Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Photo Contest

All are invited to judge today’s six images as if they were entered in a photo contest. Pick your three favorites and let us know why you made your choices.

iPhone Favor

If you have an old iPhone — the older the better — that is sitting in a drawer, unused, please consider sending it as a gift to my 14-year old grandson, Idris Reimov. He is collecting them. Please shoot me an e-mail for the address. Many thanks, much love. artie

What’s Up?

The forecast for Sunday morning was for completely cloudy by 6:00am with a SE breeze. While they got the wind right, it was completely sunny until 3:00pm. A southeast wind in the morning at Nickerson make things tough for many reasons. I had some nice red light at sunrise but nearly all the birds were away, slightly to the east. I worked the beach down low at 1200mm, and then did some flight. It was, however, not the greatest morning ever.

The afternoon tide looked good for the north end of the East Pond. I met Muhammad Arif there at 3:30pm. The water level is the lowest I have seen in my lifetime. There were about 1500 shorebirds, mostly adult Semipalmated Sandpipers. There were many dozens of mostly adult Lesser Yellowlegs and many dozen fading adult White-rumped Sandpipers. I picked out one adult Western Sandpiper, saw the first juvenile Semipalmated Plover (along with a smattering of adults), saw the first Stilt Sandpiper, a juvenile, and had a total of three young Short-Billed Dowitchers. I was surprised by the still high numbers of adult birds and by the low percentage of juveniles.

Most of the time I was working at 1200mm on the flattened tripod. Once the clouds moved in, I was using ISOs as high as 4000. Again, the SE breeze was problematic as early all the birds were facing slight away from us. Anywho, despite the problematic SE wind, I would up with 185 keepers after the first round of editing. Those included a very few images that I love.

Today is Monday 22 August. The forecast for Lido Beach was for rain all day long, heavy at times, with lots of scattered thunderstorms. Needing some rest, I slept in. When I woke at 7:00, I was not shocked to see that it was not raining. I will likely take the whole day off to get some much-needed work done. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two 1/2 hours to prepare (including the time spent on the six new image optimizations) and makes one hundred fifty days in a row with a new one. (It seems that I have corrected the day, date, and streak issues in the last few blog posts. Let me know if I screwed up again. Thanks to all who pointed out the errors. While I appreciated thier comments, it would be great if they could include comments on the photo and image questions at hand as well.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

Time is Running Out

Many folks are scheduled to join me at either Nickerson or JBWR in the next two weeks for an In-the-Field session or two. The first window for doing shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge has closed. The second window is from 24-26 August. I have a private client on the 26th. See the additional details below. Muhammad Arif enjoyed three In-the-Field sessions and made lots of great images with his R5. I hope to share some of them with you here soon. Carlotta Grenier came for her third session recently and Sanjeev Nagrath learned a ton during his three Nickerson Beach sessions. Sandy Brown will be flying in from Seattle for an afternoon at Nickerson and a morning at JBWR this coming week. I head south to catch the Auto train on 31 August.

Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson. Click on the card to view a larger version. Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite

Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops

Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with dozens of pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young birds to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.

Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their young. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers attacking (and sometimes killing) skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.

I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September (barring anything unforeseen). I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.

Whether you are a local or would like to fly in for several days of instruction — a sort of private, or small group. — at worst, IPT, LMK via e-mail so that we can work on a schedule that could possibly include both Nickerson and Jamaica Bay.

Instagram

Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.

Please Remember

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

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

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

If You Enjoy the Blog …

Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

This image was created on 20 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on damp sand I used the lowered, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2000: 1/800 sec. at f/5.6. AWB at 7:33:21am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #1: High-stepping adult Semipalmated Plover

Lucky Morning

On the cloudy Saturday morning past, I was glad to run into Muhammad Arif and his mom on the beach. He showed me a photo of an un-banded young Piping Plover — late and endangered. He said that he had seen the bird just west of the first jetty to the east. I made the walk, and when I arrived only one bird was feeding in the wash, the semi-plover above. So, I sat behind the lower tripod and went to work.

This image was also created on 20 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on damp sand, I used the lowered, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2000: 1/800 sec. at f/5.6. AWB at 7:30:06am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #2: Small in the big world juvenile Piping Plover

Look Who Showed Back Up

I had not been sitting long when the moderately worn juvie Piping Plover flew in a bit farther to the west. I made the image above in keeping with the small-fragile-bird-in-the-big-world theme. I thought to myself, “It would be neat to get a few images of both birds in the same frame.”

This image was also created on 20 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on damp sand I used the lowered, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2000: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. AWB at 7:30:35am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #3: Piping Plover/Semipalmated Plover standoff

The Standoff

The next thing I know, the two birds were standing and facing each other. The piping’s erect calling posture and the semi-plovers fan-tailed calling posture were meant to threaten the other bird. The dispute was about feeding territory. They never engaged in a squabble and the boundary between their foraging areas was set. Since the plover was feeding more to the west, I scootched about thirty feet farther down the beach to be closer to the plover.

This image was also created on 20 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While still seated on damp sand I used the lowered, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2000: 1/800 sec. at f/5.6. AWB at 7:37:12am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #4: Semipalmated Plover facing vertical

Cropped to a Vertical

When the Semipalmated Plover walked up to the edge of the (imaginary) boundary between their foraging territories, it was very close to me. Amazing, Tracking Zone nailed the bird’s right eye as the bird faced me. With the a1’s 51,000,000 pixels, the crop to a vertical was the obvious choice.

This image was also created on 20 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While still seated on damp sand I used the lowered, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2000: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. AWB at 7:45:44am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #5: Piping Plover eating tiny worm

Foot Trembling

The Piping Plover would stand in one spot on one leg with the other leg extended. It would rapidly tap the surface of the sand with toes of the extended foot. I made a great video of this behavior. I knew that it had something to do with improving the bird’s foraging success. I shared the video with Marc Wortsman when I ran into him at Bagel Chalet in Merrick on Saturday morning. He did some work online and sent me a link to a great paper on foot trembling in a related species, Ringed Plover. I read it (here) with great interest, and learned that there are actually two theories as to the purpose of the behavior. If I ever figure out how to process the a1 videos in i-Movie I will share it with you here.

This image was also created on 20 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While still seated on damp sand I used the lowered, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 1600: 1/1250 sec. at f/5.6. AWB at 7:57:42am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #6: Piping Plover stopped

Zero Beach Clean-Up

Often, when I post images of birds standing on perfectly clean beaches that have been cleaned up a bit, folks will say, “That looks phony. No beach could be that perfect.” Well boys and girls, I did not clean up a single speck on the gorgeous beach in Image #6. I did some beach clean-up in the first five images. In retrospect, when viewing the enlarged image on the blog, I see that I missed one tiny round light speck. If it bugs you, leave a comment and LMK where it is. Its location is rather easy to describe.

Image #6A: A7 INFO screen grab for the Piping Plover stopped image

Sony a1 Tracking: Zone

Incredibly, with the last firmware update to v1.30, Bird Face/Eye detection was improved significantly. With Tracking: Zone, you can acquire focus within the zone brackets and the AF system will track the eye anywhere in the frame, even when you recompose with the bird’s eye well outside the brackets (as I did with Image #2). This gives you increased compositional freedom; you can put the bird anywhere in the frame even when using (Center) Tracking: Zone.

Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action. Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. By June 1, 2022, the group was up to an astounding 127 lucky and blessed folks. (More than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies!) Some, like me, own three. Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive six e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.

All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide 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.

Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM Lens in Stock

Steve Elkins of Bedford Camera asked me to let you know that he has one Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens in stock with your name on it. Act fast and remember to use the BIRDSASART code at checkout for 3% back on your credit card and free second-day air Fed-Ex. Huge thanks to Sanjeev Nagrath who grabbed a Canon RF 600mm f/4 IS L lens from Bedfords on Friday and used the BIRDSASART code at checkout!

What’s Up?

I got to Nickerson very early on Friday morning and had some more fun with the red-light sunrise stuff. While doing Ring-Billed Gulls and oystercatchers, I noticed a larger gull with long wings — a Lesser Black-backed Gull. I made some fine images of the handsome bird in the red light, and once the sun rose, moved around to shoot the formerly very rare gull front-lit in the golden early morning light. It was likely the same individual that I had photographed with Sanjeev on Thursday morning. With a NW wind on both mornings, the bird spent most of its time angling away from the light and looking to the west. The trick was to get the bird square to the sensor with a decent head angle. I succeeded doing that on both mornings, but most of Thursday’s images will be deleted on the second edit as the light was much harsher.

Today is Saturday 20 August 2022. The forecast for Lido Beach is for more light winds from the west. With mostly cloudy skies, the morning should be more productive. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare (including the time spent on the one image optimization) and makes one hundred forty-nine days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

Time is Running Out

Many folks are scheduled to join me at either Nickerson or JBWR in the next two weeks for an In-the-Field session or two. The first window for doing shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge has closed. The second window is from 24-26 August.As above, I have a private client on the 26th. See the additional details below. Muhammad Arif enjoyed three In-the-Field sessions and made lots of great images with his R5. I hope to share some of them with you here soon. Carlotta Grenier came for her third session recently and Sanjeev Nagrath learned a ton during his three Nickerson Beach sessions. Sandy Brown will be flying in from Seattle for an afternoon at Nickerson and a morning at JBWR.

Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson. Click on the card to view a larger version. Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite

Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops

Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with dozens of pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young birds to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.

Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their young. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers attacking (and sometimes killing) skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.

I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September (barring anything unforeseen). I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.

The Delkin card near the spot where Carlotta Grenier found it

A Double Delkin Card Miracle Thanks to Carlotta Grenier

As noted here previously, when I reached into my pocket for the Delkin Devices 160GB BLACK CFexpress Type A Memory Card at brunch-time on August 14th, I came up empty. I searched the car for the missing card. I searched the AirBnB. I made an hour round-trip from Valley Stream to the Whole Foods Market in Garden City I had visited earlier in the day in hopes of finding the card on the floor near the register. That had worked for me once before. But no luck this time. When I got back to Nickerson at 5:30 that day, I searched the parking lot around the spot I had pulled into 12 hours before. I expected that the card would come back to me, but it seemed that it was not to be.

The First Miracle

Three days later, Carlotta Grenier joined me for a third In-the-Field session, a morning at Nickerson. She sat in the shade near the concession tables to get out of her surf booties and put on dry shoes and socks. Then she walked toward the ladies room. The next thing that I know, sh is walking toward my car waving something. “I found it! I found your card!” How in the world she ever spotted the card will forever be beyond me.

I was amazed, but not surprised.

The wrecked Delkin card

The Card, However …

The card, however, had seen better days. A lot better. I had never walked by the spot where Carlotta found it, so I have no idea how it got there. It was obvious that the card had been run over by multiple vehicles, if not by several M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks. I was glad that the card came back to me, but had already given up hope of ever seeing the images. Once I saw the condition of the card, all hope disappeared. The black metal cover was peeled back, held in place by some sort of rubber adhesive.

I called Scott Clark at Delkin and described the condition of the card. Since it seemed that the severely damaged card would clearly not fit in a card reader, Delkin would not be able to attempt to recover the images. Scott suggested that a data recovery outfit might be able to remove the chip and recover the images. He sent me the info. I quickly decided that I was not going to spend $765.00 to recover the images.

This image was created on 14 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on damp sand, I used the flattened, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). Shutter Priority at zero. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 160. 1/800 sec. at f/8 (wide open). When evaluated in RawDigger, it was determined that the raw file exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 6:17:55 am what would become a clear morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Black Skimmer with wings raised backlit at sunrise

The Second Miracle

Throwing caution to the wind, I carefully tore the metal cover off the card, rubbed away the rubber cement, and stuck what was left of the card into the reader. The 1347 images downloaded perfectly on the first attempt. The image above was the best of those.

To help facilitate card usage in almost any environment, as well as keeping your content safe, Delkin has built its BLACK Series with a rugged design that is waterproof and shockproof, as well as resistant to temperature extremes. In order to further enhance reliability and functionality, the BLACK Series is protected by a lifetime warranty and a 48-hour replacement guarantee upon registration with Delkin.

Delkin 48-Hour Replacement Guarantee

Delkin BLACK memory cards come with a premium 48-hour replacement guarantee in addition to their lifetime warranty policy. Delkin will replace any non-working card within 48 hours or less (not including weekends), prior to receiving your non-working card. You can also replace your card over the counter at any authorized Delkin BLACK reseller. To activate your BLACK card’s free replacement program and lifetime warranty, simply register your card online with Delkin.

Delkin Devices 160GB BLACK CFexpress Type A Memory Card

Read Speed: Maximum: 880 MB/s
Write Speed: Maximum: 790 MB/s

Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card

Read Speed Maximum: 800 MB/s
Write Speed Maximum: 700 MB/s

The Delkin 160GB BLACK CFexpress Type A Memory Card reads 10% faster than the comparable Sony card, and writes 13% faster. In addition, with Delkin you get a virtually indestructible card that comes with a lifetime 48-hour replacement guarantee. And I do not think that you want to run over your Sony card with a tank.

All Delkin Black cards are incredibly rugged and come with the 48-hour replacement guarantee. Find the right Delkin card for your camera in the BAA Online Store here.

Why Delkin Cards?

Whether I am photographing on a bucket-list trip to Snow Hill Island in Antarctica (via Russian icebreaker), or shooting Sandhill Cranes down by the lake near my home, I use and depend only on Delkin cards. Not only does Delkin make a great product, but they also stand behind their stuff (though that is rarely necessary).

I was very lucky to meet Alan Parry (then of Delkin) a zillion years ago at a NANPA meeting, actually in 2001. That was the very dawn of my digital age and I have been using Delkin cards from Day One. Delkin cards are as dependable as they get. I have put Delkin cards in the washing machine without a problem. I have even dropped them in saltwater with the same results. Once at Point Pelee my card spent about 8 hours in a plastic trash bag at a Chinese Restaurant filled with cooking fat, house special fried rice, and spare rib bones. Really. (Management kept insisting that they did not have the card but I persisted until they searched through the trash and found it.) Once I got my hands on the card, I brushed it off and was able to download my killer Red-headed Woodpecker and Baltimore Oriole images without a problem. Really. Just so you know, Delkin cards are made in the USA, right there in Poway, CA.

No matter how poorly you treat your Delkin card, the manufacturer will replace it free of charge. And they will do their very best to recover any images on the card. And they are pretty darned good at that.

Typos

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

And I Quote

“Having Arthur Morris next to you in the field to teach you flight photography and exposure is like bringing a bazooka to a knife fight.”

Sanjeev Nagrath, during his first In-the-Field session at Nickerson Beach.

What’s Up?

Carlotta Grenier, Sanjeev Nagrath, and I had a fabulously productive morning at Nickerson Beach on Wednesday. Anke Frohlich was along to enjoy the great photography and to help out. What began looking like somewhat of a bust weather-wise, turned fantastic thanks to a cloudy-bright lightbox of a sky. With a nice breeze from the northeast and zero shadows to be seen anywhere, everyone made some truly great images.

Today is Thursday 18 August 2022. The Lido Beach forecast for this morning is for clear skies with WNW breeze of less than ten mph. That is pretty much a death knell forecast for bird photography. We will see what we can turn up. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes one hundred forty-seven days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

Time is Running Out

Many folks are scheduled to join me at either Nickerson or JBWR in the next two weeks for an In-the-Field session or two. The first window for doing shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge has closed. The second window is from 24-26 August. See the additional details below. Muhammad Arif enjoyed there In-the-Field sessions and made lots of great images with his R5. I hope to share some of them with you here soon. Carlotta Grenier is coming for her third session this morning and will joined by first-timer Sanjeev Nagrath who is staying for the afternoon and the following morning. Sandy Brown is flying in from Seattle for an afternoon at Nickerson and a morning on JBWR. And Marc Wortsman will be coming for lessons on his Sony a6400 as soon as we get an afternoon west wind.

Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson. Click on the card to view a larger version. Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite

Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops

Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with more than a dozen pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.

Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their you. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers eating skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.

I am taking the Auto Train north on 31 July and will happily spend all of August on Long Island. I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September (barring anything unforeseen). I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.

Whether you are a local or would like to fly in for several days of instruction — a sort of private, or small group. — at worst, IPT, LMK via e-mail so that we can work on a schedule that could possibly include both Nickerson and Jamaica Bay.

Instagram

Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.

This image was created by first-timer In-the-Field participant Sanjeev Nagrath on 17 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach. He used the hand held Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM lens (at 500mm) and the highly touted 45MP Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 2000. Exposure determined via test image and blinkies evaluation: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 (wide open) in Manual (M) mode. AWB at 8:59:34am on cloudy-bright Lightbox of a morning. Full screen Eye Detection AI Servo AF (as detailed in the R5 e-Guide) was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Sanjeev Nagrath Image #1: Common Tern fishing for sand crabs Image Optimization by BIRDS AS ART

Sanjeev Nagrath

After receiving a forwarded e-mail from Jim at the office, I contacted Sanjeev. He wrote back, I would like to do a full day with image review on August 17th and a second morning with image review on the 18th. I will be driving to the location from Chappaqua, NY, about an hour away. In terms of gear, I use the Canon R5 with native lenses 100-500mm, 70-200mm, 24-70mm & 15-35mm. I am still trying to get the RF400mm or RF600mm, but those are hard to come by these days. I use Bedfords for all of my gear purchases. I would classify my skill level as advanced beginner.

This image was also created by first-timer In-the-Field participant Sanjeev Nagrath on 17 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach. Again, he used the hand held Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM lens (at 500mm) and the highly touted 45MP Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 2000. Exposure determined via test image and blinkies evaluation: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 (wide open) in Manual (M) mode. AWB at 8:59:36am on cloudy-bright Lightbox of a morning. Full screen Eye Detection AI Servo AF (as detailed in the R5 e-Guide) was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Sanjeev Nagrath Image #2: Common Tern kiting Image Optimization by BIRDS AS ART

Learning Fast

Sanjeev quickly filled two cards, mostly of the terns in flight. I urged him to acquire focus early, track the bird in, and to wait until the birds were close to point blank range and then fire away. In addition, I stressed that with an f/7.1 lens on a cloudy-bright day, he need not fear the higher ISOs. He was a quick study. By the third card, he had been transformed from a beginning flight photographer to a pretty darned good flight shooter. Sanjeev had a head start by having his AF system set up exactly as per the BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide. He purchased enough gear using my Bedfords discount code to earn a free copy of the guide.

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

This image was also created by first-timer In-the-Field participant Sanjeev Nagrath on 17 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach. Again, he used the hand held Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM lens (at 500mm) and the highly touted 45MP Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 2000. Exposure determined via test image and blinkies evaluation: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 (wide open) in Manual (M) mode. AWB at 9:30:09am on cloudy-bright Lightbox of a morning. Full screen Eye Detection AI Servo AF (as detailed in the R5 e-Guide) was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Sanjeev Nagrath Image #3: American Oystercatcher with sand crab in foaming surf Image Optimization by BIRDS AS ART

High Key

Sanjeev learned that in the cloudy-bright conditions, the exposure setting for the oystercatchers and the terns were identical. He nailed the high-key exposure here by exposing well to the right for the black and white subject with an orange bill. That left the breaking surf a bright white. I did not move the Highlight slider much to the left to keep the water a bright white. This gave the image an artsy, high key look.

Your Favorite?

Which of Sanjeev’s three featured images do you like best? Please leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice. \

Cover Image courtesy of and Copyright 2021 Brian Sump (Sump scores!) The BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide

The BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide: $75.00

The guide is 82 pages long: 21,458 words. More than 50 DPP 4 Autofocus-depicting screen captures. And a 31 minute 44 second educational video. This guide took three and a half months of hard work and a ton of help from at least seventeen very helpful and generous folks.

The guide covers — in great detail — all Menu Items that are relevant to bird, nature, and wildlife photography. It does not cover video. The section on AF methods and the AF Gallery has been expanded from the R5/R6 AF e-guide. It remains the one of the great strengths of this guide. I share my thoughts on what I am sure is the single best AF Method for photographing birds in flight. As most of you know, the guide includes a simple and easy way to change AF Methods that was introduced to me by Geoff Newhouse. In the AF Gallery you will see exactly how Face Detection plus Tracking AF works. In the Educational R5 Gallery video, I share my favorite R5 images along with dozens of bird photography tips and techniques.

In addition, I teach you how to get the best exposures with your R5. Detailed instructions on using the great In-camera HDR and Multiple Exposure features will be appreciated by creative folks who like to have fun. The three shutter modes are explained in detail as well. Bruce Dudek solved the can’t-get-to-Auto ISO problem that had stumped everyone at Canon. This information is of course shared in the guide. You will learn how to set up your EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) and Screen toggle options. Not to mention that the mysterious performance of the Q Button is revealed and simplified. Brian Sump’s images reveal how well you can do when using the R5 with EF lenses using one of the three Canon EF-EOS R Mount Adapters (as Donna did with Image #1 below). You will learn how I use Customize Dials to put either ISO or EC on the Thumb Dial and how to set up and save Custom Shooting Modes (C1-C3) that can remember both your Customize Dial and Customize Button settings! That is something that none of the SONY bodies do. 🙁 Near the end of the guide I share my all-important MY MENU items with you.

Like all BAA educational materials, the R5 guide is written in my informal, easy-to-follow style. I am quite proud of this guide and look forward to hearing your thoughts on our hard work.

You can purchase your copy of the BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide for $75.00 here in the BAA Online Store or by calling Jim in the office weekday afternoons at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

Muhammad Arif joined me for a second In-the-Field session, this time at Nickerson on Monday morning. Conditions were near-perfect with a NE breeze and cloudy bright conditions. We each created almost 3,000 images, many of them of Common Terns in flight, fishing for sand crabs, and flying into their nests. Sunrise was a challenge. We had some gorgeous red light but isolating a single bird square to the back of the camera was difficult at best with the NE breeze. We did our image review session at Bagel Chalet in Merrick. A good time was had by all.

Oh, BTW, I never found my mis-placed flash card. Bummer, but every once in a while I need a reminder lesson on being more careful.

Today is Tuesday 16 August. I will be headed back to Nickerson for more of the same weather and action, perhaps with the addition of some skimmers skimming right at me. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes one hundred forty-five days in a row with a new one.

So far, many folks are scheduled to join me at either Nickerson or JBWR in the coming weeks for an In-the-Field session or two. The first window for doing shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge has closed. The second window is from 24-26 August. See the additional details below. Muhammad Arif is joining me for a third session this morning, and Carlotta Grenier is coming for her third session on Wednesday morning. Marc Wortsman will be coming for lessons on his Sony a6400 as soon as we get an afternoon west wind. First timer Sanjeev Nagrath is joining me for two afternoons and a morning at Nickerson with the first session on 17 August. And Sandy Brown is flying in from Seattle for an afternoon at Nickerson and a morning on JBWR.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson. Click on the card to view a larger version. Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite

Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops

Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with more than a dozen pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.

Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their you. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers eating skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.

I am taking the Auto Train north on 31 July and will happily spend all of August on Long Island. I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September (barring anything unforeseen). I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.

Whether you are a local or would like to fly in for several days of instruction — a sort of private, or small group. — at worst, IPT, LMK via e-mail so that we can work on a schedule that could possibly include both Nickerson and Jamaica Bay.

Instagram

Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.

Please Remember

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

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

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

If You Enjoy the Blog …

Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

Yours truly using the ankle-pod technique to create American Oystercatcher resting on beach I-Phone image courtesy of Anke Frohlich

Ankle-podding

I’ve been mentioning using the ankle-podding technique to get very low for many months. Many folks have requested an image of this technique. Now they have it. I pull out the rear monitor, make sure that my reading glasses are in place, position the lens on my left ankle, activate the level, adjust the exposure settings, acquire focus, and begin making images. II used this technique to make a series of images at 1/125th second at ISO 12800. I put admit that they looked pretty good. In general, you would like to be using a relatively fast shutter speed when ankle podding as it is not the most stable support system.

To cut the shutter speed in half, I built a little mound of sand, placed the lens hood onto the sand pile, and then continued as above. The result? A razor-sharp image at 1/60th second. Often, succeeding as a nature photographer requires coming up with new techniques on the in the field on the fly.

This image was created on 14 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. I used the ankle-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 571mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with EC on the Thumb Dial. Shutter Priority +1/7 stops. Auto ISO set ISO 6400. 1/60 second at f/6.3 (wide-open). AWB at 8:00:37pm on a mostly sunny afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be dead-solid perfect — see below. 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: American Oystercatcher resting on beach

Fun in the Dark

Sunset on Sunday evening at Lido Beach was at 8:08pm. This image was created just after 8:00pm, long after the sun had disappeared behind a large cloud on the northwestern horizon. There had been some nice sunset color, but the flocks were not blasting off in the right places for pleasing blurs. When I almost stepped on this oystercatcher in the dim light, I backed off a bit, sat down, and made a few images. Getting super-low was the key to eliminating the tire tracks and the zillions of human footprints.

Image #1A: The RawDigger screen capture for the American Oystercatcher resting on beach image

Ho Hum, Another Perfect Exposure

What can I say? The combination of Zebras live in the viewfinder (with your camera set up properly) and post-capture study of the raw files in RawDigger makes it pretty much child’s play to come up with perfect exposure after perfect exposure. It would be impossible to overstate how much I have learned by studying RawDigger and how much better my exposures have become since I started with the program almost two years ago. The raw file brightness for today’s featured image is dead-solid perfect with the G channel just about abutting the 16000 line. The 44 OvExp pixels out of 51,000,000 are beyond insignificant. Such is life with RawDigger.

RawDigger — not for the faint of heart …

Nothing has ever helped me learn to create perfect exposures to the degree that RawDigger has. I think that many folks are reluctant to learn that most of their images are underexposed by one or more full stops and that highlight warnings in Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One, and your in-camera histogram are bogus as they are based on the embedded JPEGs. Only your raw files tell the truth all the time. Heck, I resisted RawDigger for several years … Once you get over that feeling, RawDigger can become your very best exposure friend no matter what system you are using. On the recent IPTs and In-the-Field sessions, we have demonstrated that fact. Convincingly.

The RawDigger Adapted (pink) Histogram

In the RawDigger e-Guide, you will learn exactly how to set up the Adapted “pink” RawDigger Histogram (as above) and how to use it to quickly and easily evaluate the exposure or raw file brightness of images from all digital cameras currently in use. RawDigger was especially helpful to me as I have struggled with R5 exposures and learned my new camera body, the Sony Alpha a1.

RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

The RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

by Arthur Morris with Patrick Sparkman

The RawDigger e-Guide was created only for serious photographers who wish to get the absolute most out of their raw files.

Patrick and I began work on the guide in July 2020. At first, we struggled. We asked questions. We learned about Max-G values. We puzzled as to why the Max G values for different cameras were different. IPT veteran Bart Deamer asked lots of questions that we could not answer. We got help from RawDigger creator Iliah Borg. We learned. In December, Patrick came up with an Adapted Histogram that allows us to evaluate the exposures and raw file brightness for all images created with all digital camera bodies from the last two decades. What we learned each time prompted three complete beginning to end re-writes.

The point of the guide is to teach you to truly expose to the mega-Expose-to-the-Right so that you will minimize noise, maximize image quality, best utilize your camera’s dynamic range, and attain the highest possible level of shadow detail in your RAW files in every situation. In addition, your properly exposed RAW files will contain more tonal information and feature the smoothest possible transitions between tones. And your optimized images will feature rich, accurate color.

We teach you why the GREEN channel is almost always the first to over-expose. We save you money by advising you which version of RawDigger you need. We teach you how to interpret the Max G values for your Canon, Nikon, and SONY camera bodies. It is very likely that the Shock-your-World section will shock you. And lastly — thanks to the technical and practical brilliance of Patrick Sparkman — we teach you a simple way to evaluate your exposures and the raw file brightness quickly and easily the Adapted RawDigger histogram.

The flower video takes you through a session where artie edits a folder of images in Capture One while checking the exposures and Max-G values in RawDigger. The Adapted Histogram video examines a series of recent images with the pink histograms and covers lots of fine points including and especially how to deal with specular highlights. The directions for setting up the Adapted Histogram are in the text.

If we priced this guide based on how much effort we put into it, it would sell it for $999.00. But as this guide will be purchased only by a limited number of serious photographers, we have priced it at $51.00. You can order yours here in the BAA Online Store.

Image #1B: A7INFO screen capture for the American Oystercatcher resting on beach image

AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection

With any of the Tracking AF modes on the Sony A1, nailing the eye is child’s play with static, large-in-the-frame subjects.

Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action. Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. By June 1, 2022, the group was up to an astounding 124 lucky and blessed folks. (More than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive six e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.

All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide 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 Best Image?

This post features five of my favorite shorebird images from yesterday morning at JBay. Which is your favorite? Why? I like them all, but have two or three favorites. I will be publishing what I consider the three very best images from the session here soon.

What’s Up?

I’ve been photographing at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge for 39 years. Saturday morning, enjoyed with client/friend Muhammad Arif, was one of — if not the, very best mornings ever. We were in the perfect spot and the birds showed up almost before we were ready. The birds were very close. After a bit, we needed to move back a bit to be able to focus. The tally for the morning: created 2479 images, kept 120. That 4.8% keeper rate will go down considerably after a second edit.

Afterwards, it was nice seeing some old friends on the Shorebird Festival walk. Learning of the recent deaths and life-threatening illnesses of others? Not so much. As we age, we get to face our own mortality head on.

Today is Sunday 14 August. I headed to Nickerson Beach very early, had some decent chances, and was back in the car finishing this post at 8:15am. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes one hundred forty-three days in a row with a new one.

So far, nine folks have been in touch about joining me at either Nickerson or JBWR in the coming weeks for an In-the-Field session or two. The first window for doing shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is closing now, the second window is from 24-26 August. See the additional details below.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson. Click on the card to view a larger version. Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite

Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops

Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with more than a dozen pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.

Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their you. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers eating skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.

I am taking the Auto Train north on 31 July and will happily spend all of August on Long Island. I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September (barring anything unforeseen). I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.

Whether you are a local or would like to fly in for several days of instruction — a sort of private, or small group. — at worst, IPT, LMK via e-mail so that we can work on a schedule that could possibly include both Nickerson and Jamaica Bay.

Instagram

Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.

This image was created on 13 August 2022 at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. While seated on damp mud and working off the tilted rear screen, I used the flattened, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L 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 1600. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/320 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 6:22:52am on a clear morning with a large cloud in front of the sun. Tracking: Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #1: Semipalmated Sandpiper juvenile in no light situation

Off to a Great Start

There was a big-ass cloud in front of the sun as we walked out onto the South Flats. I knew exactly where we needed to be. We got in position and sat down on the wet mud — Muhammad had brought a yoga mat to sit on. Before I had finished leveling the silver ball of the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro, a handsome young semi-sand landed point-blank right in front of us.

The Huge Sony Advantage

When the tiny sandpiper landed almost too close to me in no-light conditions, I chose a shutter speed — 1/320 sec., that I thought would make a sharp image if the bird held still for a moment. Working wide open at f/4 in the low light, I raised the ISO using the rear dial until I had lots of Zebras on the water. The result: a perfect exposure in a difficult situation. As the bird was walking most of the time, I made only a single sharp image out of a dozen. But I got the exposure right!

This image was also created on 13 August 2022 at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. Again, while seated on damp mud and working off the tilted rear monitor, I used the flattened, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1000. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 6:27:08am just as the sun cleared the large cloud in front of the sun. Tracking: Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #2: Lesser Yellowlegs juvenile in golden early morning light

Gorgeous Yellow Light on the Phragmites

Once the sun cleared the big cloud, it was just a matter of getting a bird in halfway decent position. This young yellowlegs landed to our left in the glorious color. The upper background is (invasive) phragmites. Overall, this species is a big negative. It grows as a dense monoculture that crowds out dozens of various native plant species thus several reducing species diversity of both plants and animals. I just might try working off a Panning Ground Pod next time and going for the all-yellow background.

The Huge Sony Advantage

In the golden light, I again chose a shutter speed — this time 1/500 sec., that I knew would make a sharp image if the bird held still for a moment. Again, working wide open (without a teleconverter) at f/4 in the low light, I raised the ISO using the rear dial until I had some Zebras on the water. The result: another perfect exposure in a difficult situation.

I coached Muhammad as to shutter speed and ISO in each situation as I had the huge advantage of having Zebras live in the viewfinder.

This image was also created on 13 August 2022 at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. While seated on damp mud and working off the tilted rear monitor, I used the flattened, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 640: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3. AWB at 8:53:14am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly all morning long by accurately tracking the birds’ eyes (as long as the birds were not moving quickly, filling the whole frame, or turning their heads away). Image #3: Semipalmated Sandpiper juvenile facing the camera

Facing

It is difficult to pull off nice images of shorebirds facing directly at you. AF does not always perform superbly as it did here with Image #3 because the system does not really have a good look at the subject’s eye. I like the good look at the blob-tipped bill that denotes Semipalmated Sandpiper. Least Sandpipers are browner or redder and have fine-tipped bills. Western Sandpipers have longer bills that are deeper (thicker from top to bottom) at the base and have flattened slighted decurved bill tips. I like the raised leg, the slight sidelight, and the sharpness of the bird’s face and head. Note the light yellowish/green legs that might be confused with the yellow legs Least Sandpiper.

The Huge Sony Advantage

In the full sun, I chose a shutter speed that could freeze the foraging birds: 1/1600 sec. Now working wide-open at f/5.6 with the 1.4X teleconverter in place, I raised the ISO using the rear dial until I had some faint Zebras on sunlit whites on the bird’s breast. The result: another perfect exposure in a difficult situation.

This image was also created on 13 August 2022 at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. While seated on damp mud and working off the tilted rear monitor, I used the flattened, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 640: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3. AWB at 7:43:06am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly all morning long by accurately tracking the birds’ eyes (as long as the birds were not moving quickly, filling the whole frame, or turning their heads away). Image #4: Lesser Yellowlegs juvenile flicking wings

Aggressiveness and Serendipity Pay Off

I had a perfect portrait of this bird standing still lined up with the AF point right on the bird’s eye, a nice low perspective, a fast enough shutter speed, and the guaranteed correct exposure. Rather than making 3 or 4 images, I decided to hold the shutter button down until the bird did something. This strategy was rewarded when another shorebird flew by overhead and my subject bird flicked its wings as I fired continuously. Getting an image this good required some luck, but had I not been set up perfectly, all would have been for naught.

The Huge Sony Advantage

Again, working in full sun, I chose 1/1600 sec. to freeze the potential action and raised the ISO using the rear dial until I had some faint Zebras on the sides of the breast and the flanks of this young yellowlegs. The result: another perfect exposure in a difficult situation.

This image was also created on 13 August 2022 at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. Again, , while seated on damp mud and working off the tilted rear monitor, I used the flattened, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 800: 1/1000 sec. at f/8. AWB at 8:13:25am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly all morning long by accurately tracking the birds’ eyes (as long as the birds were not moving quickly, filling the whole frame, or turning their heads away). Image #5: Marbled Godwit vertical

Verticals from Horizontal Originals

I had this bird on the left side of the frame looking right. When it turned its head elegantly to my left, I fired off two frames. With the 51,000,000 pixels of a sharp a1 ARW file, the crop to a vertical was the obvious choice.

The Huge Sony Advantage

Working in full sun, but well-off sun angle, I dropped down to 1/1000 sec. for the foraging godwit. Then I adjusted the ISO until I had faint Zebras on the neck of the Marbled Godwit. The result, and I hope that you are not bored yet: another perfect exposure in a difficult situation.

The Lesson: in rapidly changing light, folks using Sony gear with Zebras set properly have a huge advantage over folks using systems that do not offer Zebras in the viewfinder with stills.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I enjoyed sleeping in on the rainy Thursday morning and got a ton of work done. I was glad to learn that repeat In-the-Field client Dan Gerstman will be doing me at the East Pan and that multiple IPT veteran and good friend Muhammad Arif will be joining me there on Saturday. We will be hanging around to do the Jamaica Bay Shorebird Festival. If you plan on attending, bring a lens for some free photo tips. Meet at the visitor center at 9:00am sharp.

But the best news of all was that blog regular Bob Eastman is signing up for the first and the third Homer IPTs. He will be borrowing my big SUV for six days and tooling around Homer during the second IPT. It will be great to finally meet him as we seem to be kindred spirits. If you’ve been thinking about Homer, best to act soon as it is filling nicely. Especially if you want to do the second and third trips back-to-back.

On Thursday afternoon, I headed to Nickerson. It was sunny with a south by slightly west wind. Not bad, not great. For the first 90 minutes, I did handheld skimmer flight with the bare 600 and the a1, concentrating on the midair battles. A friend found a nest with three tiny, pure white, day-old chicks. Even though the wind was excellent, the mother bird spent most of the afternoon facing to the east. Bummer. I moved to the north and worked with both TCs for the last half hour of light. I think that my best image was of a medium-sized skimmer chick swallowing an Atlantic Silversides, one of the last series I made just as the sun disappeared behind a cloud.

I forgot to mention yesterday that on Wednesday morning at JBWR I glanced to my left as I was photographing the phalarope and saw a dark bird with pointy wings flying lazily. “Looks like a young Laughing Gull but just might be a Peregrine Falcon.: I was chasing TCs so photographically, it did not matter which it was. Because of the lazy flight pattern, I had just about decided on juvie Laughing Gull when the bird turned slightly to its left, pumped its wing several times, and executed a shallow stoop on the flock of shorebirds just to my left. Once again, I was caught with my proverbial pants down, but it sure was a thrill seeing the powerful predator flying right at me at high speed. Next time …

Today is Friday 12 August 2022. I will be headed early to the East Pond. I am excited as the weather is looking really good. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes one hundred forty-one days in a row with a new one.

So far, eight folks have been in touch about joining me at either Nickerson or JBWR in the coming weeks for an In-the-Field session or two. The first window for doing shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is closing now, the second window is from 24-26 August. See the additional details below.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson. Click on the card to view a larger version. Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite

Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops

Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with more than a dozen pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.

Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their you. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers eating skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.

I am taking the Auto Train north on 31 July and will happily spend all of August on Long Island. I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September (barring anything unforeseen). I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.

Whether you are a local or would like to fly in for several days of instruction — a sort of private, or small group. — at worst, IPT, LMK via e-mail so that we can work on a schedule that could possibly include both Nickerson and Jamaica Bay.

Instagram

Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.

Please Remember

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

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Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

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Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

This image was also created on 8 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on dry sand with my eye to the viewfinder, I used the lowered, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250. 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, it was determined that the raw file was about 1/2 stop too dark because you must expose for the brightest sky close to the sun. AWB at 6:17:16am on a mostly clear morning less than 20 minutes after sunrise. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Yellow/orange backlit Black Skimmer incoming with baitfish for chick

The New Technique: Making Early Morning Backlit Hay While the Sun Shines in your Face & the Wind is Behind You

The “new” technique, making good early morning backlit images when the sun is shining in your face and the wind is behind you (AKA wind-against-sun) conditions, is not really new. I have been using it sporadically for years at various locations including Nickerson Beach. The new twists this season include sitting to eliminate the distant background, working for more than an hour after the time of sunrise, using the 2X on occasion, especially when doing the (smaller) terns, and exploring different processing options.

This image was also created on 8 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on dry sand with my eye to the viewfinder, I used the lowered, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (wide open at 840mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1000. 1/4000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, it was determined that the raw file was about one full stop too dark, again, because you must expose for the brightest sky close to the sun. Thus, areas away from the sun will be under-exposed to varying degrees. AWB at 6:21:17am on a mostly clear morning, again less than 20 minutes after sunrise. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Stark, Black & White Black Skimmer starting dive silhouette

Post Processing Options

Understand that the properly exposed raw files in this situation should and will appear washed. That said, the golden color will always be there. You can process the images toward the gold end using a variety of techniques that are covered in BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. In addition, several of these methods have been mentioned in recent blog posts. Or you can convert them to be rendered as stark black and whites, as I did with Image #2. The choice is yours.

This image was created on 8 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on dry sand with my eye to the viewfinder, I used the lowered, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter (at 1200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 800. 1/5000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, it was determined that the raw file was about 1/3 stop too dark (due to operator error). AWB at 7:02:31am on a mostly clear morning less than seven minutes after sunrise. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Golden backlit Common Tern landing with baitfish for chick

Maximum Focal Length for the Smaller Terns

I found a spot where the skimmers and terns are nesting close together near the top of a dune. As both species fish predominately early and late in the day, there is lots of landing flight action. Once you go to 1200mm, there is a possibility of clipping the wings of the skimmers (as I did with Image #2). The huge advantage, however, is getting more pixels the subject when photographing the Common Terns; they are a lot smaller than the skimmers. Know that the terns will often kite before landing (“hover” is the incorrect term used by most folks use).

While I opted for the golden silhouette look for this image, I could have processed it to reveal details and color on the tern (as I did with the skimmer in Image #1), or, I could have opted for the stark silhouette look as in Image #2.

Coming or Going?

Is this bird in Image #3 above flying toward us or away from us? How do you know?

This image was created on 8 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on dry sand with my eye to the viewfinder, I used the lowered, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter (at 120mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 800. 1/5000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, it was determined that the raw file was about 1/3 stop too dark (due to operator error). AWB at 7:04:43am on a mostly clear morning more than an hour after sunrise. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #4: Golden backlit Black Skimmer landing with baitfish for chick

Later in the Morning

As you approach an hour after sunrise, the sun will of course be higher in the sky. The backlight will not be as dramatic as it was right after sunrise, but with the wind behind you, trying for backlit incoming flight is often your best option. For best results, concentrate on incoming birds that are in line with the sun while flying well below it and are just above the grasses. Remember, nearly all the birds on the beach will be facing away from you.

Jeez, I Almost Forgot to Mention

How about making razor-sharp flight images at 1200mm with the Sony A1? Who could have ever dreamed it?

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

2023 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs

IPT #1: MON 20 FEB 2023 through the full day on FRI 24 FEB 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 3.

IPT #2: SAT 25 FEB 2023 through the full day on THURS 2 MAR 2023. Six full days/24 hours on the boat: $6600.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 2.

IPT #3: FRI 3 MAR 2023 through the full day on TUES 7 MAR 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers. Openings: 4.

Save $1,000.00 by doing back-to-back trips.

These trips feature non-stop flight photography as well as many opportunities to create both environmental and point-blank portraits of one of North America’s most sought-after avian subjects: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Other reliable subjects will include Sea Otter, Glaucous-winged and Short-billed (formerly Mew) Gulls.

In addition, we should see Common Murre, Black Guillemot, Pelagic Cormorant, two or three species of loons, and a smattering of ducks including two species of merganser, all three scoters, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Bufflehead, Harlequin, and Long-tailed Ducks. Close-range photographic chances for these species will require a ton of good luck. Some of these species, especially when in flocks, can, however, often be used effectively when pleasing creating bird-scapes.

If we need to be out early, we will be the first boat out. If conditions are great, we will stay out. And when there is a chance for sunset silhouettes, we will be in the right spot.

We will be traveling through gorgeous wilderness country; landscape and scenic opportunities abound.

Also featured is a professional leader, often referred to as the world’s most knowledgeable bird photography trip leader, who is conversant in Canon, Nikon, and Sony. You will learn practical and creative solutions to everyday photographic problems. You will learn to see the shot, to create dynamic images by fine-tuning your compositions, to best utilize your camera’s AF system, and how to analyze the wind, the sky conditions, and the direction and quality of the light. This is one of the very few trips Homer trips available where you will not be simply put on the birds and told to have fun. You will learn to be a better photographer. But only if that is what you want.

You will learn to get the right exposure when it is sunny, when it cloudy-bright, when it is cloudy, when it is cloudy-dark, or when it is foggy. Not to mention getting the right exposure when creating silhouettes.

You will learn to make pleasing blurs working in manual mode and to create silhouettes working in Shutter Priority mode.

Most importantly you will learn to pick your best flight images from tens of thousands of images.

You will enjoy working with the two best and most creative boat captains on their sturdy, photography-spacious, seaworthy, open-deck crafts.

The second and third IPTs are the only Bald Eagle workshops that feature an incredibly helpful first mate.

Only five photographers (not the usual six), plus the leader.

Small group Photoshop, Image Review, and Image Critiquing sessions.

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

What’s Included

One four hour or two two-hour boat trips every day (weather permitting), all boat fees and boat-related expenses (excluding tips), ground transportation to and from the dock and back to the hotel each day, in-the-field instruction and guidance, pre-trip gear advice, small group post-processing and image review sessions, and a thank you dinner for all well-behaved participants.

What’s Not Included

Your airfare to and from Homer, AK (via Anchorage), the cost of your room at Land’s End Resort, all personal items, all meals and beverages, and tips for the boat captain and/or the first mate.

Please Note

On great days, the group may wish to photograph for more than four hours. If the total time on the boat exceeds 20 hours for the five-day trips, or 24 hours for the second trip, the group will share the additional expense at a rate of $225/hour.

Some folks may wish to rent their own vehicle to take advantage of local photographic opportunities around Homer.

Deposit Information

A $3000 non-refundable deposit/trip is required. You may pay your deposit with credit card or by personal check (made out to BIRDS AS ART) and sent via US mail only to Arthur Morris. PO Box 7245. Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Your balance, due 90 days before the date of departure, is payable only by check as above.

In Closing

I have been going to Homer off and on for close to two decades. Every trip has been nothing short of fantastic. Many folks go in mid-March. The earlier you go, the better the chances for snow. The only way to assure that you are on the best of the three trips is to sign up for all of them. Can you keep up with me? If you have any questions, or are good to go for one, two, or all three trips, please let me know via e-mail or give me a call on my cell phone at 863-221-2372.

Typos

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

Wanted to Buy

I have a serious buyer who would like to purchase your Canon 100-400mm L IS II lens. If you have one that you would like to sell, please contact me via e-mail.

What’s Up?

There were more clear skies and more southwest winds to deal with on Tuesday morning. I made my first image at 5:43am in the predawn light. At 6:19am, after making another 333 images (including a very few good ones), I saw a single skimmer land on clean sand to my right. The sun had just risen above a distant cloudy sky. I moved carefully to place the bird in front of an absolutely glowing yellow backdrop. I made the first image of this bird at 6:20:05am. One minute 20 seconds later, at 6:21:25, I was sated. I called another photographer in to enjoy the great situation and moved to my right. When the smoke cleared, I had created 316 images. That is surely a record for me. Other than the fact that the skimmer had beaten the fish up pretty well, it was as perfect a situation as you could wish for. I will be sharing the best one with you here soon. 🙂

As the sun got brighter, I worked on refining my new technique for dealing with these difficult, wind-against-sun conditions. I photographed incoming backlit skimmers and terns, many carrying baitfish for their chicks, with the tripod-mounted 600 GM/2X TC/a/1 rig. Again, I sat to eliminate the distant background of cabanas and buildings and replace that with a golden sky and a nice row of beach grasses along the bottom of the frame.

On Tuesday afternoon, Carlotta Grenier joined me for a flight photography In-the-Field Session at Nickerson Beach. The session started off great with sunshine and a brisk southwest wind. I went over the basics of shooting flight off the tripod with a 600mm f/4 lens. Set the limit range switch to not full, tripod raised so that the camera body is comfortably at eye level, go with Tracking Zone AF, a shutter speed of 1/3200 second or more, and raise the ISO until you get some faint Zebras on the bird’s white bellies. Pan, frame, and fire. Later in the afternoon there were dozens of blast-offs. On the largest of those, we finally saw a peregrine streak by.

Today is Wednesday 10 August 2022. I will be visiting the East Pond at JBWR early today. Water levels and the weather are looking ideal and I am excited about returning to my soul place. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes one hundred thirty-nine days in a row with a new one.

So far, eight folks have been in touch about joining me at either Nickerson or JBWR in the coming weeks for an In-the-Field session or two. The first window for doing shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is from 10-12 August, the second window is 24-26 August. See the additional details below.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

Canon 800mm f/5.6L ISUSM Lens/with extras!

BAA Record-low Price!
Price Reduced $400 on 18 July 2022!
Price Reduced $400 on 9 July 2022!

Galapagos IPT veteran (with wife Sandy), Don Selesky, is offering a Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens in like-new condition the BAA record-low price of $5997.00 (was $6,797.00). The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk and key, the original tough front lens cover, 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 Don via e-mail.

I used this lens, often with a 1.4X TC, as my main super-telephoto lens for five years. It is a superb lens that offers lots of reach for those working with birds that are skittish. It is great from the car. I was astounded that 15 of the 67 images in the San Diego exhibit were created with the 800. I missed it terribly for years. It will seriously kill with an R5 or an R6 and an RF-EF Adapter! This lens sells new at B&H for $12,999 but is back-ordered everywhere. Don’s lens is a superb buy; grab it now and save a very sweet $7902.00! artie

Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson. Click on the card to view a larger version. Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite

Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops

Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with more than a dozen pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.

Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their you. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers eating skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.

I am taking the Auto Train north on 31 July and will happily spend all of August on Long Island. I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September (barring anything unforeseen). I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.

Whether you are a local or would like to fly in for several days of instruction — a sort of private, or small group. — at worst, IPT, LMK via e-mail so that we can work on a schedule that could possibly include both Nickerson and Jamaica Bay.

The First DeSoto IPT

If you are interested in the first DeSoto IPT, 3 1/2 Days, Tuesday 27 September through the morning session on Friday 30 September 2022, know that I just reserved a three-bedroom AirBnB in Gulfport. Share it for four nights with many multiple IPT veteran Monte Brown and me and save a ton on lodging: $83.69/night/person for a whole home. AirBnB photos available upon request. If interested, shoot me an e-mail.

Instagram

Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.

Please Remember

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

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

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

If You Enjoy the Blog …

Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: The Photo Mechanic screen capture for today’s featured image

The Situation

I was on my way back to the parking lot before eight am when I noticed several adult Common Terns standing on the upper beach. All but one of them was facing into the southwest wind. With the sun behind me in the east, I would be shooting “up the bird’s butt.” But (one “t”), there was a single bird facing to the south. To get square to the subject, I needed to shoot about 20° off sun angle. I flattened the tripod, got down on the ground, pulled up the rear monitor, found the subject (not an easy task), and made several images as the bird preened its left side.

I was surprised when a young bird landed to the right of and much closer to me than my chosen subject. Just as I got lined up, an adult bird landed near the fledgling. The juvie tern went nuts running around in circles begging. As it turned, it did not care about the wind direction; I had some great action chances with the subject square to the back of the camera (at times) and right down sun angle.

The Lesson

In wind against sun conditions, be on the lookout for the odd bird that is not facing into the wind or for a bird that is so busy doing something that it is not facing into the wind.

This image was created on 8 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on dry sand, I used the flattened, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 640. 1/2000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, it was determined that the raw file was about 1/3 stop too dark (due to operator error). AWB at 7:54:33 am on a mostly bright morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1A: Common Tern fledgling begging/Version I

The Image Optimization

Looking at Image #1, the Photo Mechanic screen capture, it is obvious that the three dark, out-of-focus circles in the background (distant skimmers, I think), needed to be dealt with. Eliminating the one in the center and the smaller one in front of the young bird was easy; I used the Patch Tool. The blob behind the juvie’s head required more care. First, I carefully selected the bird’s head with the Magnetic Lasso, feathered the selection, and placed it on its own layer. Next, I turned off the Eyeball, activated the layer below, and used a large soft clone stamp brush to eliminate the dark circular blob behind the head. I worked with impunity not caring that I was along away large parts of the bird’s head. When I was done, I simply went back to the layer above, the one with the bird’s head, and clicked the Eyeball back on. The young tern’s head was restored perfectly.

I did some beach cleanup, especially in the area below the young tern’s raised foot. Working large, I rebuilt one claw on the raised foot that had been broken. Next, I painted a Quick Mask of the bird’s eye, placed it on a layer, and ran Topaz Sharpen AI on that layer only. Though the original images was incredibly sharp, that last step brought the eye up a notch.

Rather than cropping from just behind the adult’s legs, I opted to crop from in front of its legs so as to include just the head, neck, and the bend of the wing. To finish off Version I, I pulled the Crop Tool in from the upper left.

Be sure to scroll down to see Version II, a higher crop.

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)

Most of the techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with my complete digital workflow, my cleanup tools with instructions, 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.

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.

This image was created on 8 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on dry sand, I used the flattened, no-longer available except from BIRDS AS ART, Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 640. 1/2000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, it was determined that the raw file was about 1/3 stop too dark (due to operator error). AWB at 7:54:33 am on a mostly bright morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1B: Common Tern fledgling begging/Version II

Version II

For Version II, I executed a tighter crop to feature just the begging fledgling. I used the Patch Tool to eliminate the head of the adult near the right frame-edge.

You Call?

Should I have cropped from just behind the adult’s legs? Why or why not?

Which is the stronger image, Version I or Version II? Why?

Unsolicited via e-mail from Pete Myers

I just spent 4 days in the field in a graduate course in bird photography taught by Artie Morris at Fort DeSoto. After almost 50 years of experience pointing cameras at birds from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, New Zealand and beyond, I thought I was good enough. But what I learned from Artie in just four days has taken me to a whole new level. As he aptly puts it, “birds as art,” not simply bird photography. One of those 4 days was the most satisfying I’d ever experienced, anywhere. The IPT left me euphoric about what I’d learned, and frighteningly committed to recreating my portfolio with the techniques and insights he taught me.

Via e-mail from Jim Miller

I can’t stop thinking about how much fun the DeSoto Fall IPT was, and how much I learned. There were so many things that suddenly made perfect sense after I had been confused for so long. Thank you very much for the wonderful trip, and for being a great teacher. As I worked through the raw files last week, I realized what a fantastic lens the 600 GM is. Thanks for the rental! Maybe someday I will be able to afford one. Some images for critique are attached.

By the way, the plant we were looking at along the sidewalk in Gulfport is Blue Porterweed. It is worth a few minutes on the internet to read about it: native of Florida and the Caribbean, used for medicine in The Bahamas, etc. We have it in a large pot in the front yard and it takes a lot of water, but it blooms Spring through Fall. Thank you again, Artie. It was really wonderful to be with you and learn from you.

Via e-mail from Lee Sommie

I want to thank you for making the Fall 2017 Ft. DeSoto IPT such a fun and educational experience for me. I truly did not want the adventure to end. I now look through the viewfinder with an artist’s mindset. And the real bonus was making new friends with fellow students. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm for wildlife photography. I had a great time with you and look forward to more adventures on future IPTs.

Followed by this one

BTW. I downloaded Photo Mechanic and started using it in my workflow. Since I like using Lightroom for my adjustments, I found a way to incorporate Photo Mechanic and Lightroom together. Lightroom was driving me crazy with how slow it is to import and preview photos. I was impressed with how fast you could preview photos and start editing your photos on the DeSoto Fall IPT. Life is too short to wait for applications to import and preview photos and Photo Mechanic solves that problem.

Via e-mail from Muhammad Arif

I had a great time at Fort DeSoto. Thank you for all the instruction, for your help and pointers; my photography has already improved tremendously, and I’ve never made such good bird photos before. I wish I could’ve joined you on Monday and Tuesday morning as well, but work got in the way. It was also nice meeting the folks on the IPT. Thanks again for everything and I hope to join you at a future IPT sometime again.

Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All the images on this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this fall. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Caspian Tern, Great Egret, Sandwich Tern with fish, Willet, Black-bellied Plover threat display, Snowy Egret, 2-year old Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron, juvenile Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron.

The Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tours

Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #1

3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 27 September through the morning session on Friday 30 September 2022. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers/Openings five.

Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #2

3 1/2 Days: 7 October through the morning session on Monday 10 October 2022. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.

Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #3

3 1/2 Days: Monday 31 October through the morning session on Thursday 3 November 2022. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With any luck at all, we should get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy, American Oystercatcher is pretty much guaranteed. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two. And we will get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.

On this IPT, all will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. Everyone will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. Most importantly, you will surely learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it). The best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever and whenever you photograph.

There will be a Photoshop/image review session during or after lunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time.

These IPTs will run with only a single registrant (though that is not unlikely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with Gulfport AirBnB information. If you register soon and would like to share an AirBnB with me, shoot me an e-mail. Other possibilities including taking a cab to and from the airport to our AirBnB and riding with me. This saves you both gas and the cost of a rental car.

A $600 deposit is due when you sign up and is payable by credit card. Balances must be paid by check two months before the trip. Your deposit is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out with six folks, so please check your plans carefully before committing. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand, or by sending a check as follows: make the check out to: BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, clothing, and gear advice. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, juvenile Tricolored Heron, Marbled Godwits, Great Blue Heron, juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Wood Stork, smiling Sea Scallop, Ruddy Turnstone scavenging needlefish, Great Blue Heron sunset silhouette at my secret spot, and southbound migrant tern flock blur.

Up Early, Stay Out Late!

Obviously, folks attending an IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of the sweetest light and sunrise and sunset colors (when possible). The good news is that the days are relatively short in early fall. I really love it when I am leaving the beach on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving. The length of cloudy morning sessions will often be extended. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I kept only 102 of the 2712 images that I created on Saturday afternoon, a keeper rate of only 3.7%. That for the first edit. While there were a zillion skimmer midair battles, it was very difficult to keep the birds in the frame; the south wind was so strong that the birds were being blown to the north as soon as they took flight to squabble. on Sunday morning, the sun was out for a bit. With the wind from the southwest, I was glad that it clouded over quickly. I did well at sunrise on a single skimmer and then worked the birds with fish and the chicks. I kept 102 out of 1150 images, a keeper rate of 8.8%.

The Met game was great. I attended with younger daughter Alissa and my younger grandson, Idris. Mets all start pitcher Jacob DeGrom was spectacular. He had a perfect game for 5 2/3 innings. Then he walked a batter and gave up a home run with the Mets leading 5 to nothing. The Mets pitchers struck out 19 Braves to tie the team record. The Mets are now 6 1/2 games ahead of the Braves in the National League East. I lived in Brooklyn when the Miracle Mets won the World Series in 1969, and in Queens when they won again in 1986. Maybe this is there year too!

I should have mentioned that our seats were in the sun until the 7th inning. It rained hard at 2:30pm. Then the sun came out with a vengeance. By 3:00pm the temperature on the field was 93° but it felt like 111°. Can you say sauna?

Today in Monday 8 August 2022. The forecast for the morning is a repeat of the last few days; partly cloudy turning sunny with a brisk wind from the southwest. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes one hundred thirty-seven days in a row with a new one.

So far, seven folks have been in touch about joining me at either Nickerson or JBWR in the coming weeks for an In-the-Field session or two. The first window for doing shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is from 10-12 August, the second window is 24-26 August. See the additional details below.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

Missed Anniversary

On 7 August 1983, I purchased my first telephoto lens, the Canon FD 400mm f/4.5FD lens. Yesterday marked 39 years of bird photography for me. Mazel tov!

This image was created on 6 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Working off the titled rear monitor, I used the flattened, no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 800. 1/800 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, it was determined that there were 124,000 over-exposed pixels. Keep reading to learn why that was a perfect exposure in this situation. AWB at 7:08:23am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Backlit Black Skimmer chick

Was It Worth It?

In yesterday’s blog post here, I wrote:

Conditions for bird photography were extremely challenging on Saturday morning. The wind was from the west southwest, blowing straight at the sun. A large cloud on the eastern horizon blocked the red sunrise light on the beach for ten minutes. When the sun finally cleared the cloud, there were few birds left on the beach due to too many bicycle riders, and the beach, was a mess with seaweed.

Then, I tried and failed on some backlit landing skimmers. My only successful image was that of a single backlit skimmer chick. I sat behind the tripod along the western colony ropes with the ground level 600mm f/4 GM lens/2X TC combo and going after backlit chicks for more than an hour. All in all, photography was very difficult, but I did make one very special image. Was getting up very early, working hard for more than two hours, and getting one very good image worth it?

Yes. All that I ever hope for is one good image. After that, I get greedy.

Note that the keys to creating a successful image here were working at 1200mm to isolate the subject and getting the lens just inches above the ground to soften the background by effectively moving it farther from the subject and create an intimate perspective.

The Lesson

When the wind is blowing against the sun, creating backlit images is one of your best options.

Backlit Basics

1- Use your longest effective focal length for a narrow angle of view that reduces background clutter.

2- Set your exposure so that the rim light is over-exposed.

3- Place the subject on the same line as the sun to get the most dramatic backlight. Only rarely will you want the sun in the frame on clear days as it is far too bright.

Image #2: RawDigger screen capture for the “Backlit Black Skimmer chick” image

How Can an Image with 124,000 OvExp Pixels be the Best Exposure?

When shooting backlit creatures, we strive to capture rim-lit feathers or fur so that we can create dramatic images. If you expose dark enough to avoid over-exposing the rim light, the shaded side of the subject will be grossly under-exposed. Lightening it will introduce lots of noise and some muddy colors. By pushing the exposure to the right and toasting the rim light, you will create a raw file with at least some detail in the shaded feathers and will have produced an image that you can work with.

What can I say? The combination of Zebras live in the viewfinder (with your camera set up properly) and post-capture study of the raw files in RawDigger makes it pretty much child’s play to come up with perfect exposure after perfect exposure, even in super-difficult situations. It would be impossible to overstate how much I have learned by studying RawDigger and how much better my exposures have become since I started with the program almost two years ago. The raw file brightness for today’s featured image is perfect with the G channel almost making the 16000 line. In other words, the raw file brightness is perfect.

RawDigger — not for the faint of heart …

Nothing has ever helped me learn to create perfect exposures to the degree that RawDigger has. I think that many folks are reluctant to learn that most of their images are underexposed by one or more full stops and that highlight warnings in Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One, and your in-camera histogram are bogus as they are based on the embedded JPEGs. Only your raw files tell the truth all the time. Heck, I resisted RawDigger for several years … Once you get over that feeling, RawDigger can become your very best exposure friend no matter what system you are using. On the recent IPTs and In-the-Field sessions, we have demonstrated that fact. Convincingly.

The RawDigger Adapted (pink) Histogram

In the RawDigger e-Guide, you will learn exactly how to set up the Adapted “pink” RawDigger Histogram and how to use it to quickly and easily evaluate the exposure or raw file brightness of images from all digital cameras currently in use. RawDigger was especially helpful to me as I have struggled with R5 exposures and learned my new camera body, the Sony Alpha a1.

RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

The RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

by Arthur Morris with Patrick Sparkman

The RawDigger e-Guide was created only for serious photographers who wish to get the absolute most out of their raw files.

Patrick and I began work on the guide in July 2020. At first, we struggled. We asked questions. We learned about Max-G values. We puzzled as to why the Max G values for different cameras were different. IPT veteran Bart Deamer asked lots of questions that we could not answer. We got help from RawDigger creator Iliah Borg. We learned. In December, Patrick came up with an Adapted Histogram that allows us to evaluate the exposures and raw file brightness for all images created with all digital camera bodies from the last two decades. What we learned each time prompted three complete beginning to end re-writes.

The point of the guide is to teach you to truly expose to the mega-Expose-to-the-Right so that you will minimize noise, maximize image quality, best utilize your camera’s dynamic range, and attain the highest possible level of shadow detail in your RAW files in every situation. In addition, your properly exposed RAW files will contain more tonal information and feature the smoothest possible transitions between tones. And your optimized images will feature rich, accurate color.

We teach you why the GREEN channel is almost always the first to over-expose. We save you money by advising you which version of RawDigger you need. We teach you how to interpret the Max G values for your Canon, Nikon, and SONY camera bodies. It is very likely that the Shock-your-World section will shock you. And lastly — thanks to the technical and practical brilliance of Patrick Sparkman — we teach you a simple way to evaluate your exposures and the raw file brightness quickly and easily the Adapted RawDigger histogram.

The flower video takes you through a session where artie edits a folder of images in Capture One while checking the exposures and Max-G values in RawDigger. The Adapted Histogram video examines a series of recent images with the pink histograms and covers lots of fine points including and especially how to deal with specular highlights. The directions for setting up the Adapted Histogram are in the text.

If we priced this guide based on how much effort we put into it, it would sell it for $999.00. But as this guide will be purchased only by a limited number of serious photographers, we have priced it at $51.00. You can order yours here in the BAA Online Store.

The Image Optimization

The image optimization here was relatively straightforward. For the raw conversion in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), I pulled the Whites slider to -100, moved the Shadow slider to +100, and surprisingly, left the Highlights slider at zero. Why the latter? I did not want to darken the white feathers on the shadow side of the bird. By experimenting with the Highlights slider and the Whites slider I came up with something completely new that worked.

I removed the white speck in the background, eliminated one or two distracting elements from the beach, and did some extensive bill cleanup work. I used Tim Grey Dodge and Burn to lighten the shadowed side of the bird in 10% increments with a large, soft brush. I selected the bill and the legs with a Color Range selection, increased the Orange saturation and Luminance, again in ACR. Technically, I should have played with the Orange tones during the raw conversion.

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)

Almost all of the techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques including my clean-up tools 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.

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.

Typos

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

Trapped in Password Hell

I do not have access to my samandmayasgrandpa e-mail address. If you wish to join me at Nickerson Beach or at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay in the next few days, please text me at 863-221-2372. Have a good one. a

Your Call

This is a photo contest. Place today’s three featured images your order of your preference with the winning image first, the runner up photo second, and the loser, third 🙂 All are invited to play judge and let us know why they made their choices. I love all three of them.

What’s Not Up Early?

Many bird photographers including the majority of folks photographing the terns and skimmers at Nickerson this past week, arrive between seven and nine am. They may get to make some good images on a cloudy day. On sunny days, I am heading home just as they are arriving. I try to be on the beach 45 minutes before sunrise, and always want to be in position at least 15 minutes before the time of sunrise.

My Big Rant

I continue to be flabbergasted by the number of folks carrying $10-$20,000 worth of quality camera gear who have zero clue as to how to make good (let alone great) images: shooting well off light angle, facing into the wind, failing to see and find good situations, poor technique, and. incorrect gear choices. As I say often, I am simply baffled.

What’s Up?

Me, early, to take advantage of some wonderful sunrise colors. Friday morning had tons of that, and once the clouds took over, lots of good chances with Black Skimmer chicks. Today is Saturday 6 August 2022. The forecast for Lido Beach is identical to Friday’s forecast: partly to mostly cloudy with a SW breeze. I will be headed to the beach very early in hopes of some more spectacular sunrise light. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare (including the time spent on optimizing three new images) and makes one hundred thirty-five days in a row with a new one.

So far, seven folks have been in touch about joining me at either Nickerson or JBWR in the coming weeks. See the details below. Carlotta Grenier is returning next Monday for another In-the-Field session. The first window for doing shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson. Click on the card to view a larger version. Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite

Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops

Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with more than a dozen pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.

Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their you. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers eating skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.

I am taking the Auto Train north on 31 July and will happily spend all of August on Long Island. I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September (barring anything unforeseen). I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.

Whether you are a local or would like to fly in for several days of instruction — a sort of private, or small group. — at worst, IPT, LMK via e-mail so that we can work on a schedule that could possibly include both Nickerson and Jamaica Bay.

The First DeSoto IPT

If you are interested in the first DeSoto IPT, 3 1/2 Days, Tuesday 27 September through the morning session on Friday 30 September 2022, know that I just reserved a three-bedroom AirBnB in Gulfport. Share it for four nights with many multiple IPT veteran Monte Brown and me and save a ton on lodging: $83.69/night/person for a whole home. AirBnB photos available upon request. If interested, shoot me an e-mail.

Instagram

Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.

Please Remember

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

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

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

If You Enjoy the Blog …

Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

This image was created on 4 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. Shutter Priority +1.3 stops: 1/250 sec. at f/9 (wide open). AUTO ISO set ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Wheel. AWB at 6:01:54am on a sunny morning about seven minutes after the time of sunrise. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Image #1: Black Skimmer in quasi fire-in-the-mist conditions image

Quasi Fire-in-the-Mist Conditions

If you know where to be, these quasi fire-in-the-mist conditions exist every clear morning. You do, however, need to know exactly where to be. Most folks including other professional tour leaders, fail to take advantage of these spectacular conditions.

For many of the sessions I have been going light carrying just the 200-600 G lens. Note that for Image #1 I added the 1.4X TC and risked a rather low shutter speed: 1/250 sec. at 840mm handheld is pushing things.

This image was created on 5 August 2022. at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on damp sand, I used the lowered, no-longer available (except from BAA) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Panning Ground Pod-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.. Shutter Priority +2.3 stops: 1/60 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AUTO ISO set ISO 1250. Exposure determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Wheel. AWB at 5:52:56am about 3 minutes before the time of sunrise on a partly cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: Black Skimmer in flight against the brightly colored pre-dawn sky

Partly Cloudy Often Equals Sunrise Color

I make sure to be in position at least 15 minutes before sunrise when the forecast is calling for partly cloudy. Why? Though there are no guarantees, light clouds on the eastern horizon often offer brilliant and vibrant sunrise colors. There was a fifteen minute clear window below the clouds on Friday morning and they created a varying array of colors as the day progressed.

Lesson: get your butt out of bed in the dark and arrive at coastal locations as early as possible.

This image was also created on 5 August 2022. at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Again, seated on damp sand, I used the flattened, no-longer available (except from BAA) Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Panning Ground Pod-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.. Shutter Priority +2.3 stops: 1/250 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AUTO ISO set ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Wheel. AWB at 6:38:54am as the sunrise colors had begun to fade on a partly cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #3: Black Skimmers against pink sky

Why the Flattened Tripod?

I needed to get below the birds on the berm and then get as low as possible so that I could enjoy a background of fading pink sky color as the clouds begin to take over.

The lesson: Perspective is everything so choose yours carefully.

Unsolicited via e-mail from Pete Myers

I just spent 4 days in the field in a graduate course in bird photography taught by Artie Morris at Fort DeSoto. After almost 50 years of experience pointing cameras at birds from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, New Zealand and beyond, I thought I was good enough. But what I learned from Artie in just four days has taken me to a whole new level. As he aptly puts it, “birds as art,” not simply bird photography. One of those 4 days was the most satisfying I’d ever experienced, anywhere. The IPT left me euphoric about what I’d learned, and frighteningly committed to recreating my portfolio with the techniques and insights he taught me.

Via e-mail from Jim Miller

I can’t stop thinking about how much fun the DeSoto Fall IPT was, and how much I learned. There were so many things that suddenly made perfect sense after I had been confused for so long. Thank you very much for the wonderful trip, and for being a great teacher. As I worked through the raw files last week, I realized what a fantastic lens the 600 GM is. Thanks for the rental! Maybe someday I will be able to afford one. Some images for critique are attached.

By the way, the plant we were looking at along the sidewalk in Gulfport is Blue Porterweed. It is worth a few minutes on the internet to read about it: native of Florida and the Caribbean, used for medicine in The Bahamas, etc. We have it in a large pot in the front yard and it takes a lot of water, but it blooms Spring through Fall. Thank you again, Artie. It was really wonderful to be with you and learn from you.

Via e-mail from Lee Sommie

I want to thank you for making the Fall 2017 Ft. DeSoto IPT such a fun and educational experience for me. I truly did not want the adventure to end. I now look through the viewfinder with an artist’s mindset. And the real bonus was making new friends with fellow students. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm for wildlife photography. I had a great time with you and look forward to more adventures on future IPTs.

Followed by this one

BTW. I downloaded Photo Mechanic and started using it in my workflow. Since I like using Lightroom for my adjustments, I found a way to incorporate Photo Mechanic and Lightroom together. Lightroom was driving me crazy with how slow it is to import and preview photos. I was impressed with how fast you could preview photos and start editing your photos on the DeSoto Fall IPT. Life is too short to wait for applications to import and preview photos and Photo Mechanic solves that problem.

Via e-mail from Muhammad Arif

I had a great time at Fort DeSoto. Thank you for all the instruction, for your help and pointers; my photography has already improved tremendously, and I’ve never made such good bird photos before. I wish I could’ve joined you on Monday and Tuesday morning as well, but work got in the way. It was also nice meeting the folks on the IPT. Thanks again for everything and I hope to join you at a future IPT sometime again.

Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All the images on this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this fall. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Caspian Tern, Great Egret, Sandwich Tern with fish, Willet, Black-bellied Plover threat display, Snowy Egret, 2-year old Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron, juvenile Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron.

The Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tours

Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #1

3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 27 September through the morning session on Friday 30 September 2022. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers/Openings five.

Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #2

3 1/2 Days: 7 October through the morning session on Monday 10 October 2022. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.

Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #3

3 1/2 Days: Monday 31 October through the morning session on Thursday 3 November 2022. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With any luck at all, we should get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy, American Oystercatcher is pretty much guaranteed. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two. And we will get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.

On this IPT, all will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. Everyone will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. Most importantly, you will surely learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it). The best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever and whenever you photograph.

There will be a Photoshop/image review session during or after lunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time.

These IPTs will run with only a single registrant (though that is not unlikely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with Gulfport AirBnB information. If you register soon and would like to share an AirBnB with me, shoot me an e-mail. Other possibilities including taking a cab to and from the airport to our AirBnB and riding with me. This saves you both gas and the cost of a rental car.

A $600 deposit is due when you sign up and is payable by credit card. Balances must be paid by check two months before the trip. Your deposit is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out with six folks, so please check your plans carefully before committing. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand, or by sending a check as follows: make the check out to: BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, clothing, and gear advice. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, juvenile Tricolored Heron, Marbled Godwits, Great Blue Heron, juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Wood Stork, smiling Sea Scallop, Ruddy Turnstone scavenging needlefish, Great Blue Heron sunset silhouette at my secret spot, and southbound migrant tern flock blur.

Up Early, Stay Out Late!

Obviously, folks attending an IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of the sweetest light and sunrise and sunset colors (when possible). The good news is that the days are relatively short in early fall. I really love it when I am leaving the beach on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving. The length of cloudy morning sessions will often be extended. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Typos

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

Your Call

Thanks for all the recent comments. Which of today’s three featured images of the silly-tame skimmer chick best tells the story? All are invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choice.

What’s Up?

Wednesday morning was spectacular. The forecast was for a north wind. Predawn, it was NW. Not great for bird photography, but not terrible either. Once the sun was up a bit, the wind miraculously switched to the northeast. I headed down and into the ocean to better get on sun angle for the terns fishing in the wash. Working with the tripod-mounted 600mm f/4 and the 1.4X TC, the small waves were slapping both the tripod and my calves. As the tide came in, I had to move farther up a bit; as the sun moved to the south, this put me further off sun angle as the morning progressed. I got lucky when a small flock of skimmers landed on the berm about 60 feet from me just to the right of sun angle. Other skimmers flew in one after another, sometimes skimming right at me and sometimes seemingly bathing on the wing. After landing, many walked out into the shallow surf to bathe. And then, to flap. The gorgeous light and the breaking waves made for some truly great action photography. I created 3348 raw files and kept 152 after the first edit. Images soon.

Wednesday afternoon was similar to Tuesday afternoon, but with the wind south by slightly east instead of south by slightly west as it have been on the previous day, I had a tough time. The twenty degree difference was huge as the birds were all flying and angling slightly away from us rather than slightly toward us. There were, however, a zillion skimmer fights. Shooting them at 840mm with the big lens on the tripod was very challenging. BTW, since I was standing in the exact same spot for considerable periods of time, the tripod was the clear choice over the monopod because somebody has to hold a monopod in place.

Today is Thursday 4 August 2022. The forecast for Lido Beach this morning is for clear and sunny with the breeze from the southwest. While that makes for a great beach day, it is the kiss-of-death forecast for bird photography as the sun rises north of east. The birds will be flying, landing, taking off, and facing into the southwest wind, directly away from the sun, My best chances will be for predawn silhouettes and blurs. Il will be handholding the 200-600 and headed back to the car very early. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes one hundred thirty-three days in a row with a new one.

So far, six folks have been in touch about joining me at either Nickerson or JBWR in the coming weeks. My first In-the-Field client will be joining me on Thursday afternoon. See the details below.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

Clockwise from the upper left corner back around to the center: Wilson’s Phalarope, JBWR; just fledged Common Tern, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, adult skimming, Nickerson; Black Skimmer killing tiny skimmer chick, Nickerson; American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise, Nickerson; Common Tern chick swallowing baby bluefish, Nickerson; Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenile, double overhead wing stretch, JBWR; Black Skimmers, predawn flock blur, Nickerson; Black Skimmer, 10-day old chick, Nickerson. Click on the card to view a larger version. Nickerson Beach/East Pond JBWR composite

Nickerson Beach/East Pond at Jamaica Bay (JBWR) In-the Field Workshops

Both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at JBWR offer some of the best midsummer bird photography on the planet. Hundreds of pairs or Black Skimmers and Common Terns along with more than a dozen pairs of American Oystercatchers breed at Nickerson each season so there are lots of chicks of all sizes and handsome fledged young to photograph. Provided that the water levels are low, hundreds of young shorebirds in their handsome fresh juvenile plumages stop by the pond each August on their way south.

Nickerson often reveals nature at it rawest, most basic level. Most days we get to photograph all sorts of dramatic behaviors ranging from skimmers and terns fishing and feeding (and tending) their you. There are often chances to shoot a variety of predatory encounters — gulls eating large skimmer chicks, skimmers eating skimmer babies, and Peregrine Falcons hunting. And rarely, if we are lucky, Peregrine Falcons catching! Consider joining me to learn a ton both about bird photography and the birds.

I took the Auto Train north on 31 July and will happily spend all of August on Long Island. I head south on 31 August and should be back home on 1 September (barring anything unforeseen). I am offering In-the-Field sessions at both Nickerson Beach and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you are interested, please get in touch via e-mail or text me at 863-221-2372.

Whether you are a local or would like to fly in for several days of instruction — a sort of private, or small group at worst, IPT, LMK via e-mail so that we can work on a schedule that could possibly include both Nickerson and Jamaica Bay.

The First DeSoto IPT

If you are interested in the first DeSoto IPT, 3 1/2 Days, Tuesday 27 September through the morning session on Friday 30 September 2022, know that I just reserved a three-bedroom AirBnB in Gulfport. Share it for four nights with many multiple IPT veteran Monte Brown and me and save a ton on lodging: $83.69/night/person for a whole home. AirBnB photos available upon request. If interested, shoot me an e-mail.

Instagram

Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.

Please Remember

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

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

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

If You Enjoy the Blog …

Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

This image was created on 2 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. I used the handheld 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 the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250. 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:28:42 pm on a sunny afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Image #1: Black Skimmer chick about six days old looking for its parents

Small Chick, Big World

As I shared yesterday:

Just before 7:30pm on Tuesday, I noted another photographer sitting well back from the colony ropes. It seemed as if she were pointing her lens at an empty sand beach. I instantly knew exactly what she was up to so I carefully made my way around her to get on sun angle without disturbing her subject and then sat down on the beach just off sun angle.

Image #1, made at 600mm was created to emphasize the chicks’ small size in comparison to the very large beach. Note the narrow zone of focus and the placement of the subject in the lower right corner of the frame. Is anyone familiar with the Rule of Fifteenths?

This image was also created on 2 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Again, I used the handheld 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 the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:30:08pm on a sunny afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Image #2: Black Skimmer chick running towards photographers

Running at Us!

When some small skimmer chicks perceive the human form they run the other was as fast as they can. This little one actually ran right at us. The chick walked up to me, scooped out a scrape right next to my left sneaker, and rested for a bit. The other photographer and I sat smiling in amazement. Image #2 was my favorite of the large-in-the-frame images as it was close to being on sun angle, showed the chick kicking up the sand, and was razor sharp on the eye.

This image was also created on 2 August 2022 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Again, I used the handheld 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 the Thumb Dial. ISO 2500. 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:37:09pm in the shade on a sunny afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be about 1/6 stop too dark. In other words, pretty darned good. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Image #3: Black Skimmer chick running towards photographers

The Final Insanity

Above, the chick was looking for a warm, save place to get out of the wind and spend the night. We were both laughing aloud but the baby skimmer did not care. We rejoiced when the little bird made a u-turn and headed back to the colony ropes in search of mom and dad. And safety.

Officer Friendly?

Officer Friendly is a program to acquaint children and young adults with law enforcement officials as a part of a community relations campaign.

So, I came up with the clever (or not) tile, “Junior Officer Friendly,” because the baby skimmer was acquainting itself with humans 🙂

Typos

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