November 4th, 2021
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From Multiple IPT veteran Jim Dolgin via e-mail
“I get everything from Bedfords. They’re the best!”
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Bedfords Update
Amazingly, Bedfords has Canon R5s and R6s and RF 100-500s in stock as I type. Steve Elkins also has a nice variety of other zoom and shorter lenses on hand. As detailed below, be sure to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout to save 3% and enjoy free second-day air Fed-Ex. I learned recently of one guy who has been waiting to get his RF 100-500 from B&H since July!
What’s Up?
The Barred Owl paid another visit to my driveway on Tuesday afternoon, but the photo opps were not as good as they had been on Monday. I was glad to learn that multiple IPT veteran Jim Dolgin sold his Sony a9 the first day it was listed.
Please take a moment to leave a comment letting us know which of today’s two featured images you think is the strongest. And why. Thanks with love for that.
Today is Thursday 4 November. I am headed back to Lakeland to do some bird photography. Both of the locations I will be visiting this morning and lots more are detailed in the BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide that I did with Joe Przybyla.
Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post about two hours to prepare.
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.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the 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 🙂
Diehard Nikon Folks
Z9 Pre-orders…
Diehard Nikon folks might wish to pre-order their Nikon Z9 from Bedfords by clicking here. It appears that Nikon may finally have a mirrorless body that works well for bird photography. For those who can lift it … Your best chances of getting what will be a hard-to-get-your-hands-on battery is to pre-order now at Bedfords, use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout to save 3%, and e-mail Steve Elkins as below to make sure that you get on the list. I heard from a guy yesterday who ordered a Canon 100-500 RF lens from B&H in July and still has not gotten it. Heck, Bedfords has shipped many dozens (if not hundreds) since then. There are times when the B&H wait lists can be endless …
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 save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — 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.
New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!
You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.
Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.
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.
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San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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The 2022 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) IPT. Monday 17 January thru the morning session on Friday 21 January 2022. Four full and one-half day: $2999.00. Deposit: $899.00. Limit: 8 photographers/Openings: 7
Two folks are signed up for the San Diego IPT. Click here and scroll down for the complete details.
On Creativity and Seeing
Look Around. See What Catches Your Interest …
On the way back to the car at Circle B Bar Reserve on Tuesday morning, after a less-than-fabulous morning of bird photography, I noted a single blade of grass with two backlit dew drops hanging from it. All I had with me was the big lens with the teleconverter. I set up the tripod right at the lens’s MFD (minimum focusing distance) to fill the frame as much as possible.
The short vignette above reveals an important concept that I often visit when attempting to teach creativity to nature, wildlife, and even bird photographers:
Take a walk in nature (usually with at least some photography gear aboard). Look around. Look for something that piques your interest, something that grabs your eye. It might be a splash of color, the quality of the light, a killer background — go find a subject!, a bird’s beauty, plumage or pose, or, as with today’s featured images, a backlit dewdrop or two …
Once you’ve found something of interest, ask yourself “What gear do I have that will enable me to create what I see as a pleasing image.” You do — of course — have to consider the best perspective, the framing, and the lighting, possibly along with dozens of other factors.
Whatever you like to photograph, make it a habit to look around and see what grabs you. This practice will enable you to grow as a photographer and to become more creative.
On Refining Your Vision …
When I finished creating Image #1 above, I realized that if I could get a lot closer with much greater magnification, there might be a more dramatic image at hand. Since I was near the parking lot, I walked to my SUV and switched out the big lens for my Canon 180 macro lens with the Metabones Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Sony E Mount T Smart Adapter. Changing out the lens took about ten minutes in all. When I got back to the single blade of grass, I was glad to see that the situation was intact.
Again, I set up very close to the MFD, this time with the macro lens, and got back to work. A slight breeze came up; every time the blade of grass shifted in response to the moving air, the focus was thrown off a bit. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Why?
Image #2 is a focus stacked composite of the two darkest images. In one image, the large, thin expanse of the darker green portion of the blade of grass was sharply focused, but the single dew drop was beyond the plane of focus (even at f/16). In the next frame, the blade of grass had shifted and the dew drop, and the curved, lighter green area of the blade of grass were sharper and better covered by the very limited depth-of field.
So I processed both images with the same settings. Then I selected and feathered the sharper dew drop and the long thing triangle of lighter green, placed then on a separate layer, and used the Move Tool (V) to put that layer roughly into place atop the image where the darker green portion of the blade of grass was sharpest. Then I used the arrow keys to refine placement of the sharp drop and added a Regular Layer Mask to clean up a few edges. Voila!
Why f/16?
Why did I opt to work at f/16?
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The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).
You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.
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The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
Everything mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About two years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12 and continue to do so today.
To purchase Capture One, please use this link. Then you can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here.
You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.
Typos
Feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment regarding any typos or errors in this blog post.
November 2nd, 2021 What’s Up?
I was about to jump in the pool late on Monday afternoon when I heard a Barred Owl calling in front of my home. I delayed my swim and spent a wonderful hour photographing the owl. Photos and details soon.
Enjoy today’s spoonbill flight image and see if you can figure out what bugs me. I will be announcing details on the March 2022 Stick Marsh BAA Instructional Photo-Tour in about a week.
Today is Tuesday 2 November 2022. I woke early and headed to Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland to try for some warblers. I saw lots of Blue-grey Gnatcatchers and Palm Warblers. I had a few of them in the frame at one point but never made a single image. I did a make some nice images of a cooperative Great Blue Heron and did some macro near the parking lot. Next I tried the Otter Trail and photographed some young wild boars. A quick stop in Lakeland was very productive. All of the locations and lots more mentioned above are detailed in the BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide that I did with Joe Przybyla. If you own a copy of the guide and would like the skinny on what’s up right now in Lakeland, shoot me proof of purchase via e-mail with the word’s “Latest Info on Lakeland” in the Subject line. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took nearly three hours to prepare.
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.
Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission on items priced at $1,000 or more. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price is $1000 (or less for a $50 flat-fee). If you are interested, please scroll down here to read the terms. Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice only to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past years, we have sold many hundreds of items. Do know that prices for used gear only go in one direction. Down. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
If you would like to learn about selling your used gear on the BAA Used Gear Page, click here.
Sony a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Dolgin is offering a Sony a9 in excellent plus condition for a very low $1848.00. The sale includes the original box, the manual & the strap, one battery, the charger, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addressees only. The rear LCD has been covered with a Screen Protector since new.
Please contact Jim via e-mail or by phone at 201-819-3728 Eastern time zone.
As things worked out, the a9, and then the a9 ii turned out to be life-changers for me. From the moment I tracked that first incoming Brandt’s Cormorant at LaJolla, I knew that at that time, the SONY a9 series bodies featured the world’ best AF. I upgraded to the a9 ii as soon as it was released for the slightly larger body size. At one point I owned two a9 ii bodies. A new a9 ii sells for $4,498.00 so, if you wish to transition to Sony, you can save an amazing $2650.00 by grabbing Jim’s a9 I ASAP. Not to mention that the new Sony Alpha 1 sells for $6498.00 … artie
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the 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 🙂
Diehard Nikon Folks
Z9 Pre-orders…
Diehard Nikon folks might wish to pre-order their Nikon Z9 from Bedfords by clicking here. It appears that Nikon may finally have a mirrorless body that works well for bird photography. For those who can lift it … Your best chances of getting what will be a hard-to-get-your-hands-on battery is to pre-order now at Bedfords, use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout to save 3%, and e-mail Steve Elkins as below to make sure that you get on the list. I heard from a guy yesterday who ordered a Canon 100-500 RF lens from B&H in July and still has not gotten it. Heck, Bedfords has shipped many dozens (if not hundreds) since then. There are times when the B&H wait lists can be endless …
Please Remember Also
With income from IPTs now close to zero, 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 save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — 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.
New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!
You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.
Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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.
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I created this image on 20 March 2021 at Stick Marsh. While standing, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 374mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 640. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that this image was about 1/3 stop under. AWB at 9:00am with a faint cloud passing by the sun.
Zone AF-C Bird/Eye Detection AF was active at the moment exposure and worked just fine. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the hi-res version.
Image #1: Roseate Spoonbill incoming flight
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What Bugs Me?
We have a beautiful pink bird, sweet light, a sharp image, a dynamic flight pose, and a sweet blue background. Click on the image to see the hi-res version and leave a comment if you see anything that bugs you. Only one thing bugs me. What is it?
I will be announcing details on the March 2022 Stick Marsh BAA Instructional Photo-Tour in about a week.
Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).
October 31st, 2021 What’s Up?
I forgot to mention that I was 30 minutes late getting to Sebastian on Thursday morning. As a result, I missed a glorious sunrise … I returned on Friday afternoon and again ran 30 minutes behind. As I was getting my gear out of the car, the air above the inlet was filled with fishing Ospreys. Walking toward the action, I saw three Ospreys dive right next to the jetty. Each emerged with a fish. Once I was in position, there were lots of Osprey, but the action close to the jetty slowed down almost completely. I did have a few good chances, but nothing with the birds catching fish. Several times there were simply too many fisherman between me and the bird hitting the water. The human fisherman were catching Snook one after another, most too small to keep.
In any case, I am a glutton for punishment. I headed back on Saturday afternoon and planned to arrive at 2pm. Right on schedule … I did just that, and there were lots of Ospreys fishing, but few catching. And with the wind from the northwest, photography was difficult. I did get some sweet stuff on a variety of alternative subjects including Royal Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, Willet, and Wood Stork.
While the Pacific race Brown Pelicans are surely the stars of the show on the San Diego IPT, the nesting Brandt’s Cormorant will provide a ton of action along with many great opportunities including flight and courtship. Scroll down for complete details.
Today is Sunday 31 October. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took nearly three hours to prepare.
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.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the 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 🙂
Diehard Nikon Folks
Z9 Pre-orders…
Diehard Nikon folks might wish to pre-order their Nikon Z9 from Bedfords by clicking here. It appears that Nikon may finally have a mirrorless body that works well for bird photography. For those can can lift it … Your best chances of getting what will be a hard-to-get-your-hands-on battery is to pre-order now at Bedfords, use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout to save 3%, and e-mail Steve Elkins as below to make sure that you get on the list. I heard from a guy yesterday who ordered a Canon 100-500 RF lens from B&H in July and still has not gotten it. Heck, Bedfords has shipped many dozens (if not hundreds) since then. There are times when the B&H wait lists can be endless …
Please Remember Also
With income from IPTs now close to zero, 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 save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — 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.
New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!
You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.
Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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.
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Image #1: the Adobe Camera Raw screen capture for the Brandt’s Cormorants courting image at the default settings
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The Under-exposed Perfect Exposure …
Even though RawDigger showed that the exposure was pretty much perfect, the image was actually too dark for me. With the birds in the shadow of the cliff, I should have totally blown out the breaking waves in the background to ensure a better exposure for the dark tones of the birds.
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Image #1B: the Adobe Camera Raw screen capture for the Brandt’s Cormorants courting with the sliders adjusted to my tatste
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Big Improvements During the Raw Conversion
Whether you do your raw conversions in Photoshop with Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), in Capture One, in Canon’s Digital Photo Professional (DPP) 4, in Lightroom (again with ACR), or elsewhere, you can make dramatic improvements in your image during the process. No matter the program you use, the sliders are quite similar.
Of note here are the change in the color temperature that warmed up a too-BLUE image very nicely, the Exposure slider at +0.80, the Highlight slider at -100, and +20 on the Shadows. Try to figure out why for each of those … And remember that most of the sliders are moved to your taste for each individual image, and that you will be using different values for all except for images created in the same light in a given situation. For those you can hit Control + left click and select Apply Previous Settings from the dropdown menu.
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I created this image on 9 January 2020 on the last San Diego IPT. Standing on the sidewalk, I used the hand held
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 238mm) and the AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 2500. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1600 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. Though RawDigger showed that the exposure was pretty much perfect, it was actually too dark for me. See more on that below. AWB at 10:43am on a cloudy day.
Center Zone AF-C Bird/Eye Detection AF was active at the moment exposure and worked just fine. Click on the image to view a hi-res version.
Image #1C: Brandt’s Cormorants courting
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The Optimized Image
Compare Image 1#C, the optimized image, with the original image capture as seen in Image #1. The improvement from the raw conversion alone was huge. Once in Photoshop, I ran Topaz DeNoise on Low Light, did some nice Eye Doctor Work, and used a Contrast Mask to sharpen the faces of both birds. I was quite happy with the result.
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The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).
You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.
|
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
Everything mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About two years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12 and continue to do so today.
To purchase Capture One, please use this link. Then you can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here.
You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.
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San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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The 2022 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) IPT. Monday 17 January thru the morning session on Friday 21 January 2022. Four full and one-half day: $2999.00. Deposit: $899.00. Limit: 8 photographers/Openings: 7
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. (Or two seconds with SONY zebras…) And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure is one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
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Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
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Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five three hour morning photo sessions, four one and one-half afternoon photo sessions, four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy day occasions, we may — at my discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
An $899 deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 3385, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due right after you sign up.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.
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Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).
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