February 18th, 2022 What’s Up?
On Thursday, Anita North and I spent about six hours at a feeder set-up in Anchor Point, AK photographing Pine Grosbeak, Boreal Chickadee, Common Redpoll, and Red-breasted Nuthatch. It was cloudy all day with rain showers off and on. We ended up very wet, but we had a ton of fun and made some good images. We have two more days with the songbirds. Photos tomorrow. The first day of the first Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPT is Sunday. Then it will be eagles, eagles, and more eagles. Speaking of which, we had two adult Bald Eagles in the parking lot at Land’s End Resort, and three completely tame and very handsome juveniles foraging in the parking lot at McDonalds.
Today is Friday 18 February 2022. The forecast is for dry! Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about an hour to prepare (including the time spent on the two image optimizations), and makes 96 days in a row with a new one.
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.
Recovered Image Alert
Both of the images featured in today’s post were among the 135,000+ recently recovered images. 🙂
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Image #1: Photo Mechanic screen capture for the Royal Tern with wings raised image
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The Problem
My main problem with this image is the breaking wave just above the bird’s left wing near the right frame edge … Removing the wave would be somewhat problematic as it merged with the bird’s wing.
What’s Remarkable?
I came across this image when I was reviewing the April 2021 folder. Seeing how sharp the image was, I assumed that it was created with the Sony 600 GM and the 1.4X TC. When I checked in A7INFO, I was stunned to learn that it was made with the 200-600 G lens and the teleconverter. Most folks assume incorrectly that images made with a G lens and a teleconverter could never be as sharp as those made with a far more expensive GM (Grand Master) lens and the 1.4X teleconverter. In short, sharpness with the 200-600 G lens and a TC is amazing; it is pretty much impossible to find any differences. That means that when you purchase a 600mm f/4GM lens you are paying for speed (f/4 vs. f/6.3) rather than sharpness.
Working with mirrorless bodies with a 1.4X TC on telephoto zoom lenses is a viable option especially when working with lots of light. Heck, I have published images here made with the Canon R5/RF 100-500/2X III TC and with the Sony A1/200-600 G/2X rigs. All were created in full sun, and all were remarkably sharp.
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Image #1A: RawDigger screen capture for the Royal Tern with wings raised image
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Near-Perfect
Had this been a perfect exposure, the GREEN histogram would have reached the 8000 2/3 line. Being just short of that, this exposure is within 1/6 stop of being perfect.
RawDigger — not for the faint of heart …
Nothing has ever helped me learn to create perfect exposures to the degree that RawDigger has. I think that many folks are reluctant to learn that most of their images are underexposed by one or more full stops and that highlight warnings in Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One, and your in-camera histogram are completely bogus as they are based on the embedded JPEGs. Only your raw files tell the truth all the time. Heck, I resisted RawDigger for several years … Once you get over that feeling, RawDigger can become your very best exposure friend no matter what system you are using. On the recent IPTs and In-the-Field sessions, we have demonstrated that fact. Convincingly.
The RawDigger (pink) Adapted Histogram
In the RawDigger e-Guide, you will learn exactly how to set up the Adapted “pink” RawDigger Histogram and how to use it to quickly and easily evaluate the exposure or raw file brightness of images from all digital cameras currently in use. RawDigger was especially helpful to me when I struggled with R5 exposures and when learned my new camera body, the Sony Alpha a1.
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RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
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The RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
by Arthur Morris with Patrick Sparkman
The RawDigger e-Guide was created only for serious photographers who wish to get the absolute most out of their raw files.
Patrick and I began work on the guide in July 2020. At first we struggled. We asked questions. We learned about Max-G values. We could not figure out why the Max G values varied by camera system. IPT veteran Bart Deamer asked lots of questions that we could not answer. We got help from RawDigger creator Iliah Borg. We learned. In December, Patrick came up with an Adapted Histogram that allows us to evaluate the exposures and raw file brightness for all images created with all digital camera bodies from the last two decades. What we learned each time prompted three complete beginning to end re-writes.
The point of the guide is to teach you to truly expose to the mega-Expose-to-the-Right so that you will minimize noise, maximize image quality, best utilize your camera’s dynamic range, and attain the highest possible level of shadow detail in your RAW files in every situation. In addition, your properly exposed RAW files will contain more tonal information and feature the smoothest possible transitions between tones. And your optimized images will feature rich, accurate color.
We teach you why the GREEN channel is almost always the first to over-expose. We save you money by advising you which version of RawDigger you need. We teach you how to interpret the Max G values for your Canon, Nikon, and SONY camera bodies. It is very likely that the Shock-your-World section will shock you. And lastly — thanks to the technical and practical brilliance of Patrick Sparkman — we teach you a simple way to quickly and easily evaluate your exposures and raw file brightness using an Adapted RawDigger histogram.
The flower video takes you through a session where artie edits a folder of images in Capture One while checking the exposures and Max-G values in RawDigger. The Adapted Histogram video examines a series of recent images with the pink histograms and covers lots of fine points including and especially how to deal with specular highlights. The directions for setting up the Adapted Histogram are in the text.
If we priced this guide based on how much effort we put into it, it would sell it for $999.00. But as this guide will be purchased only by a limited number of serious photographers, we have priced it at $51.00. You can order yours here in the BAA Online Store.
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This image was created on 26 April 2021 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with the One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 800. Exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the thumb wheel: 1/1600 sec. at f/11 (stopped down 2/3 stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger confirmed that the RAW file was perfect. AWB at 7:55:06am on a sunny day.
Tracking: Spot S Bird Face/Eye Detection AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1B: Royal Tern with wings raised; the optimized version
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The Image Optimization
The image optimization was fairly straightforward. As mentioned above, elminating the breaking wave on the right frame-edge required some care. Working fairly large, I created a Quick Mask about 1/3 of the size of the whitish area. I moved it to the right and added a Regular Layer Mask. Working even larger, I refined the mask by painting the away the mask where it covered the wing. If I painted outside the line, I hit X and painted the background back in as needed. I repeated those steps twice more until the entire whitish area was covered and the merge with the wing looked pretty good. Remember: it is easy to find fault when you know what has been done. 🙂 The last step was to smooth the repaired background by running a 65 pixel Gaussian Blur on the whole image, adding a Hide-all, Black, or Inverse Layer Mask, and painting the blur in on the background with a large 50% opacity brush, being sure to stay well away from the bird. Last was a bit of bill clean-up at the base of the tern’s bill.
The breeding plumage Royal Terns are often the starts of the show on the Spring DeSoto IPTs.
Stuff You Will Learn on an IPT While Creating and Optimizing Images Like This One
- The importance of getting your butt damp to move the background farther from the subject so as to create lovely, smooth, out-of-focus backgrounds.
- How to get the right exposure in full sun.
- Image design basics; creating pleasing super-tight images.
- Recognizing the good and great situations
- Picking your keepers/looking for that something special — the raised wings in this case.
- Head angle fine points (for birds facing you!).
- The importance of working on sun angle: Image #2.
- Getting close to free and wild birds on the open beach
- Isolating the subject
- Working with teleconverters
- Converting your Raw files: both images.
- Creating and using Quick Masks (and lots more Photoshop techniques).
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Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, many in full breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull landing on head of Brown Pelican, Laughing Gull in flight, Reddish Egret sunrise silhouette, Great Blue Heron with needlefish, Yellow-crowned Night Heron with ghost crab, Roseate Spoonbill, Sanderling in breeding plumage, and white morph Reddish Egret in glorious breeding plumage.
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The 2022 DeSoto Spring IPT/April 26 through the morning session on April 29, 2020. 3 1/2 DAYS: $2099.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings 5
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for breeding terns and gulls and wading birds in spring. Migrant shorebirds are in abundance, and many are exceedingly tame. We should have great chances on Royal and Sandwich Terns and both white- and dark-morph Reddish Egrets. 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 along with some American Oystercatchers. We will enjoy lots of great flight photography.
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Again, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull in flight, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Sandwich Terns copulating, Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egret with reflection, breeding plumage Short-billed Dowitcher, American Oystercatcher, Royal Tern, white morph Reddish Egret, and Snowy Egret in marsh.
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We will also get to photograph a variety of other shorebirds including Black-bellied, Semipalmated, Wilson’s, and Piping Plovers, Willet, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, most especially, Red Knot with many individuals in their handsome breeding plumages. In spring the T-shaped peninsula and the newly formed sandbar, Outback Key, are literally packed with avian treasures.
With luck, we might get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable species: Roseate Spoonbill. And we will almost surely get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. With luck, they will have Laughing Gulls landing on their heads. And though not guaranteed, 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.
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Yes, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Clockwise from upper left around to center: breeding plumage Dunlin, dark morph Reddish Egret displaying, Laughing Gull vertical front-end portrait, Laughing Gull with prey item, landing on head of Brown Pelican, breeding plumage Royal Tern displaying, Royal Terns — pre-copulatory stance, Laughing Gulls copulating, Laughing Gull head portrait, breeding plumage Sandwich Tern with fish, and a rare treat, a breeding plumage White-rumped Sandpiper.
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On the IPT you will learn:
- 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
- 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
- 3- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
- 4- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
- 5- To age and identify many species of shorebirds including sandpipers, plovers, dowitchers, and possibly yellowlegs.
- 6- To spot good situations and to choose the best perspective.
- 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
- 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
- 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography.
- 10- How and when to access the magical sandbar safely.
- 11- More than you could ever imagine.
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You got it by now! Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Clockwise from upper left around to center: Roseate Spoonbill, immature Brown Pelican in flight, the heron/egret hybrid, American Oystercatcher feeding, immature Royal Tern on railing, Great Egret morning silhouette, Black Skimmer in surf, and underside head portrait of Great Blue Heron.
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Morning sessions will run at least three hours, afternoon sessions 2 1/2. There is never a set schedule on an IPT — we adapt to the conditions. On cloudy mornings, when the photography is excellent, we may opt to extend the morning session and skip the afternoon, especially if the afternoon weather is not looking too good. There will be a Photoshop/image review session after lunch (included) each day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. This IPT will run with only a single registrant (though that is not likely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area — Gulfport in this case, rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away.
Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:30am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We will be getting wet.
Credit cards are OK for your $500 deposit. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. After you leave the deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check. If you wish to pay in full right off the bat, you can make your 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, and clothing and gear advice a month before the trip. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
February 17th, 2022 What’s Up?
Anita North and I — Anita did the bulk of the driving — pulled into Land’s End Resort at about 4:00pm on Wednesday after leaving Anchorage at about 10:00am. There was about 8 inches of fresh snow overnight in Anchorage, that followed by lots of slush, some rain, some sun with blue skies, and heavy overcast with rain in Homer. That said, the driving conditions were not bad at all. The hills with snow-covered hemlock and spruce and distant mountain backgrounds made for some beautiful scenery. So after leaving my house at 3:30am Florida time on Tuesday morning, it took me about 31 1/2 hours to get to Homer!
Today is Thursday 17 February 2022. The forecast is for cloudy with rain followed by cloudy and mostly too warm for snow 🙁 Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about an hour to prepare (including the time spent on the two image optimizations) and makes 95 days in a row with a new one.
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.
Recovered Image Alert
Both of the images featured in today’s post were among the 135,000+ recently recovered images. 🙂
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This image was created on the morning of 13 March 2018 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and my souped up Nikon D850 ISO 800. Matrix metering plus about .7 stops in Manual mode: 1/1600 sec. at f/8. AUTO1 WB at 8:00am on a barely sunny morning.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +1. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Sandhill Crane — days old chick swimming
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What I’ll Miss While I Am On the Road Again: Part II
Over the years, I have grown attached to several of the crane families at Indian Lake Estates. In most years, one of two of them are actually so trusting that they bring the chicks to me. In most years, three or four families nest in the marshes and several others at various locations in ILE. That said, some pairs are very shy, especially when the chicks are very small. It is highly likely that one or two nests will hatch while I am in Alaska. I will miss them but will make do with the spectacular eagle photography.
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This image was created on 1 April 2021 down by the lake at my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 312mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) ISO 1600. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7::57:44am on a then-sunny morning.
Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Sandhill Crane chick stretching near-wing stub
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Eye Level Baby Cranes
One of my favorite shooting situations involves walking down the slope to the edge off the canal to the left of the pier. That puts you right at the crane’s level and offers several great perspectives.
Things to Note
1- The great versatility of the Sony 200-600 G lens.
2-The dead-solid-perfect head angle.
Stay tuned as once I get back and check things out, I will be offering Crane Chicks and Colts In-the-Field Sessions during March and April.
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The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide
You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.
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The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide
126 pages, 87 photographs by Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.
Purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.
I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back and forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Here are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide:
- Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
- Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
- The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
- Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
- Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
- Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
- West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here you will have a chance for two difficult birds, Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
- Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.
Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.
You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
February 16th, 2022 What’s Up
After waking at 2:50am Florida time on Tuesday, I got into Anchorage 20 minutes “late” at 3:50pm (Alaska time). Considering that door to door was about 18 hours, things went quite well. I grabbed my rental vehicle and headed to the nearby Lakefront Anchorage for an expectedly fitful night’s sleep. I got to bed at 7:30pm Alaska time and got out of bed at 3:30am. I spent a lot of time reading (and listening to) Ken Follet’s Hornet Flight. Both of my flights, totaling more than ten hours in the air, were blessedly uneventful. I did spend about nine hours culling image files. I was quite brutal and wound up deleting a hefty 210 GBs of images. No worries, I am running my Time Machine back-ups as I type.
I had some major realizations as I worked on images from the past few years:
- 1- Auto White Balance with the Sony A1 is far superior to AWB with the Sony a9, the a9 II, the a7R IV, the Nikon D850, and the Canon R5.
- 2- My exposures have improved by leaps and bounds since I began evaluating my images in RawDigger and fine-tuning my SONY Zebras strategies.
- More than half of the images I deleted would have been improved had I not been too lazy to get on the ground for a lower perspective.
- My processing skills continue to improve.
- Topaz DeNoise AI is fast and the results are amazing
- It’s a shame that the Gatorland Photographer’s Pass program no longer exists …
Today is Wednesday 16 February. I will be driving down to Homer today, leaving about mid-morning. In good conditions, the trip is about 4 1/2 hours. In a blizzard? Good luck! The last time I drove it took me more than nine hours (Homer back to Anchorage). And the roadsides were littered with overturned trucks of all types! The forecast for the next few days is for mixed snow and rain.
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 (including the time spent on the two image optimizations) and makes 94 days in a row with a new one.
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.
Recovered Image Alert
Both of the images featured in today’s post were among the 135,000+ recovered images. 🙂
Other MacBook Pros with M1 Chip & Retina Display Options
As below, you do not need to spend $7K to enjoy the new super-fast M1 chip technology. There are 13.3, 14.2, and 16.2 sizes. There are two colors: Space Gray and Silver. And each can be configured as you wish as far as RAM (Memory), Storage, and Graphics configuration. To explore the many less expensive options, please start by clicking here, and then do a search for “MacBook Pro M1.”
As always, using my affiliate links will not cost you one penny and is a great way to thank BAA for the information and stories that you read here on the blog every day.
Less Expensive Souped Up MacBook Pro with M1 Max Chip Options
I am totally in love with my new laptop. The speed is totally amazing, especially with Topaz Sharpen AI. The set-up is almost complete. The only thing I need to download and install is Sony Imaging Edge (and that is not very important at all). I have my workflow down pat on the 16.2″ MacBook Pro with M1 Max Chip (Late 2021, Space Gray): Apple M1 Max 10-Core Chip (Processor), 64GB Unified RAM (Memory, 8TB SSD (Storage), and the 32-Core GPU (Graphics configuration), and things are really humming. Really serious photo folks can save $1200 by dropping down to the totally souped up 4TB SSD model, this one: Apple 16.2″ MacBook Pro with M1 Max Chip (Late 2021, Space Gray) Those who do not keep their images on their laptops would save another $600.00 and do quite well with the totally souped up 2TB model, the Apple 16.2″ MacBook Pro with M1 Max Chip (Late 2021, Space Gray). All three of these amazingly fast machines feature the Apple M1 Max 10-Core Chip (Processor), 64GB of Unified RAM (Memory), and the 32-Core GPU (Graphics configuration).
With all due respect, B&H will get you the new MacBook Pro with M1 Max Chip of your choice a lot faster and more reliably than Apple … Be sure to add 3 years of Apple Care.
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This image was created on 11 April 2021 at Fort DeSoto. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 529mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) ISO 1250. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:12:31am on a cloudy morning.
Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Red Knot beginning to molt into breeding plumage
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Stuff to Learn
Whether on an Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) or during an In-the-Field Instructional Session, spending time in the field photographing with me will make you a much better photographer. And that is true no matter how smart or how good you are. Sorry, just the facts … After more than 38 years, I have figured out a few things. Below Image #2 is a partial list of what you would learn in the field with me while creating images like those featured today. He said modestly.
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This image was created on 11 April 2021 at Fort DeSoto. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 529mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:22:16am on a then-sunny morning.
Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Short-billed Dowitcher beginning to molt into breeding plumage
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Stuff You Will Learn
- Subject-to-sensor plane orientation: both images.
- Getting the right exposure in soft light (Image #1) and in full sun (Image #2). In all systems, those are two completely different animals.
- Image design basics: both images.
- Executing the perfect crop: both images.
- Recognizing great situations
- Picking your keepers/looking for that something special — the raised foot in both images.
- Head angle fine points: both images.
- (Shorebird) identification and aging: both images.
- The importance of wave placement: Image #2.
- Working on sun angle: Image #2.
- Getting close to free and wild birds: both images.
- Isolating the subject: both images
- Converting your Raw files: both images.
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Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, many in full breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull landing on head of Brown Pelican, Laughing Gull in flight, Reddish Egret sunrise silhouette, Great Blue Heron with needlefish, Yellow-crowned Night Heron with ghost crab, Roseate Spoonbill, Sanderling in breeding plumage, and white morph Reddish Egret in glorious breeding plumage.
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The 2022 DeSoto Spring IPT/April 26 through the morning session on April 29, 2020. 3 1/2 DAYS: $2099.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings 5
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for breeding terns and gulls and wading birds in spring. Migrant shorebirds are in abundance, and many are exceedingly tame. We should have great chances on Royal and Sandwich Terns and both white- and dark-morph Reddish Egrets. 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 along with some American Oystercatchers. We will enjoy lots of great flight photography.
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Again, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull in flight, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Sandwich Terns copulating, Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egret with reflection, breeding plumage Short-billed Dowitcher, American Oystercatcher, Royal Tern, white morph Reddish Egret, and Snowy Egret in marsh.
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We will also get to photograph a variety of other shorebirds including Black-bellied, Semipalmated, Wilson’s, and Piping Plovers, Willet, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, most especially, Red Knot with many individuals in their handsome breeding plumages. In spring the T-shaped peninsula and the newly formed sandbar, Outback Key, are literally packed with avian treasures.
With luck, we might get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable species: Roseate Spoonbill. And we will almost surely get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. With luck, they will have Laughing Gulls landing on their heads. And though not guaranteed, 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.
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Yes, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Clockwise from upper left around to center: breeding plumage Dunlin, dark morph Reddish Egret displaying, Laughing Gull vertical front-end portrait, Laughing Gull with prey item, landing on head of Brown Pelican, breeding plumage Royal Tern displaying, Royal Terns — pre-copulatory stance, Laughing Gulls copulating, Laughing Gull head portrait, breeding plumage Sandwich Tern with fish, and a rare treat, a breeding plumage White-rumped Sandpiper.
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On the IPT you will learn:
- 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
- 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
- 3- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
- 4- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
- 5- To age and identify many species of shorebirds including sandpipers, plovers, dowitchers, and possibly yellowlegs.
- 6- To spot good situations and to choose the best perspective.
- 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
- 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
- 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography.
- 10- How and when to access the magical sandbar safely.
- 11- More than you could ever imagine.
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You got it by now! Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Clockwise from upper left around to center: Roseate Spoonbill, immature Brown Pelican in flight, the heron/egret hybrid, American Oystercatcher feeding, immature Royal Tern on railing, Great Egret morning silhouette, Black Skimmer in surf, and underside head portrait of Great Blue Heron.
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Morning sessions will run at least three hours, afternoon sessions 2 1/2. There is never a set schedule on an IPT — we adapt to the conditions. On cloudy mornings, when the photography is excellent, we may opt to extend the morning session and skip the afternoon, especially if the afternoon weather is not looking too good. There will be a Photoshop/image review session after lunch (included) each day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. This IPT will run with only a single registrant (though that is not likely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area — Gulfport in this case, rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away.
Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:30am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We will be getting wet.
Credit cards are OK for your $500 deposit. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. After you leave the deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check. If you wish to pay in full right off the bat, you can make your 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, and clothing and gear advice a month before the trip. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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