May 22nd, 2021 What’s Up?
Anita and I were down at the lake early on Friday morning. She paid a final visit to the two crane families while I worked on the Black-necked Stilts off the flattened tripod in thee inches of water. It was a still, gorgeous morning, with water like glass. The more ground level stuff I shoot, the more I become addicted to the look. There is, however, one very big negative to working at or near ground level. And that is the subject of today’s post.
Anita North should be home by now. She flew to Buffalo on Friday and got a lift from there to her home in Toronto where she will do her mandatory two-week quarantine … We had a great visit.
Today is Saturday, 22 May 2021. The forecast is for more of the same, mostly sunny skies with a gentle breeze from the northeast. You will surely be able to find me sitting on my milk crate down by the edge of the marsh. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes 149 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.
Cataract Surgery …
If you are a nature photographer who has had any experience with cataract corrective surgery, please get in touch with Joe Norton via e-mail> He would love to chat with you.
Coincidentally, I had my annual eye exam with Dr. Braunstein in Lake Wales the other day. I love the guy. He always tells me the same thing: “You have the eyes of a non-diabetic.” That of course is music to my ears. He mentioned that I did have some evidence of cataracts, but that I probably would not live long enough for them to ever be a problem. I said, “That might be good or bad …” “At least 15 years,” he said.
Please Remember
With income from IPTs now at zero, please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.
New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!
You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.
Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard to get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a9 ii, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
The Single Biggest Negative to Ground Level Shooting
The single biggest negative to working at ground level is that for 99% of folks, it is impossible to shoot flight. If you are using the tilted read screen you have zero chance. If you are lying down looking through the viewfinder you might have one chance in a thousand on a low-flying bird. Heck, make that one chance in a million. More than a decade ago I saw a nice flight image made by Long Island friend James Galletto that he made while lying prone in the mud at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY.
Thanks, Clemens!
Thanks to Clemens Van der Werf for re-acquainting me with Nik’s great Viveza plug-in. And for the tutorial session he did for Anita and me before he headed home on Thursday. I used Viveza with today’s image to transform the rather bland white sky– as seen in the screen capture below, into a fairly pleasant shade of blue. If you might be interested in purchasing a short Viveza tutorial video, please shoot me an e-mail and I will get to work.
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| Image #1A: AF Point for the Mottled Duck in flight imaget
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What Can I Say?
Well, the AF system of the a1 missed, the eye, and technically, it missed the face. But this image, and about fifteen others in the series, were laser/razor sharp on the duck’s eye. Anita liked the image so much she said, “It looks like a Sump Duck.” That is a high compliment as later winter, BPN-friend Brian Sump consistently produced spectacular images of ducks in flight, including the cover of the Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide.
Members of the A1 Info and Updates Group learn about and receive a link to the program that enables folks to see the AF points with SONY raw files. And all receive a free copy of the Sony Camera User’s e-Guide that I did with Patrick Sparkman.
Sony Alpha a1 AF
Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In the next SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mail, I will be sharing what I have learned as to when and it what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 46 lucky folks. Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. More recently, we have been in contact with folks at SONY sharing our thoughts, experiences, and frustrations with the EVF blackout problem.
All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
May 21st, 2021 What’s Up?
Thursday morning was my least productive outings in many weeks. Clemens headed home after the morning shoot and Anita spent most of the day packing for her flight home today. Speaking of today, it is Friday 21 May 2021. The forecast is for partly cloudy with a brisk northeast wind. We will be heading down to the lake for Anita’s last session at least for a while. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes 148 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.
Please Remember
With income from IPTs now at zero, please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.
New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!
You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.
Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard to get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a9 ii, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail
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This image was created on 19 May 2021 by Anita North. She used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 400. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:38am on a clear, sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Osprey shaking off after plunge-bathing
Image courtesy of and Copyright 2021 Anita North
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Plunge-bathing Ospreys
At ILE, in spring and summer, it is not uncommon to see Ospreys dive into four- to six-inch deep pools in the marsh, flap around, and bathe. I published one image of a plunge-bathing Osprey last year. When Anita saw this behavior, she hustled down the shoreline (leaving me in the dust) and in a few hundred yards, made this image of a bird shaking water off in flight.
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This image was created down by the lake at ILE on 1 May 2021. I used the Induro GIT 304L/
Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 640. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/160 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:1a6am on an overcast morning.
Tracking Expand Spot/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #2:Anita North with the large surviving colt and one parent
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Fitness and Bird Photography
With my 30-year tender bone on bone left knee, I take extreme care traversing the marsh. The soft muck can be four to six inches deep and if you stay out of the mud, the tall grasses and bushes can easily trip you up. Though the bugs love Anita — I am practically immune to their bites and stings, she never hesitates to get down and dirty in pursuit of a good image. The fitter you are, the more easily you are able to get in position to make a great image.
Patience and Determination and Bird Photography
On his first morning in the marsh, Anita and I both left Clemens in our favorite spot as we impatiently headed off in pursuit of more action. While we struck out, Clemens’ determination paid off in spades when our favorite pair of stilts copulated right in front of him while facing straight at him. He created more than a few family jewels from what turned out to be a fabulous sequence.
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This image was created in the marsh down by the lake at ILE. I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 500. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:56am on a clear, sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #4: Clemens in the marsh with the hand held Canon 600 II and the 1D X III
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Strength and Height in Bird Photography
Strong at six foot, six inches, and after pedaling many hundreds of miles a month on his racing bike, Clemens has the physical tools that are a huge plus for anyone wishing to be a great bird, wildlife, or nature photographer. At times, his height can be a big advantage — you can always get shorter but you need a stool to get taller. On his flats boat, he often stands on the rear platform, and I have seen him get even taller by standing atop a big Yeti cooler placed on the rear platform. At times, hand holding the 600. Yikes!
Like Anita, he is driven to make great images no matter how tough the conditions. Like Anita he is quite determined. Approaching my 75th birthday I still have tons of determination — heck, that has always been number one on the list of reasons that I have enjoyed success as a bird photographer. But, I no longer have the stamina and physical tools to make like the Energizer Bunny. That said, I ain’t done yet; I can still give it a good go for a few hours. Hanging with Anita and Clemens inspires me.
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Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images
A Video Webinar: $30 by electronic download
Order your copy by clicking here.
|
Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images
A Video Webinar
In this 1 hour 28 minute plus video you will learn and be inspired. We cover everything from the very basics to the fine points. After a brief bio, the topics include Behavior, Action, Diagonal Lines, and the Cuteness Factor; Birds in Flight — The Holy Grail of Bird Photography; Mis-Framing!; Basic Image Design/HORIZONTALS: Get the subject out of the center of the frame. Basic Image Design/VERTICALS: The center of the frame is generally fine; The Importance of BACKGROUND; Isolating the Subject; Other Elements of Composition; On Getting Low; Going Wide for Bird-scapes; Super-tight!; Working in Sunny Conditions; Working in Cloudy Conditions; Working in Foggy Conditions; Working in the Shade; Working in Bad Weather; Creating Back-lit Images; Creating Silhouettes; and Creating Pleasing Blurs.
Each segment of the program consists of an average of about 15 images that will drive home the points being made, educate you, and inspire. The instructions and advice, given clearly and concisely, are based on my near-38 years of experience photographing birds with telephoto and super-telephoto lenses. And on several decades of creating educational blog posts.
This presentation is based on the webinar that I did for the South Shore Camera Club in April. You can find some of the comments below along with comments from two of the folks who viewed the webinar the night before the DeSoto IPT began.
You can order your copy of Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images/A Video Webinar by clicking here or by calling Jim with your credit card in hand at 863-692-0906.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
May 20th, 2021 What’s Up?
Ye of little faith …
On Wednesday morning, in perfect conditions, Anita, Clemens, and I made our way into the marsh at 6:40am. We did not see a single Black-necked Stilt anywhere. It seemed as if we were in a dead zone. I said, “I’m outta here,” and headed north for the two small chicks (by car). I did OK. Like me, Anita was not optimistic and headed to the south end of the marsh. When she returned, Clemens was ecstatic; his patience had been rewarded when two stilts landed right in from of him, courted, and copulated. Facing him! Then two more showed up for a battle royale. His final reward was a single stilt bathing. Anita had chased a dive-bathing Osprey and got a great image of the bird shaking out in flight after its bath. I hooked back up with them at about 8:00am; we all worked the edge of the marsh and enjoyed some really good chances with the two large crane colts and their parents. And finally, with a young Green Heron.
That evening we decided to head to Lake Blue Cypress for sunset … We left the dock at about 6:00pm and took a beating on the way across the lake as we headed into a stiff northeasterly wind. Once we got in the lee of the eastern shore we were fine. We had a decent sunset. For the better part of the evening, we did scenic photography with the occasional landing Osprey thrown in for good measure. We got back to the dock at 8:45pm and headed home well past my usual bedtime.
Today is Thursday 20 May 2021. The forecast for ILE is calling for partly cloudy with a northeast wind. Partly cloudy at ILE usually means clear as a bell. The three of us will be back down in the marsh. It is likely that Anita and I will be more patient than we were this morning. I have neglected to mention that the weather here for the past five days has been quite strange for May in central Florida. Morning and later afternoons have been cool and there has been a pretty decent cool breeze each day as we’ve dined on the pool deck, sort of like October on Long Island …
Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 147 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.
Please Remember
With income from IPTs now at zero, please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.
New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!
You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.
Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard to get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a9 ii, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail
Out of the Crane Box #1
This image — a photo illustration if you would, was created from a horizontal original that included the second chick and the bill of the adult whose legs remain in the photo to frame the chick. The bill of the adult was cloned away and I did some work on the grass as well. If you would like to see the JPEG that represents the original frame, please click here.
Like It or Hate It?
Like it or hate it. Why?
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This image was created on 19 May 2021 by Anita North. She used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 500. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:34am on a clear, sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #2: Stretched wing detail of Sandhill Crane colt
Image courtesy of and Copyright 2021 Anita North
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Out of the Crane Box #2
When I saw one of the big colts do a wingstretch right in front of Anita, I wanted to call out, “Shoot the wing,” but there was no time so I went back to what I was doing. The bird was much too close to her for anything but an out of the box body parts image. A few hours later I walked by her open laptop and lo and behold, there was Image #2. She was in the next room so I called out, “Anita, I am so proud of you for getting the wing shot!”
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Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images
A Video Webinar: $30 by electronic download
Order your copy by clicking here.
|
Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images
A Video Webinar
In this 1 hour 28 minute plus video you will learn and be inspired. We cover everything from the very basics to the fine points. After a brief bio, the topics include Behavior, Action, Diagonal Lines, and the Cuteness Factor; Birds in Flight — The Holy Grail of Bird Photography; Mis-Framing!; Basic Image Design/HORIZONTALS: Get the subject out of the center of the frame. Basic Image Design/VERTICALS: The center of the frame is generally fine; The Importance of BACKGROUND; Isolating the Subject; Other Elements of Composition; On Getting Low; Going Wide for Bird-scapes; Super-tight!; Working in Sunny Conditions; Working in Cloudy Conditions; Working in Foggy Conditions; Working in the Shade; Working in Bad Weather; Creating Back-lit Images; Creating Silhouettes; and Creating Pleasing Blurs.
Each segment of the program consists of an average of about 15 images that will drive home the points being made, educate you, and inspire. The instructions and advice, given clearly and concisely, are based on my near-38 years of experience photographing birds with telephoto and super-telephoto lenses. And on several decades of creating educational blog posts.
This presentation is based on the webinar that I did for the South Shore Camera Club in April. You can find some of the comments below along with comments from two of the folks who viewed the webinar the night before the DeSoto IPT began.
You can order your copy of Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images/A Video Webinar by clicking here or by calling Jim with your credit card in hand at 863-692-0906.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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