September 26th, 2022 Change Your Life
Consider changing your life and becoming a much better bird photographer by joining me on a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). DeSoto, San Diego, Homer, and the yet-to-be announced July 2024 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime all offer the opportunity for you to improve your skills both in the field and at the computer and to make some astounding images as well. Click here and see which IPT might be best for you.
What’s Up?
As usual, I walked/rope flowed 2.8 miles on Sunday morning and then headed home. Again I did my easy 48-length morning swim and a 40-length swim at 5:00pm after dinner for a total of one mile. With Hurricane Ian looking as if it were going to make a direct hit on first DeSoto IPT, both participants opted to re-schedule. And best of all, the AirBnB folks offered me a full refund! I was glad to learn that IPT veteran Dane Johnson’s Canon 100-400 II sold for the asking price just after being listed last week.
Today is Monday 26 September 2022. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took almost three hours to prepare makes one hundred eighty-five days in a row with a new one.
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!
Instagram
Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.
BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)
Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.
Induro GIT 304L Price Drop
Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.
Please Remember
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.
Your Image Optimization Skills Matter!
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This image was created on 18 October 2021 on a BAA In-the-Field Session at Sebastian Inlet, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld 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 640. 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 exposure was dead-solid perfect (plus a bit). AWB at 9:17:14am on mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: Mullet school under attack from below
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Blastoff!
Schools of baitfish are often herded to the surface by larger predatorial fish. At times, large schools of the smaller fish will break the surface in fear of their lives. Such blastoffs leave them open to attacks from above by the master of the air and sea, the Osprey. When conditions are right, October offers some fabulous photography at Sebastian Inlet as large schools of migratory fish are heading south. I will be visiting Sebastian more than ever this October.
BAA In-the-Field (ITF) Diving Osprey Sessions
You do, however, need to know when to stay home. One of the beauties of scheduling and ITF session with me is that we can decide whether (weather) or not to go. If the morning forecast is for sunny with a brisk NW wind, you can re-schedule or opt for a refund.
The cost of three hours of intense and personalized photographic instruction is $300.00. In addition to the Ospreys, Brown Pelicans, several species of terns, and Laughing Gulls often get in on the fishing action. Backup subjects include several species of shorebirds, herons, and egrets, and especially, Wood Stork.
At present, the following dates are available:
OCT 13-19, OCT 27 & 29-31, and NOV 4-12 (All 2022, of course.). Afternoon sessions may be added on for $200.00. Multiple day inquires are available for those coming from out of town. Fly to Orlando and grab a motel in Vero Beach.
Contact me via e-mail to arrange your dates.
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This image was created on 18 October 2021 on a BAA In-the-Field Session at Sebastian Inlet, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld 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 640. 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 exposure was dead-solid perfect (plus a bit). AWB at 9:17:55am on mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #2: a Photo Mechanic screen capture of the Osprey emerging with a Mullet in its talons image
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A Rare Sidelit Flight Image
t most
When shooting flight, I strive to point my shadow at the bird, usually not being more the 15 – 20° off sun angle a. But when spectacular action occurs right in front of you, albeit 70-80° off sun angle, what’s a photographer to do? Frame, acquire, focus, and shoot. The exposures that I set for Images #1 and #2 were perfect for the birds, but when the sunlit fish made their way into the frame, their bright sides were of course overexposed. That is where your image optimization skills pay off big time. Your handling of the raw conversion in such situations is the basis for the success of the image. I thought that I might have to do two different raw conversions for each of the two images — one normal one and one to save the blown highlights and then combine them and paint in the saved highlights. But by carefully handling the Whites, Highlights, and Shadows sliders, I avoided the extra work. And was happy with the resulting image below.
Note the red over-exposure warning on the cheek of the fish. RawDigger and Photo Mechanic rarely agree, but it this case, both were accurate.
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This image was created on 18 October 2021 on a BAA In-the-Field Session at Sebastian Inlet, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld 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 640. 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 exposure was dead-solid perfect (plus a bit). AWB at 9:17:55am on mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #3: Osprey emerging with a Mullet in its talons
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Balancing the Color
I hated the color in the raw file as captured and as seen in Image #2, above. There was a CYAN color cast and the BLUEs were off as well. Some work on the Color Mixer tab during the raw conversion paved the road to success. To deal with the heavy shadows, I relied on Tim Grey Dodge and Burn, lightening the shadowed areas in 20 or 30% increments. Next was some Eye Doctor work. Though they are the same “image,” Images #2 and #3 are vastly different, a no contest if you would. Note also that I added a bit of canvas below (using Content-Aware Crop) and removed the white latch on the Osprey’s left wing. Everything above as noted in BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). Details below.
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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)
Everything above– but for the Color Mixer stuff, and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with my complete digital workflow, Digital Eye Doctor Techniques, and all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — is 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.
September 25th, 2022 Change Your Life
Consider changing your life and becoming a much better bird photographer by joining me on a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). DeSoto, San Diego, Homer, and the yet-to-be announced July 2024 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime all offer the opportunity for you to improve your skills both in the field and at the computer and to make some astounding images as well. Click here and see which IPT might be best for you.
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This all-new card includes only 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/Openings: 2.
San Diego IPT #3: 3 1/2 DAYS: FRI 20 JAN thru the morning session on MON 23 JAN 2023: $2099.00. 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 $599 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.
What’s Up?
I walked/rope flowed 2.8 miles on Saturday morning, and then spent another 45 minutes at the Vulture Trees. I was so busy that I did not get my “morning” swim in until after 1:00pm! I did 48 lengths, and then 40 lengths at 5:00pm after dinner for a total of one mile. The heavy, afternoon rains of the last three months have continued to tape off, but tropical storm Ian is headed this way and is forecast to be a category 3 hurricane when it hits Florida midweek.
Today is Sunday 25 September 2022. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took almost three hours to prepare makes one hundred eighty-four days in a row with a new one.
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!
70-200mm Versatility is the Name of the Game at La Jolla
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This image was created on 20 January 2022 on a BAA San Diego Instructional Photo-Tour. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 156mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 250: 1/125 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 10:21:21am on a cloudy morning.
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican — La Jolla cliff-scape
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Going Wide for Bird-scapes
While my usual style involves clean, tight, and graphic, I try to keep my eyes open for bird-scape opportunities. The usually bird-covered cliffs across from Goldfish Point provides interesting background fodder. If you do not have something wide with you as I did that day, think iPhone.
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This image was also created on 20 January 2022 on a BAA San Diego Instructional Photo-Tour. For this one, I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 280mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras. ISO 1600: 1/1600 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 10:29:41am on a cloudy morning.
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican adult and juvenile on cliff
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The Lower Ledge
The perch rocks at the western end of the lower ledge at Goldfish Point are among my favorites. They are best worked by climbing down so that you move the ocean well away from the subject. Working from above, as I did for Image #2, brings up background detail. Over the years, you have seen photos of many birds perched on the right-most rock.
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This image was also created on 20 January 2022 on a BAA San Diego Instructional Photo-Tour. I went with the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 255mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1000: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Mnaul mod. AWB at 10:34:04am on a cloudy morni
Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection produced a sharp on the eye image. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Brown Pelican — Pacific race adult in flight
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Concentrate on Flight
The pelicans are so tame, close and beautiful that it is hard to concentrate solely on flight. I almost always get sucked in to shooting the perched birds and wind up missing lots of great incoming flight opportunities. The best way to make some great flight shots is to commit to doing flight photography while resisting all the nearby temptations. You may want to do just that on mornings with winds from the east or northeast so that the birds are flying at you and into the sun. Wish me luck. Or join me there.
Your Favorite?
Which of today’s three featured images do you like best? Why?
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
September 24th, 2022 Homer IPT Multiple Trip Discounts Increased
Save $1,500.00 by doing back-to-back trips. Save $2500 by doing all three trips. Please e-mail for couples discount info.
Change Your Life
Consider changing your life and becoming a much better bird photographer by joining me on a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). DeSoto, San Diego, Homer, and the yet-to-be announced July 2024 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime all offer the opportunity for you to improve your skills both in the field and at the computer and to make some astounding images as well. Click here and see which IPT might be best for you.
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All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK
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2023 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs
IPT #1: MON 20 FEB 2023 through the full day on FRI 24 FEB 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 3.
IPT #2: SAT 25 FEB 2023 through the full day on THURS 2 MAR 2023. Six full days/24 hours on the boat: $6600.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 3.
IPT #3: FRI 3 MAR 2023 through the full day on TUES 7 MAR 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers. Openings: 3.
Save $1,500.00 by doing back-to-back trips. Save $2500 by doing all three trips.
These trips feature non-stop flight photography as well as many opportunities to create both environmental and point-blank portraits of one of North America’s most sought-after avian subjects: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Other reliable subjects will include Sea Otter, Glaucous-winged and Short-billed (formerly Mew) Gulls.
In addition, we should see Common Murre, Black Guillemot, Pelagic Cormorant, two or three species of loons, and a smattering of ducks including two species of merganser, all three scoters, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Bufflehead, Harlequin, and Long-tailed Ducks. Close-range photographic chances for these species will require a ton of good luck. Some of these species, especially when in flocks, can, however, often be used effectively when creating bird-scapes.
If we need to be out early, we will be the first boat out. If conditions are great, we will stay out. And when there is a chance for sunset silhouettes, we will stay out and be in the right spot.
We will be traveling through gorgeous wilderness country; landscape and scenic opportunities abound.
Also featured is a professional leader, often referred to as the world’s most knowledgeable bird photography trip leader, who is conversant in Canon, Nikon, and Sony.
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All images from Kachemak Bay in 2022!
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What You Will Learn
You will learn practical and creative solutions to everyday photographic problems. You will learn to see the shot, to create dynamic images by fine-tuning your compositions, to best utilize your camera’s AF system, and how to analyze the wind, the sky conditions, and the direction and quality of the light. This is one of the very few trips Homer trips available where you will not be simply put on the birds and told to have fun. You will learn to be a better photographer. But only if that is what you want.
You will learn to get the right exposure when it is sunny, when it cloudy-bright, when it is cloudy, when it is cloudy-dark, or when it is foggy. Not to mention getting the right exposure when creating silhouettes.
You will learn to make pleasing blurs working in manual mode and to create silhouettes working in Shutter Priority mode.
Most importantly you will learn to pick your best flight images from tens of thousands of images.
You will enjoy working with the two best and most creative boat captains on their sturdy, photography-spacious, seaworthy, open-deck crafts.
The second and third IPTs are the only Bald Eagle workshops that feature an incredibly helpful first mate.
Only five photographers (not the usual six), plus the leader.
Small group Photoshop, Image Review, and Image Critiquing sessions.
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All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK
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What’s Included
One four hour or two two-hour boat trips every day (weather permitting), all boat fees and boat-related expenses (excluding tips), ground transportation to and from the dock and back to the hotel each day, in-the-field instruction and guidance, pre-trip gear advice, small group post-processing and image review sessions, and a thank you dinner for all well-behaved participants.
What’s Not Included
Your airfare to and from Homer, AK (via Anchorage), the cost of your room at Land’s End Resort, all personal items, all meals and beverages, and tips for the boat captain and/or the first mate.
Please Note
On great days, the group may wish to photograph for more than four hours. If the total time on the boat exceeds 20 hours for the five-day trips, or 24 hours for the second trip, the group will share the additional expense at a rate of $225/hour.
Some folks may wish to rent their own vehicle to take advantage of local photographic opportunities around Homer.
Deposit Information
A $3000 non-refundable deposit/trip is required. You may pay your deposit with credit card or by personal check (made out to BIRDS AS ART) and sent via US mail only to Arthur Morris. PO Box 7245. Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Your balance, due 90 days before the date of departure, is payable only by check as above.
In Closing
I have been going to Homer off and on for close to two decades. Every trip has been nothing short of fantastic. Many folks go in mid-March. The earlier you go, the better the chances for snow. The only way to assure that you are on the best of the three trips is to sign up for all of them. Can you keep up with me? If you have any questions, or are good to go for one, two, or all three trips, please let me know via e-mail or give me a call on my cell phone at 863-221-2372.
What’s Up?
I walked/rope flowed 2.2 miles on Wednesday morning, and then spent 45 minutes at the Vulture Trees. I upped my two swims to 44-lengths each (totaling one mile). The more I hang from the chinning bar, the stronger the right shoulder becomes. For the past few days, the heavy rains have been tapering off. The bad news? Tropical storm Ian is headed this way.
Before you read the EXIF for today’s two featured images, click on each of them and try to figure out the focal length that was used to create them. Note: the focal length was the same for each. I kid you not.
Today is Saturday 24 September 2022. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took more than 90 minutes to prepare makes one hundred eighty-three days in a row with a new one.
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!
Instagram
Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.
BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)
Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.
Induro GIT 304L Price Drop
Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.
Please Remember
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.
I Kid You Not!
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This image was created on 25 February 2020 on an Instructional Photo-Tour at Kachemak Bay, Homer, AK. I used the hand held Sony 70-200mm GM lens (now replaced by the greatly improved Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 280mm) and the Sony a9 II (now replaced by The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital camera body.) The exposure was determined via Zebras. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect. ISO 800: 1/2500 sec. at f/4.5 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 10:21:30am on a cloudy morning.
Expand Spot S AF/C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Bald Eagle — with blood on forehead and chin
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The Most Valuable Lens on a Homer IPT
If I were limited to bringing only one lens on a Homer IPT, it would be a 70-200. As noted here previously, the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens is vastly superior to the original version. Its performance with either TC is stunning: AF is lightning fast and accurate, and the images are razor-sharp.
The focal length ranges of the 70-200mm lenses are deadly on Bald Eagles in flight (with or without either TC), great for scenics and bird-scapes, and lethal at close range (because of their short Minimum Focusing Distances (MFDs) especially with either TC (accept as noted with Canon, below)
The situation is much the same with Nikon mirrorless. The Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lens accepts both the Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x and the Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-2x and functions perfectly.
As noted here previously, the 70-200 situation with Canon mirrorless gear borders on insanity. The Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens does not accept either the Canon Extender RF 1.4x or the Canon Extender RF 2x. This pretty much destroys the versatility of a hugely popular mid-range telephoto zoom. Canon folks have several options.
1- Go with one of the EF versions of the 70-200mm f/2.8 or with the (slower) EF 100-400mm IS II with a Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R.
2- Go with the much slower (f/7.1 at 500mm) Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens.
Whichever system you use, you will learn a ton on a Homer IPT and head home with a boatload of great images.
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This image was created on 26 February 2020 on an Instructional Photo-Tour at Kachemak Bay, Homer, AK. I used the hand held Sony 70-200mm GM lens (now replaced by the greatly improved Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 280mm) and the Sony a7R IV (now replaced by The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital camera body.) The exposure was determined via Zebras. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect. With all the dark feathers, however, adding another 1/3-stop to get to dead-solid perfect would have been ideal. ISO 800: 1/125 sec. at f11 (stopped down four stops) in Manual mode. AWB at 3:11:04pm on a cloudy afternoon.
Expand Spot S AF/C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Bald Eagle — close-up of talons and feet
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Questions
1- Why f/11?
2- Which of today’s two featured images is your favorite? Why?
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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