May 1st, 2021 What’s Up?
Donna and I photographed down by the lake for a bit on Friday morning. We found and photographed the large colt, but could not find the two small colts. Jim and I got Donna to MCO in plenty of time for her flights to Chattanooga (via ATL). Then Jim drove me to the Apple Store in Brandon for my Genius Bar appointment. That went well. Then we headed to the TPA Rental Car Center to hook up with Anita North and grab all of her stuff so that she could return her rental. She was in a huge traffic jam on her way to Tampa. The plan was for us to meet in the cell phone lot but that never happened. We wound up getting permission to bring my SUV, a “private vehicle,” into the Rental Car Center so that we could execute the transfer.
We headed to the bar near the Brandon Rookery for dinner. It was my second visit there in a week, and again, everyone loved the food. I am hooked on their Black and Blue Burger (no bun). As always, I gave all of my French fries to Anita. The rookery was in sight. There was lots of action. The light was sweet and the wind perfect from the southwest. But we were all so, so tired that we opted to head back to ILE. (If you own a copy of the Middle of Florida Site Guide and would like the name of the bar, please shoot me an e-mail that includes proof of purchase.)
Today is Saturday 1 May 2021. I slept till a very-late-for-me 6:30am. Anita and I headed down to the lake and quickly found and photographed both crane families; what a difference a day makes. Today I will be creating and sending a new e-mail to the SONY a1 Info and Updates group and catching up on some much-needed file editing. 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 128 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.
Wanted to Buy
If you have a Canon EF 100-400mm L IS II lens sitting on a shelf that you would like to sell, please LMK via e-mail.
There’s No Telling What You Might Learn on the BAA Blog
Steve left a wonderfully interesting comment at the Running With Both Feet Off the Ground blog post two days ago:
April 29, 2021 at 4:27pm
Artie, your image of the running sanderling reminded me of an important development in the history of photography. In 1878, Eadweard Muybridge photographed a horse in various stages of gallop, demonstrating for the first time that the animal does have all its hooves off the ground at one point in its gait (something that was unknown at the time).
Learn more about the photographs and about Muybridge in the Smithsonian article here.
From the article: After a bad injury, Muybridge was often described as erratic and emotionally volatile.
Muybridge found out his wife was having an affair because of a picture. One day, he came across a letter written by his wife that was addressed to Harry Larkyns, a “roguish” drama critic about town. Enclosed in the letter was a photo of Florado Helios Muybridge, and on the back of it were the words “Little Harry.” Muybridge got a gun and boarded a train that would take him to where Larkyns was.
“He finds a cabin in which Larkyns was playing cards,” says Braun. “He knocks on the door. He asks for Larkyns. And when Larkyns comes to the door, Muybridge says, ‘I have a message from my wife,’ and shoots him dead.” At a three-day trial for a murder that he committed in front of several witnesses, Muybridge pleaded insanity. His lawyer, who many believe was hired by Stanford, had people who had known Muybridge testify that his personality had changed drastically after the stagecoach accident.
Click on Steve’s link above to read the whole and very fascinating article.
R5 Guide Kudos
Unsolicited, via e-mail, from Fernando Ramos
The excellent Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide is unlike anything I’ve encountered. Your detailed instruction supported by excellent reasoning is exactly what I needed to set-up my Canon EOS R5. Thank you for sharing your expertise with me; as a result, you saved me immeasurable time. Fernando
Unsolicited, via e-mail, from Joel Eade
Thank you so much for the R5 guide! It is a wonderfully written, extremely comprehensive document that would benefit any R5 user. It is evident that a tremendous amount of time and effort was required to create it. After reading through, I can say it that flows in a logical fashion and that each item is carefully described in a way that is not difficult to follow. I agree with 99% of your set up suggestions 🙂 Joel
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Cover Image courtesy of and Copyright 2021 Brian Sump (Sump scores!)
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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. 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.
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 by In-the-Field session veteran Joel Eade. He used the hand held Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM lens and the highly touted 45MP Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 3200. Exposure determined via test image and blinkies evaluation: 1/800 sec. at f/11 (wide open) in Manual (M) mode. AWB on a partly day.
Eye 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 2021 Joel Eade
Image #1: Yellow-rumped Warbler, Kentucky
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Yellow-rumps in Winter
Seeing Joel’s image of this species with snow in the frame brought me back to Great Kills Park on Staten Island in the late-1980s. There were times when I spished the yellow-rumps and they nearly flew through the open driver’s side window. I was trying to photograph them with my first telephoto lens, the Canon FD 400mm f/4.5 lens.
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This image was created by In-the-Field session veteran Joel Eade. He used the hand held Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM lens (at 400mm) and the highly touted 45MP Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 4000. Exposure determined via test image and blinkies evaluation: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual (M) mode. AWB on a cloudy day.
Eye AF as detailed in the R5 e-Guide was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly.
Image courtesy of and copyright 2021 Joel Eade
Image #2: Black-crested Titmouse, Laguna Seca Ranch, Rio Grande Valley, TX
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Laguna Seca Ranch
Joel visited Laguna Seca Ranch in the Rio Grande Valley on his own and was guided by the personable ranch owner, Gene Gwin. It was Gene who created the lovely wildflower set-up above. Gene was a top-gun fighter pilot who flew McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs and McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagles in the US Air Force for 21 years, and then worked as a commercial pilot first for America West and then for American Airlines for 15 years. He has owned and operated the ranch for the past 12 years.
Slow Canon RF Lenses and Topaz Denoise AI
When I first learned of the two very slow f/11 Canon RF super-telephoto lenses, the Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and the Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM, I thought that they were a joke. And the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM lnes is, at f/7.1 is the slowest in its class. But, as Joel’s two fine images here show, Topaz Denoise AI can do wonders for high ISO images created in relatively low light with the slow and relatively slow Canon RF lenses. Note that Joel needed high ISO to attain fast-enough shutter speeds in low light situations.
With Topaz, the Canon RF two f/11 super-telephotos have become viable options for budget-conscious bird photographers.
Great Topaz News!
Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plug-ins), will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. If the stuff is on sale (as it usually is), you save 15% off of the sale price! To get the discount you must use my link and you must enter the discount code. Be sure to start with this link.
Those who purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or any other Topaz plug-ins using my link and then entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout can e-mail to request a short Getting Started with Topaz e-Guide. Please include a copy of your Topaz receipt that shows the discount. Aside from the basics, the guide explains how to install the plug-ins so that they appear in the Photoshop Filter Menu.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
April 30th, 2021 What’s Up?
On the final morning of the second Fort DeSoto IPT we enjoyed yet another great session. The tern/skimmer flock was nowhere to be seen so we quickly made our way to the large pool and set to work photographing yet another very active feeding aggregation.
With Jake Levin and Jim Miller having headed home, Anita North, Shelley Lake, Donna Bourdon and I met at Anita’s AirBnB to polish off the remaining smoked salmon and cold (previously grilled) tuna. Yummy. After we said our goodbyes, Donna and I headed back to ILE stopping in Lake Wales to do a few errands. I took a quick swim. After dinner, we worked on two of Donnas images from the IPT.
Today is Friday 30 April 2021. Donna and I will head down to the lake early to try for the crane chicks/now small colts. At about 10am, Jim and I will take Donna to MCO for her flight back to Chattanooga. Then Jim and I will be off to the Apple Store in Brandon where I have a Genius Bar appointment as my MacBook Pro is having some battery/power issues. Then we will meet Anita North who will be transferring a bunch of her stuff to my SUV and returning her rental vehicle to TPA. The the three of us will have an early dinner in Brandon and photograph at the rookery, probably getting back to ILE between 8 and 9pm. 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 127 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.
Symbiotic Relationships
sym·bi·ot·ic (/simbīˈädik/) adjective: BIOLOGY
Involving interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association.
On the wintering grounds, the relationship between Snowy Egret and Red-breasted Merganser is a symbiotic one. In Florida, we often see feeding sprees consisting primarily of these two species. The snowies usual follow the mergansers as they rush through the shallows in pursuit of small baitfish, landing near them to pick up a baitfish scattered by their feeding partners. In the same manner, it is likely that a dip-feeding Snowy Egret will drive bait right into the serrated bills of the mergs.
For each of the past four IPT mornings, we enjoyed a feeding spree that was made up of two to five mergansers and as many as a dozen Snowy Egrets. Other wading bird species including Great and Reddish Egret and Great and Little Blue Blue Heron often joined in, with the latter two species usually hanging on the periphery while the snowies especially are right in the heaviest action with the mergansers.
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This image was created on 29 April 2021, the last morning of the second DeSoto IPT. While seated, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 582mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 640. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. The exposure was confirmed as dead-solid perfect by RawDigger. AWB at 7:54am on a clear, sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Snowy Egret landing near Red-breasted Merganser
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The Serendipitous Image
On our last morning the wind was strong from the south/southeast. I constantly advised the group to move to the south, to our left, to stay ahead of the birds so that we would have them them flying toward us, into the wind, and into the light. We were constantly on the move as the feeding aggregation moved from north to south the length of the long pool.
By the end of the morning everyone in the group was exhausted as not only were we moving with the birds but every time that we got ahead of the feeding flock we would sit down to throw the choppy water and the far shoreline pleasingly out of focus. And then we had to get up. Down and up, move to the left, and down and up again. Repeat. And repeat some more. But as you can see with today’s featured image, the rewards can be quite pleasing.
I did my job by setting a perfect exposure for the white birds, getting ahead of the birds, getting low, acquiring focus while panning with the Snowy Egrets in flight, and firing away at 30 fps. Please don’t think that I saw either the merganser or the Snowy Egret’s amazing landing-splash in the viewfinder. The fortuitous juxtaposition of the two birds could not have been more perfect if I had painted the scene. The rest was pure luck. Thus, the serendipitous image.
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Image #1A: RawDigger screen capture of the (pink) Adapted Histogram for the Snowy Egret landing near Red-breasted Merganser image image
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RawDigger
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 a year ago. The raw file brightness for Image #1 is dead solid perfect with the great bulk of the G channel just inside the 16000 line. The 340 OvExp pixels (out of 51,000,000) are all in the specular highlights in the splash. You can see the RED OvExp warnings in the big splash in front of the snowies right leg.
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 usually way off (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 this feeling, RawDigger can become your very best exposure friend no matter what system you are using. On the recent IPTs and In-the-Field sessions, we have demonstrated that fact. Convincingly.
The RawDigger (pink) Adapted Histogram
In the RawDigger e-Guide, you will learn exactly how to set up the Adapted “pink” RawDigger Histogram and how to use it to quickly and easily evaluate the exposure or raw file brightness of images from all digital cameras currently in use. RawDigger was especially helpful to me as I struggled with R5 exposures and learned my new camera body, the Sony Alpha a1.
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RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
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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 quickly and easily evaluate your exposures and raw file brightness using an Adapted RawDigger histogram.
The flower video takes you through a session where artie edits a folder of images in Capture One while checking the exposures and Max-G values in RawDigger. The Adapted Histogram video examines a series of recent images with the pink histograms and covers lots of fine points including and especially how to deal with specular highlights. The directions for setting up the Adapted Histogram are in the text.
If we priced this guide based on how much effort we put into it, it would sell it for $999.00. But as this guide will be purchased only by a limited number of serious photographers, we have priced it at $51.00. You can order yours here in the BAA Online Store.
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Image #1B: AF points screen capture for the Snowy Egret landing near Red-breasted Merganser image.
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Sony Alpha a1 AF
The performance of the SONY AF system at any focal length (when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group), continues to amaze me. 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 Zone. We have 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 39 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, they can call Jim weekday afternoons 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.
April 29th, 2021 Whats Up?
Though I did not create as many images on Wednesday morning as I had on Monday, the 3rd morning of the second DeSoto IPT was fantastic. The terns and skimmers were great right at sunrise but all the birds took flight and left without explanation. So we headed for the calmest pool to see what was up. We started with a gorgeous Marbled Godwit and its mirror image reflection. Next was a feeding spree with a half-dozen each of Snowy Egrets and Red-breasted Mergansers. We followed the birds along to stay on sun angle as much as possible. We had lots of great chances with the flying and landing snowies. As usual, Donna Bourdon opted to stay with a frantically dancing Reddish Egret. Shelley Lake and I worked some nice feeding Dunlins at ground level. All in all, it was a truly great morning. And when Shelley saw her images, she was astounded by their beauty and intimacy.
After our second delicious smoked salmon brunch in three days, we recorded a Camtasia video during which I edited a single folder with 2586 images from both sessions on 27 April. I wound up with 248 keepers after the first edit. It had been a very good morning. The video will be offered for sale soon for those who wish to learn to quickly pick their keepers from large files from the super-high frame rate bodies.
On Wednesday afternoon, we headed to a rookery in Brandon, FL. We arrived way too early to find the harsh light on a very warm — make that hot, afternoon. We found some good chow right nearby to kill some time. With tons of clutter, nests right next to each other, and too many branches everywhere, rookeries are difficult places to photograph. We hung in till the light was sweet and were rewarded when the two large chicks in the accessible Great Blue Blue Heron nest at the very top of the south colony island were fed. We were not headed back to Gulfport until 8:00pm. It was a long and rewarding day.
Today is Thursday 28 April, the last morning of the DeSoto IPT. The forecast for St. Pete is for test another perfect morning: clear and sunny with a southeast wind at 11mph. 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 126 consecutive days with a new one. Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head, for example, 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 money 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.
Hard to Figure …
After more than 20 folks left insightful comments on the Whole Catfish blog post, it is hard to figure out why only a single person left a comment in yesterdays A Catch-up Learning Day on the BIRDS AS ART Blog post here when asked to pick their favorite of four very strong images.
I really did enjoy Steve’s quite clever comment:
April 28, 2021 at 8:23 pm · Reply · Edit
In image #3 above, the Osprey forms a spectacular hood ornament for the flying catfish.
Thanks for dputting a smile on my face Steve.
Great Topaz News!
Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plug-ins), will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. If the stuff is on sale (as it usually is), you save 15% off of the sale price! To get the discount you must use my link and you must enter the discount code. Be sure to start with this link.
Those who purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or any other Topaz plug-ins using my link and then entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout can e-mail to request a short Getting Started with Topaz e-Guide. Please include a copy of your Topaz receipt that shows the discount. Aside from the basics, the guide explains how to install the plug-ins so that they appear in the Photoshop Filter Menu.
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 also created on 26 April 2021, yet another from the great first morning of the second DeSoto IPT. Lying flat on my belly in the wet sand, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:17am on a clear, sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Sanderling running
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The Series
This running Sanderling image was made while I was seated. It is one of a series of five, all nicely framed. Hand holding the 200-60, even with the 1.4X TC, is a dream. The first four were razor-sharp on the eye, the last one, todays featured image, showed some motion blur on the face so it needed some special post processing care. See the Topaz Sharpen AI item below. I chose to optimize this one because the bird had both feet off the ground.
The bird is pretty much getting close to breeding plumage. The upperparts may become more orange over the next few weeks, but this species — even in full breeding plumage — shows lots of variation in color.
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Image #1B: Topaz Denoise AI on the Sanderling running image
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Topaz Denoise AI
With images made in full sun, I will generally go with DeNoise on Auto, rarely changing any of the sliders. With higher ISO images made in low light, I will always go to the Comparison view and often find that either Low Light or AI Clear does a better job. In many cases, increasing the magnification to 200 or 400% makes it easier to see the differences in the three options. Note the complete elimination of background noise in this ISO 800 image. Remember that when the WHITEs are properly exposed, the middle tones are one stop too dark. Confused by that? See the section on Exposure Theory in the original (soft cover) The Art of Bird Photography.
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Image #1B: Topaz Sharpen AI on the Sanderling running image
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Topaz Sharpen AI
So why might the fifth image in the series showed more motion blur than the first four? That likely occurred because I did not pan as smoothly with the last image as I had with the first four; the bird was higher in the frame than it was in the four sharp frames. To me, that shows that I jerked the lens a bit at the end. Or not.
In any case, the ability of Sharpen AI to re-align pixels to correct motion blur is nothing short of remarkable. Click on the screen capture above to better see the remarkable difference in the before image on our right and the after image on our left.
You can see that I applied Sharpen AI to a rough selection of the birds head (on a layer). As I have a hard time telling if that layer is over sharpened, I run Sharpen AI at full strength, go back to Photoshop, magnify the image, and click the visibility eyeball on and off. If it looks too crispy I will simply reduce the Opacity to taste. With this image, I reduced the Opacity to 60%.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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