Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Your Call

Which of today’s two featured Turkey Vulture images do you like best? What do you like about it?

Sony a-9 iii Mirrorless Camera Body

Yours truly, Arthur Morris, AKA artie, is offering a Sony a9 iii Mirrorless camera bodies, this one in excellent plus plus condition for a ridiculously low $3998.00. The sale includes the original product box, the body cap, the battery charger, one battery, the strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Your purchase will also include my latest a9 iii Set-up e-mail, the new Buttons and Dials Guide, and the new INFO Sheet. This body already has my latest settings on it so you will be good to head out and start making great images as soon as you review the e-mailed materials.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

This camera’s incredible frame rate, an unheard of 120fps, gives you at least four times as many wing positions and flight poses as the other top-of-the-line mirrorless camera bodies. With the incredible AF system that is even better than the AF system of the a-1 with Firmware v2.02, most every single image will be sharp on the bird’s eye. And the raw files can stand up to decent crops. A new one sells at B&H for $5,998.00. B&H has two used a9 iii bodies list right now, one for $5,217.95 and another for $55217.95! And KEH is offering a used like-new a9iii for $5823.00! Used Gear Page regular Karen McCormick sold a used a9 iii for $4298.00 last month. If you have been thinking of an a9 iii, grab my lightly used a9 iii right now and save a sweet $2,000.00. artie

ps: You can see some of my a9 iii images in the blog post here.

Important BAA Blog Notices 🙂

#1: It has come to my attention that the e-mail addresses for some folks who were previously receiving blog notifications did not make it into the new Newsletter data base. Please go to the blog and click on the Subscribe tab on the lower yellow/orange menu bar at the top of the page and re-subscribe. It is the third one in from the right.

#2: At least two folks have e-mailed stating that the link to the new blog post that they are now receiving via Newsletter is not an active link. Please understand that the link is an active link and that the problem is caused by the recipient’s e-mail settings. How do I know that? Both folks replied to the sending e-mail and when it arrived in my Inbox the link was active..

If that is the case, and you cannot figure out how to rectify the problem, simply save the BAA Blog address as a Favorite. When you receive the e-mail notifying you of a new post with the seemingly dead link, go to the blog from your Favorites menu and click on the BAA Blog. The Home page with the three latest posts will appear. Now, click on the tile of the top post and you will be good to go, to enjoy and learn from the blog, and to leave a comment.

What’s Up?

On Sunday night, Bob Eastman and I enjoyed our second consecutive incredible sunset. There were few birds, but we stayed out on the pier till 30 minutes after the sun had gone down photographing the grand scene with our cell phones. On Monday morning, we played around with a Cattle Egret flock for a while and then photographed some vultures at the desiccated Coyote skeleton. Pickings were slim both for the vultures and the photographers. At 8:52am, I said to Bob, “Eight minute warning” and continued the countdown every minute or two until the clock in my SUV struck nine. As we were about to turn north to head home, Bob said, “An Osprey just landed in the small bay and is taking a bath. Hey, there are two of them.” Before I got my vehicle into position, one flew off and circled around in flight. We had some good chances and were stunned when the bird landed right in front of us right down sun angle about five feet from the shore, bathed, and took flight right at us into the southeast wind.

After some high fives, we turned around and headed for my house. Again. And again, Bob interrupted me. This time he said, “There’s a Turkey Vulture with its wings raised on the Skinny Perch.” I drove a big circle on the South Peninsula to get on sun angle and avoid scaring the bird. We went to work. It was obvious that the wet, bedraggled bird had just emerged from a bath and was drying its wings. I moved the car to get a bit closer and put the wind right behind us albeit a bit off sun angle. Within a few seconds, the bird lifted off and flew right at us. Thanks to Pre-Capture on the a-1 ii, I got some frames of the bird just before it lifted off as well as the entire take-off. I lifted the lens off the BLUBB- and got some nice flight shots as well.

We surely made hay with our fifteen minutes of overtime!

I stayed in all day on Tuesday to start packing for San Diego. Today is Wednesday 8 January and as my photo gear is already packed, I will be taking the whole day off again. I still have to finish packing and tie up lots of loose ends. Whatever you choose to do, I hope that you choose to have a happy and productive day. Jim is taking Bob and me to the airport at 3:30am on Thursday for our non-stop flight to San Diego.

If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Should You Upgrade to or Purchase a Sony a-1 ii?

Aside from the improved ergonomics — more room for cold weather gloves and a more comfortable position for the shutter button — both as compared to the a-1, other nice features include the fact that the rear screen tilts both ways. Pre-capture will surely prove to be a plus. In addition, the resolution on the rear monitor has been improved dramatically. Not to mention that Bird Face-Eye tracking on the a-1 ii is significantly better than on the a-1 and that the 51MP files are to die for. Tracking: Spot XS and Wide are so much better with the a-1 ii that I have activated both of them. And don’t forget the Pre-Capture feature! On the other hand, in my opinion, the Speed Boost feature on the a-1 ii is a total waste for bird photography. Why? You want to be at 30 fps all the time.

So, the big question is, is the a-1 ii “worth” a gear upgrade. Remembering that I can never know whether or not something is worth it to you, I can say that I was not floored when using my a-1 ii. The differences between the a-1 ii and the original a-1, are neither huge nor eye-opening. The huge difference between the new camera body and the a9 iii is, of course, the 51MP a-1 raw files (as compared to the 24MP files rendered by the a9 iii).

With the price of a new a-1 having recently dropped $1500.00 to $4,998.00, the decision for new Sony buyers is a very tough one. The a-1 II sells new for 6,498.00. And the price of used a-1 bodies will continue to drop (but not as much as I had thought before using the a-1 ii).

All that said, I will be purchasing a second a-1 ii ASAP. As Bob would say, “Gooder is goober.”

If you do purchase an a-1 ii, be sure to use one of my two affiliate links so that you will receive my a-1 ii settings (in the form of a CAMSETii.DAT file), the Buttons and Dials Guide, and an Info Sheet. Folks who do not purchase their new a-i using my B&H link or from Bedfords here and entering the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout will be able to purchase the a-1 ii guide for $227.43. If you are at all confused and do not want to screw up your order, please get in touch via e-mail.

This image was created on 1 January 2025 (HNY!) down by the lake near my home at ILE, FL. Seated in the front seat of my SUV I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 622mm) and the and The Latest Greatest Flagship Body, the Sony a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Shutter Priority -1 stop (1): 1/2000 sec. at f/11 (stoped down 2/3-stop) AUTO ISO set ISO 125. The exposure determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Wheel. AWB at 7:30:45am just after sunrise. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Image #1: Turkey Vulture diving off perch at sunrise image

What Pre-Capture Can Do For You

Before you can realize the advantages of Pre-Capture, you need to understand exactly how it works. You must, of course, have the feature turned on. Next, you must be half-pressing the shutter button so that autofocus is tracking the bird, usually the eye or the face. Then, when you fully depress that shutter button the camera will save the images recorded during the pre-set duration. On my a-1 ii, I keep Pre-Capture turned on with the Pre-Capture Rec Time set to 0.5 seconds. At 30 fps, that gets me the 15 images that were registered by the camera body before I fully pressed the shutter button and began shooting. Magic!

When the vulture dived off the perch, I said to Bob in back seat, “Darn! I missed that.” I absolutely did not press the shutter button until an instant before the bird disappeared into the blackness of the trees below the perch. I was stunned later that morning when I saw that Pre-Capture had recorded and saved the perfect frame of the take-off, Image #1 above.

In this case, Pre-Capture saved the day even though I was slow to act.

The Time Has Never Been Better!

With the Sony 200-600 available for less than $2K (new) and the price of a-1 bodies falling, there has never been a better time to change your life. As you see in above and have seen in many recent blog posts, the versatility of this inexpensive lens often trumps the faster, far more expensive fixed focal length telephoto lenses offered by Sony: the 600mm f/4, the 400mm f/2.8, and the 300mm f/2.8.

Use one of my affiliate links and I can have you set up making great images in a matter of minutes, just as I’ve done with Bob Eastman, the amazing Anita North, Pat Fishburne (at age 86!), Andrew Schonbek, Steve and Elizabeth Shore, Carolyn Johnson (at age 80), Geri Georg, and too many more to remember. They all switched. You can do it too!

This image was created on 6 January 2024 down by the lake near my home at ILE, FL. Seated in the front seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and Sony’s Latest Greatest Flagship Body, the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1000. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/2500 second at f/6.3 (stopped down 1/3-stop in error) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 9:12:13am on sunny morning. Zone AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: Turkey Vulture taking flight from the Skinny Perch

Another Pre-Capture Plus

With Image #2, I was right on the bird and focusing accurately when it began to take off. Even so, human reaction time is far from instantaneous. And those reaction times become incrementally longer as you age. As I will be 79 this coming June, I need all the help that I can get. With Image #2, Pre-Captured enabled me to capture a complete, all-encompassing sequence.

Realize This

With both of today’s featured images, the lens was supported by my BLUBB. A tripod or monopod would do the trick as well. When hand holding, stamina comes into play. Depending on the weight of your rig, the wait for a bird to take flight can tax your strength to the point of exhaustion. Many times, when you relax and lower your lens, the bird will leave the perch. In those cases, not even Pre-Capture can help you.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

What’s Up?

Conditions were fair to good on Friday morning here at ILE but as my late Dad would say, “We didn’t do such good.” Never discouraged, Bob Eastman and I headed down to the lake at 5:13pm for sunset. Working from the south end of the South Field, we tried some images of the hundreds of vultures returning to their roost across the South Canal opposite the South Peninsula. I deleted them all. Next, we checked the South Peninsula perches; all were empty. We headed down toward the south end in hopes that we might enjoy some action at the small Boat-tailed Grackle roost. The evening was dead clear but the orange glow to the SW was getting pretty sweet.

As we approached the end of the peninsula we saw a guy in a kayak. Bob said, “He must have a big fish — he’s paddling with one hand.” He shouted him a howdy and he asked, “Can you guys take some photos of me?” So we did. Read the rest of the story below. I almost forgot to mention that I learned a huge lesson about high ISOs due to a mistake that I made.

Today is Saturday 4 January and if you are reading this post after receiving a new style notification via e-mail, it means that a new, more efficient BIRDS AS ART blog has been created successfully. If you received a new style e-mail advising you of this post, please leave a short comment stating, “Got it!”

I was so excited after receiving the e-mail below from Peter Kes in the middle of the night during a pit stop that I could not get back to sleep. It is 4:29am as I type. Bob and I will be headed down to the lake at about 7:00am. We both hope that you choose to have a great day.

Great News From Peter Kes (via a WhatsApp Message)

Peter sent the much anticipated news at 2:10am (from RSA) and I saw his message at 3:18am.

Morning

– updated to PHP 8.3 (latest)
– updated to WordPress 6.7.1
– all plugins are on latest level
– Post Notification is deactivated, not deleted
– Newsletter was installed and activated
– all active subscribers from Post Notification have been imported to Newsletter
– a new Template (POST NOTIFICATION TEMPLATE) has been added
– The Newsletter ‘Subscribe’ page has been added to the pagelist, replacing the Post Notification Subscription pages
– The Newsletter ‘Subscribe’ page can be seen in the yellow navigation bar

Now we just have to see if it works! Peter is 99.99% sure that it will. I’m from Missouri …

This image was created on 3 January 2024 down by the lake near my home at ILE. I used the handheld Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 148mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 25600: 1/5000 sec. at f/4 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 5:36:16pm in the shade about six minutes before sunset. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Patrick with female Largemouth Bass

Bob Was Right!

Bob called out, “You got a fish?” The guy, Patrick above, said, “Yes. Can you take some photos of me with it?” “Of course,” we shouted. Bob helped Patrick land the kayak and the young man showed us the fish. He had been keeping it in the water to keep it alive and well. He wanted to measure it and release it. The fish was 25 inches long with a girth of 18 inches, a big, fat, pregnant momma. From that information, AI Overview calculated that it weighed approximately 10.3 pounds. A nice fish. Patrick was so, so excited.

Patrick gave Bob his cell phone and Bob made lots of images of the very happy fisherman. I grabbed my 70-200mm GM ii lens and went to work. When we finished up, Patrick removed his boots and waded into the canal holding the fish by its tail so that it could pass water over its gills while finning. Within two minutes, the big bass, having regained its strength, flapped its tail hard and swam away, none the worse for wear.

I gave Patrick my card and told him to e-mail me so that I could send him some images. After several rounds of high fives, Patrick approached me and gave me a huge hug and a pat on the back. On the short ride back to my home, both Bob and I were enveloped by a warm glow (despite the fact that we had not created a single good bird photo on our late afternoon outing). Sometimes, life is about more than bird photography.

This morning, however, I realized that both Bob and I got some some flight shots of the drake Mallard on Patrick’s cap!

A few days before, during a walk on the pier at about 4:45pm, there was a young guy fishing while standing on the pier railing! As I approached him, he set the hook into a big fish but lost his lure. We chatted a bit. He thought that it might have been a bass or a gar. Anyhoo, the guy standing on the railing turned out to be Patrick in the kayak.

This image was also and obviously created on 3 January 2024 down by the lake near my home at ILE. I used the handheld Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 200mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 25600: 1/5000 sec. at f/4 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 5:36:33pm in the shade about six minutes before sunset. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Why the Largemouth Bass was so-named

The FISH AS ART Style

As I love working tight, I moved in as Patrick posed with his bass and created the tight shot above that is quite similar to my BIRDS AS ART style, clean, tight, and graphic. Bird Face-Eye autofocus had no problem tracking the yellow belly of the frog lure.

The Huge Mistake

My in-the-field workflow involves carefully choosing a shutter speed, setting the aperture — usually wide open, and then raising the ISO until I see a few Zebras on the highlights. I wanted to work at 1/500 second as that would have been more than high enough to produce a sharp image. In my haste to get things done, I inadvertently set the shutter speed to 1/5000 sec. Then I simply raised the ISO using the Thumb Dial until I was some Zebras on the water in Image #1. As I teach others, I simply did not pay attention to the ISO. Thus, after screwing up the shutter speed setting I wound up at ISO 25600.

The Valuable Lesson

After using my double noise reduction technique (as detailed in DB II and in the DB III Video Series, Volume I), I was stunned by the clean color and the smooth creamy backgrounds with nary a trace of noise. These two images should answer the question of how the The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera, handles high ISO noise.

Bob’s cell phone image Image #3: Patrick and Largemouth Bass Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Bob Eastman

Thanks Bob!

Helping Patrick land the kayak, taking photos of Patrick and the fish, and helping him successfully release the fish, Bob had as much fun as I did!

Should You Upgrade to or purchase a Sony a-1 ii?

Aside from the improved ergonomics as compared to the a-1, other nice features include the fact that the rear screen tilts both ways. Pre-capture will surely prove to be a plus while in my option, the Speed Boost feature is a total waste for bird photography. In addition, the resolution on the rear monitor has been improved dramatically. Not to mention that Bird Face-Eye tracking on the a-1 ii is significantly better than on the a-1 and that the 51MP file are to die for. And don’t forget the Pre-Capture feature!

So, the big question is, is the a-1 ii “worth” a gear upgrade. Remembering that I can never know whether or not something is worth it to you, I can say that I was not floored when using my a-1 ii. The differences between the a-1 ii and the original a-1, are neither huge nor eye-opening. The huge difference between the new camera body and the a9 iii is, of course, the 51MP a-1 raw files (as compared to the 24MP files rendered by the a9 iii).

With the price of a new a-1 having recently dropped $1500.00 to $4,998.00, the decision for new Sony buyers is a very tough one. The a-1 II sells new for 6,498.00. And the price of used a-1 bodies will continue to drop (but not as much as I had thought before using the a-1 ii).

If you do purchase an a-1 ii, be sure to use one of my two affiliate links so that you will receive my a-1 ii settings (in the form of a CAMSETii.DAT file), the Buttons and Dials Guide, and an Info Sheet. Folks who do not purchase their new a-i using my B&H link or from Bedfords here and entering the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout will be able to purchase the a-1 ii guide for $227.43. If you are at all confused and do not want to screw up your order, please get in touch via e-mail.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Sony Alpha 1 (a-1) Mirrorless Camera Body (with Extras!)

Used Gear Page regular, IPT Veteran, and BAA friend Dane Johnson is offering a Sony a-1 (ILCE-1) mirrorless camera body (Firmware v2.02) in like-new condition for a ridiculously low $3,698.00. The sale includes a like-new Really Right Stuff Modular L-plate set (a $215.00 value), a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card (a $268.00 value), the original product boxes, the owner’s manual, the USA warranty card, the body cap, the camera strap, one battery and the charger, the cords, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Dane via e-mail or by phone at 559-593-0989 (Pacific time zone).

I have used Sony a-1 bodies as my workhorse cameras for three years. They produce stunning 51MP files with vivid natural colors. The AF system is science-fiction-like. They are rugged and dependable and 30 frames per second is nothing to sneeze at. With a brand new A-1 ii going for $6498.00, you can save $2900.00 (plus the two great extras) by grabbing Dane’s pretty much as good as new copy ASAP Right now, B&H is offering a used a-1 in like-new condition for $4,397.00. That makes Dane’s body package an absolute steal. artie

Vertical Image Design for Bird & Nature Photography You Tube Video

Learn to create stronger verticals in this YouTube video. Which images do you think are the three strongest?

What’s Up?

Not much. I stayed in this morning for the first time in more than two months! I wanted to finish the new video. The continuing cloudy and foggy weather made my decision an easy one.

Yesterday, Bob Eastman and I spent another cloudy morning at Circle B Bar Preserve in Lakeland. I continued testing the vastly improved OSS (image stabilization system) of The Latest Greatest Flagship Body, the Sony a1 II Mirrorless Camera. I was quite impressed and came up with a new twist to ensure sharp images when handholding at 600mm with the a-1 ii. I will be sharing this new twist via e-mail with my a-1 ii group soon.

As today is 31 December 2024, Jim, Jennifer, Bob, and I hope that y’all have a truly wonderful 2025 filled with good health, family, friends, love, and lots of great images.

The Time Has Never Been Better!

With the Sony 200-600 available for less than $2K (new) and the price of a-1 bodies falling, there has never been a better time to change your life. Use one of my affiliate links and I can have you set up making great images in a matter of minutes, just as I’ve done with Bob Eastman, the amazing Anita North, Pat Fishburne (at age 86!), Andrew Schonbek, Steve and Elizabeth Shore, Carolyn Johnson (at age 80), Geri Georg, and too many more to remember.

In today’s blog post, learn how Bob Eastman created so many great images with his “inferior” Sony 200-600/a-1 rig while I failed with my “obviously superior” gear, the Sony 600mm f/4 GM and an a-1 ii. The short story: lighter, versatile, and more maneuverable often wins the day. Bob Eastman: Mr. Ever-ready!

The above is fact not hype.

The Image Optimizations

After waking Bob up early for our drive to Lakeland, I grabbed about a dozen of his best raw files from our morning session last Sunday. I optimized four of them on the way over and the last two on the trip home. Then, I began working on this blog post. In the car. It has never been easier to learn my complete digital workflow. All you need are Digital Basics II and the Digital Basics III Video Series.

What’s Up?

On Thursday, Bob Eastman and I headed over to Circle B Bar Preserve in Lakeland. We walked nearly three miles. We enjoyed very few good chances. As we walked, I had my 600mm f/4 in one hand (6.7 pounds — $12,998.00) and my tripod in the other. As you might guess, it takes a minute for me to get set up. Bob had his trusty 200-600mm G lens (4.65 pounds — 1,898.00). He was always ready instantly. Energy expenditure — Advantage Bob. Ease of use in the field — Advantage Bob. Lens speed (f/4 vs. f 6.3) with accompanying faster shutter speeds/lower ISOs: Advantage artie. In addition, being on a tripod at 600mm allows for slower shutter speeds and thus, lower ISOs, than hand holding at 600mm. Bob was using a Sony a-1 with Firmware v2.01. I was using the brand new Sony a-1 ii.

Which rig would you rather have had in your hands on this cloudy morning? At more than six times the cost, is the 600mm f/4 always a better lens than the 200-600. Keep reading to find out. You might be very surprised.

After our walk, we headed over to Lakeland to see if the American White Pelicans were in. They were not. We did enjoy a few cooperative female Anhingas (one in breeding plumage!) and a silly tame Great Blue Heron.

Today is Friday 27 December 2024. We will be headed down to the lake early as usual. Whatever you are doing, we hope that you too choose to have fun and be happy. I will be sending out new, revised .DAT files, a matching Buttons and Dials guide, and a new, revised Info Sheet to the a9 iii and a-1 ii groups this weekend. Huge thanks to those who’ve used one of my two affiliate links to purchase their new camera bodies (and lenses).

Should You Upgrade to the a-1 ii?

Aside from the improved ergonomics as compared to the a-1, other nice features include the fact that the rear screen tilts both ways. Pre-capture will surely prove to be a plus while in my option, the Speed Boost feature is a total waste for bird photography. In addition, the resolution on the rear monitor has been improved dramatically. Not to mention that Bird Face-Eye tracking on the a-1 ii is significantly better than on the a-1 and that the 51MP file are to die for.

So, the big question is, is the a-1 ii “worth” a gear upgrade. Remembering that I can never know whether or not something is worth it to you, I can say that I was not floored when using my a-1 ii. The differences between the a-1 ii and the original a-1, are neither huge nor eye-opening. The huge difference between the new camera body and the a9 iii is, of course, the 51MP a-1 raw files (as compared to the 24MP files rendered by the a9 iii).

With the price of a new a-1 having recently dropped $1500.00 to $4,998.00, the decision for new Sony buyers is a very tough one. The a-1 II sells new for 6,498.00. And the price of used a-1 bodies will continue to drop (but not as much as I had thought before using the a-1 ii).

If you do purchase an a-1 ii, be sure to use one of my two affiliate links so that you will receive my a-1 ii settings (in the form of a CAMSETii.DAT file), the Buttons and Dials Guide, and an Info Sheet. Folks who do not purchase their new a-i using my B&H link or from Bedfords here and entering the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout will be able to purchase the a-1 ii guide for $227.43. If you are at all confused and do not want to screw up your order, please get in touch via e-mail.

You can see some of my very recent a-1 ii images in the blog post here.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.

This image was created on 22 December 2024 by my friend Bob Eastman down by the lake near my home at ILE, FL. Sitting behind me in my SUV, he used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2000. 1/2500 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:44:26am on a sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be dead solid perfect. Tracking: Spot (S) AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Turkey Vulture on post with wings spread Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Bob Eastman

The Second Wild Boar Roadkill Cafe

After the first Wild Boar we put out was eaten the first night by an American Alligator — Bob came home with a 200+ pound boar a few days later. The vultures loved it. Bob had put up this lovely perch near the North Canal the week before while I was napping. I mentioned to him that there was a chance that a handsome Turkey Vulture might land on it and spread its wings. Dream come true. Bob got the perfect shot. I got nothing.

Note: after three days of vulture feeding, the second Wild Boar carcass was apparently dragged off into the canal by another ‘gator.

Why I Failed #1

I was eager to try my new Sony a1 II Mirrorless Camera on the 600 with the 1.4X TC while working off the BLUBB. At 840mm, I could not fit the bird in the frame. By the time I removed the TC, the bird had flown away 🙁 Score one for Bob.

This image was also created on 22 December 2024 by my friend Bob Eastman down by the lake near my home at ILE, FL. Still sitting behind me in my SUV, he used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2000. 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:57:29am on a sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Spot (S) AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Crested Caracara in gliding flight — dorsal view Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Bob Eastman

200-600 Hand Hold-ability

With its light weight and relatively small size, hand holding this lens is child’s play for most folks. Bob saw the caracara coming, adjusted the exposure, and began firing almost instantly. He nailed sharpness, exposure, and flight pose with this frame.

Why I Failed #2

While I had removed the 1.4X TC, I was still working off the BLUBB. With the window raised a bit, there was no room to follow the bird in flight. Not to mention that it is very difficult for me to hand hold the 600 because of its great size and weight. Score another one for Bob.

This image was also created on 22 December 2024 by my friend Bob Eastman down by the lake near my home at ILE, FL. Still sitting behind me in my SUV, he used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2000. 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:57:53am on a sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Spot (S) AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Crested Caracara on road-killed Wild Boar — dominance display Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Bob Eastman

Bob’s AF #1 Choice

Bob absolutely loves Tracking: Spot S (with Bird Face-Eye Tracking enabled) and uses it for nearly all of his bird photography, including and especially for flight. That choice paid big dividends with Image #3 as he got the AF point on the eye of the caracara and tracking it as it walked atop of the boar and challenged the much larger Black Vultures. Bob kept three excellent frames. I got nothing. Are you seeing a pattern yet?

Why I Failed #3

After I missed the incoming caracara, it landed on the big pig and began displaying. At that moment, I was re-positioning the BLUBB. It was all over in 1 1/2 seconds. Bob: three, artie: zero.

This image was also created on 22 December 2024 by my friend Bob Eastman down by the lake near my home at ILE, FL. Still sitting behind me in my SUV, he used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 415mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2000. 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:58:07am on a sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be dead solid perfect. Tracking: Spot (S) AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #4: Bald Eagle in flight — wings fully raised Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Bob Eastman

Zoom Lens Versatility

Bob loves the 200-600 because he can zoom out as needed when a bird in flight gets too large in the frame. Another advantage of zooming out a bit is that you gain some additional depth of field.

Why I Failed #4

Having removed the BLUBB from the door frame, I struggled to raise my 8+ pound rig and find the bird in the frame. When I finally got on the eagle, it was too large in the frame. I could not, of course, zoom out with a fixed focal length lens. Once again, I got nothing. Score four for Mr. Eastman, zero for Mr. Famous Bird Photographer.

This image was also created on 22 December 2024 by my friend Bob Eastman down by the lake near my home at ILE, FL. Still sitting behind me in my SUV, he used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2000. 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at e: 8:01:29am on a sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Spot (S) AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #5: Crested Caracara taking flight — wings fully down Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Bob Eastman

Ever-Ready Bob

When I am driving and we are using the SUV as a moving photo blind, Bob often creates some excellent images before I even bring the car to a stop. Though that was not the case here — we had already been parked, Bob, with his trusty 200-600 is always quicker on the draw than I am with my larger fast lens.

Why I Failed #5

When this bird took flight, I had no chance at all to get on it. My rig was too large and too heavy; in short, it was unmanageable. Bob five, artie zero.

This image was also created on 22 December 2024 by my friend Bob Eastman down by the lake near my home at ILE, FL. Now seated in the driver’s seat of his Toyota truck, he used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at e: 11:00:32am on a sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be dead solid perfect. Tracking: Spot (S) AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #6: Black Vulture parade with scrap of bloody Wild Boar Image courtesy of and copyright 2024: Bob Eastman

Perseverance

After breakfast last Sunday, I downloaded and edited my images from the morning session. Then I took a nap. Bob, on the other hand, still feeling like the kid in the candy store after nearly two months in Florida, headed back down to the lake. Despite the allegedly “too harsh light” at 11:00am, he came back with some fine images.

Why I Failed #6

I was knackered and hit the sack.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide

126 pages, 87 photographs by (the late) Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.

Purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back-and-forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Below are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide. Please note that last season, Gatorland did not offer a Photographer’s Pass.

• Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
• Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery. Please note that Gatorland no longer offers a photographer’s pass.
• The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
• Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
• Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
• Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
• West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here, if you are lucky, you will have a chance for two difficult birds: Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
• Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.

Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.

You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

The Pre-copulatory Stand and the Cloacal Kiss

An 11-second Photo Mechanic Movie

Many species of larger birds including gulls, terns, and cranes, employ the pre-copulatory stand as part of their courtship rituals. The male mounts the female, raises its wings, and practices balancing atop the female. At times, I have seen a male Royal Tern stand on the female for minutes on end without attempting to copulate via a cloacal kiss, the touching together of the cloacas of a male and female bird, during which sperm is transferred.

From the moment the female leaned forward till the moment the male hopped off her, I created only 116 images over the course of 22 seconds. With a frame rate of 30 fps, it is obvious that I did not hold the shutter button down. I was quite selective. I kept 24 photos from the sequence.

Taking a close look at the series, I am not sure if this pair actually copulated. What do you think?

Figure #1: Map of the South Lakeshore at ILE

Acting Decisively!

On a warm, still morning with some ground fog, Bob and I were on foot at A when I noticed a pair of cranes to the north (at B) acting very friendly. “In the car,” I said to Bob, “let’s go!” I knew instantly that if we shot from where we were that we would have the pavilion, the bathroom building, and/or the small marina at the end of the canal as our background. Giving the birds as wide a berth as possible — remember that they are silly tame, I drove to C and pointed my SUV west by slightly north. Note that we could have gotten a lot closer without disturbing the courting birds, but I had used the distant trees as background before and knew what I wanted.

For many decades, my thoughts are that I would rather wind up with nothing than make a series of images that would not make me very happy, in this case, a series of images with horrific backgrounds. As things turned out, we were in perfect position when the action began. (Learn more about the decision by reading on.)

This image was created on 17 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at ILE, FL. Seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1250. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/640 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 7:25:18am on a partly cloudy morning just after sunrise. Tracking: (right center) Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane pair — female inviting copulation

Why Sidelight?

In my forty-one plus years of bird photography, I have rarely used sidelight. But, with the sun just peeking through the clouds, the light was incredibly soft. And pleasing. Had we opted to work on sun angle we would have had a boring lake background, might have disturbed the birds, and would have been shooting down at them. So, the decision to drive well past the birds, go with the gentle sidelight, and reduce the angle of declination, was any easy one for me.

Speaking of light, please note that I have nothing against using backlight in the right conditions.

This image was also and obviously created on 17 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at ILE, FL. Seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1250. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/640 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 7:25:20am on a partly cloudy morning just after sunrise. Tracking: Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane pair — pre-copulation stand

Shutter Speed Considerations

Just prior to the action, I had been working at 1/250 second. Once I saw the female lean forward to invite the male, I knew that some flapping would be involved; I raised the ISO four clicks. That allowed me to raise the wide open shutter speed to 1/640 second (at ISO 1250). If you watched my hugely popular YouTube Shutter Speeds for Bird Photography, you would know that while 1/640 sec. was much better than 1/250 second when shooting moderate action, it was a bit less than ideal, 1/800 or 1/1000 sec. After our session, I was hoping that all the images were sharp. They were. In part, because of the distance. Remember that the degree of blurring at a given shutter speed increases as the distance to the subject decreases.

If you missed the video, you would be wise to check it out here.

The Post Processing

Note that I opted to fill in the sky in the upper right corner of each frame with trees. I used warped, refined Quick Masks that were refined by Regular Layer Masks. All as detailed in Digital Basics II and in the Digital Basics III Video Series.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide

126 pages, 87 photographs by (the late) Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.

Purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back-and-forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Below are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide. Please note that last season, Gatorland did not offer a Photographer’s Pass.

• Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
• Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
• The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
• Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
• Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
• Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
• West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here, if you are lucky, you will have a chance for two difficult birds: Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
• Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.

Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.

You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

For Want of a Bird

What’s a bird photographer to do when there are no birds? Look for something interesting and attempt to photograph it well.

Your Calls?

Which two of today’s five featured images do you like best? Why for each? Which of the five is the most boring photo? I will share my answers here soon.

Today’s Lesson

When there are no birds to photograph at sunrise or sunset, look for something else to shoot.

What’s Up?

Today is Friday 20 December. Bob Eastman and I will be heading down to the lake at 6:45am despite the fact that the forecast is identical to yesterday’s: totally foggy with no sun until 10:00am. We’ve been photographing our favorite pair of cranes walking out of the marsh in the pre-dawn light. Yesterday I was at ISO 8000, 1/125 sec. at f/2.8. Other than that, we got nothing yesterday morning. Bob stayed in last night while I headed down to the lake at the last minute and got very lucky. Read to the end to find out how lucky I was. Whatever you choose to do, we hope that like us, you opt to be happy and have fun.

Please remember to use the B&H links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising (Royal Albert Hall, London/1970)

This image was created on 15 November 2024 from the South Jetty Parking lot July 2024 at Sebastian Inlet, FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2000. 1/640 second at f/4 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 5:34:40pm well after sunset. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect. Tracking: (upper right) Zone AF-C AF with Bird Face/Eye Detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy an inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #1: full moon rising

Good Images are Where You See Them

Good Moon on the Rise

Bob Eastman had been planning to shoot the rising full moon for more than a week. He had scouted several different locations, most of them with the intent of including the end of the North Jetty in the frame. The moon rose at about 5:20pm into a hazy sky. It was not very impressive. We made a few images. They were not very impressive either. Ten minutes later, when we got back to my SUV, I happened to glance to my left, and saw the full moon nicely framed by a tall cabbage palm and other semi-tropical vegetation, I called out to Bob, “There’s the shot!”

We both grabbed a lens and went to work. With Sony Zebras, getting the exposure right was child’s play. After selecting my shutter speed, I dialed up the ISO until there were faint Zebra’s on the moon. That done, the key to the success of this image was the processing. I worked selectively on the color and brightness of the sky, the vegetation, and the moon. All as detailed in Digital Basics II and in the Digital Basics III Video Series.

If you would like to see exactly how I processed this image in Volume II of DB III, please shoot me an e-mail.

This image was created on 24 November 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height, I used the jiggle blur technique with the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 444mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. Shutter Priority +1.0 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 100: 1/3 sec. at f/25 (stopped down 3 full stops). AWB at 5:35:56pm on a then partly cloudy afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy an inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #2: tree at sunset — jiggle/zoom blur

Necessity is the Mother or Invention

In the Socratic dialogue Republic, Plato famously wrote: “our need will be the real creator. Over time this became the English proverb, Necessity is the mother of invention.

For a twist on that, check out the fascinating article Play is the Mother of Invention; Necessity is the Mother of Engineering by Peter Gray.

Anyhoo, when you have so little light that making a sharp image would require ISO 256,000, think blurs. I often teach that when trying to create new and different pleasing blurs, playing around is a great idea. Peter Gray would surely agree with that.

This image was created on 8 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. Shutter Priority +0.7 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 1000: 1/800 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 5:42:02 pm on a then cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy an inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #3: strange cloud at sunset

A Very Strange Cloud at Sunset

With few birds flying on the late afternoon of 8 December, Bob and I both enjoyed photographing a strange cloud in the western sky. Neither of us had ever seen anything remotely like it before.

This image was created on 12 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing on the South Peninsula I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 640. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1600 sec. at f/11 (stopped down 3 stops). AWB at 7:11:36am on a clear morning with a bit of haze in the eastern sky. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: (left center) Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #4: dead and live pine trees at sunrise

The Sunrise Spot

There are very few spots at Indian Lake Estates where you can take advantage of pre-dawn and sunrise color. This was the 2024 Bald Eagle nest tree. After Hurricane Milton took down this nest, the birds began re-building in the same tree. But when I got back from Sebastian Inlet, we discovered that they had moved across the canal and built a huge new nest in a live pine tree. Photographing the nest well is a 100% impossibility.

Most mornings, the vultures land in the dead tree when the oranges and yellow are most vivid. What’s a guy to do when the birds do not show up?

This image was created on 18 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 594mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) ISO 640. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/800 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 5:33:38pm just after the sun dropped below the horizon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Expand Spot AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the inexplicably sharper larger version. Image #5: Bob Eastman’s Pine Perch at sunset

A Very Creative Perch

Bob had grabbed a very attractive pine tree perch and erected it at the south end of the South Marsh. Bob put up this perch about two weeks ago. As he was walking back to his truck, a Great Egret landed on it. On the morning of 16 December, I photographed a Turkey Vulture on Bob’s Pine Perch in pre-dawn light. I will share that one with you here at some point.

The perch is so pretty that on Wednesday evening, I photographed it against some lovely sunset color. Ah, for want of a bird.

So last night, Bob opted to stay in. I ran down to the lake about 15 minutes before sunset. There was nothing on The Perch II. Nothing on Bob’s small perch. And there was nothing on The Perch III. As I approached Bob’s Pine Perch in my SUV, there were three Turkey Vultures sitting on it. One flew off. The color was getting sweeter by the minute. Needing to get lower, I grabbed the 200-600 G lens, exited the vehicle, and went to work in Shutter Priority with EC on the Thumb Dial. Then I enjoyed a miracle or two when a second vulture took flight and then returned to land on the perch, wings outstretched.

When I showed Bob some of the images on the back of the camera, he said dejectedly, Oh, no!

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

What’s Up?

Bob Eastman and I have again been enjoying some great photography here at Indian Lake Estates. The story of the 80-pound road-killed wild boar is hilarious though it did not really generate any good photographic chances for us. But we got some great stuff on Sunday morning at a road-kill cafe set-up. And that night, the cranes danced up a storm atop the small hill just to the north of the parking circle.

Today is Monday 16 December 2024. We will be headed down to the lake early. Whatever you choose to do, we hope that like us, you choose to be happy and have fun.

Please remember to use the B&H links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.

Ordinary or Special?

In the recent Keep or Delete? Ordinary or Special? blog post here, I wrote:

Is it possible to create a special image of a crane standing there doing nothing (Images #1 or 2), or of a group of cranes standing in the same spot preening (Image #3)? Please click on each of today’s three featured images to enlarge them and then decide if any or all of them are in any way special. If yes, what factors make them special to you?

Seven folks commented. All the comments were appreciated. Two went with Image #1 as their favorite, two liked Image #3 best. My pick of the litter was Image #2. Friend and multiple IPT veteran David Pugsley won the best-by-a-mile comment contest when he posted this:

David Pugsley/December 12, 2024 at 9:56pm

Number 1 Loves

– the two layer background
– the head well above the break
– the clean bill
– the parallel to the sensor HA

Number 2 Loves

– the TRIPLE layer background
– the body situated in the middle layer
– the perfect HA

Number 3 Loves

– the family group
– two perfect HAs and one good look at the red cap

In summary: any sharp, well constructed image of a sandhill crane, one of my favorites, is a winner in my book.

Image #1: Sandhill Crane adult head and neck portrait

What I Loved About Image #1

1- the stunning color, contrast, and sharpness.
2- that with one stop of additional depth of field, the entire bill tip was sharp. That, as David Pugsley noted above, due to the fact that the bill was almost perfectly parallel to the imaging sensor.
3- the placement of the subject in the frame.
4- the perfectly clean bill (with only a bit of clean-up help from me).
5- the slightly raised gray “crest” feathers on the back of the head that abut and accent the red cap.

Image #2: Sandhill Crane adult standing there doing nothing in relatively flat light pretty much doing nothing

What I Loved About Image #2

1- the soft light.
2- the soft light!
3- how the soft light, the sharp subject, the narrow depth of field, and the lovely, soft, de-focused background combine to give the image a feeling of peacefulness and serenity.
4- the soft light.
5- the ever so slight head turn toward the viewer.
6- the three distinct layers of background color.
7- the image design.

As noted above, Image #2 was my favorite of the three.

Bokeh

My first inclination was to use the word “bokeh” when talking about the Image #2. First off, nobody is sure how to pronounce the word. A web search offers several alternatives. The video might or might not have the definitive answer, but it is a fun watch.

Not only are most folks not sure how to say the word, not everyone agrees on its meaning. Some state that it refers only to the quality of out-of-focus specular highlights, while others are sure that it refers to the quality of the out-of-focus areas in the background. Some say that bokeh is determined by the focal length and aperture, while others believe that bokeh has more to do with the construction of a given lens. Check out the Bokeh: A Term that Means More than Blurry and Fuzzy article by Allan Weitz on the B&H Explora page here. Mr. Weitz makes some interesting points along with more than a few that I do not agree with.

When it comes to bokeh, I am not sure of much. Be sure, however, to see the incredible bokeh produced by the Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens in the next blog post.

Image #3: Sandhill Cranes — a family preening session

What I Loved About Image #3

1- the arrangement of the three cranes.
2- the relative sharpness of the two closest cranes.
3- the two perfect head angles and the third, very interesting head angle with just a sliver of the bird’s right eye visible.
4- the soft light.
5- the soft, out of focus background.
6- the difference in the color of the caps of two adults (red) and the color of the cap of the single young crane (on the right), more pink.

What I Do Not Like About Image #3

1- there is not enough room on the bottom of the frame below the bird’s virtual feet that are hidden in the grass.
2- the yellowed, dead grasses along the bottom frame edge as I find them distracting.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Keep or Delete? Ordinary or Special?

The dearth of birds on the perches and the overall lack of variety and action has left me concentrating on the cranes. Here is the question of the day:

Is it possible to create a special image of a crane standing there doing nothing (Images #1 or 2), or a group of cranes standing in the same spot preening (Image #3)? Please click on each of today’s three featured images to enlarge and then decide if any or all of them are in any way special. If yes, what factors make them special to you? Or should I have deleted them all as too ordinary? Perhaps the fact that I took the time to optimize each of them might be an indication of how I feel about them. Or perhaps I am trying to trick you.

Which (if any), is the strongest image? Which is the weakest of the three?

What’s Up?

Despite having put up three new perches recently, Bob Eastman and I have had to work hard for a few good images at most. On Wednesday I kept very few images — some nice vulture flight in the morning and some nice sunset tree silhouettes, all with the hand held 300mm f/2.8/1.4X TC/a-1 rig. I sent the Shutter Priority with AUTO ISO and Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial menu trick to both the a-1 Firmware Update group and the a9 iii group. Then I sent the SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Notes e-Mail K (10 DEC 2024) to the a-1 Set-up and Info group.

Today is Thursday 12 December 2024. Bob will be back from Vero this afternoon. As we are waiting for the new pool pump to arrive, and another cold front came through last night, I doubt if I will be doing much swimming till Monday. I did my slow quarter mile yesterday with the pool at 70° F. I just checked the thermometer at 4:23am; it is down to 68°F …

I will be heading down to the lake for sunrise to try and improve on a vulture tree sunrise color image we have been working. Then I need to scoot into town do run some errands. Whatever you choose to do, we hope that like us, you choose to be happy and have fun.

Please remember to use the B&H links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.

Fresh caught Alaskan seafood caught sustainably. Save $20 on your first order by clicking here.

Wild Alaska Salmon and Seafood Company

Ever since my two daughters sent me a big box of salmon filets and sea scallops from Wild Alaska Salmon and Seafood Company for my birthday a few years ago, I have been ordering salmon and scallops from them. Now that Junior’s Fish Market in Lake Wales is closing, I will be depending on Wild Alaska every month. I always order Sockeye filets and the Sea Scallops. The stuff comes frozen solid, is easy to prepare, and tastes pretty much as good as the fresh stuff would.

You can save $20 on your first order by clicking here. Eating wild caught seafood is about as healthy as you can go. The scallops are a real treat. When you sear them, be sure to cook them in the liquid that comes in the bag and be sure not to overcook them. I bake or broil the lightly seasoned salmon filets skin side down in olive or coconut oil.

Buy Direct from the Fisherman

Captain Tony has been fishing in Alaska since 1990. Wild Alaska is famous for their wild caught Sockeye and King Salmon! All of our other fish, including Ahi Tuna, Shrimp, Scallops, Cod, etc., are responsibly sourced, caught the right way and closely inspected by Capt. Tony to meet our high standards of quality and freshness. They catch and process all 5 species of wild pacific salmon, and source our other seafood products from high quality sustainable fisheries.

The stuff tastes great and is good for you. Internet orders to the continental United States are shipped from their fulfillment center in the Midwest allowing their seafood products to reach US customers in perfect condition. The flavor and texture of their salmon and other products remain fresher than fresh is because the stuff is frozen the same day it is caught.

I created this image 1 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1250. 1/1000 second at f/11 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:07:27am on a sunny morning. Tracking: (upper center) Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane adult head and neck portrait

1200mm on the BLUBB

As noted here often, working on the world’s best beanbag at 1200mm is child’s play with a v2.02 Firmware a-1. With bright sun, I had more than enough light to employ a fast shutter speed despite stopping down one full stop. Note: stopping down to f/11 did not bring up any unwanted background detail because the distance to the background was great.

I created this image 1 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 800. 1/400 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:58:54am on a rare cloudy morning. Tracking: (upper center) Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane adult doing nothing

A Nothing Shot?

So, we have a single crane standing there doing nothing in relatively flat light. Do you see anything special about this image or was I pipe dreaming?

I created this image on 12 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Again, working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1600. 1/500 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:24:42am on another rare cloudy morning. Tracking: Expand Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Sandhill Cranes — a family preening session

A Family Preening Session

Here is another seemingly blah-on-the-surface photograph. Is there anything at all special about it? Either way, what are the negatives?

Note that the bird on our right is last year’s young, about eight or nine months old. How do you identify them? The feathers of the front cap on the young bird are more pink than the red front caps of the adult’s. I did need to use a few tricks to sharpen up the face of the adult in the back as it was beyond the depth of field.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Mr. Gambini, Are You Mocking Me With That Outfit?

My all-time favorite movie is Shawshank Redemption. Tied for second are Forrest Gump and My Cousin Vinny. What are you three all-time favorite movies?

What’s Up?

As the pool pump continues to die, I have been swimming my daily quarter mile in 70 to 74°F water. I get out shuddering but both my left knee and my right shoulder have been doing great, and the cold thermogenesis does wonders for my blood sugar.

I am happy to report that there is only one slot left on the San Diego IPT and that both Homer IPTs are sold out. Hooray. Anita North is flying home from Nairobi after spending four months photographing all over Africa.

Today is Sunday 8 December 2024. Bob Eastman and I will be heading down to the lake again before sunrise. Whatever you choose to do, we hope that like us, you choose to be happy and have fun.

Please remember to use the B&H links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.

It’s Safe to go in the Water Now

Sony a-1 Firmware Update Update

Last spring, Sony announced firmware update v2.00 for the a-1, its flagship camera body. In short order the firmware story became an embarrassing fiasco. Over time, they announced v2.01 that caused terrible problems when the camera was used with the hugely popular 200-600 G lens. After some time, they released v2.02. About six weeks ago, with some trepidation, I purchased a used a-1 and updated it to v.2.01, and then to 2.02. I am happy to report that it is now possible to go back into the water.

The last update, v2.02, offers some great stuff for bird photographers.

v.2.02 Benefits

Battery life with 2.02 is fine. There are no issues with the 200-600 G lens. Bird Face-Eye AF is significantly improved. Wide AF with Bid Face-Eye tracking has improved drastically. Formatting a card takes about two seconds as compared to 10 seconds or more with previous firmware versions. But the very best news is a brand new feature called Focus Recall. Huge thanks to Arash Hazeghi for pointing it out to me as we worked on an update to the Sony a-1 (a9 iii) flight guide. I took what he taught me about programming Preset Focus/Zoom to a single button for flight photography and turned it into what will surely turn out to be a huge game-changer for general bird photography.

I call it “double button focus recall.” I programmed two easy-to-reach (previously unassigned) buttons to PRESET Focus Distance. I can then register a close focusing distance to one button and a far focusing distance to the other. A tap of either button instantly brings me to either as needed.

I will be working on a new e-mail to my Sony a-1 Group today or tomorrow detailing a fabulous menu find by Bob Eastman that makes switching from Manual mode with ISO on the Thumb Dial to Shutter Priority with AUTO ISO and Exposure compensation on the Thumb Dial much easier than it had been previously.

Fresh caught Alaskan seafood caught sustainably. Save $20 on your first order by clicking here.

Wild Alaska Salmon and Seafood Company

Ever since my two daughters sent me a big box of salmon filets and sea scallops from Wild Alaska Salmon and Seafood Company for my birthday a few years ago, I have been ordering salmon and scallops from them. Now that Junior’s Fish Market in Lake Wales is closing, I will be depending on Wild Alaska every month. I always order Sockeye filets and the Sea Scallops. The stuff comes frozen solid, is easy to prepare, and tastes pretty much as good as the fresh stuff would.

You can save $20 on your first order by clicking here. Eating wild caught seafood is about as healthy as you can go. The scallops are a real treat. When you sear them, be sure to cook them in the liquid that comes in the bag and be sure not to overcook them. I bake or broil the lightly seasoned salmon filets skin side down in olive or coconut oil.

Buy Direct from the Fisherman

Captain Tony has been fishing in Alaska since 1990. Wild Alaska is famous for their wild caught Sockeye and King Salmon! All of our other fish, including Ahi Tuna, Shrimp, Scallops, Cod, etc., are responsibly sourced, caught the right way and closely inspected by Capt. Tony to meet our high standards of quality and freshness. They catch and process all 5 species of wild pacific salmon, and source our other seafood products from high quality sustainable fisheries.

The stuff tastes great and is good for you. Internet orders to the continental United States are shipped from their fulfillment center in the Midwest allowing their seafood products to reach US customers in perfect condition. The flavor and texture of their salmon and other products remain fresher than fresh is because the stuff is frozen the same day it is caught.

I created this image 30 November 2024 down by the lake at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height near the base of the small hill just north of the parking lot by the pier, I used the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the thumb dial. Shutter Priority +1.3 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 1600: 1/1250 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 5:33:49pm on a clear afternoon with just a hint of haze in the low western sky. Tracking: Expand Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Bob Eastman with his trusty Sony 200-600mm G Lens Image by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

The Long Lost Brother I Never Had

Bob and I are out before sunrise pretty much every day and we both love staying till after sunset.

Bob drove down from Wisconsin for a visit. We have gotten along so well that not only is he extending his stay, he is joining me in San Diego for the whole trip. Actually, it is likely that we get along better than most brothers. Since Bob arrived on 25 October, we have been in the field early every morning. Sunday morning will be 44 straight crack-of-dawn photo sessions. We have probably taken five or six afternoons off. Zero arguments. Zero disagreements. Zero unpleasant comments. Nothing but appreciating life, friendly banter, and lots of laughing. That despite the fact that twice I have attempted to seriously injure my friend Mr. Eastman.

A few days ago, I was driving a bit too fast on the South Field and hit a pretty deep depression. As Bob has a plate with eight screws in his neck and three rods in his lower back, this was not a blessing. Having failed to finish him off going forward, I tried something new going in reverse. But first, a bit of a backstory. My $80,000 BMW X5 SUV has lots of bells and whistles. When I pull out of my garage, lots of red lights and a warning siren are constantly firing despite the fact that I am dead-centered and in no danger of hitting anything. At times, the brakes engage and keep me from backing up. Even worse, there are time when I am backing up in some 8-inch high grasses that the warning siren goes off and the brakes lock. I need to pull forward to escape.

This morning — me driving, I was backing up on the South Field along the edge of the south canal with the car pointed north, trying for a ridiculous long shot of a pair of cranes across the canal. I backed into a very solid 12-inch diameter cabbage palm trunk at about eight mph. What a thud. The back-radar that easily detects blades of grass failed to warn me of the tree. Until after I hit it 🙁

I looked in the rearview mirror to see if Bob survived and when I saw the look of pain and anguish on his face, I wanted to cry and felt like crawling under a rock. Saturday evening, Bob is still smiling and is ready to go dancing down at the lake on Sunday morning.

This image created on Thursday 5 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1600. 1/1600 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:31:16am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Northern Mockingbird perched in berry bush

Challenging Mornings

The morning bird photography action has slowed down quite a bit the past few days, mostly because of the clear skies and a brisk wind from the north. December fifth was the last partly cloudy, still morning in these parts. We began with some dancing cranes in soft light. After that, we came up pretty much empty but for working some Northern Mockingbirds along the edge of the lakeshore marsh. When this particular bird took flight, I managed a frame or two with the whole bird in the frame but the flat-as-a-pancake wing positions were far from pleasing so I deleted them all. Not to mention that 1/1600 shutter speed is fat to slow for a songbird taking flight.

The next blog post will feature the long-promised, comprehensive YouTube Shutter Speeds for Bird Photography video. You will want to bookmark it for future study and reference as it will contain a wealth of information.

Note the classic rule of thirds image design.

This image was created by my friend Bob Eastman, also on Thursday 5 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at ILE. Seated right behind me shooting hand held through the lowered window, he used the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1000: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:11:41am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Northern Mockingbird taking flight Image courtesy of and copyright 2024 Bob Eastman Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

200-600 vs. 600 +1.4X TC

While I am working in the front seat at 840mm with the big lens on a BLUBB-, Bob is almost always working in the back seat with the handheld 200-600 GM lens. Most folks would assume that I have some sort of gear advantage. But that is not always the case. While I will always have more reach, Bob has a huge hand-hold-ability advantage. It is much easier to follow flight and action when hand holding the 2-6 at 600mm than it is to be working with the larger, much heavier 600mm f/4 GM lens and a 1.4X teleconverter on the world’s best big lens beanbag. With the latter setup, following flight and action is extremely difficult at best (if not impossible). We are both using a Sony a-1 with Firmware 2.02 and its significantly improved AF.

As we continued to stalk the perched mockingbirds, I took the BLUBB off the window and went with my hand held 200-600. I had advised Bob to up his shutter speed and he did. I was on the bird for something like two minutes hoping that it would take flight. When fatigue set in, I lowered the lens just as the bird jumped right at us to flycatch. I got nothing while the younger man in the back seat nailed it. Way to go, Bro!

This image created on Friday 6 December 2024 down by the lake near my home at ILE. Seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 2000. 1/500 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:19:50am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #3: Northern Mockingbird perched in berry bush

Lead-Gray Skies

Early on Friday morning the light was gorgeous and the storm cloud sky in the west was a gun metal lead-gray. We were searching desperately for an avian subject but our three main perches were empty. We were glad to find another mockingbird to photograph.

Again, note the classic rule of thirds image design.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

B&H Holiday Book

There are some great buys in this holiday “book.” Click on the logo-link above to view it online. Use the left and right arrow keys to access the pages in the book. To purchase an item, you must click on the SKU, the stock-keeping unit #, the number just to the left of the price. Check out the great buys on the SanDisk 4TB Extreme Portable SSD (Solid State) V2 (Black) External Hard Drives that I use every day for only $259.99 each. Happy shopping.

What’s Up?

Tuesday morning was so-so. The most fun I had was photographing an adult and a young crane picking bugs off of my SUV. Tuesday evening was so-so. We did photograph the silhouetted cranes on the hill just south of the parking circle but spent most of our time talking to a young ILE mother and her young (aspiring gymnast) daughter, Ramsey about the cranes. Sharing avian info with others always leaves you with a warm glow.

Yesterday, with Bob doing most of the work, we planted The Perch III in the marsh adjacent to the South Peninsula. Two days before, Bob, again doing most of the work by himself, erected Bob’s Skinny Perch in the same location. He had a Red-shouldered Hawk on that perch the first afternoon. On Monday there was a Great Egret on The Perch II at sunset. On Tuesday, it was an Osprey. Both birds flew as we began our slow approach in my SUV :-(.

Today is Wednesday 4 December 2024. Bob Eastman and I are headed to Lakeland to see if the American White Pelicans are at the lakes. Whatever you choose to do, we hope that like us, you choose to be happy and have fun.

Please remember to use the B&H links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.

It’s Safe to go in the Water Now

Sony a-1 Firmware Update Update

Last spring, Sony announced firmware update v2.00 for the a-1, its flagship camera body. In short order the firmware story became an embarrassing fiasco. Over time, they announced v2.01 that caused terrible problems when the camera was used with the hugely popular 200-600 G lens. After some time, they released v2.02. About six weeks ago, with some trepidation, I purchased a used a-1 and updated it to v.2.01, and then to 2.02. I am happy to report that it is now possible to go back into the water.

The last update, v2.02, offers some great stuff for bird photographers.

v.2.02 Benefits

Battery life with 2.02 is fine. There are no issues with the 200-600 G lens. Bird Face-Eye AF is significantly improved. Wide AF with Bid Face-Eye tracking has improved drastically. Formatting a card takes about two seconds as compared to 10 seconds or more with previous firmware versions. But the very best news is a brand new feature called Focus Recall. Huge thanks to Arash Hazeghi for pointing it out to me as we worked on an update to the Sony a-1 (a9 iii) flight guide. I took what he taught me about programming Preset Focus/Zoom to a single button for flight photography and turned it into what will surely turn out to be a huge game-changer for general bird photography.

I call it “double button focus recall.” I programmed two easy-to-reach (previously unassigned) buttons to PRESET Focus Distance. I can then register a close focusing distance to one button and a far focusing distance to the other. A tap of either button instantly brings me to either as needed.

Here is a practical, real life example. I am walking out on the pier. There are some very tame Turkey Vultures and a Limpkin perched on the railing. As I slowly approach the birds, I focus on the nearest one and then press and hold the near-focus button. Th camera registers the focus distance my current close focus distance. I might or might not create a few images. Before continuing my approach, however, I take a moment to focus on the end of the pier and this time I press and hold the far focus button. That becomes my far focus distance. Then I tap the close focus button for the birds on the railings and go to work.

I glance up and see an Osprey carrying a large Crappie in its talons flying over the end of the pier. I tap the AEL button to get to my pre-registered far focusing distance. The AF system will have a relatively easy time of seeing the subject. And once the bird is framed, initial focusing acquisition will be virtually instantaneous. Had the AF system been left at the close focusing distance (while working the birds on the pier railing), there is a good chance that the system would have been temporarily blind when I attempted to acquire focus on the Osprey in flight.

Understand that neither the close nor the far focusing distances need to be anywhere near precise. As long as the AF system is in the general neighborhood (as far as focusing distance is concerned), it will not struggle to acquire focus. Once the Osprey flies by, Artie simply taps the AF-On button to instantly get back to the approximate focusing distance for the birds on the railing.

Yesterday I sent the SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Notes e-Mail J (23 OCT 2024) Firmware Update Update item to the entire group; it began like this:

Dear a1 Gang,

I hope that all of you are well, having fun, and making some great images. Big time thanks and congrats to the twenty folks in the group who have gotten my v2.02 settings onto their a-1 bodies. Many of them helped by letting me know of typos and other errors in the two instructional e-mails. After ten full days or working every morning with my v2.02 Firmware a-1, the 600mm f/4, and the 300mm f/2.8 (each with either TC), I can wholeheartedly recommend that most everyone with an a-1 would be best to update to Firmware v2.02.

If you are a member of the a-1 group and have not received e-Mail J, please e-mail me with your current and correct e-mail address 🙂

a-1 Group members can receive the two e-mails by sending a PayPal for $50.00 (with the words a-1 v2.021/v2.02 Firmware updates in the Subject line) to birdsasart@verizon.net or by calling the office at 863-692-0906 with a credit card to pay the $50.00. No worries if you have already updated to v2.02 — pay the $50.00 and I’ve got you covered.

If you are not a member of my a-1 group and would like to update your camera body and get all of my current setting on it, you will need to either send a PayPal for $125.00 (with the words a-1 v2.021/v2.02 Firmware updates in the Subject line) to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 with a credit card to pay the $125.00.

All of the images in today’s blog post were created with my v2.02 CAMST202.DAT on my α-1 mirrorless camera body.

This image created on 2 December 2024 down by the lake at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1250. 1/3200 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:18:45am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1 Turkey Vulture (TV) sitting on The Perch II minding its own business

It Had Been a Very Cold and Slow Morning

We began before dawn, but at 8:15am we had little to show for our efforts. With the guys replacing some of the rotted boards on the pier, the vultures on the railings took flight into the north wind. We decided to check The Perch II one last time before heading home for breakfast. I was not surprised that one of the Turkey Vultures had landed on it. It was nothing to get excited about, but as we had been practically skunked all morning, we approached in my SUV and stopped to make a few images.

This image also created on 2 December 2024 down by the lake at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Still seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1250. 1/4000 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:19:31am on a sunny morning. Wide AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: Excuse me! Black Vulture (BV) expecting the Turkey Vulture to give up its spot

Incoming Left!

“Black Vulture flying in from our left,” I shouted. Bob Eastman had seen the bird approaching the perch with the TV on it. As he was hand holding the 200-600, he got on the incoming BV and panned with it as it attempted to drive the TV off the perch. His problem was that when the BV hit the perch, he could not stop panning quickly enough. So, even though he was working a lot wider than I was — 600mm vs. 840mm, he wound up clipping most of the action shots badly with the left frame edge. A similar problem occurs when a diving bird hits the water, you naturally keep on panning 🙁

Working at 840mm on the BLUBB-, I opted to stay on the bird on the perch. As the intruding vulture entered the frame I followed my own oft-given advice by holding the shutter button down until things settled down about 3 seconds later. I was not concerned with the framing or the performance of the AF system. I just shot. In short order, I created more than 100 images of the action. At first glance, I was disappointed as dozens and dozens of the early images had severely clipped wings. I was shocked, however, at how well Wide AF-C had done. The Bird Face-Eye tracking was dramatically improved with Firmware v2.02. The wings of both birds were so badly clipped in Image #2 that there was no chance of making repairs. But as this was the absolute peak of the action and was plenty sharp, I went with an aggressive crop.

I was fortunate that I had decreased the exposure by 1/3-stop as compared to Image #1 by increasing the shutter speed from 1/3200 to 1/4000 sec. That change helped render the action sharp.

This image also created on 2 December 2024 down by the lake at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Still seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1250. 1/4000 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:19:32am on a sunny morning. Wide AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #3: Clipped!

Clipped!

The original frame here was my very favorite of the long sequence. Image #3 shows that I clipped the ends of the first and second primaries of the TV and then added canvas above to lay the foundation that I would need to complete the wing tip repairs.

This image also created on 2 December 2024 down by the lake at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Still seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1250. 1/4000 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:19:33am on a sunny morning. Wide AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #4: The Source Material

Nice, But Better as Source Material

Though Image #4 is fine as a standalone photo, it is nowhere near as strong as Image #3. While reviewing the sequence in Photo Mechanic, I had my eye out for an image that I could use to grab the two missing primaries. Created a second or less after the clipped image, I knew at first glance that this one would be perfect and would provide the two needed primary tips. Therefore, I pressed the 2 key to give this image a Yellow color code in Photo Mechanic.

This image also created on 2 December 2024 down by the lake at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Still seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1250. 1/4000 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:19:32am on a sunny morning. Wide AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #5: Wing Tips Repaired

The Repair

It made a lot more sense to work on one of the missing wingtips at a time. So that is what I did. Working on the source material image, I painted a Quick Mask of the 2nd primary of the Turkey Vulture’s near (right) wing. After putting it on its own layer, I used the Move Tool (V) to drag it roughly in place atop Image #3. I hit T to Transform the layer then rotated and warped it until it fit perfectly. Lastly, I added a regular layer mask to refine the overlap. After merging that layer, I repeated the process with missing 1st primary tip. It was my very best wingtip repair ever (he said modestly).

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)

The techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with my complete digital workflow, Digital Eye Doctor Techniques, and all 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. 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.

Please note: the Divide and Conquer technique was inadvertently omitted from DB II. It is detailed in a free excerpt in the blog post here.

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: most 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 three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. 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. Today, I convert my Sony raw files in Photoshop with Adobe Camera Raw.

You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.

The Digital Basics III Video Series

The Digital Basics III Video Series

I realized two years ago that my digital workflow had changed significantly and was toying with the idea of writing a Digital Basics III. More recently, I learned and begun working with two great new Photoshop Tools, the Remove Tool and the Luminance Targeted Adjustment Tool. The former is like a smarter Spot Healing Brush Tool on steroids and the latter is a step up from the fabulous Color Mixer Tool. During that same time frame, I came up with a new and improved 2-step noise reduction technique. I still use Divide and Conquer, Quick Masks, Layer Masks, an expanded array of personalized keyboard shortcuts, and tons of other stuff from both versions of Digital Basics.

As soon as I realized that I did not want to take on another large writing project, I realized that by creating a series of videos I could much more easily share all the details of my current digital workflow and much more easily incorporate additional new tips, techniques, and tools as I went. And so, The Digital Basics III Video Series was born.

You can order your copy here. The videos will be most valuable for folks using the latest version of Photoshop (2024) or Lightroom along with Topaz DeNoise AI and Topaz Sharpen AI.

This image also created on 2 December 2024 down by the lake at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Still seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1250. 1/2500 second at f/7.1 (stopped down 2/3 stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:20:06am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Expand Spot AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #6: Brotherly Love

When the Dust Cleared

When the action subsided, I was stunned to see that the Turkey Vulture had not given up the perch to the incoming Black Vulture. Though smaller, the BVs almost always dominate a carcass, forcing the larger, shyer, less aggressive TVs to wait patiently in the background for a few scarps of leftovers. In 25 years of observing the vultures at ILE, I had never before seen the two species sitting side by side, so close to each other, so peacefully.

Note that I lowered the shutter speed two clicks while stopping down two clicks for a bit of additional depth of field. It was more than enough to render the eyes of both vultures sharp.

This image also created on 2 December 2024 down by the lake at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Still seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported 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.. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1250. 1/2500 second at f/7.1 (stopped down 2/3 stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:20:06am on a sunny morning. Tracking: ExpandSpot A-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #7: Alone at Last

Alone at Last

After perhaps three or four minutes of peaceful coexistence on the perch, the Turkey Vulture decided to fly away on its own free will and volition. The Black Vulture was left sitting alone on The Perch II.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.