Today is Tuesday 12 July 2022. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes one hundred fourteen 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!
JAX
If you would like to join me for the July 15-19 Jacksonville IPT, or for some In-the-Field sessions there on those dates, please get in touch via e-mail. Details below.
The One Big Secret to Making Great Bird Photographs
With Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART — Free NANPA Webinar
Yes, boys and girls. There really is just one big secret. It will be revealed at the very end of the webinar. Join me on July 13 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm EDT to learn a ton. Click here to register. This program is free and open to all. Covered topics will include seeing the shot, finding the best perspective, getting close to free and wild birds, the importance of wind direction in bird photography, understanding the direction and qualities of natural light, flight photography tips, getting the right exposure, image composition and design, and lots more.
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, 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. Photos available upon request.
It’s Not Too Late
It is not too late to buy a plane ticket to Jacksonville, Florida and join multiple IPT vet John Dupps and me for the JAX Royal Tern and Laughing Gull IPT. BAA-friend David Pugsley will be doing us for the first two days. Please e-mail for late-registration discount info. The photo action will be torrid! See the complete details below.
My MonoPod Concerns
So why have I been dead set against the use of monopods with big lenses for serious bird photography?
1- I’ve been sure that stability would be much more of an issue with a monopod than with a decent tripod and a decent head. That, in part, because when I am talking to someone, folks often ask with good reason, “Do you ever stand still?” My balance ain’t so good anymore and when I try to stand still, I am always moving from side to side. I’d lead the league for sure in body-swaying index. That said, a monopod can never match the stability of a good tripod topped by a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro.
2- Some folks who use monopods successfully state that when they do flight photography, they shorten the monopod and lift it up with their rig. That might work with intermediate telephoto lenses, but, it would not work for me with any lens. Why? When you see a bird flying into range, you need to be ready almost instantly. I addition, the last thing I want to do is add weight to the 400 f/2.8/2X TC/a1 rig. That weighs 8 pounds, 6.8-ounces without the lens hood.
I have firmly believed the above for almost 40 years. That said, I have been wrong many times in the past. For 39 years I firmly believed that the 400mm f/2.8 lenses were a bad choice for bird photography. Today, it is one of my very favorite lenses.
I put the head on the right side of the lens, figuring it would be easier to get my left hand on the lens. The monopod with the mono gimbal head weighs only 29.7 ounces — 1 pound, 13.7 ounces. If you compare that with the weight of the Robus RCC-5560 Vantage Series C 4-Section Carbon Fiber Compact Tripod that I am using now with a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — 5 pounds 15.7 ounces — you will quickly learn one of the huge advantages of using a monopod.
I have been trying (and failing) to create a good Osprey-with-a-fish blur every morning for the past few weeks. I decided to see how I could do shooting flight off the monopod. That first morning, I did not have many chances. I struggled. Then, I was hanging out on the pier seeing what might fly by and just minutes after sunrise, the young Green Heron landed about sixty feet from me, 60.03937 feet to be exact. I made a few images and began to move forward. I found it much easier to approach the bird stealthily with the lightweight stick of a monopod than with one of the three-legged monsters. Holding the monopod vertically right in front of me I was able to approach to 42.847769 feet.
The light was from almost directly behind the bird, but it was so soft that I kept shooting even when it struck the upper part of the young bird’s back. I was more than 90° off sun angle, a rarity for me. Working at ISO 1600 as 800mm/f/5.6, I began shooting at 1/125 sec. and ended at 1/160 second. I knew that I was pushing things. My fears were realized. I created more than 180 images and probably 80-90% of them were not sharp. But the best ones were very sharp, and those included the neatest poses (as above). Do understand that if I had been on the tripod I could not have gotten nearly as close without flushing the bird. And it was my first morning with the monopod, and I could have raised the ISO and the shutter speed significantly.
On my second morning with the monopod, also working at 800mm, there was lot of low shutter speed Osprey opportunities, but little else to shoot. I did, however, made some huge and important discoveries. Here is what worked for me:
1- I mounted the monoball head so it was on the left side of the monopod. That simple change made things much easier. Why?
2- Be sure to balance your lens (with or without a TC) in the clamp.
2- This may sound heretical to many, but once I did that, I began working with the monopod tilted about three degrees to the left. I kept the lens collar loose and allowed my kinesthetic sense to level the lens just as we have done for decades using first the Wimberley Head and then the Mongoose. I believe that that is the roll. It took me a while to figure out why tilting the monopod was the way to go. If you can figure it out, leave a comment. Understanding this concept is the key to working successfully with a monopod.
3- Increasing the length of the monopod so that the camera body was just above chin level, I found shooting flight to be a dream. It was easy to frame the bird, and easy to pan with it in flight. It is like handholding a big lens with an air hook.
4- The last thing that you want to do is to put a monopod (or tripod) with a heavy telephoto lens mounted on it on your shoulder. I did that for more than 25 years and have lived to regret it. Ask my right shoulder about it some time. My solution for carrying a big lens mounted on this rig was to leave the tripod collar loosened, point the lens at the sky, tighten the big knob on the monoball, grab the monopod just below the lens, and rotate the lens so that the camera body is square to the ground. The rig is easily carried on either side. I’ll try to get a photo of that soon.
5- If you are set up at flight-height and need to shoot a bird on the ground, there are two options. You can lean the monopod forward or back to get lower almost instantly. If you have a moment, I believe it is better to lean the camera against your right shoulder, loosen upper twist lock, and shorten the top leg section as needed, typical from four to six inches.
6- A word on the Robus monopods and tripods. They have the best twist locks I have ever encountered. They make it fast and easy to shorten or lengthen the monopod as needed. All the Robus gear is rugged and well made. I will be doing a big blog post on the Robus tripods soon.
7- The Wimberley MonoGimbal Head is both light in weight and elegantly designed. It performs like a side-mounting gimbal head and renders big lenses practically weightless. And when properly set up, you can point the lens anywhere-anytime with ease. With the gimbal effect, you control the pitch simply by pointing the lens up or down. And you control the yaw, the side-to-side movement of the front of the lens, by panning. Like I said, anywhere, anytime.
Summing Up
Monopods offer much less stability than tripods. On average, they weigh about 66% less than a tripod/Levered-clamp FlexShooter rig. And because they are much less cumbersome, it is easier to get close to birds with a big lens mounted on a monopod than it is with a tripod. For me, those three statements are irrefutable fact.
But from where I sit, the huge advantage of using a monopod with a Wimberley MonoGimbal Head will be for flight photography. I can’t wait to get to Jacksonville and see how I do. On my last trip, handholding the 400mm f/2.8 for three straight shooting sessions was quite stressful.
Thanks to BPN-friend Joe Przybyla for urging me to try a monopod for the past two years. His efforts helped me to continue to learn and grow as a photographer and an educator.
Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG.
Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune.
Jacksonville IPT: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5)
I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job.
Morning sessions will average about 3 1/2 hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. We will do image review and Photoshop after lunch.
We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check.
Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG.
Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern feeding chick; Royal Tern/4-week-old chick; ink-stained Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern/3-week-old chick begging; Brown Pelican in flight on white sky day; fresh juvenile Laughing Gull on clean beach; Laughing Gulls stealing fish from Royal Tern; tight shot of Royal Tern in flight with fish for young.
What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT
1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better.
2-You 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.
3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it.
4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight.
5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer.
6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂
7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations.
9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior.
10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
11- You will learn to choose the best perspective.
12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds.
13- You will learn to see and understand the light.
14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations.
15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event.
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 you are and whenever you photograph.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which of today’s two featured images is your favorite? Why?
The One Big Secret to Making Great Bird Photographs
With Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART — Free NANPA Webinar
Yes, boys and girls. There really is just one big secret. It will be revealed at the very end of the webinar. Join me on July 13 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm EDT to learn a ton. Click here to register. This program is free and open to all. Covered topics will include seeing the shot, finding the best perspective, getting close to free and wild birds, the importance of wind direction in bird photography, understanding the direction and qualities of natural light, flight photography tips, getting the right exposure, image composition and design, and lots more.
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, 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. Photos available upon request.
It’s Not Too Late
It is not too late to buy a plane ticket to Jacksonville, Florida and join multiple IPT vet John Dupps and me for the JAX Royal Tern and Laughing Gull IPT. Please e-mail for late-registration discount info. The photo action will be torrid! See the complete details below.
What’s Up?
With only four keepers (including three not very inspiring intentional blurs), Sunday morning was my least productive session in more than six months. Heck, maybe in more than 10 months! None-the-less, I had a nice walk on the pier on a gorgeous morning and continued to learn about working with the 400 f/2.8/2X TC/a1 combo on my new monopod and head. I am figuring out a ton of great stuff. Details soon.
Today is Monday 11 July 2022. As is usual, I will be headed down to the lake early. I can still drive on the South Peninsula, but the South and North Fields are too soft and soggy to even consider driving on. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes one hundred thirteen 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!
JAX
If you would like to join me for the July 15-19 Jacksonville IPT, or for some In-the-Field sessions there on those dates, please get in touch via e-mail. Details below.
New Used Gear Listings
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens with extras!
Mike Ederegger is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition (with great extras!) for only $1499.00. The sale includes a Really Right Stuff LCF-54 replacement foot (a $110 value), a RRS B91-QR flash bracket (a $300 value), the original box, the rear lens cap, the front lens cap, the lens hood, the tough fabric lens case, 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.
This incredibly versatile zoom lens — with its amazing .98-meter close focus — was my favorite Canon telephoto zoom lens ever. By far. It is easy to hand hold, great for tight portraits, for birds in flight, for quasi-macro stuff, and lots more. For flight, it is fabulous with an EOS r, R5, or R6! This package sells new for $2809.00 so you can save an amazing $1310.00 by grabbing Mike’s lens with the great extras now. artie
Canon EOS R with extras!
Mike Ederegger is offering a Canon EOS R mirrorless camera body in excellent condition with extras for a very low $1399.00. The sale includes the original box with everything that came in it, two extra batteries (three in all), the Canon Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R (a $200 value), 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 EOS R was the first step in Canon’s mirrorless evolution. It pairs a redeveloped lens mount and an updated full-frame sensor in a unique and sophisticated multimedia camera system. The EOS R is poised to be the means from which to make the most of a new series of lenses and optical technologies and performs superbly with EF lens with one of the three Canon EF-EOS R Adapters. The EOS R features a high-resolution 30.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor, a DIGIC 8 image processor, and Dual Pixel CMOS AF that offers smooth and fast focusing performance that operates in a manner similar to a quality camcorder. Canon & B&H
If you are looking to get into Canon mirrorless without investing thousands of dollars in an EOS R5 or an R3, Mike’s package is just what you have been looking for. With the two extra batteries and the Canon Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, this package sells new for $1917.00. artie
RRS TVC-23 Tripod & Kirk Ballhead BH-1
Mike Ederegger is offering a RRS TVC-23 tripod and a Kirk Enterprises Ball Head BH-1 for $475.00. Both are in excellent condition.
Your purchase includes 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 original TVC-23 tripod is a lightweight, mid-range Series 2 carbon fiber tripod that sold new for $830.00! It is designed for use both in the field and in the studio. It meshes perfectly with the lightweight BH-1 ballhead. artie
Mike Ederegger is offering a Really Right Stuff Carbon Fiber Monopod MC-34 and a Giottos Ballhead MH-1302-655, both in excellent condition for a silly-low $225.00. Your purchase includes the plate for the ballhead 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.
This lightweight monopod combo is ideal for intermediate telephoto lenses. The current version of the monopod alone sells new for $437.00. artie
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.
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 3 July 2022 at Huguenot Memorial Park, just northeast of Jacksonville, FL. I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens
the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640. 1/5000 sec. at f/5.6 (stopped down one full stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the exposure was determined to be dead-solid-perfect. AWB at 9:09:58am on a sunny, wind-against-sun morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enable performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Royal Tern — landing into the wind
Wind Against Sun Difficulties
As mentioned here more than a few times, on sunny mornings when the wind is blowing towards the sun, bird photography can be very challenging. Why? Because the birds fly, land, take off, and face into the wind. So, when the sun is behind you — my traditional preference, 98% of the birds will be facing away from you no matter what they are doing.
The Back Shot
When given a surplus of lemons, lemonade is often a good choice. When faced with wind-against-sun conditions, think a bit out of the box and try for the back shot. Many birds are beautiful when viewed from behind. The patterns and colors of the upper wing surfaces are revealed, and the patterns may be striking. Even plain birds (like Royal Terns) flying directly away from you offer several attractive wing positions when braking to land. I very much like the wing position of the bird in Image #1.
The Lesson
When the wind is against the sun, thinking out of the box can be a big plus.
This image was created on 3 July 2022 at Huguenot Memorial Park, just northeast of Jacksonville, FL. I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens
the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 540. 1/5000 sec. at f/5.6 (stopped down one full stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the exposure was determined to 1/6 stop under. AWB at 9:27:09am on a sunny, wind-against-sun morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enable performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Royal Tern circling flight with fish for chick
Circling Birds and Chases
When most of the birds are flying and landing away from you into a WSW wind on a sunny morning, study the incoming birds carefully. Invariably, at most colonies, some birds will circle several times before landing. At JAX (and elsewhere), I teach folks to look to their right for circling birds, pick them up (acquire focus) early, hold the shutter button down when they get within 30 degrees of sun angle, and quit firing when they are 30 degrees past sun angle.
Terns are in the habit of chasing other terns carrying a fish. For reasons unknown to me, pairs of chasing birds often fly the same paths as circling birds. The royal in Image #2 was being chased by another bird.
The Lesson
In difficult wind-against-sun conditions, check the sky carefully for patterns that reveal birds flying the wrong way.
Flight Photography at Jacksonville Till You Can’t Lift Your Lens! with Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Join me on the beach at Huguenot Memorial Park to learn about photographing terns in flight. 8,000 pairs of Royal Terns nest there and there are birds in the air all the time, often carrying all kinds of fish and crabs for their young. Learn about how the relationship between the wind and the sun impacts flight photography and about the best gear for shooting birds in flight. Join me on a workshop at Jacksonville this summer.
Cute & Beautiful: Photographing Chicks in Jacksonville, FL with Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
There is an amazing beach near Jacksonville, FL where 8,000 pairs of Royal Terns and 12,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls (along with a few other species) breed each summer. As this video shows, photographing the chicks is easy in the summer. And there is tons of great flight photography as well. If you want to improve your bird photography skills, consider joining me on an Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT).
Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG.
Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune.
Jacksonville IPT: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5)
I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job.
Morning sessions will average about 3 1/2 hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. We will do image review and Photoshop after lunch.
We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check.
Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG.
Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern feeding chick; Royal Tern/4-week-old chick; ink-stained Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern/3-week-old chick begging; Brown Pelican in flight on white sky day; fresh juvenile Laughing Gull on clean beach; Laughing Gulls stealing fish from Royal Tern; tight shot of Royal Tern in flight with fish for young.
What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT
1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better.
2-You 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.
3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it.
4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight.
5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer.
6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂
7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations.
9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior.
10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
11- You will learn to choose the best perspective.
12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds.
13- You will learn to see and understand the light.
14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations.
15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event.
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 you are and whenever you photograph.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
The One Big Secret to Making Great Bird Photographs
With Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART — Free NANPA Webinar
Yes, boys and girls. There really is just one big secret. It will be revealed at the very end of the webinar. Join me on July 13 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm EDT to learn a ton. Click here to register. This program is free and open to all. Covered topics will include seeing the shot, finding the best perspective, getting close to free and wild birds, the importance of wind direction in bird photography, understanding the direction and qualities of natural light, flight photography tips, getting the right exposure, image composition and design, and lots more.
This Just In
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, 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. Photos available upon request.
What’s Up?
I enjoyed a bit of action on the pier on a gorgeous Saturday morning. Best was a side-lit juvenile Green Heron that landed on the railing not far from me just as the sun came up. Story and mono-podded photo soon.
I have been working hard on the webinar and will be putting the finishing touches on it today.
Speaking of that, today is Sunday 10 July — can you believe it? It goes without saying that I will head down to the lake early. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes one hundred twelve 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!
JAX
If you would like to join me for the July 15-19 Jacksonville IPT, or for some In-the-Field sessions there on those dates, please get in touch via 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 insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906.
Great Egret, Big John’s Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, New York
Photo copyright and courtesy of Johann Schumacher Design
Words and Photography by Johann Schumacher
Dazzling white egrets
On a wind-still April morning, the birch in our backyard illumined in a halo of gently falling snow, I hurry to the refuge, envisioning newly arrived breeding-plumaged egrets in a landscape of snow flurries. I find the pristine vista I imagine — the pond transfigured — but not one egret, nor it seems, any other living creature. But what a morning. Drawn into the palpable silence and great peace of the pond, I stay for a long time, quietly watching the magic of falling snow.
A day later, the front passes, and the egrets show — a flock of them, no less — many exquisitely plumed. More than two dozen birds: Greats and Snowies mostly, several night-herons, ibis, and a trio of little blues — one adult and two piebald juveniles. It appears they chose the pond as a roosting site, a first for Big John’s.
Though the event proves short-lived, the occasion presents a unique opportunity to chronicle another chapter in the life of the pond. I am well pleased by intimate photos made during that time. In one of these, photographed under a brooding sky and strong northwest winds, a powerful gust has swept up an egret’s plumes, embracing the solitary, dazzling white bird in an exquisite filigreed silver shawl. On a whim, I entered just this one image in Audubon’s 2018 photo contest. Chosen from over 8,000 photographs, it was included in the Top 100. It is worth noting that 2018 happened to be the centennial of the historic Migratory Bird Treaty Act that halted the senseless, brutal slaughter of egrets and other plumed species.
Getting in Touch with Old Friends
I cannot remember who told me recently that dear old friend Johann Schumacher had an accident at Big John’s Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (JBWR) in Queens New York. Johann and I met at the refuge in the early 1980s and spent hundreds of hours photographing together. Shooting film, of course. My late-wife Elaine and I spent many and evening enjoying a fine meal prepared by Johnann’s wife Liesel. And then looking at slides. I was always amazed by Johann’s wide view’s of JBWR and his skillful use of various types of light. Though we both photographed at the same place our images were totally different. He inspired me in both of those areas.
Having not spoken to Johann for probably close to a decade, I did an online search for his name, and wound up here. The link will take you to the online version of BirdWatching, the reincarnation of Birder’s World Magazine. The magazine, photo editor Gordon VanWoerkom, and founding publisher and editor Eldon Greij played an important role in my early career. Elaine and I had the pleasure of meeting Gordon and Eldon on a visit to Holland, Michigan on our sabbatical trip across North America.
Reading Johann’s article on Big John’s Pond at JBWR brought me back four decades and reminded me of what a splendid writer Johann is. And how he helped me develop as a writer.
Johann and I, Kevin Karlson, Robert Villani, and the late Tom Vero were good friends in the mid-1980s. We had many slide parties either at my home or Tom’s home in Babylon, NY. Each of us went on to become nationally published bird photographers. Johann had a ton of stuff published in the now-defunct WildBird magazine.
Anyhoo, I had an old phone number for Johann but it did not work. I tried various methods of getting in touch without success, but after several days received an e-mail from him:
Hello Arthur,
What a pleasant surprise! Our phone numbers are below. Look forward to hearing from you.
Best, Johann
I called, and we spoke for more than an hour; the decades melted away. I e-mailed him links to two blog posts about my Dad. He wrote back:
Hi Arthur,
What amazing tributes to your father told with insight, grace, affection, and startling detail. The service, sacrifice and horrific experiences that your dad and so many young men (and women) of that generation shared and endured must never be forgotten. I was quite moved – thanks for sharing the links.
Thought I’d share this poem that comes to mind:
Those Winter Sundays
By ROBERT HAYDEN
Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.
I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he’d call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,
Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love’s austere and lonely offices?
Be well.
Johann
Wow, that poem really struck a chord with me, brought tears to my eyes. My Dad would rise early on Sunday mornings to make me French toast lightly done, just the way I liked it. I can see him now gently swaying a small frying pan above the flame with is left hand, the only one he had. That to keep the butter from burning. I didn’t appreciate that then, but I sure do now.
Barn Owl young in nest box, Big John’s Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, New York
Photo copyright and courtesy of Johann Schumacher Design
An Excerpt from Birding at Big John’s Pond in New York City by Johann Schumacher
Leaving the city behind
I stumbled onto Big John’s Pond about 30 years ago. I was freelancing, doing graphic design, and keeping an eye on Micah, our 5-year-old. When work was slow, we’d scamper off to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, a half-hour drive from our home in Queens, New York. Too much of a mouthful for Micah, who called it “the Life Preserve.” Understandably, Micah wanted to play, not to walk, so he feigned bouts of ambulophobia, pretending he had lost the use of his legs, collapsing to the ground. We settled on a compromise — the blind at Big John’s Pond. Miraculously healed, he happily settled down to dispatch a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chat with his imaginary friend “Marshee,” and fight the forces of evil with help from his collection of tiny action figures, casting fanciful shadows on the sunlit boardwalk.
A blip on the refuge map, the pond is easily overlooked; it’s a mere quarter-acre ditch collecting rainwater within earshot of Cross Bay Boulevard, the roadway slicing through Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, a renowned birding hotspot in Queens with a bird list of more than 330 species. (The refuge is BirdWatching’s Hotspot Near You No. 233.) The story goes that an amicable bulldozer operator with time on his hands, approached by refuge brass, agreed to excavate a small freshwater pond several hundred yards east of the boulevard. “Big John” completed his task in just two days. Grateful rangers named the pond in his honor.
Originally intended to host native amphibians and reptiles, the pond attracts an impressive diversity of birds, located as it is within a world-class urban wildlife refuge at the confluence of the Atlantic and Hudsonian flyways. In my tenure at the pond, I have recorded well over 100 different avian species.
A Barn Owl nest box at the north end of the pond more often than not produces a healthy brace of owl fledglings. Particularly compelling is the pond’s intimate scale and relative seclusion; it is sheltered by an impenetrable maze of phragmites, poison ivy, sumac, maple, and birch woods. The fortuitous placement of a plywood blind accessible by a short wooden boardwalk is the icing on the cake. Built by a troop of Eagle Scouts, the blind has endured fire, flood, and the ravages of superstorm Sandy that devastated much of the refuge and the adjoining communities of Broad Channel, Breezy Point, and the Rockaways.
This is my “go-to-place” for photography. Here I leave behind the clamor, hustle, and hubbub of the city. Casting off the commotion of my own thoughts, I put on the cloak of invisibility that the blind affords, ready to savor the serendipity of unscripted experience.
A heads-up and some common wisdom: Patience is a must, local knowledge indispensable. Attend instruction of winds and weather, the rhythms of the changing seasons, the habits of herons, hawks, waterfowl, and warblers; the songs of spring peepers, gray tree frogs; the summer chorus of cicadas. Ponder the ways of predator and prey; pay attention to language of light, to autumn reflections; contemplate the haunting calls of migrating shorebirds, the patterns wind weaves on the surface of the water, the silences of winter. Refuse to impose your agenda. Return repeatedly.
The Lesson
When an old friend visits your thoughts, give them a call. Do not wait until you hear that they have been injured or that they are ill. Or until you hear of their death.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
