Important Notice
After an update on 4 May, WordPress stopped sending post notifications. We have been aware of the issue and are working on rectifying it. You can always visit the blog by visiting or bookmarking www.BIRDSASART-Blog.com.
Supporting My Efforts Here
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.
In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear.
Summer On Long Island
Check out the July and August Nickerson Beach (& JBWR) IPT offerings here and consider joining us to learn a ton, make lots of great images, and improve your image processing skills.
What’s Up?
I am still recovering from my high altitude Colorado trip. Starved for oxygen at 8500 feet, I twice slept less than three hours; last night I slept an incredible 9 hours 15 minutes with just one pit stop. I have not been down to the lake for photography but plan on shooting some small sunflowers in our butterfly garden soon.
Today is Tuesday 2 July and I have lots of work to do. I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful day.
Please remember to use the B&H 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!
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.
Save 15%!
If you’d like to try out a new lens or if you need a lens for a specific trip or project (or for an IPT), LensRentals.com is the only way to go. To save 15%, simply click on the logo link above, arrange for your rental, and type in BIRDSASART15. If you type the gear you are looking for in the search box, it will pop right up. LensRentals.com offers affordable insurance. You can decline it, opt for LensCap: Damage Only, or select LensCap: Damage & Theft. Then hit PROCEED TO CHECKOUT. After you enter all of your info but before completing your order, be sure to scroll down to Promo Code box and enter the BIRDSASART15 code to save 15%.
I checked on renting a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens for a week. The cost is only $122.00. LensCap: Damage Only coverage can be added for a very low $18.00. Going with LensCap: Damage & Theft would be $27.00. The shipping charge varies. They offer an interesting program called Lensrentals HD. By signing up for this shipping discount program ($99.00/year), you’ll get free Standard Shipping on all the orders you place.
Renting a Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens for a week will cost you $536.00. The two coverage options come in at $76.00 or $114.00. Less your 15% discount when you enter the BIRDSASART15 code into the Promo Code box at checkout and enter the BIRDSASART15 code in the Promo Code box at checkout to save 15%.
Remember, to save the 15% on your rental you must start your search by clicking on the logo above, or on this link: LensRentals.com
B&H
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. B&H will reopen on Fri April 14. Thanking me for the past 4000 educational blog posts could not be any easier and will not cost you one penny. Please shoot me your B&H receipt for major purchases.
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. When I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often stave you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
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This image was created on 21 June 2024 near Evergreen, CO. Seated on a rocky hillside at 7500 feet, I used the Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2500. 1/320 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:50:03am on a partly sunny morning. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird Face-eye AF enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Violet-green Swallow male on perch near nest box |
First Blood
I headed to Colorado hoping to photography Violet-green Swallow. My first chance came at a feeder set-up. This handsome male was perched near its nest box well above a hillside feeder set-up. The bird was a mile away but pretty much on sun angle (thought there was not a lot of sun). The black background was created by completely shaded portion of the lower level of the house on the hill. Getting the right exposure using Sony Zebra’s was child’s play. I picked my shutter speed and aperture and dialed up the ISO until I saw a few Zebras on the bird’s white face and throat. With the Zebra settings on your Sony camera set properly, there is never a need to make a test image, even in the most difficult exposure situations.
This image is perhaps 30 percent of the original frame. Sony a9 iii images stand up to large crops much better than folks think.
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This image was created at on 28 June 2024 near Evergreen, CO. Standing on a rocky hillside at 8000 feet, I used the Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1000. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/400 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 3:19:39am on variably sunny/variably cloudy afternoon. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird Face-eye AF enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Violet-green Swallow male at nest hole |
Nest Tree Bird-scape
For this image I went wide and vertical to show off the beauty of the nest tree. None-the-less the male swallow with its white face and green back is quite beautiful. As is the dead aspen. A pair of House Wrens nested in a hole on the opposite side of the same tree.
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This image was created at on 29 June 2024 near Evergreen, CO. Standing on a rocky hillside at 8000 feet, I used the Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber 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 3200. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/250 sec. at f/6.3 (stopped down 1/3 stop) AWB at 11:10:45am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird Face-eye AF enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Violet-green Swallow female at nest hole |
The Lady of the House
Female violet-greens are similar to the males but with dirtier gray faces and brown rather than green caps. For this image, I added the 1.4X TC and set up closer to the nest tree. The birds took no notice of my presence. This female was strange in that she exited the nest hole tail first showing off the patch of violet on her rump. The males also have violet rump patches.
Typos
All questions and comments are welcome. With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
