November 18th, 2022 What’s Up?
Still, too much work, too little play. I was feeling just a bit under-the-weather yesterday, so I skipped my swims and my walk. I did not make it down to the lake. I did, however, get lots of work done on the NANPA issue; the small group I am working with is just about ready to act.
Today is Friday 18 November 2022. I will continue to take it easy. I do need to get some serious work done on the San Diego B&H Event Space program. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes two hundred thirty-six days in a row with a new one. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
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This image was created on 2 October 2022 down by the lake near my home. Standing at full height I used the no-longer available (except from BAA) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Panning Ground Pod-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 800. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/3200 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was dead-solid perfect (as below). AWB at 8:48:37am on sunny morning with a slight breeze from the SW.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed amazingly well.
Image #1: The original for the Black-bellied Whistling Duck landing away image
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The Situation and the Original
There were about a dozen Greater Yellowlegs along with lots of ducks in a shallow, flooded-by-Ian pool on the edge of the North Field. Since I could not drive on the soaked field, I set up at 840mm on the tripod and approached the birds slowly. I didn’t get much on the shorebirds before they flew. Some of the ducks — black-bellied whistlers and mottleds, flew off, and several flew in. Trying to shoot more aggressively, I fired off several frames of the bird in Image #1 even though it was angling away from me as it landed. I got really lucky with frame _A1G5967 as the bird looked back at me below its raised right wing.
Above is the converted .TIF file. Before you scroll down to #1C, the optimized version, ask yourself, “Would I do any background clean-up? Would I crop this image? If yes, how?
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Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed amazingly well. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1A: The A7INFO screen capture for the Black-bellied Whistling Duck landing away image
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Beyond Amazing
No matter what mirrorless camera you own and use, do not expect the AF performance that you see in #1A with every flight shot that you take. As I’ve said here before, even when A7INFO shows that the AF point was not on the bird’s eye, most of the images are either razor sharp or acceptably sharp on the eye. This may be because the system that records the AF information is not fast enough to keep up with the AF system itself. In any case, the AF performance here, with the bird 31.45 meters (103′ 2″) away, was way beyond the call of duty.
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Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action.
Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!
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The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. By June 1, 2022, the group was up to an astounding 124 lucky and blessed folks. (More than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive six e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.
All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide here in the BAA Online Store.
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Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1B: The RawDigger screen capture for the Black-bellied Whistling Duck landing away image
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Ho Hum, Another Perfect Exposure
What can I say? The combination of Zebras live in the viewfinder (with your camera set up properly) and post-capture study of the raw files in RawDigger makes it pretty much child’s play to come up with perfect exposure after perfect exposure. It would be impossible to overstate how much I have learned by studying RawDigger and how much better my exposures have become since I started with the program almost two years ago. With the G channel almost making the 16000 line, the raw file brightness for today’s featured image is dead-solid perfect. Note also the total of 89 OvExp pixels out of 51 million.
RawDigger — not for the faint of heart …
Nothing has ever helped me learn to create perfect exposures to the degree that RawDigger has. I think that many folks are reluctant to learn that most of their images are underexposed by one or more full stops and that highlight warnings in Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One, and your in-camera histogram are bogus as they are based on the embedded JPEGs. Only your raw files tell the truth all the time. Heck, I resisted RawDigger for several years … Once you get over that feeling, RawDigger can become your very best exposure friend no matter what system you are using. On the recent IPTs and In-the-Field sessions, we have demonstrated that fact. Convincingly.
The RawDigger Adapted (pink) Histogram
In the RawDigger e-Guide, you will learn exactly how to set up the Adapted “pink” RawDigger Histogram and how to use it to quickly and easily evaluate the exposure or raw file brightness of images from all digital cameras currently in use. RawDigger was especially helpful to me as I have struggled with R5 exposures and learned my new camera body, the Sony Alpha a1.
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RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
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The RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
by Arthur Morris with Patrick Sparkman
The RawDigger e-Guide was created only for serious photographers who wish to get the absolute most out of their raw files.
Patrick and I began work on the guide in July 2020. At first, we struggled. We asked questions. We learned about Max-G values. We puzzled as to why the Max G values for different cameras were different. IPT veteran Bart Deamer asked lots of questions that we could not answer. We got help from RawDigger creator Iliah Borg. We learned. In December, Patrick came up with an Adapted Histogram that allows us to evaluate the exposures and raw file brightness for all images created with all digital camera bodies from the last two decades. What we learned each time prompted three complete beginning to end re-writes.
The point of the guide is to teach you to truly expose to the mega-Expose-to-the-Right so that you will minimize noise, maximize image quality, best utilize your camera’s dynamic range, and attain the highest possible level of shadow detail in your RAW files in every situation. In addition, your properly exposed RAW files will contain more tonal information and feature the smoothest possible transitions between tones. And your optimized images will feature rich, accurate color.
We teach you why the GREEN channel is almost always the first to over-expose. We save you money by advising you which version of RawDigger you need. We teach you how to interpret the Max G values for your Canon, Nikon, and SONY camera bodies. It is very likely that the Shock-your-World section will shock you. And lastly — thanks to the technical and practical brilliance of Patrick Sparkman — we teach you a simple way to evaluate your exposures and the raw file brightness quickly and easily the Adapted RawDigger histogram.
The flower video takes you through a session where artie edits a folder of images in Capture One while checking the exposures and Max-G values in RawDigger. The Adapted Histogram video examines a series of recent images with the pink histograms and covers lots of fine points including and especially how to deal with specular highlights. The directions for setting up the Adapted Histogram are in the text.
If we priced this guide based on how much effort we put into it, it would sell it for $999.00. But as this guide will be purchased only by a limited number of serious photographers, we have priced it at $51.00. You can order yours here in the BAA Online Store.
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This image was created on 2 October 2022 down by the lake near my home. Standing at full height I used the no-longer available (except from BAA) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Panning Ground Pod-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 800. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/3200 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was dead-solid perfect (as below). AWB at 8:48:37am on sunny morning with a slight breeze from the SW.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed amazingly well. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1C: The optimized version of the Black-bellied Whistling Duck landing away image
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The Image Optimization
I did not like the tall, prominent grasses growing out of the pool. I used two different methods to remove them. Both began by selecting the offending grasses with the Patch Tool. Content-Aware Fill worked well with most of them, but when that approach failed, I simply dragged the patched areas to a smooth area and let go of the cursor. Both of these methods occasionally leave noticeable edges, so I applied a 65px Gaussian Blur to a layer, added an Inverse (Black, or Hide-All) mask, and — using a large, soft brush, painted in the blur where needed in 33% increments. To make sure that I did not accidentally have any spill-over blurring of the bird, I hit X to switch to a white brush, hit 0 to get to 100% Opacity, reduced the size of the brush using the left bracket key, and painted along the edges of the bird. The last step was a small proportional crop from the lower left corner to tighten up the composition.
Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?
OK. The bird is flying away. This generally results in an insta-delete. That said, would you give this one a Thumbs Up or a Thumbs Down? Please leave a comment and let us know why you voted the way that you did.
Is Sony Mirrorless Gear, with Zebras for stills and science-fiction-like autofocus, unfair to flying birds?
I will say this, for folks using a properly set-up Sony a1, bird photography has never been easier.
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The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).
You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.
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The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
The techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with my complete digital workflow, Digital Eye Doctor Techniques, and all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: most of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. You can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here. Today, I convert my Sony raw files in Photoshop with Adobe Camera Raw.
You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
November 17th, 2022
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Photographing Pelicans in Southern California with Arthur Morris
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A B&H Event Space Program
Photographing Pelicans in Southern California with Arthur Morris
On Tuesday Nov 22, 2022, I will be presenting another B&H Event Space program from 5:00pm – 6:00pm ET.
Arthur Morris, one of the world’s premier photographic educators, has been photographing the spectacular Brown Pelicans in San Diego, CA for more than three decades. The Pacific-race pelicans in La Jolla are much more colorful than their eastern relatives; they sport fire-engine red, olive-green bill pouches in winter. In addition to his favorite pelican images, Artie will share images of many of the other species that frequent Southern California each winter.
During this live-streamed presentation. Artie will share his thoughts on the best gear, on designing pleasing images, on capturing all types of pelican behaviors, on seeing and using the light, and on getting the right exposure in varying lighting conditions. He will share photos ranging from tight head portraits to small-in-the-frame bird-scapes. There will be lots of great flight photography tips as well.
Using Canon, Nikon, and Sony gear, photographing birds has been Artie’s passion for the past forty years.
Register for this free, online-only presentation here.
What’s Up?
Too much work, too little play. I swam 48 lengths in the early afternoon and walked and putted 3.1 miles on the golf course just before dusk. The rest of the day was work, work, and more work.
Today is Thursday 17 November 2022. I may try to get down to the lake for a bit in the morning. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred thirty-five days in a row with a new one. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
The Skinny on the Down Low
I was sitting on the edge of the upper shelf hoping to photograph some of the pelicans on the lower level without having to climb down. Unexpectedly, a gorgeous pelican molting into breeding plumage landed right in front of me on a rock just above the lower shelf. When I raised the lens to my eye, I had pelicans in the background. When I rested the lens on my bent left knee and — with my reading glasses on — worked off the tilted rear monitor, I still had pelicans in the background. I leaned forward as far as I could without falling off the rock and — with my reading glasses on — worked off the tilted rear monitor. Both feet were hanging down, my heels against the rock I was sitting on, and I braced both elbows on my knees. In addition to eliminating the distracting pelicans from the lower background, it effectively moved the ocean farther away from the subject thus yielding the gorgeous, out-of–focus Pacific-blue backgrounds that I love working with at La Jolla. While this is certainly not the most stable set-up ever, 1/1000 second was fast enough to yield sharp images.
This handsome bird is just about finished molting into full breeding plumage. In another week, the entire hind-neck with be a rich dark-brown color often with a bit of a reddish tint.
Success in bird photography is often a matter of inventing new techniques in the field, techniques that innovatively solve problems that pop up on an almost daily basis. See yesterday’s blog post for a recent example. Consider joining me on an Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) and get to see how that works in person.
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This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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The 2022/23 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) IPTs
San Diego IPT #1. 3 1/2 DAYS: WED 21 DEC thru the morning session on Saturday 24 DEC 2022. $2099.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings: 5.
San Diego IPT #2. 4 1/2 DAYS: SAT 7 JAN thru the morning session on WED 11 JAN 2023: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Sold Out.
San Diego IPT #3: 4 1/2 DAYS: THURS 19 JAN thru the morning session on MON 23 JAN 2023: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers.
Please e-mail for information on personalized pre- and post-IPT sessions.
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
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San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
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Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
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Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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The San Diego Details
These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
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San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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Deposit Info
A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2022/23 San Diego IPTs. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.
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Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
November 16th, 2022 What’s Up?
Again, not much. I swam a mile — 48 lengths in the morning and that was about it as I had to run into town to do some errands.
Today is Wednesday 16 November 2022. I got lots accomplished yesterday but still have tons more work to do on the urgent and ongoing problems at NANPA (North American Nature Photography Association). In addition, I began working on my next B&H Event Space program. Details on that tomorrow. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes two hundred thirty-four days in a row with a new one. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
The Next Keeper
I created today’s featured image nearly three minutes after the heron had tossed the catfish in the air. I had turned the camera to vertical, but the first few frames were not very successful as the bird had stooped forward. I was, however, duly rewarded when the bird stood tall and tipped its head back.
I should have mentioned yesterday that I was able to lean against a tall post to steady the monopod. Tripods will always be more solid than monopods, but their lighter weight and portability are very attractive to the elderly (and to others as well).
The background clean-up for today’s image was less extensive than it was for yesterday’s.
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iPhone photo by Jim Litzenberg
Image #2: The traditional over-the top grip for shooting verticals
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The Traditional Over-the-top Grip for Shooting Verticals
If you are on a tripod and not using a vertical grip with the camera controls, the traditional approach to shooting verticals is to rotate your telephoto lens counterclockwise in the tripod collar. This places your hand above the camera as seen in Image #2 above. I quickly realized that when you are working off a monopod that the traditional approach increases the height of the rig. You might say that increases the length of the lever-arm and creates additional instability.
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iPhone photo by Jim Litzenberg
Image #3: The non-traditional hand-below grip for shooting verticals
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Building the Better Mouse Trap
Rather than deal with the instability that resulted from using the traditional over-the-top grip for shooting verticals, I experimented by rotating the lens clockwise in the tripod collar. This made the whole set-up shorter, reduced the length of the lever-arm, and made the monopod rig much steadier. Thinking back, I can recall using the same approach with a big lens on a tripod when another photographer was behind and slightly to my right. Rotating the lens clockwise will get your elbow out of their shot when the going is tight.
Note that in Images #2 and 3 that the monopod is resting against the inside of my left elbow. That to further increase stability.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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