January 18th, 2023 Homer Late Registration Discounts
If you are interested in traveling to Homer, AK with me in FEB/MAR 2023 to photograph Bald Eagles, shoot me an e-mail for late registration discount info. Several folks are in the process of registering so do not tarry. The first IPT is looking sold out as I await the last deposit check.
Arna Lee Morris
My youngest of three sisters, Arna Lee Morris, died five years ago of morbid obesity. Had she lived, she would have been 67 today. She was a good kid, and bright, and was great at taking care of others. But she was not very good at taking care of herself. The first Morris baby, Carla, died of infantile diarrhea ten days after she was born while my Dad was overseas serving in WW II. Sister Ilene and I survive.
What’s Up?
On Tuesday morning, I headed back to the cliffs to meet up with San Diego IPT #2 veteran Bryan Love. He kindly loaned me his new Sony a7R V Mirrorless Camera body. As I got out of my rental vehicle, Bryan was coming down the hill. There were pelicans floating down into a strong NW wind with their feet hanging below them. Having heard good things about the a7R V, I was anxious to get it on the tripod with the 600mm f/4 GM lens. So I did. Many pelicans were parachuting down from great heights. The big problem was that Bryan, relatively new to bird photography, had not set up the camera body. At that point, it would not focus on anything. I ditched the a7R V, grabbed an a1, and went to work.
The weather was wild, raining hard one minute and bright sun the next with lots of clouds as well. With a NW wind in the morning the last thing you want is sun. We both photographed through most of the rain and had a ton of fun. When it poured, I got into my Nissan Murano and set up the V as closely as I could to the a1. When it let up, I worked with the new camera on the bare Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens . I will share my findings with you here in a future blog post. I did make a few good ones.
As a thank you, I took Bryan out for brunch to Shorehouse Kitchen in La Jolla Shores, about 5 minutes from the cliffs. BTW, I never got to loan Bryan my 600mm f/4 because when he walked down the hill he was smiling ear to ear and holding his brand new Sony 600mm f/4 GM lens. When I heard that he had used my B&H affiliate link I was the one smiling. He saw that they had one in stock and grabbed it. He already owned the Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM but when he tried out my 600 on the IPT, he fell in love instantly. Why? Since the size of the bird in the frame is a function of the square of the focal length, a bird photographed at a given distance with the 600 will be 2.25 times larger in the frame than the same bird photographed from the same spot with a 400mm lens.
Six squared is 36. Four squared is 16. 36 divided by 16 is 2.25. He could not stop talking about how amazing the Sony 600 f/4 GM lens is.
Today is Wednesday 18 January 2023. The forecast for the morning is for cold and mostly to partly cloudy with a 6mph breeze from the east. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare with most of that time spent on the very challenging image optimization and makes two hundred ninety-five days in a row with a new, educational post. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
I fly back to Florida in one week. Please remember to use my B&H or Bedford’s affiliate programs for your new gear purchases.
My plan is to continue to post every day until the streak reaches one year and one day and then go back to posting every other day.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so, works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Induro GIT 304L Tripod
Out of production for more than two years, BAA just sold its last one. The good news? We have located two more new-in-the-box tripods. They will be available for shipping at the end of January. Best to order yours now to be sure that you get one. We will not run your card until your item ships. The 304L was my go-to tripod for more than a decade. Best to grab order yours right now to avoid being disappointed.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
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This image was created on 16 January 2023 on the beach at Coronado, CA. While standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter (zoomed out to 286mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras. ISO 2000: 1/1250 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 4:37:23pm on a variably cloudy afternoon.
Tracking: Expand Spot AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Western Gull on pile of kelp with a rainbow in the background
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Western Gull with Rainbow
There was a ton of kelp on the beach as a result of the recent storms. The pile that the gull was sitting atop was pushed together by a bulldozer that had been cleaning up the beach.
As much as I strive to expose to the right when photographing rainbows, I always wind up underexposing them a bit so that I get at least a hint of the rainbow when reviewing the image in camera. RawDigger showed that the brightness for this raw file was 1/3-stop short of perfect. The best way to create images with dramatic rainbows is to use a warming circular polarizer set to dark. I travel with a 77mm but it was in my rental car 🙁
In any case, optimizing today’s featured image was a bear. It took me more than 90 minutes to come up with something acceptable.
After clicking on the image to view the high-res version, leave a comment letting us know what you like and what you do not like about this one.
Image Design Question
Why did I zoom out from 400mm to 286mm?
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
January 17th, 2023 Homer Late Registration Discounts
If you are interested in traveling to Homer, AK with me in FEB/MAR 2023 to photograph Bald Eagles, shoot me an e-mail for late registration discount info. Several folks are in the process of registering so do not tarry. The first IPT is looking sold out as I await the last deposit check.
What’s Up?
On Monday morning, I headed back to the cliffs to continue working on my 1200mm pelican macro techniques. It brightened a bit, and when a rain squall blew in from the east, I keep right on photographing. Though there have been several dire forecasts in my four weeks in San Diego, including several “100% chance of rain all day,” I have not missed a single morning session. All my Sony gear has stood up well to getting wet. Very wet at times. One body needed 30 minutes of the hair dryer in a pillowcase treatment. It has done just fine since.
I headed to Coronado in the afternoon. I checked on the Lesser Scaups and found a small flock. At the beach there was lots of action with the Western and Heermann’s Gull’s and several species of shorebirds. The sunset fizzled. I enjoyed mixed clouds and sun while back across the bridge, it rained in San Diego. The far out of character heavy rains have taken a toll. A section of the sidewalk and fence washed out on Prospect above the low cliffs, and I saw two huge, downed trees on Monday. One was right across the street from my AirBnB in Pacific Beach.
Today is Tuesday 17 January 2023. It rained again last night. It quit early so I will be meeting up with San Diego IPT veteran Bryan Love and try out his Sony a7R V. He owns an a1 and loves the V. He will get to play some more with my 600mm f/4. This blog post took more than 90 minutes to prepare (including the time spent on the three image optimizations) and makes two hundred ninety-four days in a row with a new, educational post. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
Please remember to use my B&H or Bedford’s affiliate programs for your new gear purchases.
My plan is to continue to post every day until the streak reaches one year and one day and then go back to posting every other day.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so, works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Induro GIT 304L Tripod
Out of production for more than two years, BAA just sold its last one. The good news? We have located two more new-in-the-box tripods. They will be available for shipping at the end of January. Best to order yours now to be sure that you get one. We will not run your card until your item ships. The 304L was my go-to tripod for more than a decade. Best to grab order yours right now to avoid being disappointed.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
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This image was created on 14 January 2023 at Sonny Bono NWR, Salton Sea, CA. While standing at full height, I used the no-longer available (except from BIRDS AS ART) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1000. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/4 (wide open). When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to 1/3 stop too dark. AWB at 7:51:55 am on cloudy morning.
Manual Focus with Focus Peaking performed perfectly (as did the operator). Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version.
Image #1: Green Winged Teal and other ducks in impoundment
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Salton Sea Bird-scapes
I quickly realized that getting close to any birds at Sonny Bono NWR was not gonna happen. Attracted by the soft light and the beautiful earth tones of green, tan, and brown with some soft yellow tones thrown in, I went the long lens bird-scape route. Note that I was comfortable working 1/500 second at the wide-open aperture and that I lowered the ISO as the day got brighter.
Most of the ducks in Image #1 are Green-winged Teal. There were also a few Northern Shovelers and possibly another species or two.
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This image was also created on 14 January 2023 at Sonny Bono NWR, Salton Sea, CA. Again, while standing at full height, I used the no-longer available (except from BIRDS AS ART) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 800. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/4 (wide open). When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to 1/3 stop too dark. AWB at 9:01:59 am on cloudy morning.
Manual Focus with Focus Peaking performed perfectly (as did the operator). Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version.
Image #2: Long-billed Dowitcher — feeding flock in impoundment
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The AF Problem with Bird-scapes
When creating bird-scapes it is imperative to focus accurately on the closest bird. Picking one that is doing something somewhat special is always a plus. When creating such images, especially those made at the wide-open aperture, using autofocus presents a problem as you attempt to focus accurately on the closet bird in the flock. It can be difficult to get a single AF point to hold focus on a small-on-the-frame subject.
The simple solution is to move the AF switch to M and focus manually. With Image #1, I adjusted the focus so that the closest teal had the brightest focus peaking edges. In image #2, all of the dowitchers showed the red focus peaking edges as they were (conveniently) on the same plane. And in Image #3, the line of shorebirds at the bottom of the frame lit up with the red edgings when the image was focused properly.
The Lesson
When you need to focus accurately on the closest bird or the front row of birds, manual focus with Focus Peaking will always be best. It will produce the sharpest images and make your life easy.
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This image was also created on 14 January 2023 at Sonny Bono NWR, Salton Sea, CA. Again, while standing at full height, I used the no-longer available (except from BIRDS AS ART) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 800. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/4 (wide open). When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to 1/3 stop too dark. AWB at 8:29:44am on cloudy-bright morning.
Manual Focus with Focus Peaking performed perfectly (as did the operator). Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version.
Image #3: Shorebirds feeding in impoundment
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Your Call?
A- I like Image #1 best because …
B- I like Image #2 best because …
C- I like Image #3 best because …
D- I do not like any of today’s images because …
E- …
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
January 16th, 2023 San Diego IPT Late Registration Discount
If you are interested in joining me this coming Thursday in San Diego to improve your photography by leaps and bounds and enjoy the phenomenal Brown Pelican photography, please shoot me an e-mail for IPT #3 late registration discount info. Though different every day, the photography has been consistently and astoundingly good.
Homer Late Registration Discounts
If you are interested in traveling to Homer, AK with me in FEB/MAR 2023 to photograph Bald Eagles, shoot me an e-mail for late registration discount info. Several folks are in the process of registering so do not tarry. The first IPT is looking sold out as I await the last two deposit checks.
What’s Up?
On Sunday, I photographed in the morning for several hours and then took the rest of the day off. There was only a breeze, so the hoped-for great flight photography never materialized.
Yesterday’s blog post here was something of a SNAFU as I inadvertently swapped the image codes. I have fixed that and corrected and responded to all the comments. I was the only one to like the pelican greeting blur.
Today is Monday 16 January 2023. It has been pouring here all night. As I began this blog post at 4:30am Pacific time, it continued to rain hard. The forecast is calling for the rain to quit soon. The forecast is calling for cloudy skies with a SSW wind from 15-18mph, so I will head to La Jolla as soon as the rain quits as these seemingly very poor morning conditions can offer some excellent pelican photography if you know where to be. I will be there. Most likely, alone. This blog post took about two hours to prepare (including the time spent on the two straightforward image optimizations) and makes two hundred ninety-three days in a row with a new, educational post. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
As I put the finishing touches on this post, it is 6:03am and the rain has stopped 🙂
It is looking as if Homer #1 and #3 will be sold out fairly soon. Please do not forget to use my B&H or Bedford’s affiliate programs for your new gear purchases.
My plan is to continue to post every day until the streak reaches one year and one day and then go back to posting every other day.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so, works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Induro GIT 304L Tripod
Out of production for more than two years, BAA just sold its last one. The good news? We have located two more new-in-the-box tripods. They will be available for shipping at the end of January. Best to order yours now to be sure that you get one. We will not run your card until your item ships. The 304L was my go-to tripod for more than a decade. Best to grab order yours right now to avoid being disappointed.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
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This image was created on 15 January 2023 at La Jolla, CA. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 400! 1/30 sec. at f/11 (stopped down one-stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be within 1/6th stop of dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:52:55am on a dark, sometimes drizzly morning.
Manual focus with Focus Peaking is one of my favorite new techniques. I will post and iPhone image of that soon. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: Sleeping young Brown Pelican neck, face, scapular, and coverts feather detail.
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Sleeping Pelicans
On dreary, rainy days in San Diego there is a spot where you can get inside of 15-20 feet of sleeping pelicans without disturbing them one iota. The trick to making successful images is being able to isolate single birds or to look for feather detail shots with clean backgrounds. Using your longest available effective focal lengths makes the latter especially possible. Creative tripod-set-up techniques also helps as it does when photographing the nearby male Anna’s Hummingbird.
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Order your Vello RS-S2II Wired Remote Switch for Select Sony Cameras by clicking here.
Vello Cable Release for Sony
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Wrong Again: The Secret to Creating Sharp 1200mm Sleeping Pelican Feather Detail Images
More than forty years ago, I saw someone using a cable release for bird photography at the Venice Rookery. I said to myself, That’s stupid.” Wrong again! Now, I travel with two Vello RS-S2II Wired Remote Switches for Select Sony Cameras and always have one of them in my fanny pack. Simply put, they are the bomb when photographing sleeping or otherwise static subjects.
In addition, I have come to realize that there are other situations when a cable release can be fabulously helpful. I will, of course, share those with you here soon.
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This image was also created on 15 January 2023 at La Jolla, CA. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 320! 1/8 second! at f/25! (stopped down 3 1/3 stops if my math is correct) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:45:55am on a dark, sometimes drizzly morning.
Manual focus with Focus Peaking is one of my favorite new techniques. I will post an iPhone image of that soon along with additional applications. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #2: Sleeping adult Brown Pelican neck, face, scapular, and coverts feather detail.
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Making a Sharp 1200mm Image at 1/8-Second!
When photographing the handsome pelican featured in Image #2 at point blank range, less then 15 feet, I pulled out all the stops to get a sharp image at 1/8-second. After framing the shot and focusing manually with focus peaking, I locked down the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro and made sure to tighten the tripod collar securely. As the bird was sound asleep, I enabled the five-second self-timer to ensure a razor-sharp result.
The Lesson
Being able to create sharp images at long focal lengths with lots of depth-of-field and low ISO settings is a very nice arrow to have in your quiver.
Show Me the Diffraction. Or Not?
For decades, the experts have always cautioned about shooting at apertures smaller than f/16 at any focal length. Why? Because it creates diffraction. I have never seen diffraction. Years ago, I asked George Lepp about diffraction with telephoto lenses. He did not come up with an answer.
Do a web search for “diffraction in photography” and you will come up with many different answers. This, from the Cambridge in Colour website is the top one:
Diffraction is an optical effect which limits the total resolution of your photography — no matter how many megapixels your camera may have. It happens because light begins to disperse or “diffract” when passing through a small opening (such as your camera’s aperture).
Read all the rest of the answers and let me know if you see any diffraction in Image #2 that was created at f/25. I do not 🙂
Your Call?
A- I like Image #1 best because …
B- I like Image #2 best because …
C- I like them both as I find feather detail abstracts interesting.
D- I like feather detail image but I do not like either of these because …
E- I hate all feather detail images because …
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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