Friday morning was all blurs, 386 of them. I kept only 14 and most of those were not-too-good. With perfect conditions, I had chances at sunset and made 519 images with most of those not being very good. Perhaps the cattails are a lot taller than they were last year. So, is there a benefit of creating 905 not very good images? Considering that everything I created yesterday was with the big lens on a tripod with a TC, yes! The big advantage is that the more you shoot flight, the more your panning skills will improve. Being able to keep the bird in the center of the frame by panning smoothly at the same rate as the bird is flying will improve you flight photography by leaps and bounds. If I keep practicing, I might be able to jump over tall buildings someday …
Wanting to learn more about Christopher Reeve’s equestrian accident, paralysis, and eventual death, I did some internet surfing. I had forgotten that the name of the original actor how played Superman, the guy seen in the YouTube video above, was named George Reeves. Now that is a good Jeopardy question. Speaking of Jeopardy, congrats to the amazing Amy Schneider whose 28-game total winnings passed $1,000,000 in last’s night’s runaway victor. When she does not immediately know an answer, it seems that you can hear the hard drive in her head spinning … The woman is truly amazing.
Here’s a tough one for her: What was the name of the editor-in-chief of the Metropolis newspaper, The Daily Planet? Do you remember? (I remembered the first name but not the last.)
Today is Saturday 8 January 2022. Conditions for this morning are looking very good with clear skies and a northeast wind. And tomorrow morning in Central Florida is looking even better with east/southeast winds. If I do not get a client for Lakeland for Sunday morning, I may put out the fresh road-killed rabbit that I scooped up on Friday morning. 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 59 consecutive days with a new one.
Please remember that 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 save 3% 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.
Your-Pick In-the-Field Sessions
From Now Through Wednesday 12 January
The beauty of the Your Pick In-the-Field Sessions plans below is that I am free most days from now until I leave for San Diego on 14 January. The best news is that we can schedule sessions to coincide with the perfect weather forecast. These sessions are ideal for central Florida locals or folks visiting the region for whatever reason. Interested? Get in touch via e-mail or better yet, try my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up. Inquire for couples and group rates.
Indian Lake Estates In-the-Field Sessions
Two hours of intensive instruction: $300.00. Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00. Sunset shoot: $100.00. Guest room lodging available. Mix and match.
Sunny mornings with east winds are best. Likely subjects include ridiculously tame Sandhill Cranes along with Black and Turkey Vultures, Crested Caracara, Limpkin, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, and more. Bald Eagle possible; crane chicks coming soon.
Lakeland or Circle B Bar Preserve
Two hours of intensive instruction: $325.00. Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00. Mix and match.
Sunny mornings with winds that have an easterly component are best at Lakeland. Likely subjects include point-blank American White Pelican, Anhinga, Limpkin, Common Moorhen, White Ibis, a variety of wintering ducks including Ring-necked and Wood Duck, and lots more.
Cloudy mornings or afternoons (shooting sessions only in the afternoon) are best at Circle B Bar Preserve. Likely subjects include Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, Common Moorhen, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk, American Alligator, Wild Boar, and more. If you wish to mix and match, lodging at ILE is available.
Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!
Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know recently that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!
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 immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Please Remember Also
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 20 January 2019 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 370mm) and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 800: 1/1250 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:45am on a partly sunny morning.
Upper Center Group/Shutter Button AF. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
I began playing with the Nikon gear in San Diego in January 2018 and was still on the Dark Side there in 2019. In ’18, I was using both the D5, the pro body, and the D850. After that first January, the D5 sat on the shelf while I was all-in with two D850 bodies. At the time, Nikon AF was better than Canon AF for birds in flight. Many skilled photographer friends followed me by ditching Canon and going to Nikon. And pretty much all of those folks followed me on the next switch, from Nikon to Sony. That switch began in January 2019, also in San Diego.
The D850 image files were and remain superb. I like the ergonomics and the camera was — for the most part — relatively easy to use. In sort, the huge problem with the D850 is that when you are using a telephoto lens switching the AF Method requires three hands. My second gripe was that when you added a TC AF performance suffered as you moved the AF point away from the center.
This great guide includes 15 pages of text, a 46-image gallery, and a comprehensive camera handling video.
The text covers all of the menu item settings that I used on my two D850 bodies and each gallery image has a legendary BIRDS AS ART educational caption. The emphasis is two-fold:
1- getting your camera set-up so that it is optimized for bird photography.
2- sharing everything that I know about the Nikon AF system so that you can create consistently sharp images of static subjects, and most especially, of birds in flight and in action.
Though this guide is designed for the D850, nearly all of the info applies to the D5 and to the D500 as well. You can purchase your copy in the BAA On-line Store here. Both files are large so you will need a good internet connection to download them.
This image was created on 20 January 2019 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 800: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 10:05am on a rare cloudy morning.
Upper Center Group/Shutter Button AF. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican, Pacific race: sub-adult head and neck portrait
Brown Pelican Plumage Variations
I am absolutely obsessed by the great variety of plumages in Pacific-race Brown Pelicans. And that is true both with the adults in various states of breeding and non-breeding plumages and with the younger birds as well. Many individuals, like the bird featured in Image #2, seem to be one offs!
San Diego In-the-Field (I-T-F) Sessions
As I will be staying in San Diego longer than originally planned, I am offering In-the-Field Sessions as below.
San Diego I-T-F Offerings
Individual Morning Sessions on Monday 1/24, Tuesday 1/25, and Wednesday 1/26.
Three hours of intensive instruction: $399.00. Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00.
Please inquire if you would like to explore the possibility of an afternoon session on Monday 1/24 or Tuesday 1/25.
These sessions are ideal for Southern California locals or for folks visiting the region for whatever reason. Interested? Get in touch via e-mail or better yet, try my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up. Inquire for couples and group rates.
The Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide: $30.00 (or free to some–see below for details on that).
by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART and Patrick Sparkman
There is lots of misinformation out there on the Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune feature. Much of that involves vast over-simplifications. Patrick Sparkman and I developed a way of using the Automatic Fine-tune feature effectively with the D5, D500, the D7500, and the D850. Patrick, however, was on a roll and perfected a method for using the Focus Peaking feature available only on the D850 to quickly and accurately micro-adjust all lenses and TC-Es with your D-850. If you own a D850 you should be using D850 Focus Peaking AF Fine-tune rather than Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune. It is faster and easier and more accurate. While there is some halfway decent info online with regards to Nikon Automatic Fine-tune feature, I have never seen a word about using the amazing D850 Focus Peaking capabilities to determine an accurate AF Fine-tune value. You can thank Patrick Sparkman for rectifying that situation.
With both Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune and D850 Focus Peaking AF Fine-tune, the use of a LensAlign Mark II unit is recommended as best by far for accurate results, and thus, this guide is written reflecting that. Taping a sheet of newsprint on a wall or using the FoCal kit does not assure you of the True Parallel Alignment (TPA) that is guaranteed when you set up your LensAlign properly. Without TPA your results will be off anywhere from a little to a lot. You can purchase the LensAlign Mark II alone here. Or you can purchase the LensAlign/FocusTune combo here. If you do not own either of those we suggest that you decide which to purchase after reading this guide through once. That said, we recommend the LensAlign/FocusTune combo for reasons that will become obvious as you make your way through the guide.
Image #2A: RawDigger screen capture for the Brown Pelican, Pacific race: sub-adult head and neck portrait image
Absolutely Terrible!
Images where the G channel gets 2/3rds of the way from the 8000 to the 16000 line are perfect exposures. Images where the G channel gets right up to the line are dead-solid perfect. Images where the G channel does not even reach the 8000 line are absolutely terrible as far as exposure is concerned. In fact, this image is more than 1 1/3 stops under-exposed. Working with RawDigger has helped me learn to expose to the right thus minimizing noise, maximizing image quality, best utilizing the dynamic range of my camera, and attaining the highest possible level of shadow detail in my RAW files in every situation. In addition, my properly exposed RAW files now contain more tonal information and feature the smoothest possible transitions between tones. And my optimized images feature rich, accurate color.
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 I learned my new camera body, the Sony Alpha a1.
RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
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 colors.
We teach you why the GREEN channel is almost always the first to over-expose. We save you money by advising you as to 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.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Image #1: A 500% unsharpened crop of the master file
Before You Scroll Down …
Before you scroll down to view today’s featured image, see if you can figure out what you are looking at in the 500% crop above. And enjoy the amazing detail of a sharp Alpha 1 image file magnified to a borderline insane level.
Unfair to Birds?
With the amazing AF system of the Sony Alpha 1 (with Bird-Eye/Face Detection!), its stunning image files, the ease of getting the right exposure, and with RawDigger to teach you to further refine your exposures, bird photography today seems almost unfair to the birds. I, for one, am enjoying my photography more than ever. Today’s featured image illustrates these points perfectly.
What’s Up?
The weather on Saturday morning is looking dead-solid perfect for a Your Pick In-the-Field session at Lakeland. The details are below. And time is short as I am outta here next coming Friday.
On Thursday morning,I got down to the pier 10 minutes before sunrise. It should have been 20 … While I was setting up my gear at the car, I watched a Great Blue Heron fly right at the pier flapping hard all the way. And that bird was followed by a Sandhill Crane that did the exact same thing. Oh well. With a nice pink-purple sky to the west, I created more than 700 mostly Cattle Egrets leaving the roost blurs and kept 23. Working off the tripod with the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro and the big lens with the 1.4X TC, my framing was (as expected) much better than it had been the day before when hand holding the 200-600 with the same TC. Note: with lighter, shorter focal length lenses, hand holding will usually yield better results than working on a tripod.
I drove around a bit without seeing much and then returned to the pier. There were a few Turkey Vultures on the railings along with one unusual bird. As you will see below, I did well. Sunset was looking good from the pool deck just before 5:00pm, but when I got down to the lake I saw a large dark cloud on the western horizon that would soon envelop the sun. It did. But I was enjoying the peace and quiet so I stayed and tried some extreme blurs, utilizing shutter speeds as low as 1/8 sec. I had fun and created a few almost … I should have mentioned either yesterday or above, that when I am creating hundreds of blurs while working in Shutter Priority mode, that I am changing shutter speeds often. When I pick my keepers, I do not look at the shutter speeds. It is when reviewing the keepers that the shutter speed is noted. It’s just another way to learn.
Today is Friday 7 January. I leave for San Diego in one week. Yesterday I changed my flight and extended my stay by five days. What can I say? I love the place and I love the pelicans. I get back home on the afternoon of Thursday 27 January. The forecast for this morning is for cloudy and very still early. I will be down to the pier early working on more pleasing blurs. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took more than 90 minutes to prepare and makes 58 consecutive days with a new one.
Please remember that 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 save 3% 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.
Your-Pick In-the-Field Sessions
The beauty of the Your Pick In-the-Field Sessions plans below is that I am free most days from now until I leave for San Diego on 14 January. The best news is that we can schedule sessions to coincide with the perfect weather forecast. These sessions are ideal for central Florida locals or folks visiting the region for whatever reason. Interested? Get in touch via e-mail or better yet, try my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up. Inquire for couples and group rates.
Indian Lake Estates In-the-Field Sessions
Two hours of intensive instruction: $300.00. Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00. Sunset shoot: $100.00. Guest room lodging available. Mix and match.
Sunny mornings with east winds are best. Likely subjects include ridiculously tame Sandhill Cranes along with Black and Turkey Vultures, Crested Caracara, Limpkin, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, and more. Bald Eagle possible; crane chicks coming soon.
Lakeland or Circle B Bar Preserve
Two hours of intensive instruction: $325.00. Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00. Mix and match.
Sunny mornings with winds that have an easterly component are best at Lakeland. Likely subjects include point-blank American White Pelican, Anhinga, Limpkin, Common Moorhen, White Ibis, a variety of wintering ducks including Ring-necked and Wood Duck, and lots more.
Cloudy mornings or afternoons (shooting session only) are best at Circle B Bar Preserve. Likely subjects include Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, Common Moorhen, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk, American Alligator, Wild Boar, and more. If you wish to mix and match, lodging at ILE is available.
Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!
Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know late yesterday that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!
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 immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Please Remember Also
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 6 January 2021 on the pier at the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height, I used the no-longer-available Induro GIT 304L/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 640. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/400 sec. at f/8 (stopped down 1 stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:13:04am on a sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1A: Limpkin calling
Serendipitously Vertical!
There has been a Limpkin sitting on the railing near the foot of the pier for several weeks now. It is quite tame allowing folks to get within 15 feet before leaning forward and dropping down into the marsh grasses. I had been looking for a good opportunity to photograph it. When I headed out to try for some vulture on the railing head shots, I was glad to see the Limpkin in his favorite spot. With the bird lens on the tripod I needed to approach carefully while keeping the tripod very close to the boardwalk. I moved forward only inches at a time. I was creating both horizontals and verticals and by chance, I was working vertically when the bird began calling. I figured that 1/400 second would be sharp enough to freeze the calling bird. Calling Limpkins are quite loud, and sound like someone being murdered. When this bird flew to the north, another tame Limpkin landed on the pier railing so I kept on shooting.
Had I been working in horizontal format when the bird called it would have been very difficult to avoid clipping the bill. Lucky ducky me.
Image #B: Sony Imaging Edge Desktop screen capture showing the active AF point
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection
At times, using Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection seems almost like cheating. When I think back to the days when we had to focus manually by turning the focusing ring (or one of the two large wheels on the Canon FD 800mm f/5.6 lens), I am 100% totally flat-out amazed. Oh, and the FD 800mm lens focused all the way down to 45 feet! In any case, the Sony AF technology, as you can see above, is simply beyond amazing.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. This week, two folks in the group ordered their third a1! I am envious. The group is now up to an astounding 102 lucky and blessed folks. Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that all who wish, can request an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! (Note: I am now offering updated .DAT files).
All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info & Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.
Image #1C: The RawDigger screen capture for the Limpkin calling image
Dead-Solid Perfect!
Images where the G channel gets 2/3rds of the way from the 8000 to the 16000 line are perfect exposures. Images where the G channel gets right up to the line are dead-solid perfect. With 221 OvExp pixels out of 51,000,000, this is a (yet another) dead-solid perfect exposure. All of the OvExp pixels are in the tiny specular highlights near the base of the bill.
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 I learned my new camera body, the Sony Alpha a1.
RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
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 as to 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.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
You are invited to leave a comment letting everyone know which of today’s featured images is your favorite, and why. If you do not like either one, you are invited to say just that and explain why.
What’s Up?
For the past few weeks, I’d seen the potential for creating pleasingly blurred images of Cattle Egrets from the pier as they leave the roost early each morning and fly south over the pier to wherever they are going. My experience so far has been that they leave well before sunrise on clear days. With a big wall of clouds to the east on Wednesday morning, I saw my chance and walked out onto the pier with the hand held 200-600/1.4X TC/a1 rig. Even though this setup is much lighter than the 600mm f/4 lens with just the a1, I have lots of trouble keeping the birds in the center of the frame at 840mm when hand holding. I do much better with the big lens on the tripod, but hand holding is a ton of fun — no large, heavy lens and no relatively heavy tripod …
My timing was excellent. The birds came, in groups of from two to twenty or more, and they kept coming for about 30 minutes. I created 801 blurs and kept 19 after the first edit. After a second pass, I was left with just three others plus today’s two featured images. Five out of 801 is not a very high percentage, but that’s how it goes with blurs. When the sun rose over the cloud bank, I was headed to the vulture trees but was interrupted by the crane family of four feeding atop the knoll just north of the parking circle. I made lots of images, but after reviewing them, felt that I should have done better. The vultures trees were productive for flight photography, and I even made a few good images of the eagle standing up on the nest when a cloud covered the sun for a bit. I finished the morning off with an Anhinga on The Perch. Those images were less than impressive. But all things considered, it was a great morning.
It was a gorgeous sunset and with the wind ‘wrong” from the west northwest, I headed out onto the pier again as the birds landing at the roost would be landing away. Buoyed by my recent success hand holding the 200-600/1.4X TC/a1 rig, I went yet again with that. For the first half hour, I was consistently in the wrong spot as most of the birds flew behind me as they headed for their evening roost. After the sun dipped below the horizon, I got really lucky. I was creating a vertical scenic of the far shoreline and the richly colored sky when a single ibis flew through the frame. After that, I got a few decent frames of the Mottled Ducks blasting off to the northwest, albeit at ISO 8000.
Today is Thursday 6 January 2022. The forecast for this morning is for dead clear with a breeze from the northwest. My plan is to get out very early and try some more Cattle Egret blurs from the pier with the tripod mounted 600mm f/4, the 1.4X TC, and the a1. In these conditions, there is a chance to work against the pink/purple/blue sky to the northwest. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare including the time spent on the two image optimizations and makes 57 consecutive days with a new one.
Please remember that 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 save 3% 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.
Your-Pick In-the-Field Sessions
The beauty of the Your Pick In-the-Field Sessions plans below is that I am free most days from now until I leave for San Diego on 14 January. The best news is that we can schedule sessions to coincide with the perfect weather forecast. These sessions are ideal for central Florida locals or folks visiting the region for whatever reason. Interested? Get in touch via e-mail or better yet, try my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up. Inquire for couples and group rates.
Indian Lake Estates In-the-Field Sessions
Two hours of intensive instruction: $300.00. Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00. Sunset shoot: $100.00. Guest room lodging available. Mix and match.
Sunny mornings with east winds are best. Likely subjects include ridiculously tame Sandhill Cranes along with Black and Turkey Vultures, Crested Caracara, Limpkin, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, and more. Bald Eagle possible; crane chicks coming soon.
Lakeland or Circle B Bar Preserve
Two hours of intensive instruction: $325.00. Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00. Mix and match.
Sunny mornings with winds that have an easterly component are best at Lakeland. Likely subjects include point-blank American White Pelican, Anhinga, Limpkin, Common Moorhen, White Ibis, a variety of wintering ducks including Ring-necked and Wood Duck, and lots more.
Cloudy mornings or afternoons (shooting session only) are best at Circle B Bar Preserve. Likely subjects include Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, Common Moorhen, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk, American Alligator, Wild Boar, and more. If you wish to mix and match, lodging at ILE is available.
Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!
Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know late yesterday that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!
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 immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Please Remember Also
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.
Click on the screen capture to see a larger high-res version.
Image #1: The Two Originals
Image Clean-up and Photography as Art
With Image #2 (on the left, above), I covered the third egret using a series of Quick Masks of the sky, each refined with the help of a regular layer mask. I replaced the eye of the rear bird with the better-defined eye of the front bird. And I cropped from all four sides. With Image #3, I cropped to eliminate a wingtip on each frame edge and one extraneous bird on the right side of the frame. Then, using either the Patch Tool or Content-Aware Fill, I eliminated the three Cattle Egrets (yes, they are not white bats) below the line of birds along with a single, smaller, darker, very blurred bird. Do understand that I would never enter either of these images in a contest where such enhancements are not permitted. Many will argue that these are not natural history images. I would counter by saying that the two Cattle Egrets in Image #2 were really flying by the pier in soft light, and that in Image #3, a flock of Cattle Egrets was leaving the marsh in very low light.
To me, both of today’s featured images are photographs. They surely are not paintings (though the goal when creating pleasing blurs is often to wind up with a painterly or impressionistic result). What do you think?
This image was 5 January 2022 from the pier near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. 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), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) Multi-metering +2 2/3 stops/AUTO ISO set ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/30 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Shutter Priority mode. AWB at 7:21:08 am on a then very cloudy morning.
Tracking: Zone AF-C Bird Face/Eye detection worked just fine. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Two Cattle Egrets flight blur
Understanding Low Light Exposure
Many might find it hard to believe that even though 2 2/3 stops of light were added to the exposure suggested by the camera, RawDigger showed that this image was about 1/3 stop too dark. That is how I live and learn.
This image was 5 January 2022 from the pier near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. 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), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) Multi-metering +2/3 stop/AUTO ISO set ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/30 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Shutter Priority mode. AWB at 7:21:08 am on a then very cloudy morning.
Tracking: Zone AF-C Bird Face/Eye detection worked just fine. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: “White bats” in flight over marsh blur
Exposure Question
Note that in Image #3, I dialed the + compensation from +2 2/3 stops to +2/3, two full stops darker. Why the difference?
A Very Relevant Shutter Priority Mode Question
An e-Mail Exchange with SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group member Wells Jacobson
AM: Hi Wells,
Re:
WJ: A settings question if you please.
AM: 🙂
WJ: I know that you and your not too distant neighbor, Mark Smith, are both enamored with shooting manual and determining exposure with zebras and using the rear dial for ISO.
AM: How’s this for crazy? When I came to Florida in 1994 I lived in Deltona at 1455 Whitewood Drive. I learned recently that at that time, Mark Smith was living I was living exactly two blocks away with his young family!
I am not sure that he uses Zebras …
WJ: Occasionally you show one of your photos shot with Shutter Priority with Auto ISO and I believe exposure comp on the rear wheel, and again use zebras.
AM: Correct, but when I do that I am not relying on Zebras except for the initial Exposure compensation … Late in the day, with the sun usually on the western horizon, it is, however, a lot more complicated than that.
WJ: In practice these two methods seem almost the same and I have trouble trying to figure out when you might choose one over the other. I hope a subtlety is eluding me and I’m not just missing the boat. I would love some clarification and perhaps others might as well.
AM: You are missing the boat. In fact, the boat sank. They are not the same at all. The only time that you want to use Shutter Priority with Auto ISO and EXP COMP on the rear dial is when you have backgrounds that are of a pretty much constant tonality, like a richly colored sky at sunset. Actually, you can do well with Shutter Priority mode in most situations where the background is of a consistent tonality. Doing blurs of flocks of birds in a white sky would be another example.
I use Manual mode for more than 95% of my bird photography and so should you. Why? Because birds move and when the background tonalities change, you are out of business if you are working in an Automatic (exposure) mode …
With love, artie
A Guide to Pleasing Blurs
Learn everything there is to know about creating pleasingly blurred images in A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito and yours truly. This 20,585 word, 271 page PDF is illustrated with 144 different, exciting, and artistic images. The guide covers the basics of creating pleasingly blurred images, the factors that influence the degree of blurring, the use of filters in creating pleasing blurs, and a great variety of both in-the-field and Photoshop techniques that can be used to create pleasingly blurred images.
Artie and Denise teach you many different ways to move your lens during the exposure to create a variety of pleasingly blurred images of flowers and trees and water and landscapes. They will teach you to recognize situations where subject movement can be used to your advantage to create pan blurs, wind blurs, and moving water blurs. They will teach you to create zoom-blurs both in the field and during post-processing. Artie shares the techniques that he has used and developed for making blurred images of flocks of geese in flight at his beloved Bosque del Apache and Denise shares her flower blur magic as well as a variety of creative Photoshop techniques that she has developed.
With the advent of digital capture creating blurred images has become a great and inexpensive way to go out with your camera and have fun. And while many folks think that making successful blurred images is the result of being a sloppy photographer, nothing could be further from the truth. In “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” Artie and Denise will help you to unleash your creative self.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
