Unlike yesterday, I have no horse in this race. (BTW, my horse lost.) Which of todays’ four juvenile shorebird images is your favorite? Please leave a comment letting us know which one you like best and why. And remember, there are no wrong answers. Partaking in these exercises gives everyone a chance to think and learn. Including me.
BIRDS AS ART Office Phone Out!
A tree fell on our phone lines while I was in Deland last week. 863-692-0906 is currently down. If you need to get in touch with BAA, please try my cell at 863-221-2372. If I do not pick up, please shoot us a text. The land line is scheduled to be repaired this coming Wednesday.
What’s Up?
Amazingly, I sold a second single cabin for the August 2023 Galapagos Photo-cruise of a lifetime. That makes world’s best Galapagos trip even better as there will be only 12 folks on the Samba (including me); a bit more room for everyone. If that last spot has your name on it, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372 ASAP.
Today is Sunday 31 July. I did some packing yesterday in fits and starts yesterday, and still have lots to do before I leave at 11:00am to head up to Sanford, FL to catch the Amtrak Auto Train late this afternoon. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare (including three new image optimizations) and makes one hundred twenty-nine 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!
Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson.
Click on the card to view a larger version.
Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite
Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops
Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with more than a dozen pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.
Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their you. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers eating skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.
I am taking the Auto Train north on 31 July and will happily spend all of August on Long Island. I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September (barring anything unforeseen). I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.
Whether you are a local or would like to fly in for several days of instruction — a sort of private, or small group. — at worst, IPT, LMK via e-mail so that we can work on a schedule that could possibly include both Nickerson and Jamaica Bay.
The First DeSoto IPT
If you are interested in the first DeSoto IPT, 3 1/2 Days, Tuesday 27 September through the morning session on Friday 30 September 2022, know that I just reserved a three-bedroom AirBnB in Gulfport. Share it for four nights with many multiple IPT veteran Monte Brown and me and save a ton on lodging: $83.69/night/person for a whole home. AirBnB photos available upon request. If interested, shoot me an e-mail.
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 🙂
If You Enjoy the Blog …
Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.
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… 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.
This image was created on 21 August 2021 at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. While seated on the damp mud, I used the hand held 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: 1/4000 sec. at f/4.5 (stopped down 1/3-stop). AWB at 7:29:44am am on a cloudy morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version.
Image #1: Short-billed Dowitcher — juvenile in flight
TC or Crop?
I am a huge fan of using teleconverters (TCs) for bird photography. I’ve been making quality images with TCs for several decades with three different camera systems. My big complaint was with the Nikon TC-20 as it was not very sharp. With the latest mirrorless gear, both the 1.4X and the 2X TCscan create very sharp images provided that your sharpness techniques are up to par. So why were the two flights photos, Images #1 and #2 created with the 600 f/4 lens alone? My thoughts on TCs vary when it comes to photographing fast, small birds in flight.
Here are the reasons why I left my 1.4X TC in my fanny pouch:
1- With a shorter focal length, it is easier to find a flying bird in the frame and easier to follow it and frame the image.
2- Without a TC you enjoy a wider aperture. The wider the aperture, the better autofocus can see the subject, and the better it functions.
3- In low light conditions, working without a TC allows you to use lower ISOs and faster shutter speeds.
4- Without the TC you are effectively farther away from the subject and enjoy lots of extra depth of field.
5- The images made without the TC are so sharp that they allow for large crops of the Sony a1’s 51 MP superb .ARW files while maintaining image quality and fine detail.
This image was also created on 21 August 2021 at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. Again, while seated on the damp mud, I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1250. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 9:27:00am on a cloudy morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version.
Image #2: Semipalmated Plover — juvenile in flight
The Crops
Image #1, the Short-billed Dowitcher, represents only 47% of the original pixels, the flying juvie semiplover in Image #2, just 40% of the original pixels. Be sure to click on each image to see the sharpness and image quality that is evident in the high-res JPEGs.
This image was created on 28 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Seated on damp sand I used the lowered, no-longer available (except from BAA) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 2500. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/2500 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 12:22:52pm on cloudy, windy, stormy day.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #3: Least Sandpiper — juvenile preening after bath
Crazy Preening Poses
As we saw with the first pelican image in yesterday’s blog post, birds can get into some very strange positions when they are preening. It is often difficult to figure out exactly what they are doing. IAC, note the relatively high shutter speed and the proportionally high ISO.
This image was also created on 28 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Again, seated on damp sand, I used the lowered, 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 1250. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/2500 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 12:52:17pm on cloudy, windy, stormy day.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #4: Western Sandpiper — juvenile female bathing
Juvenile Shorebirds
The young shorebirds are beginning to head south right now. They will likely be arriving in your areas in the next two to six weeks. Thousands of worn, molting adults headed south in July. The handsome young birds with their distinctive, even patterns and warm colors, stand out from the dull and disheveled adults. Even better, having just dropped down from their Arctic and sub-Arctic summer grounds, the young birds have never seen humans before and thus, are a lot tamer than the wary adults and a lot easier to photograph.
Juvie Westerns
The long, decurved bill separates female westerns from semipalmateds. Male westerns have shorter decurved bills. Both sexes of westerns have fine-tipped bills while the bills of Semipalmated Sandpipers have blob-tipped bill. The rufous (reddish-orange) color on the scapulars of juvenile Western Sandpipers (like the bird in Image #4) are both distinctive and diagnostic as to species and age.
Shorebirds: Beautiful Beachcombers
If you found the above interesting, you will surely want to grab one of the few remaining copies of my soft-cover book, Shorebirds: Beautiful Beachcombers. Written for naturalists and birders, the text tells you everything you’ve always wanted to know about North America’s sandpipers, godwits, yellowlegs, phalaropes, plovers, avocets, stilts, and oystercatchers. Topics covered include identification and aging, shorebird behavior, their incredible migrations, feeding and diet, mating and breeding strategies, eggs, nests, and young, conservation efforts, and shorebirding tips. Also included are approximately 50 species accounts covering all of the regularly occurring North American shorebird species. With 70 of Arthur’s images and 26 more by some of the world’s best nature photographers, this book contains the finest collection of shorebird photographs ever published in a single volume.
Intermediate Telephoto Lenses and Shorebirds
Join me on a Fort DeSoto IPT and learn the tricks to getting close enough to shorebirds to photograph them with handheld intermediate telephoto lenses. Details below the kudos.
Unsolicited via e-mail from Pete Myers
I just spent 4 days in the field in a graduate course in bird photography taught by Artie Morris at Fort DeSoto. After almost 50 years of experience pointing cameras at birds from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, New Zealand and beyond, I thought I was good enough. But what I learned from Artie in just four days has taken me to a whole new level. As he aptly puts it, “birds as art,” not simply bird photography. One of those 4 days was the most satisfying I’d ever experienced, anywhere. The IPT left me euphoric about what I’d learned, and frighteningly committed to recreating my portfolio with the techniques and insights he taught me.
Via e-mail from Jim Miller
I can’t stop thinking about how much fun the DeSoto Fall IPT was, and how much I learned. There were so many things that suddenly made perfect sense after I had been confused for so long. Thank you very much for the wonderful trip, and for being a great teacher. As I worked through the raw files last week, I realized what a fantastic lens the 600 GM is. Thanks for the rental! Maybe someday I will be able to afford one. Some images for critique are attached.
By the way, the plant we were looking at along the sidewalk in Gulfport is Blue Porterweed. It is worth a few minutes on the internet to read about it: native of Florida and the Caribbean, used for medicine in The Bahamas, etc. We have it in a large pot in the front yard and it takes a lot of water, but it blooms Spring through Fall. Thank you again, Artie. It was really wonderful to be with you and learn from you.
Via e-mail from Lee Sommie
I want to thank you for making the Fall 2017 Ft. DeSoto IPT such a fun and educational experience for me. I truly did not want the adventure to end. I now look through the viewfinder with an artist’s mindset. And the real bonus was making new friends with fellow students. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm for wildlife photography. I had a great time with you and look forward to more adventures on future IPTs.
Followed by this one
BTW. I downloaded Photo Mechanic and started using it in my workflow. Since I like using Lightroom for my adjustments, I found a way to incorporate Photo Mechanic and Lightroom together. Lightroom was driving me crazy with how slow it is to import and preview photos. I was impressed with how fast you could preview photos and start editing your photos on the DeSoto Fall IPT. Life is too short to wait for applications to import and preview photos and Photo Mechanic solves that problem.
Via e-mail from Muhammad Arif
I had a great time at Fort DeSoto. Thank you for all the instruction, for your help and pointers; my photography has already improved tremendously, and I’ve never made such good bird photos before. I wish I could’ve joined you on Monday and Tuesday morning as well, but work got in the way. It was also nice meeting the folks on the IPT. Thanks again for everything and I hope to join you at a future IPT sometime again.
Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All the images on this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this fall. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Caspian Tern, Great Egret, Sandwich Tern with fish, Willet, Black-bellied Plover threat display, Snowy Egret, 2-year old Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron, juvenile Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron.
The Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tours
Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #1
3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 27 September through the morning session on Friday 30 September 2022. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers/Openings five.
Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #2
3 1/2 Days: 7 October through the morning session on Monday 10 October 2022. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.
Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #3
3 1/2 Days: Monday 31 October through the morning session on Thursday 3 November 2022. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With any luck at all, we should get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy, American Oystercatcher is pretty much guaranteed. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two. And we will get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On this IPT, all will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. Everyone will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. Most importantly, you will surely learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it). The best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever and whenever you photograph.
There will be a Photoshop/image review session during or after lunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time.
These IPTs will run with only a single registrant (though that is not unlikely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with Gulfport AirBnB information. If you register soon and would like to share an AirBnB with me, shoot me an e-mail. Other possibilities including taking a cab to and from the airport to our AirBnB and riding with me. This saves you both gas and the cost of a rental car.
A $600 deposit is due when you sign up and is payable by credit card. Balances must be paid by check two months before the trip. Your deposit is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out with six folks, so please check your plans carefully before committing. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand, or by sending a check as follows: make the check out to: BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, clothing, and gear advice. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, juvenile Tricolored Heron, Marbled Godwits, Great Blue Heron, juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Wood Stork, smiling Sea Scallop, Ruddy Turnstone scavenging needlefish, Great Blue Heron sunset silhouette at my secret spot, and southbound migrant tern flock blur.
Up Early, Stay Out Late!
Obviously, folks attending an IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of the sweetest light and sunrise and sunset colors (when possible). The good news is that the days are relatively short in early fall. I really love it when I am leaving the beach on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving. The length of cloudy morning sessions will often be extended. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Though you cannot see the bird’s eye in any of today’s featured images, all for me are excellent photos. To my artistic eye, however, one of the three stands head and shoulders above the others. I would call that one exquisite. Which one is your favorite? Please leave a comment letting us know which one you like best and why. And please remember, there are no wrong answers. Partaking in these exercises gives everyone a chance to think and learn. Including me.
BIRDS AS ART Office Phone Out!
A tree fell on our phone lines while I was in Deland last week. 863-692-0906 is currently down. If you need to get in touch with BAA, please try my cell at 863-221-2372. If I do not pick up, please shoot us a text.
What’s Up?
Me, very early. When I finish this blog post, I will begin packing in earnest for my trip to Long Island that begins tomorrow on the Auto Train. I should get to my AirBnb late on Monday afternoon. According to the usually accurate Google Maps, the trip (leaving at 10:30am), the trip typically takes from
4 hr 50 min to 6 hr 50 min (depending on how horrific the traffic around NYC is). With stops, I hope to be there by 7:00pm. Time will tell.
I was glad to learn yesterday that all four of Mike Ederegger’s Used Gear items sold within days of being listed on the Used Gear Page.
For the third day in a row, it did not rain here yesterday. Today is Saturday 30 July 2022 and I still have lots to do. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare (including the three image optimizations) and makes one hundred twenty-eight 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!
Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson.
Click on the card to view a larger version.
Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite
Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops
Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with more than a dozen pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.
Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their you. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers eating skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.
I am taking the Auto Train on 31 July and will happily spend all of August on Long Island. I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September barring anything unforeseen. I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.
Whether you are a local or would like to fly in for several days of instruction — a sort of private– or small group, at worst, IPT, LMK via e-mail so that we can work on a schedule that could possibly include both Nickerson and Jamaica Bay.
Thanks to Michael Tapes
Thanks to LensAlign creator Michael Tapes for sending me this e-mail last week:
Subject Line: Billy Joel great Interview and the studio I built in his house
I do not remember the exact date, but it was right before the Glass Houses album came out in March 1980. Billy was having trouble writing for the album, so he wanted to be able to make demos in his house. He asked me to put something together for him. I did not have any pictures of that until today, just a quick B-roll photo in this interview. The “heart” of the demo studio was the Tascam 80-8 and the Sound Workshop 1280B which were the standard at the time. The 1280B was designed by me and my partner Paul Galburt, and really put Sound Workshop (our console company) on the map.
The interview is really good: https://youtu.be/j0u9S0vPY6g
You can see Michael’s handiwork in the video below at the 10:24 mark and then again at the 32:59 mark.
Extraordinary
This Billy Joel interview by CNN’s Fareed Zakaria is truly extraordinary. Those who like music, but hate Billy Joel and his music, will likely marvel at the personal connection between Zakaria and Joel, Joel’s comments on his music — especially classical music, and its beginnings, on the Beatles, on his family life, and his prowess on the piano. Fans of Billy will favorite this video and listen to it over and over (as I am doing as I type).
ps: It was great to see on the video that Billy Joel has slimmed down considerably since the last time I saw him at Madison Square Garden.
This image was created on 21 January 2020 on a San Diego IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 315mm) and the a9 II (now replaced by The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250. 1/500 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Shutter Priority Mode (don’t ask me why) -0.3 stops. AWB at 4:42:32pm on a partly cloudy sunny afternoon. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be dead-solid perfect.
Flexible Spot (M)/AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican — strange preening posture
Odd Preening Posture
I am not sure if this pelican was preening its underwing feathers with the top of its head, preening the top of its head with the underwing feathers, or both. We enjoyed the heck out of photographing pelicans on this curved perch for two years. Near the end of my 2022 visit, I looked out over the cove and went yikes! The perch had fallen down, no doubt collapsed by the weight of a pelican. And so it goes.
Billy Joel – And So It Goes
In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along …
See and hear at the 4:16 mark on the video interview.
The Background
I love the background of this image. The lower 2/3rds is the water in a small bay or inlet. The upper 1/3 is partly the wall of a far cliff (on our right) and partly the opening to a large cave (on our left). I eliminated a series of distracting highlights and then smoothed everything over with a layer of Gaussian Blur. I covered that with an Inverse (Hide-all, or Black) Layer Mask and painted in the effect where needed with a large soft blur and took steps to eliminate any blurring of the subject.
This image also was created on 21 January 2020 on a San Diego IPT. Again, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and the a9 II (now replaced by The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/500 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) now properly in Manual Mode. AWB at 5:10:56pm on a partly cloudy sunny afternoon. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be 1/3-stop too dark.
Flexible Spot (M)/AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican — rear view of head and neck — abstract
You Must Always See the Bird’s Eye! Or Not?
It’s likely that you have been taught never to press the shutter button unless you have a decent look at the bird’s face, one eye, or both eyes. You would never hear that coming out of my mouth.
The Lesson
Disregard the “rules.” Always be open to making an image that looks pleasing or interesting to you. There is no charge for using the delete key.
This image was created on 22 January 2022 on a San Diego/Brown Pelicans and more IPT. 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 a7R IV (now replaced by The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 640. 1/800 sec. at f/10 (stopped down 2/3 stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 10:04:51am on a typically sunny morning.
Flexible Spot (M)/AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Brown Pelican — hind neck and part of bill pouch during head throw — abstract
Caught with My Pants Down
The last focal length you would want to be at for a spectacular head throw is 1200mm. You seemingly would be dead in the water. When that happened to me, I followed my oft-given advice: when unexpected action occurs, acquire focus and press the shutter button. I did and was rather pleased with the result. Best of course for head throws are intermediate or super telephoto zoom lenses.
This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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.
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: 4.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, 3385, 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.
Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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. On cloudy mornings with the right wind, we many opt to stay out for five to six hours and skip the afternoon session.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which of today’s five featured Emperor Penguin images do you like best. Why? I have a clear favorite.
BIRDS AS ART Office Phone Out!
A tree fell on our phone lines while I was in Deland. 863-692-0906 is currently down. If you need to get in touch with Jim or with me, please try my cell at 863-221-2372. If I do not pick up, please shoot us a text.
What’s Up?
I head for the Auto Train this coming Sunday and Long Island on Monday. My photo gear is all packed.
With nine deposit checks in hand, and with good friend Ed Dow grabbing a single cabin, there are only three openings left on the 2023 Galapagos Photo-cruise of a Lifetime. The trip is now a go. If you have any interest in joining us, it would be best to get in touch via e-mail ASAP. I am offering a $1000 discount to couples.
For the second day in a row, it did not rain here yesterday. Today is Friday 29 July 2022 and I still have lots to do. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took nearly three hours to prepare and makes one hundred twenty-seven 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!
The First DeSoto IPT
If you are interested in the first DeSoto IPT, 3 1/2 Days, Tuesday 27 September through the morning session on Friday 30 September 2022, know that I just reserved a three-bedroom AirBnB in Gulfport. Share it for four nights with many multiple IPT veteran Monte Brown and me and save a ton on lodging: $83.69/night/person for a whole home. AirBnB photos available upon request. If interested, shoot me an e-mail.
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.
Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission on items priced at $1,000 or more. With items less than $1000, there is a $50 flat-fee. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. If you are interested, please click here, read everything carefully, and do what it says. To avoid any misunderstandings, please read the whole thing very carefully. If you agree to the terms, please state so clearly via e-mail and include the template or templates, one for each item you wish to sell. Then we can work together to get your stuff priced and listed.
Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice only to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past years, we have sold many hundreds of items. Do know that prices for used gear only go in one direction. Down. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
New Used Photo Gear
Nikon D850 dSLR with lots of Extras
John Armitage is offering a Nikon D850 body in excellent condition with extras for a fabulously low $1996.95. The shutter count is a low 25,842.The sale includes the front body cap, the Wasabi Power Grip (a $69.99 value) that gets the body to 9fps. The grip has three small scrapes in the lower back part of the unit. (Photo available on request). Also included are an off-brand BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover, one DSTE 3200 mAh battery (a $37.99 value), the LCH-DC-ENEL18 dual charger (a $59.99 value), the never-used Nikon EL 15a battery that came with the body, the never used MH25a charger, two Sony XQD 64 GB SD cards (an $85.41 value each), a Sony XQD SD XC ii card reader *a $98.00 value), the Nikon MC-30A remote shutter release (a $64.95 value), the User’s Guide booklets, the cable supports, the wide D850 strap, a USB 3.0 cable (all in the original boxes), and insured ground shipping via UPS to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
When I shot Nikon, I used and loved my two D850 bodies while my D5 sat on a shelf in the garage, unused. I used the MB-D-18 Battery Pack that served as a vertical grip and increased the frame rate. As the D850 sells new for $$2,796.95 you can save a very sweet $800.00 (not to mention $501.74 worth of great extras!) by grabbing John’s D850 bundle. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens (with an extra)
BAA Record-low Price!
John Armitage is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in excellent condition for a for a BAA Record Low $2496.95. The sale includes the original lens foot, a RRS stuff foot, the front and rear caps, the lens strap, the soft case, the original box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Yes, I loved this even now hard-to-get lens a ton when I used Nikon gear. The Nikon PF series telephoto lenses are tremendously popular as they are relatively small and light and offer great reach. Both do well with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III. On my bucket list trip for the Emperor Penguins I brought two D850 bodies, the 500 PF, and the Nikon 80-400 VR lenses! The 500 PF is still hard to come by and sells new for $$3,296.95. At $2496.95, John’s lens is a steal as you save an even $800.00. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR Lens with extra
BAA Record-low Price!
John Armitage is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens in excellent condition for a BAA record low $1,395.95. The sale includes the original tripod mount, a Lens Collar Support Tripod Mount Ring RT-1 for Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens (a $29.99 value), the soft case, the front and rear caps, the original box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
The skilled and venerable Anita Gail Erica North owned and used this lens a lot on her international travels when she shot Nikon. It is light in weight and focuses quickly and accurately. artie
Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III
BAA Record-low Price!
John Armitage is offering a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III in excellent condition for a BAA record low $224.95. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the lens pouch, the original box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
As regular readers know, I always travel with 1.4X three teleconverters no matter which system I’m using. This TC sells new for $496.95 so you can save a very nice $272.00 by grabbing this one today. artie
Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM Lens
John Armitage is offering a Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for a very low a BAA record-low $499.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the tripod mount ring, and and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
When I shot Canon, I loved my 300 f/4L IS lens. With its 4.92′ (1.5 meter) minimum focusing distance and impressive 0.24X magnification, it was great for large flowers, dragonflies, butterflies, and frogs. With or without the 1.4X TC it makes a great auxiliary/flight, or starter lens for any bird photographer. It does very well on birds in flight and in action. I preferred it to my old toy lens, the 400mm f/5.6L lens as it offered Image Stabilization and greater reach at f/5.6 with the 1.4X TC. This great lens is no longer in production. artie
This image was also created on 24 October 26 2018 on the bucket list Emperor Penguins of Snow Hill Island expedition via icebreaker. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II and the Nikon D850. ISO 400. Matrix metering plus about 1-stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. AWB at 11:05:06am on a cloudy, very-bright morning.
One AF point up and to the right of the center AF point/Single/Shutter-button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the bird’s eye.
Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +7. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #1: Emperor Penguin eating snow
Why Eat Snow?
It was so warm when I visited Snow Hill Island in that the penguins were lying flat down on the ice and eating the snow in an effort to keep cool. By the third day, there were dozens of dead small chicks.
This image was also created on 24 October 26 2018 on the bucket list Emperor Penguins of Snow Hill Island expedition via icebreaker. I used the I used the no-longer available (except from BAA) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Mongoose-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II and the Nikon D850. ISO 500. Matrix metering plus about 1 1/3 stops: 1/640 sec. at f/13 in Manual mode. AWB at 3:10:36pm on a cloudy, very-bright afternoon
One AF point up and to the right of the center AF point/Single/Shutter-button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the bird’s left eye (the one on our right).
Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +7. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #2: Emperor Penguin chick tight head portrait
Too Cute
Photographers pay huge amounts of money to visit an Emperor Penguin colony, the main reason being the cuteness of the chicks. Going by Russian icebreaker and helicopter is the least expensive option. I got to make three visits. Each visit included a five-mile round-trip walk. I used the tripod only when I used the 500 PF with the 1.7X TC. I also had the Nikon 80-400 along and used that a lot as well, always handheld.
This image was created on 25 October 26 2018 on the bucket list Emperor Penguins of Snow Hill Island expedition via icebreaker. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and the Nikon D850. ISO 400. Matrix metering plus about 1 1/3 stops: 1/1600 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:16:21am on a cloudy, very-bright morning.
One AF point below the center AF point/Single/Shutter-button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the bird’s left eye, the one on our right.
Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: -2. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #3: Emperor Penguin chick stretching while cooling
Color Balance
I worked hard on getting the color balance right as out of camera, the images of the chicks had a sought of reddish/mahogany color cast. As I saw them in life, the seemed charcoal grey and white so that is what I aimed for.
This image was also created on 25 October 26 2018 on the bucket list Emperor Penguins of Snow Hill Island expedition via icebreaker. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and the Nikon D850. ISO 400. Matrix metering plus about 1 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. AWB at 12:55:32pm on a cloudy, very-bright afternoon.
Two AFs point up and three to our left of the center AF point/Single/Shutter-button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the adult’s face.
Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +3. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #4: Emperor Penguin adult with creche
Creche
Creche is from the French for “nursery.” One or two adults may tend large groups of young Emperors that may number 50 or more. I had the privilege of photographing two different creches on my three visits.
This image was created on 26 October 26 2018 on the bucket list Emperor Penguins of Snow Hill Island expedition via icebreaker. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and the Nikon D850. ISO 400. Matrix metering plus about 1/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/13 in Manual mode. AWB at 12:27:52pm on a mostly sunny afternoon.
Two AF points up and one to the right of the center AF point/Single/Shutter-button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the adult’s face.
Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +3. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #5: Emperor Penguin adult preening chick
Sun and Snow Blindness in Antarctica
For the first two days at Snow Hill, I was blessed by cloudy-bright skies. On the third morning, however, the sun came out. When I peered through the viewfinder, I realized that I was suffering from snow blindness. It was painful to look at the ice no matter how hard I squinted. Thank the lord that new friend Sue Flood insisted that I take an extra pair of her sun-goggles and put them in my vest! I was able to photograph for several hours while wearing the goggles! Thank God for autofocus. Sue has made many trips to the Emperors and has done a beautiful book on the world’s largest penguin species.
I was so sated by the third morning that I headed back to the ship just after noon. I am often asked, Was it worth it? I do not hesitate to answer, Yes. I got to do something wonderful for three days. I got to check an item off my bucket list. Remember, the other guy cannot tell if something would be worth if for you 🙂
More on Emperor Penguins
You can find more on my Emperor Penguin trip in these blog posts:
