelago, and three nights (double occupancy) in a top notch hotel in Guayaquil. If you are good to go, a non-refundable deposit of $5,000 per person is due immediately. The second payment of $4,000 is not due until 11/1/16. The final payment of $3449 per person will be due on 2/1/17. A $200 discount will be applied to each of the balances for couples or friends who register at the same time.

Purchasing travel insurance within 2 weeks of our cashing your deposit check is strongly recommended. On two fairly recent cruises a total of 5 folks were forced to cancel less than one week prior to the trip. My family and I use Travel Insurance Services and strongly recommend that you do the same.

Not included: your round trip airfare from your home to and from Guayaquil, beverages on the boat, phone calls, your meals in Guayaquil, personal items, and a $600/person cash tip for the crew and the guide—this works out to roughly $40/day to be shared by the 7 folks who will be waiting on us hand and foot every day for two weeks. The service is so wonderful that many folks choose to tip extra.

Please e-mail for the tentative itinerary or with questions. Please cut and paste “Galapagos 2017 Tentative Itinerary Please” into the Subject line.

Stuff

I am currently leading the 2015 Bear Catching Salmon Bear Boat IPT. I will be back soon.

Galapagos 2017

I would assume that after viewing the variety and quality of the images in recent and past blog posts that most passionate nature photographers would wish to join us on the next Galapagos photo adventure during the second and third weeks of August, 2017. If that includes you, please shoot me an e-mail with the words “Galapagos August 2017 Photo-Cruise” cut and pasted into the Subject Line. The best news is that there will be two great leaders, yours truly and Denise Ippolito.

Baby Booby/Getting Down to the Essence…

Our guide, Juan, had brought a few of the folks in the group back to the landing so that they could get back a bit early to finish packing. I, and a few other diehards, needed more time with the frigatebirds and the Blue-footed Boobies…. So we enjoyed an extra 45 minutes of free play. As the action with the frigatebirds in flight died we figured that we would surprise Juan by heading back towards the landing to meet him.

Instead, several blue-footed nests with large chicks surprised us. 2015 had been a very poor year for this species due to it being a poor season for inshore baitfish. For today’s featured image the obvious choice for me was to zoom in on the chick and the adult’s feet rather than to zoom out and make an image of the chick and the whole adult. The latter would have included lots of extraneous stuff in the background while zooming in reduced the scene to the two major elements: the resting chick and the blue feet of the adult.

Spot Metering (?)

Again, spot metering had previously been set inadvertently and I did not catch it for a while. Normally, I never use spot metering. As above, this image was about one half stop underexposed. Why? Note: I lightened the image during the RAW conversion in DPP 4 by moving the Brightness Slider to +0.50.

The above as detailed in theDPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly. Learn how and why I and many other discerning photographers choose and use this free program to convert their Canon RAW files here. The latest version of DPP 4 supports all of the newer Canon camera bodies and several older models including the EOS-7D and the EOS-1D Mark IV. The DPP IV Guide is the ideal companion to the 7D Mark II User’s Guide, a runaway best seller.

The Wide Shot

Thanks to multiple IPT veteran Lou Newman for allowing me to share the image immediately above with you here. I know that Chris Billman made a similarly-framed image when the chick was sleeping. Comparing my image with Lou’s you can imagine that I had gotten closer to the bird. In addition I was a bit to the right of where he had been and had raised my tripod some to eliminate most of the background clutter. In the RAW file I had a small stick in the upper right hand corner of the frame and a tuft of grass intruding in front of the chick’s head. Each was covered with a Quick Mask that was refined with a Regular Layer Mask.

Which Do You Prefer?

Which of the two images do you prefer, the wide shot or the tight shot? Be sure to let us know why.

Digital Basics

All of the above as detailed in my Digital Basics File–written in my easy-to-follow, easy-to-understand style. Digital Basics File is an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. It includes my complete digital workflow, dozens of great Photoshop tips, details on using all of my image clean-up tools, the use of Contrast Masks, several different ways of expanding and filling in canvas, all of my time-saving Keyboard Shortcuts, Quick Masking, Layer Masking, and NIK Color Efex Pro basics, Contrast Masks, Digital Eye Doctor techniques, using Gaussian Blurs, Tim Grey Dodge and Burn, a variety of ways to make selections, how to create time-saving actions, the Surface Blur (background noise reduction) settings as taught to me by Denise Ippolito, and tons more.

APTATS I & II

Learn the details of advanced Quick Masking techniques in APTATS I. Learn Advanced Layer Masking Techniques in APTATS I. Mention this blog post and apply a $5 discount to either with phone orders only. Buy both APTATS I and APTATS II and we will be glad to apply at $15 discount with phone orders only. Please call Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-221-2372 to take advantage of this offer. I am pretty sure that we have extended that offer to the BAA Online Store as well… No time to check right now. 🙂

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).