April 18th, 2021 What’s Up?
On Saturday morning I spent some quality time with the quickly growing crane chicks sitting on the ground behind the tilted rear screen of my SONY a1, and then some quality time with the large surviving colt and lots of tickseed blossoms working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, all — because of the heavy overcast — with the 600 f/4 GM.
I began what will be a huge laptop clean-up project by doing the 2nd edit of my March 2021 All folder. I started with 2193 images, deleted 1661 that had made the first cut, and wound up keeping 532 images. Remember my rules for picking your keepers. On the first edit, if you are not sure, keep it. On the second edit, if you are not sure delete it. For the third edit — still to be done for this folder, if you don’t love it, delete it. I will be keeping you abreast of my progress.
Today is Sunday 18 April 2021. The forecast for ILE this morning is for partly cloudy skies with a gentle southwest breeze. With the sun rising in the east/southeast, a southwest wind is not all bad — most of the birds will be square to the back of your camera. I will likely be heading down to the lake at least for a bit.
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Image #1: My Missing Fanny Pack Returns from the Dead
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Fort DeSoto Miracle Resurrection …
On the first two mornings of the Desoto IPT, we absolutely killed at my back-up morning spot. On the third morning, we decided to try my #1 morning spot. While we were getting our gear ready, I could not find my fanny pack. I did a pretty thorough search of my vehicle, but the rear compartment was such a mess I figured that it was hidden in the clutter. After an amazing morning, we decided to re-visit my back-up spot. We killed there too. On the way back to my vehicle, the three of us –John Johnson, Monte Brown, and yours truly, were chatting.
Suddenly, John turned and called out, “What’s that?” He was pointing at a small black belt pouch on top of an orange watch cap. Both had been placed on the corner of a low concrete wall. Everything was covered in sand. I was thrilled and amazed. I had left my (open) fanny pack on the beach 24 hours ago. Someone must have found it that morning and placed it on the low wall in hopes that the owner — that would be me, would come looking for it. Though it had rained hard that night, everything — including one of my two SONY 1.4X teleconverters was fine. I literally jumped for joy.
Had it not been for the brightly colored watch cap, John might not have made the connection. He gets 51% of the credit for bringing my fanny pack back to me. The other 49% goes to my late-wife Elaine, who has made it a habit of saving me from myself on a regular basis …
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Image #2: Contents of the Fanny Pack
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Contents of the Fanny Pack
The fanny pack itself was a gift from my late Mother. It surely did not cost much more than ten bucks when it was new twenty years ago. A Carhartt men’s watch cap now costs $16.99.
From left to right starting with the top row:
Paint Brush: $7.99 — used to brush sand off my gear
Set of SONY teleconverter caps: probably about $20.00, but they have been on back order for more than 18 months …
SONY 1.4X teleconverter: $548.00
Spare SONY NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery: $78.00
P-5 Camera Body plate: $52.00
Teleconverter screw screwdriver — part of a set that costs $59.00
Two pairs of fine tweezers: about $20.00 each
Sharpie indelible silver marking pen: $2.99 — we buy them by the box of twelve
Various Allen Wrenches — a couple of bucks each
The two large ones are needed to tighten the legs on Induro (and other) tripods — one does not do you any good …
Getting the Fanny Pack returned: priceless!
If you’ve ever lost something was eventually and miraculously recovered, please do share your story by leaving a comment.
On the Other Hand
There days ago Anita North put her SONY 200-600/a7r iv rig in a Think Tank lens holster down on the beach at Fort DeSoto and walked down the beach with her tripod-mounted 600 GM/a1. When she returned, the 2-6 was gone. She is hoping still that it might be returned …
I have often left either the 200-600 or the 600 GM on the beach and walked more than a half mile away without giving it a second thought. I will not be doing that any more. If you are reading this and have been hoping to get in touch with the owner, please contact me via e-mail.
Be careful out there …
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This image was created on 12 April 2021 on the first DeSoto IPT. I used the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens (with the lens foot resting on the ground) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 2500. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/4.5 (stopped down 1/3-stop; should have been wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:36:58am on a still, cloudy morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #2: Marbled Godwit swimming
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In the Marbled Godwit Swimming in Heaven blog post here, I wrote:
If you had to delete one of today’s two featured images, each admittedly superb, which one would you put in the trash? Why?
Most of the many folks who commented liked Image #1 better than Image #2. Despite the open bill with the flexible tip and the tiny wavelet behind the swimming birds, if I had to delete one of the two featured images I would have deleted Image #1. Image #2, above here, features a perfect head angle and thus, a connection to the viewer.
You can see what the folks in the Avian Forum on Bird Photographers.Net had to say in my post here.
BPN, where honest critiques are done gently is the best place on the planet to learn to improve as a nature photographer. Membership is only $40/year and it ain’t just birds!
The Fort DeSoto Site Guide
Though a bit long in the tooth (like me), the Fort DeSoto Site Guide will get you to my two favorite morning spots. John Johnson and I recently killed at DeSoto for three straight mornings.
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All of the images were created at Fort DeSoto in April or early May. Click on the card to enjoy a larger version.
Fort DeSoto IPT card A
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Fort DeSoto Spring IPT #2
Fort DeSoto Spring IPT #2. 3 1/2 DAYS. MON 26 APR thru the morning session on THURS 29 APR 2021. $1499 includes three lunches. Limit: 6. Openings: 4.
Not only am I conversant in all three major camera systems used in the US — Nikon, Canon, and SONY (sorry Andy Rouse …), I have used all three within the past four years. Those include both SONY and Canon mirrorless. On both of these IPTs you will learn how to get the best exposure, how to get the most out of your AF system, and how to get close to free and wild birds. And tons more.
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All of the images were created at Fort DeSoto in April or early May. Click on the card to enjoy a larger version.
Fort DeSoto IPT card B
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A $499 deposit is required to hold your spot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately after you sign up. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail. If you cancel due to COVID 19 concerns, all of your payments will be refunded.
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All of the images were created at Fort DeSoto in April or early May. Click on the card to enjoy a larger version.
Fort DeSoto IPT card C
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Fort DeSoto Spring IPTs Expected Species
With any luck, we should get to photograph the following species: Laughing, Ring-billed, Herring, and Lesser Black-backed Gull; Royal, Sandwich, and Forster’s Tern: Great, Snowy, and white and dark morph Reddish Egret and Great Blue, Little Blue, and Tricolored Heron; Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, and Brown Pelican. We will see and photograph lots of shorebirds including American Oystercatcher, Black-bellied, Wilson’s, Semipalmated, Snowy, and Piping Plover, Marbled Godwit, Willet, Dunlin, Red Knot, Sanderling, and Western and possibly White-rumped Sandpiper.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
April 17th, 2021 Your Fave?
Of today’s two featured images, which one is stronger? Image #1, the habitat shot? Or Image #2, the head portrait? Leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.
What’s Up?
Again, not much. Yesterday was the first day in months that I did not make a single image. I spent a good part of Friday working on and sending e-mail #9 to the ONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info group.
Today is Saturday 17 April 2021. I was glad to learn that DeSoto IPT regular Jim Miller will be joining Donna Bourdon and me on the second DeSoto IPT. I was also glad to learn that Bill Wingfield sold his Canon EOS 5DS along with both series III teleconverters. I will begin working on second edits of six-plus-months of consolidated image folders. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes 115 consecutive days with a new one. Please remember 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 or discounts, and always earns my great appreciation.
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All of the images were created at Fort DeSoto in April or early May. Click on the card to enjoy a larger version.
Fort DeSoto IPT card A
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Fort DeSoto Spring IPT #2
Fort DeSoto Spring IPT #2. 3 1/2 DAYS. MON 26 APR thru the morning session on THURS 29 APR 2021. $1499 includes three lunches. Limit: 6. Openings: 4.
Not only am I conversant in all three major camera systems used in the US — Nikon, Canon, and SONY (sorry Andy Rouse …), I have used all three within the past four years. Those include both SONY and Canon mirrorless. On both of these IPTs you will learn how to get the best exposure, how to get the most out of your AF system, and how to get close to free and wild birds. And tons more.
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All of the images were created at Fort DeSoto in April or early May. Click on the card to enjoy a larger version.
Fort DeSoto IPT card B
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A $499 deposit is required to hold your spot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately after you sign up. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail. If you cancel due to COVID 19 concerns, all of your payments will be refunded.
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All of the images were created at Fort DeSoto in April or early May. Click on the card to enjoy a larger version.
Fort DeSoto IPT card C
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Fort DeSoto Spring IPTs Expected Species
With any luck, we should get to photograph the following species: Laughing, Ring-billed, Herring, and Lesser Black-backed Gull; Royal, Sandwich, and Forster’s Tern: Great, Snowy, and white and dark morph Reddish Egret and Great Blue, Little Blue, and Tricolored Heron; Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, and Brown Pelican. We will see and photograph lots of shorebirds including American Oystercatcher, Black-bellied, Wilson’s, Semipalmated, Snowy, and Piping Plover, Marbled Godwit, Willet, Dunlin, Red Knot, Sanderling, and Western and possibly White-rumped Sandpiper.
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This image was created on 10 April 2021 on the first DeSoto IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:4am on a sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and nailed the focus. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Laughing Gull in full breeding plumage standing in the shallow Gulf
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The Situation
With my #1 DeSoto morning location severely lacking birds on our first morning, we headed straight to my #2 spot on Day 2. And we killed. Parts of this very productive beach are in the shade for perhaps twenty minutes after sunrise. On 10 April there were about 80 Laughing Gulls on the beach. One of the tricks to creating successful images is to approach birds (or pairs) that are off by themselves. I was lucky that this gorgeous bird was both isolated and almost completely in the sun. I think that there is a faint shadow on the rear of the bird.
I began the morning with the hand held 200-600 with one of my two Alpha a1 bodies. Though four clicks slower than the 600 GM (f/6.3 as compared to f/4.0), the 2-6 is much smaller and lighter and thus easier to hand hold, and if far more versatile. In addition, it is easier to get up and down off the beach with the much more versatile 2-6.
Aside from the gorgeous gull and the sweet light, the breaking wave above the bird and the tiny wavelet in front of the bird, make this one a winner. You can learn a ton about managing and working with breaking waves in your images in the here. You will learn why some breaking waves are image killers while others are actually make an image stronger. The line, as they say, is a fine one. Both of today’s featured images were selected as keepers from the 2434 photos I created during the morning session at DeSoto on 10 April. You can learn about the video below.
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Image #1A: Screen capture showing AF Point for the Laughing Gull in full breeding plumage standing in the shallow Gulf image
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SONY Alpha a1 AF
Set up correctly, the subject detection, face tracking, and animal eye tracking AF system of the a1 is currently second to none. The results above are typical and can usually be obtained effortlessly.
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Image #1B: RawDigger screen capture for the Laughing Gull in full breeding plumage standing in the shallow Gulf image
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RawDigger
It would be impossible to over-state 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 G channel just inside the 16000 line. The 29 OvExp pixels are all in the specular highlight in the gull’s eye. Those, out of 51,000,000. The brightness of the raw file for Image #2 is about /6 stop too dark. In other words, pretty much 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 (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 have 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.
Head Hunting
I couldn’t help myself. See so many drop dead gorgeous breeding plumage Laughing Gulls (along with several Royal and Sandwich Terns), I quickly made my way back to my SUV, grabbed my 600 GM, the 2X TC, and my second a1 body and headed back to the beach. The birds are amazingly tame so I sat in the sand and moved around on my butt to get on sun angle. To create Image #2, I pulled the legs of the tripod in a bit to raise the lens and include a strip of the green seaweed along the bottom of the frame.
I am pretty sure that the bird in Image #2 is the most beautiful Laughing Gull I have ever had the privilege to photograph. The good news is that there will be lots more just like this one when I return to Fort DeSoto for the second IPT at the end of this month.
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The 159 keepers from 2434 images created during the morning session of the 1st Fort DeSoto IPT on 10 April 2021
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How Do You Handle So Many Large Image Files at 30 frames per second?
Should I slow down my frame rate so I have fewer images to edit?
You should not slow down your frame rate for bird photography. Ever. The difference between a family jewel and an insta-delete can be miniscule. Things often change dramatically in a tiny fraction of a second. The more frames you have of an action or flight series, and even a seemingly static pose, the greater your chances of getting one that you like. Or love! The DeSoto Picking Your Keepers Video below can help you to dramatically improve your editing skills.
I have been suggesting for two decades that folks need to edit their folders in a timely fashion. That usually means getting the work done before they head out to the next session. If you get behind you will quickly be buried by thousand of 45 and 50MP files …
On 12 April — a DeSoto IPT morning session — I wound up with 238 keepers out of 3729 images. I still have a 1756 image file from 7 April and an 1149 image folder from 6 April to edit. Both of those from Stick Marsh. I think that I will combine the spoonbill flight shots from those two and do a second picking your keepers video for blurs and flight shots.
With the popularity of the mega-high megapixel/blazingly fast frame rate camera bodies, you need to be able to pick your keepers quickly and efficiently to avoid being buried in tens of thousands of images and to keep from filling so many hard drives that you cannot find a single image. I have lots of friends in that situation … The Canon R5 (20 fps @ 45MP) and the Sony Alpha a1 (30 fps at 51MP) are the main culprits. I think that John Johnson created more than 7000 images during the morning session on 10 April. (Oh, what a morning that was!) But even 15 fps bodies @ 22 or 24 MP can swamp you quickly if your editing (picking your keepers) skills are sub-par. And though storage is cheap, it is easy to fill multiple HDs in todays’ world. The only solution to these problems is to learn to edit quickly and ruthlessly.
In the Laughing Gull/Red Knot DeSoto Picking Your Keepers Video, you will sit at my side as I blaze through the two thousand four hundred thirty four images in Capture One, tagging the keepers and then deleting the untagged rejects. Many folks have asked, Why not tag the rejects to be deleted rather than tag the keepers? A look at the stats above provide the answer: on average, I am deleting well more than 90% of the images I create. Tagging the keepers is a lot less work!
As regular readers know, I am forced to pick my keepers in Capture One because SONY does not embed a full sized JPEG into each raw file. Canon and Nikon both embed a full-sized JPEG in each raw file at the moment the image is created. Without a large embedded JPEG in all of my SONY image files, they cannot be enlarged to check the sharpness in either Photo Mechanic or BreezeBrowser. But the stuff you will learn on the video will help you with your editing regardless of the browsing program that you use. My methods will even work in PhotoShop Bridge or Lightroom.
In the video, I let you know why I chose to keep one or two images from a ten or fifteen frame sequence while deleting many similars. Two huge factors involved are head angle and the position of breaking waves or wavelets. Both are discussed at great length. The video is one hour, thirteen and one-third minutes long. Rest assured that had I not been yakking so much to teach y’all what to look for, it would have taken me just a fraction of that time to edit the 2434 images. In fact, when I picked my 12 April morning keepers from the 3729 captures, it took me exactly 21 minutes (on the clock!)
You will see how the bird’s nictitating membrane can ruin an image. You will learn that faulty compositions and clipped wingtips or feet result in insta-deletes. You will see that my single biggest problem is placing the bird too low in the frame … You will learn my shooting strategies — when and why I hold the shutter button down on occasion. You will see how a second bird intruding into the frame will usually but not always result in a deletion. There is also lots of natural history and ID info in the video, along with processing strategies and tips.
You can purchase your copy of the Laughing Gull/Red Knot (and more) DeSoto Picking Your Keepers Video here in the BAA Online Store. Or you can order by calling Jim at 863-221-2372 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.
April 16th, 2021 Image Design Question
With today’s featured image, why did I place the bird on the left side of the frame looking out?
What’s Up?
Not much. Today is Friday 16 April 2021. The forecast here at ILE is for cloudy skies and southwest winds. I probably will not head down to the lake this morning. I spent much of yesterday working on e-mail #9 for the SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info group. I will be sending it out this morning. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes 114 consecutive days with a new one. Please remember 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 or discounts, and always earns my great appreciation.
New York New Jersey Sales Tax Corrected Info
I stated yesterday that folks living in New York or New Jersey must pay sales tax on B&H orders even if they use their PayBoo cards. I was wrong. See below for the complete (and hopefully perfectly accurate) sales tax story.
The Sales Tax Situation When Buying Mail Order Photography Gear
Folks living in states other than Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, California, and Pennsylvania may wish to order from Bedfords. They will not have to pay the sales tax, they can use their favorite credit card and accumulate air miles, hotel points, or cash back awards (depending on the credit card), get to talk to a human if they wish, and in addition, can use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout to save 3% on everything they purchase while enjoying free second-day air Fed-Ex.
Folks living in states other than Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming (and in the District of Columbia) may wish to order from B&H with their PayBoo cards to save the sales tax. Understand that you first need to apply for a Payboo card (and get approved), and that you will not earn any credit card rewards on your Payboo card purchases.
Important Note: If a retailer does not charge sales tax, consumers are (generally) required to self-assess and pay the sales tax to their local state and or city. Individual tax compliance is, of course, a personal choice.
Summing Up
It would seem that for folks living in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, California, or Pennsylvania might (or might not) wish to get and use a Payboo card and purchase their new gear from B&H (while using my B&H affiliate link of course). For all others, purchasing their new camera gear from Bedford would seem to make the most sense.
Please Understand
Please understand that all of the above is subject to change at a moment’s notice. For example, the day after this was published Colorado just sent Bedfords a notice that they now have NEXUS, so that had to add that to their list of sales tax states.
Camera User’s Guide Note
If you should have but did not receive a link to the final versions of the SONY Camera User’s e-guide or the link to the final version of the BAA R5 Camera User’s e-guide, please let us know via e-mail.
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. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.
A Short But Great Move Pays Off!
The wind had been perfect at sunset the previous night, but the spot where the egrets and herons were coming to roost was blocked by tall vegetation. So on Wednesday night, with the chance of a nice sunset in the offing, I set up by the erected-perches to the right of the pier. There was a grackle on the tall new perch as I was setting up, but it flew off and did not return. As the sun neared the horizon I noted a boat-tailed on a perch about 100 yards to my right. If my memory is correct, it is an often-used perch. As I made the short walk, I had no idea if I would be able to get my lens on the bird with the bird right in front of the sun, or if I would be blocked. Luck was with me.
Understand that when trying to create these bird-in-the-ball-of-the-sun images, you will be (somewhat frantically) moving your tripod every 15 seconds or so as the earth spins inexorably and messes up your framing.
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Image #1A: RawDigger Screen Capture with the Adapted Histogram for the Boat-tailed Grackle framed by the setting sun image
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Can a Big Over-exposure be Best?
With 803,000 OvExp pixels (out of 51,000,000) this image is definitely over-exposed. But for this situation, I would argue that it was the best exposure. Why? If I had under-exposed enough to properly expose for the brightest highlight in the sun-ball, the rest of the image would have been black (and the noise levels in the dark tones of the sky would have been horrific). The proof, as they say, is in the pudding: the image converted beautifully (in Capture One).
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 (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 have 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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All of the images were created at Fort DeSoto in April or early May. Click on the card to enjoy a larger version.
Fort DeSoto IPT card A
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Fort DeSoto Spring IPT #2
Fort DeSoto Spring IPT #2. 3 1/2 DAYS. MON 26 APR thru the morning session on THURS 29 APR 2021. $1499 includes three lunches. Limit: 6. Openings: 5.
Not only am I conversant in all three major camera systems used in the US — Nikon, Canon, and SONY (sorry Andy Rouse …), I have used all three within the past four years. Those include both SONY and Canon mirrorless. On both of these IPTs you will learn how to get the best exposure, how to get the most out of your AF system, and how to get close to free and wild birds. And tons more.
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All of the images were created at Fort DeSoto in April or early May. Click on the card to enjoy a larger version.
Fort DeSoto IPT card B
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A $499 deposit is required to hold your spot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately after you sign up. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail. If you cancel due to COVID 19 concerns, all of your payments will be refunded.
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All of the images were created at Fort DeSoto in April or early May. Click on the card to enjoy a larger version.
Fort DeSoto IPT card C
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Fort DeSoto Spring IPTs Expected Species
With any luck, we should get to photograph the following species: Laughing, Ring-billed, Herring, and Lesser Black-backed Gull; Royal, Sandwich, and Forster’s Tern: Great, Snowy, and white and dark morph Reddish Egret and Great Blue, Little Blue, and Tricolored Heron; Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, and Brown Pelican. We will see and photograph lots of shorebirds including American Oystercatcher, Black-bellied, Wilson’s, Semipalmated, Snowy, and Piping Plover, Marbled Godwit, Willet, Dunlin, Red Knot, Sanderling, and Western and possibly White-rumped Sandpiper.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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