Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

When I got out of bed at 4:30am on Monday I peeked out the bathroom window and saw a sky filled with stars. When I headed down to the lake for a photo session at 6:55am, it was totally overcast and gloomy. Things were not looking great for bird photography. I photographed some tickseed blossoms, mostly for ID purposes. I drove the South Peninsula and the South Field. There was nothing around and the light was dismal. I decided to take one last spin around the North Field and spotted something very lovely. Learn more and check out today’s featured images by scrolling down to see what I found.

Shoot me an e-mail for Jacksonville IPT #1 late registration discount details.

Today is Tuesday 7 June 2022. Jim and I woke at 4:00am and by 4:30 we were in the car heading west for Fort DeSoto for a one-day road trip. After my morning session, we will head to Dr. Rucker in Bradenton. He will inject my right shoulder with Prolozone. These injections have helped me in the past. After that, we will head to Lakeland to pay off the lease on my SUV. And then home. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about more than two hours to prepare and makes eighty-four days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

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

Another Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

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

This image was created on 6 June 2022 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from my SUV, I used the BLUBB supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 1250. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/800 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:48:31am on a bright overcast morning. As below, RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Osprey in fresh juvenal plumage on The Perch II

The Sad Recent History of The Perch II … Reversed!

Just a bit more than a year ago, working with my neighbor-friend Ralph, we found and erected The Perch II in the marsh just north of the pier at ILE. It replaced a very nice perch that I had put up with Anita North years before. That one had simply rotted and fallen. It could not be saved. You can read the whole story of The Perch II here.

Anyhoo, it took a while for the birds to find the beautiful new perch. But they did, and I made some nice images for several months. The subjects included Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, Turkey Vulture, and Red-shouldered Hawk. But recently, the only birds that have landed on The Perch II have been Boat-Tailed Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds. And while I love photographing the common birds, they perch is generally too far away when these smaller birds land. In any case, I had not seen a large bird on the new perch for more than two month and I had just about given up checking it.

Yesterday morning, from a distance, I saw a large bird on the perch. As I approached, I was thrilled to see that it was one of the recently fledged Ospreys. Before making a final approach, I mounted the 1.4X TC on the 600 f/4, moved the DMF switch to OFF, raised the driver’s side window a little less than halfway (for comfort while photographing), and set up the rig on the BLUBB. I made a series of images, replaced the 600 with the 400 f/2.8, and then made another series of wider horizontal and vertical images. Then I backed the car up the small slope, switched back to the 840mm rig, and made a closer approach that resulted in Image #1. I just love the soft light, the texture of the silvery-gray wood, and of course, the handsome young raptor.

This image was also created on 6 June 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB supported Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 500. 1/1600 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 7:44:50am on a bright overcast morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Juvenile Osprey on The Perch II with marsh grasses

Your Call?

Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? All are invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choice. Is this question a no-brainer?

Flight Photography at Jacksonville Till You Can’t Lift Your Lens! with Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Join me on the beach at Huguenot Memorial Park to learn about photographing terns in flight. 8,000 pairs of Royal Terns nest there and there are birds in the air all the time, often carrying all kinds of fish and crabs for their young. Learn about how the relationship between the wind and the sun impacts flight photography and about the best gear for shooting birds in flight. Join me on a workshop at Jacksonville this summer.

Cute & Beautiful: Photographing Chicks in Jacksonville, FL with Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

There is an amazing beach near Jacksonville, FL where 8,000 pairs of Royal Terns and 12,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls (along with a few other species) breed each summer. As this video shows, photographing the chicks is easy in the summer. And there is tons of great flight photography as well. If you want to improve your bird photography skills, consider joining me on an Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT).

Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune.

Jacksonville IPT #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5)

Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5)

The first three folks to register can ride to and on the beach with me for no charge.

I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job.

Morning sessions will average about three 1/2 hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. We will do image review and Photoshop after lunch.

We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check.

Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern feeding chick; Royal Tern/4-week old chick; ink-stained Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern/3-week old chick begging; Brown Pelican in flight on white sky day; fresh juvenile Laughing Gull on clean beach; Laughing Gulls stealing fish from Royal Tern; tight shot of Royal Tern in flight with fish for young.

What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT

• 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better.
• 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button.
• 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it.
• 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight.
• 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer.
• 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂
• 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations.
• 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior.
• 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective.
• 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds.
• 13- You will learn to see and understand the light.
• 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations.
• 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event.

And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph.

Typos

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

So, What Do You Think That I Did On Saturday Morning?

On Friday morning, I made more than 2000 photographs of various Ospreys. So, what do you think that I did on Saturday morning?

What’s Up?

Rain showers had been forecast for ILE on Saturday from dawn until 5pm. Though it was dreary for most of the day, the sun did peak through several times. I was down to the lake early and made a very few images. But I liked one; it is today’s featured image. It sprinkled for two minutes or so several times in the afternoon. Go figure. I culled my images from the Lake Blue Cypress boat trip, keeping 203 after the first edit (out of 3029). Many of the keepers are series of from three to ten similar images, most of which will wind up in the trash bin after the second edit.

I saw two very small Killdeer chicks and their protective parents running around just south of the pier. I wondered why I had not seen the adults there before. Then I realized that the two chicks were almost surely from the protected nest in the North Field. I was not able to make any images of them.

Shoot me an e-mail for Jacksonville IPT #1 late registration discount details.

Today is Sunday 5 June 2022. The forecast for this morning is for partly cloudy, but when I peeked out the back door at 5:00am, all that I saw were stars. It was warm and humid and very still. I will be heading down to the lake early. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes eighty-two days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

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

Another Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

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

Wanted to Buy

If you have any Canon Series III teleconverters (the 1.4X III or the 2X III) that you’d like to get rid of, please shoot me an e-mail if you are interested in turning them into cash. I have an interested buyer.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission on items priced at $1,000 or more. With items less than $1000, there is a $50 flat-fee. One of the more popular used gear sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. If you are interested, please click here, read everything carefully, and do what it says. To avoid any misunderstandings, please read the whole thing very carefully. If you agree to the terms, please state so clearly via e-mail and include the template or templates, one for each item you wish to sell. Then we can work together to get your stuff priced and listed.

Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice only to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past years, we have sold many hundreds of items. Do know that prices for used gear only go in one direction. Down. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

New Listings

Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift Lens

Blog regular Alice Garland is offering a Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift lens in near-mint condition for $549.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps and insured shipping via major courier to the lower 48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears or other arrangements are made.

Please contact Alice at via e-mail or by phone at 1-509-954-4253 (Pacific time zone).

This specialty lens is used for portraiture, architectural, food, and landscape photography, the latter especially by folks photographing flower-fields. They offer precise control of depth of field. The newer “L” version of this lens sells new for $2,199.00 and is back-ordered pretty much everywhere. artie

Mixing a short telephoto field of view with perspective- and depth of field control, the TS-E 90mm f/2.8 from Canon is a tilt-shift lens well-suited to producing well-corrected imagery with a slightly compressed perspective. Up to +/- 8° of tilt is possible, for focus control, and +/- 11mm of shift, to adjust perspective and composition. The tilt-shift mechanism can be rotated +/- 90° for applying movements in any direction, and a tilt-locking mechanism can be used while shooting for greater stability. The lens also employs a Gaussian-type optical design to maintain image quality throughout the aperture range and a Super Spectra coating has been applied to individual element to reduce flare and ghosting for increased contrast and color accuracy.Canon & B&H

Canon Extender EF 2X II (teleconverter)

BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price

Blog regular Alice Garland is offering a Canon Extender EF 2X II (teleconverter) in excellent condition for a BIRDS AS ART record-low $148.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps and insured shipping via major courier to the lower 48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears or other arrangements are made.

Please contact Alice at via e-mail or by phone at 1-509-954-4253 (Pacific time zone).

As regular readers know, TCs are so important to what I do that I always travel with three 1.4X teleconverters and two 2X teleconverters. (Note: they do fail on occasion …) In addition, TC AF performance and results are much improved with the Canon mirrorless bodies like the EOS R5 and the EOS R3. artie

This image was created on 4 June 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height, I used the no longer available Induro GIT 304L/Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/100 sec. at f/5.6 (stopped down two stops) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 7:34:25am on dreary morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Osprey — twin chicks in the nest

What I Did on Saturday Morning

I love bird photography. So, I went down to the lake and made more Osprey images. I had visualized today’s featured image for several weeks and had been waiting for the chicks to be large enough to stand up in the nest and be visible. And I knew that only a cloudy day would work. On both counts, Saturday 4 June was the day.

Do You Like This Image?

Why or why not?

Fat Boy Firsts

For the first time, I worked with the 400 f/2.8 on a tripod. And for the first time (other than accidentally), I stopped down, two full stops in this instance. I wanted to be sure that the large nest and all the moss was sharp. The plan worked well. Note the placement of the chicks in the upper left corner.

Be sure to click on the image to better see the AF point — a green circular crosshairs with a red box inside it. Image #1A: A7INFO screen capture for the Osprey — twin chicks in the nest image

Fat Boy AF

As stated here recently, all Tracking:AF-C Methods with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled are faster and more accurate with an f/2.8 lens than they are with slower lenses. As seen in the screen capture above.

For Eagle-eyed Readers Only

Image #1 is virtually the same as the image seen in 1A. But I did eliminate two tiny things that bugged me. If you can spot one of them, you are doing very well.

A7INFO

A7INFO is an ExifViewer for Sony e-mount cameras. It reveals the AF point or points used to create Sony raw files. In addition, it accurately lists the Focus Distance; this is very helpful when studying depth of field. The program was created by Wolfram Söns of Cologne, Germany. Click here to learn more about A7INFO.You can download the correct version for your computer here. While you’re at it, be sure to leave a donation to support Wolfram’s efforts; $10.00 is suggested.

Note: at present, there is no app that I know of that can tell you after the fact what AF method you were using to create a given raw file … A 7INFO does indicate what it calls AFAreaModeSetting, along with other AF info, but most of it does not correlate with the settings we see on the camera.

Perspective Question

Would setting on a ladder and working with a much taller tripod have helped this image? Why or why not?

Flight Photography at Jacksonville Till You Can’t Lift Your Lens! with Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Join me on the beach at Huguenot Memorial Park to learn about photographing terns in flight. 8,000 pairs of Royal Terns nest there and there are birds in the air all the time, often carrying all kinds of fish and crabs for their young. Learn about how the relationship between the wind and the sun impacts flight photography and about the best gear for shooting birds in flight. Join me on a workshop at Jacksonville this summer.

Cute & Beautiful: Photographing Chicks in Jacksonville, FL with Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

There is an amazing beach near Jacksonville, FL where 8,000 pairs of Royal Terns and 12,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls (along with a few other species) breed each summer. As this video shows, photographing the chicks is easy in the summer. And there is tons of great flight photography as well. If you want to improve your bird photography skills, consider joining me on an Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT).

Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune.

Jacksonville IPT: #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of 16 June thru the morning of MON 20 June 2022: $2,099.00. (Limit 6 photographers)

Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers)

Jacksonville IPT #3: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5)

Ride with me: add $200.00. I do not like to disappoint: each trip will run with one participant. If necessary.

I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job.

Morning sessions will average about three hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. After the first lunch there will be an introductory program. On days two and three we will do image review and Photoshop after lunch.

We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check.

What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT

• 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better.
• 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button.
• 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it.
• 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight.
• 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer.
• 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂
• 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations.
• 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior.
• 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective.
• 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds.
• 13- You will learn to see and understand the light.
• 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations.
• 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event.

And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

Despite perfect conditions on Lake Kissimmee, Clemens Van der Werf had to work very hard to make a few good images. Why? Sun yields harsh shadows and almost all the birds that landed were on very cluttered perches. Such is bird photography. Be sure to click on today’s image to enjoy a high-res version and note the work that I did on the dark shadows.

Today is Friday 3 June 2022. The forecast for this morning is again calling for mostly sunny skies with a breeze from the ENE. We will be heading very early to Lake Blue Cypress with Clemens’ boat in tow. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes eighty days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn! Shoot me an e-mail for Jackson IPT#1 late registration details.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $749.00 (was $799.00) and now includes the shipping to lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906.

Wanted to Buy

If you have any Canon Series III teleconverters (the 1.4X III or the 2X III) that you’d like to get rid of, please shoot me an e-mail if you are interested in turning them into cash. I have an interested buyer.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

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

And Please Remember

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

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

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

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

Money Saving Reminder

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

Important Note

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

Please Remember Also

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

Gear Questions and Advice

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

This image was created on 2 June 2022 aboard Clemens Van der Werf’s flat boat on Lake Kissimmee. While seated, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/3200 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 7:57:12am on sunny morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Snail Kite male with meat extracted from snail

Snail-Mail by Air-male

The male Snail Kite was headed to its fledged and flying chick with a small meal. Photographing dark gray birds in flight on sunny days will often produce images with dark underwing shadows. I worked hard (but not too long) to open up the underwings. I used the Shadow slider (judiciously) during the raw conversion, and Tim Gray Dodge and Burn once I had the .TIF file in Photoshop. Conversely, I selected the brightest portions of the snail and ran a Linear Burn on that.

Do you like today’s featured image? Why or why not?

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

The techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.

You can learn how and why I converted all my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. You can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here.

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

Tuesday morning was on the slow side. Yesterday’s flapping Osprey was flying. It looked as if it were enjoying it. Conditions were again perfect, and I got some good ones of the bird landing. For the first time, I worked with the handheld 400mm f/2.8 with the 1.4X TC. That gives you a 560mm f/4 lens and is 1 1/3 stops faster than the 200-600. But you cannot, of course, zoom in or out. It was, however, sunny. That as compared to Monday morning’s cloudy-bright skies. Photographing flight with blue skies and sun is far more difficult because of shadows, most of this on the underwings. I made some nice flight images of a fly-by Black-bellied Whistling Duck. Earlier, I had two perched in the Vulture Tree but they did not cooperate. All in all, it was the slowest morning in several weeks.

Only Bob Eastman offered a title for yesterday’s Osprey image. He wrote, “I’m telling Mom!” That put a smile on my face.

Today is Wednesday 1 June 2022. The forecast for this morning is again for mostly sunny skies with a breeze from the ENE. I will be heading down to the lake early. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes seventy-eight days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn! Shoot me an e-mail for Jackson IPT#1 late registration details.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $749.00 (was $799.00) and the new low price now includes shipping to lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906.

Wanted to Buy

If you have any Canon Series III teleconverters (the 1.4X III or the 2X III) that you’d like to get rid or, please shoot me an e-mail if you are interested in turning them into cash. I have an interested buyer.

Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens

Brand New in the Unopened Box
Sale Pending Instantly

Yours truly is offering a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens in new condition in the unopened box for $2599.00. The sale includes the original product box and everything that came in it and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

I used this lens for four months. Well, not this exact one. 🙂 I sold that one long ago. I loved it. It is extremely versatile. Topaz DeNoise AI makes the f/7.1 aperture a non-issue. It accepts the RF Extender 1.4X (teleconverter) (when you are zoomed out to 300mm or more). It sells new for $2899.00 but is out of stock almost everywhere. Grab this one, get it very soon, and put $300 in your pocket. artie

Covering a variety of telephoto focal lengths, the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM spans a short- to super-telephoto range within a sleek and portable form factor. The modest maximum aperture enables a relatively portable design that is well-suited to handheld, walkaround use and optical image stabilization also helps to steady photos and videos by up to five stops when working in difficult lighting conditions. This lens is also characterized by its advanced optical design, which includes a series of Super UD and UD elements to greatly reduce chromatic aberrations and color fringing throughout the zoom range for a degree of clarity and color accuracy.

Balancing the distinguished optical assets is the Dual Nano USM focus system, which delivers fast, nearly silent autofocus performance with full-time manual focus override. A unique Control Ring is also integrated into the lens design for intuitive control over exposure settings from the lens itself and the rotating zoom ring also feature torque adjustment for fine-tuning the feel of the lens. Additionally, this 100-500mm is weather-sealed and has a fluorine coating to protect the front and rear elements. B&H & Canon

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

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

And Please Remember

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

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

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

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

Money Saving Reminder

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

Important Note

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

Please Remember Also

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

Gear Questions and Advice

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

This image was created on 18 May 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 214mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1000: 1/500 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:05:22am on a clear morning. RawDigger showed the exposure was perfect. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird/Eye-Face Detection enabled. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Killdeer on protected nest

Finding the Nest

I stumbled on the nest in the North Field on 12 May when two adult cranes stumbled upon it. An adult killdeer flew off a short distance, landed, and performed a nest distraction display. I knew the general area of the nest, but since they are so well camouflaged, I did not approach in fear of stepping on the eggs. I observed carefully from a distance for several days and finally was able to spot the bird on the nest. I walked up to it and saw two eggs in what was not much of a nest, just a small circular depression in the sandy soil. I marked it with a piece of palm tree bark. I realized that there was a risk that the folks who mow the North Field regularly might accidentally destroy the nest, so I returned the next morning with four garden stakes, some yellow ribbon, and a hammer.

I made an image with my cell phone and sent an e-mail to the ILE office explaining what I had done (and why). I received a nice note from the Jon Harris, the Director of Highway and Grounds for ILE.

This image was created on 30 May 2022 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from my SUV, I used the BLUBB supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 2000. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/400 sec. at f/11. (stopped down two stops) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:47:50am on a cloudy-bright morning. RawDigger showed the exposure was dead-solid perfect. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: Killdeer brooding one chick on the nest with the other chick standing nearby.

The Blessed Event

When I checked the nest on Sunday morning, an adult sat peacefully on two eggs. On Monday morning, there was no adult on the nest. I walked up and saw a single tiny chick in the nest. I quickly exited stage left. When I returned an hour later, one adult was brooding two chicks. I was glad to see that both eggs had hatched successfully. I stayed for ten minutes and made about 100 images, 42 of those with one chick visible somewhere in the frame. Image #2 was the best by far. It was a miracle that the face of the chick was not blocked by grasses.

DOF Question

Why did I stop down to f/11? Did it work?

Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune.

Jacksonville IPT: #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of 16 June thru the morning of MON 20 June 2022: $2,099.00. (Limit 6 photographers)

Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers)

Jacksonville IPT #3: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5)

Ride with me: add $200.00. I do not like to disappoint: each trip will run with one participant. If necessary.

I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job.

Morning sessions will average about three hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. After the first lunch there will be an introductory program. On days two and three we will do image review and Photoshop after lunch.

We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check.

What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT

• 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better.
• 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button.
• 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it.
• 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight.
• 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer.
• 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂
• 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations.
• 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior.
• 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective.
• 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds.
• 13- You will learn to see and understand the light.
• 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations.
• 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event.

And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph.

Typos

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

Your Fave?

Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? Why?

What’s Up?

On Sunday morning I spent some quality time with the two-large-colt crane family at the end of the South Field. The end of session magic returned to some degree when I was able to get on sun angle on a sipping Osprey in blue water just south of the pier. After that, I returned to the South Field to create Image #2.

I was glad to learn that the sale of most of Sandra Calderbank’s used Canon gear that was listed in yesterday’s blog post became pending within hours of being listed.

Today is Monday 30 May 2022. The forecast for this morning is for mostly sunny skies with a gentle breeze from the SSE. I will be heading down to the lake early. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes seventy-six days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $749.00 (was $799.00) and now includes the shipping to lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906.

Wanted to Buy

If you have an old tripod that is sitting around gathering dust, or any Canon series III teleconverters, the 1.4X III or the 2X III, please shoot me an e-mail if you are interested in turning them into cash. I have an interested buyer.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

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

Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune.

Jacksonville IPT: #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of 16 June thru the morning of MON 20 June 2022: $2,099.00. (Limit 6 photographers)

Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers)

Jacksonville IPT #3: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5)

Ride with me: add $200.00. I do not like to disappoint: each trip will run with one participant. If necessary.

I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job.

Morning sessions will average about three hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. After the first lunch there will be an introductory program. On days two and three we will do image review and Photoshop after lunch.

We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check.

What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT

• 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better.
• 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button.
• 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it.
• 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight.
• 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer.
• 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂
• 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations.
• 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior.
• 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective.
• 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds.
• 13- You will learn to see and understand the light.
• 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations.
• 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event.

And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph.

This image was created on 29 May 2022 down by the lake at ILE. Standing in the North Field, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/1000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 7:39:12am on a then cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane in wildflowers

Sandhill Crane in Wildflowers

Tickseed — I am not sure of the species — grows prolifically at Indian Lake Estates, but I have never seen so many in blossom at once in any of the large fields down by the lake. Foxglove — again, I am not sure of the species — grows as a tall, stringy plant along the edges of the marsh. When I saw the purple flowers interspersed with the tickseed blossoms, I took a closer look. The shape of the flowers indicated a foxglove species, but as these were growing close to the ground, I believe that it is a different species.

The trick to making a decent image in this situation was to make the image when the crane was parallel to the back of the camera. The bird did not spend much time doing that, so I was glad to get this one.

Image Design Question

Tracking AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled allows the photographer to place the subject anywhere in the frame. The Canon R and the R5 and the Nikon Z9 can do the same thing. That, boys and girls, eliminates what used to be the primary reason for using back button focus …

That said, why did I place the crane in the upper left part of the frame rather than in the more traditional lower left? There are two distinct reasons.

This image was created on the morning of 29 May 2022 in the North Field. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Metabones Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Sony E Mount T Smart Adapter (Fifth Generation) and The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless camera body. ISO 800. 1/80 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:31:23 in the shade (see below) on a breezy, sunny morning. Manual focus using the combination of Manual Focus Toggle and Focus Magnifier tips from the SONY Camera Users Guide and the Sony Alpha 1 Group e-mails. Picked and Plamped — see below for details. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, high-resolution version. Image #2: foxglove blossom (species?)

Why Picked and Plamped?

Many folks would say that it is always wrong to pick a wildflower and create a set-up with the blossom held in place with a Plamp. That is certainly true in parks and refuges where picking even a single blossom is prohibited. But when working on your own property or in public areas that are mown regularly, picking and Plamping one flower of hundreds or thousands is a far better approach than walking through and stomping or sitting down and destroying dozens if not hundreds of plants.

I positioned my vehicle west to east to block the north wind. Then I positioned the tripod with the Plamped foxglove flower. Next I set up a second tripod for the Canon 180 macro. The last step was to jury-rig a long-sleeved shirt to block the wind and ensure that the blossom was completely shaded. Focusing manually with focus peaking is the way to go with macro.

Subject in Shade, Background in Sun

Whether photographing birds or flowers, I love to find or to create situations where the subject is in the shade, and the background is lit by the sun. That is easy to do with picked and plamped wildflowers. With birds? Not so much. But once you are aware of the concept you can be on the lookout for birds in the shade with the backgrounds in the sun. Remember that in these situations, you will need to add lots of light to the metered exposure to prevent under-exposing the subject.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

It actually was partly cloudy at ILE on Friday morning. I’ve been checking on the Killdeer nest every day and am happy to report that there is always one adult bird sitting peacefully on the two eggs. There was so much action in the North Field that I did not head south until 8:15am. The tom Wild Turkey was displaying again. I spent some time with the not-such-a-baby anymore single crane colt and had an Osprey on a dead cabbage palm stump dining on an almost-whole fish.

Today is Saturday 22 May 2022. In total disbelief, I just finished watching the Miami Heat defeat the younger, stronger, Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference playoff series. The Celtics had totally destroyed the Heat in Games five and six. Miami’s superstar, Jimmy Butler, has been hobbled by an injured right knee. And Tyler Herro, NBA sixth man of the year, missed his third game in a row with a strained groin. Game 7 will be on Sunday night. The winner of Game 7 will face the Golden State Warriors for the championship.

The forecast for this morning is for partly cloudy with scattered thunderstorms beginning around 8am. I will surely be heading down to the lake early. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to to prepare and makes seventy-four days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

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

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission on items priced at $1,000 or more. With items less than $1000, there is a $50 flat-fee. One of the more popular used gear sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. If you are interested, please click here, read everything carefully, and do what it says. To avoid any misunderstandings, please read the whole thing very carefully. If you agree to the terms, please state so clearly via e-mail and include the template or templates, one for each item you wish to sell. Then we can work together to get your stuff priced and listed.

Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice only to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past years, we have sold many hundreds of items. Do know that prices for used gear only go in one direction. Down. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

New Listings

Canon EF 400mm DO II IS Lens with Extras!

Sale Possibly Pending

IPT veteran Sandra Calderbank is offering a Canon 400 mm DO II IS lens in like-new condition for $4498.00. The sale includes a Really Right Stuff replacement foot, an AquaTech soft lens cap, a LensCoat, the lens trunk, the lens strap, the rear cap, the original tripod foot, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Sandra via e-mail or by phone at 1-828-412-1047 Eastern time zone.

I owned and used and loved the 400 DO II when I shot with Canon and found a way to take it on most trips. I took it to Scotland and Nickerson Beach and San Diego. It served me well as my (lighter!) big gun on several Galapagos and Southern Ocean (the Falklands and South Georgia) trips. It is a killer lens for flight photography with or without the 1.4X III TC. It is razor-sharp with the 2X on static subjects and skilled folks have had amazing success hand holding it with the 2X III TC for flight and for action. And it will rock with an R5 or an R3 and both TCs. artie

Canon 100-400L IS II Lens with Extras

BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price (with the replacement foot)
Sale Pending

IPT veteran Sandra Calderbank is offering a Canon 100-400L IS II lens in like new condition for a BAA record low of $1298.00. The sale includes the soft case, the original product box and everything that came in it, a Really Right Stuff replacement foot, a LensCoat, the original tripod foot, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Sandra via e-mail or by phone at 1-828-412-1047 Eastern time zone.

This incredibly versatile zoom lens — with its amazing .98-meter close focus — was my favorite Canon telephoto zoom lens ever. By far. It is easy to hand hold, great for tight portraits, for birds in flight, for quasi-macro stuff, and lots more. For flight, it is fabulous with an R5! This lens sells new for $2399.00 and is out of stock in many places. artie

Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8 II L IS Lens

BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price
Sale Pending within two hours of listing

IPT veteran Sandra Calderbank is offering a Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8 II L IS lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $648.00. The sale includes the original product box, front and rear caps, soft case, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Sandra via e-mail or by phone at 1-828-412-1047 Eastern time zone.

First off, note as the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS lens does not accept a teleconverter, Canon mirrorless folks are much better off the an EF 70-200 and an adapter.

The versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses have long been big favorites of many nature photographers. They are great for landscapes especially with fall color peaking in many areas. I have used this lens with Canon and Nikon and SONY. I used my Canon version to photograph granddaughter Maya’s dance recitals and to create bird-scapes and pre-dawn blast-off blurs at Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico. They are fast and sharp and have 1000 uses. The 70-200 f/2.8 lenses are a specialty lens for bird photographers. Like the bad little child, when they are good, they are really, really good! I’ve used mine mostly for flight photography at point blank range where their performance is unmatched, especially in low light. I’ve killed with these lenses on the gannet boat in the UK, in Homer for eagles, for pre-dawn and blizzard blast-offs at Bosque, and at Merritt Island on feeding sprees right next to the road. Lenses in this class are easily hand holdable by just about everyone. artie

ps: To see what the 70-200 zoom lenses can do, see the blog post here.

Canon RF Extender 1.4X (teleconverter)

IPT veteran Sandra Calderbank is offering a Canon RF Extender 1.4X (teleconverter) in like-new condition for $399.00. The sale includes the soft case, original product box, front and rear caps and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Sandra via e-mail or by phone at 1-828-412-1047 Eastern time zone.

The RF 1.4X extender sells new for $499.00. Grab Sandra’s rarely used copy and put $100.00 in your pocket. artie

Canon Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R

Sale Pending

IPT veteran Sandra Calderbank is offering a Canon Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOSR in like-new condition for $159.20. The sale includes the soft case, original product box, front and rear caps and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Sandra via e-mail or by phone at 1-828-412-1047 Eastern time zone.

This adapter lets you use a Canon mirrorless body on your EF lenses. This sophisticated adapter incorporates a customizable Control Ring, the same as that on native RF-mount lenses, for intuitively adjusting exposure settings, such as ISO, aperture, and exposure compensation. artie

Price Drop

Canon EOS 7D Mark II with a great extra!

Price Reduced $100.00 28 May 2021

IPT veteran Sandra Calderbank is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II in like-new condition with only 4504 shutter actuations for a very low $549.00 (was $649.00) . The sale includes one battery and the charger, the strap, the original product box, and everything that came in it, a Really Right Stuff Modular Sliding L-Plate (RTS B702-L Set — a $150.00 value), and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Sandra via e-mail or by phone at 1-828-412-1047 Eastern time zone.

If you are looking to get started with a Canon dSLR, Sandy’s 7DII is for you. Both Patrick Sparkman and I used and loved the 7D Mark II until about two years ago when we both committed to using full-frame Canon bodies. We both made some truly great images with it. Two of my three 2016 Nature’s Best honored entries were created with the 7D II, one still, and one video. The 7D Mark II is one of the greatest-ever values in a digital camera body. artie

This image was created on 27 May 2022 down by the lake at ILE. Standing in the North Field, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640. 1/2000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be about 1/3 stop under. AWB at 7:36:27am on a cloudy-bright morning. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Wild Turkey tame displaying

Image Design Question

Would you have removed the two, tiny, yellow tickseed blossoms right on the frame-edge in the lower left corner? Why or why not?

Depth of Field Question

How is it possible that the entire turkey is covered by the depth of field at f//2.8? Scroll down for the answer.

Handholding The Sony 400mm f/2.8 Lens (AKA Fat Boy)

I am becoming more enamored with the Sony 400mm f/2.8 lens (AKA Fat Boy) every time I use it. With the lens being so back heavy, it is relatively easy to handhold considering that it weighs 6.864 lbs. (6 lbs.13.8 oz.) with the hood on and the original lens foot replaced with the CRX-5 Ultra Low Foot. After nearly 39 years of bird photography, I learned something new this morning when I put Fat Boy on the kitchen scale. The published weight of a super-telephoto lens, 6.4 pounds in the case of The Sony 400 f/2.8, does not include the weight of the hood. Who’d a thunk it?

In any case, at 6.864 lbs., the 400 f/2.8 weighs only 1.848 pounds more than The Sony 200-600 with the hood on and the original foot removed to save weight while handholding. The latter weighs in at 5.016 lbs.

The Speed Advantage

Until I began working with Fat Boy just a few days ago, I had not realized how huge an advantage the f/2.8 speed would be it. Across the board, it allows for the use of crazy-high shutter speeds and saves on ISO. The higher shutter speeds are great for handholding. There will be lots more on this great lens coming soon. Please remember, however, that for me, Fat Boy is an auxiliary lens, undoubtedly somewhat of an extravagant purchase.

PhotoPills Depth of Field (DOF) Calculator screen capture for today’s featured image

PhotoPills Depth of Field (DOF) Calculator

The entire turkey is covered by the depth of field at f//2.8 because I was far from a large subject using a relatively short focal length (as compared to 600 or 840mm). The PhotoPills Depth of Field (DOF) Calculator screen capture above shows that the total DOF is 1.17 feet. Though the turkey is a very large bird, 1.17 feet was just about enough to cover the entire bird. If you wanted to be picky, you could note that the range of sharp focus barely falls off on the tips of the feathers on the far side of the bird’s spread tail.

Note that stopping down to f/4 would have increased the total DOF to 1.65 feet. Note also that choosing any full frame camera body will yield correct results. Also, I learned the exact distance to the subject in A7INFO.

The Lesson

If the entire bird looks sharp in the viewfinder, it will be sharp in the final image. There is no need to stop down.

Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune.

Jacksonville IPT: #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of 16 June thru the morning of MON 20 June 2022: $2,099.00. (Limit 6 photographers)

Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers)

Jacksonville IPT #3: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5)

Ride with me: add $200.00. I do not like to disappoint: each trip will run with one participant. If necessary.

I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job.

Morning sessions will average about three hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. After the first lunch there will be an introductory program. On days two and three we will do image review and Photoshop after lunch.

We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check.

What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT

• 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better.
• 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button.
• 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it.
• 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight.
• 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer.
• 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂
• 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations.
• 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior.
• 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective.
• 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds.
• 13- You will learn to see and understand the light.
• 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations.
• 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event.

And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

It was gorgeous again on Wednesday morning at ILE. And as has been the pattern recently, things began slowly, and I was ready to head home early. Then I saw another black Volkswagen in the North Field. Again, it turned out to be a displaying Wild Turkey tom (and two hens with about twenty poults). What began as a slow morning turned into a 1949-image photo session.

Steve Elkins asked me to let everyone know that Bedfords has the Canon MC20 Maintenance Cartridge in stock for $14.99 each. This hard-to-get part is vital for operating the popular Prograf 1000 printer. Limit four per customer.

Today is Thursday 26 May 2022. The Lakeland forecast is for cloudy. Jim and I will be headed early to Circle Bar B to see what’s about. (The 400 f/2.8 will not be making the trip …) I had planned to continue on to Lakeland to pay off the lease on my SUV. The guy at the car dealership had told me on Monday that I could come by “any time” to make the payment and asked that I let him know in advance. I texted him early yesterday asking if he would be in between 10 and 11am today and letting him know that “the money was in the bank.” He wrote back, “I will be in.” Then, late in the day, he texted me and said that several folks who need to administer the payment were on vacation. So much for “come in anytime.”

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes seventy-two days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

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

And Please Remember

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

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

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

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

Money Saving Reminder

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

Important Note

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

Please Remember Also

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

Gear Questions and Advice

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

This image was created on 24 May 2022 down by the lake at ILE. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 400. 1/5000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect. AWB at 7:55:09am on sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane calling

The First Session

On a whim, I unboxed the 400mm f/2.8 GM lens on Tuesday morning and threw it in the back of my SUV on some pillows. I figured that I would only use it when I was out of my vehicle. That changed soon when I found a way to place both the 600 f/4 GM and the 400 f/2.8 GM on the front passenger seat. The cranes at ILE are so tame that when they are standing in one place preening you can slowly drive right up to them.

Please remember that as I own the 600 f/4 that the 400 f/2.8 was an extravagant purchase. I did not think that I would find a lot of opportunities to use it at ILE, but it is likely that I was wrong. That said, traveling by air with both big lenses will be close to impossible.

I love the silky-smooth backgrounds and the razor-thin depth of field. Though the 400 is only a few ounces lighter than the 600, it is much easier to handhold because it is shorter with the weight concentrated at the rear of the lens. And I underestimated the value of the super-fast f/2.8 aperture … There are dozens more things that I love about the 400/2.8 that I will be writing extensively about the 400 f/2.8 in future blog posts.

Thinking of a nickname for the 400 2.8, I may go with “Fat Boy”, a blend of the nicknames for the two different types of atomic bombs produced by the Manhattan Project near the end of WW II. They were code-named Fat Man and Little Boy. Fat Man, which was dropped on Nagasaki, was the more complex of the two was a bulbous 10-foot-long bomb. (Learn more in the interesting article here.)

This image was also created on 24 May 2022 down by the lake at ILE. Standing on a slope near a canal, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 400. 1/2000 sec. at f/3.2. (stopped down 1/3 stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:04:59am on mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Limpkin fledgling with adult

Lots of Limpkin Families

There are several Limpkin families in the marsh this year. I photographed some large fledged chicks by the pier about a week ago. The chick in this image was the smallest of four accompanied by two adults. I got down by the canal and positioned myself so that they would be coming toward me at eye level. I clipped the feet of the larger chicks as they ran by me to catch up with the adults; I was fortunate to get this one completely in the frame. As autofocus needs light to see, the wider the maximum aperture, the faster the speed of initial focusing acquisition. Needless to say, AF with the 400 f/2.8 is lightning fast and very accurate.

Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune.

Jacksonville IPT: #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of 16 June thru the morning of MON 20 June 2022: $2,099.00. (Limit 6 photographers)

Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers)

Jacksonville IPT #3: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5)

Ride with me: add $200.00. I do not like to disappoint: each trip will run with one participant. If necessary.

I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job.

Morning sessions will average about three hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. After the first lunch there will be an introductory program. On days two and three we will do image review and Photoshop after lunch.

We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check.

What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT

• 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better.
• 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button.
• 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it.
• 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight.
• 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer.
• 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂
• 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations.
• 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior.
• 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective.
• 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds.
• 13- You will learn to see and understand the light.
• 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations.
• 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event.

And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

Monday morning under hazy skies was pretty much of a same-old same-old day. I photographed the small crane colt family, the large crane colts family, my first-ever ILE Mallard, and the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in the lake just south of the pier. Today is Tuesday 24 May 2022 and the forecast again is for partly cloudy with a SE breeze and a hazy sun. I just may take my new Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens out of the shipping box and out of the lens trunk and put it in the back of my SUV where I can grab it for hand holding … Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare (including the time spent on the creating the video) and makes seventy-four days in a row with a new one.

Be sure to click on the words “Watch on YouTube (in white letters) in the lower left corner of the screen to view the video larger. As a late-registration enticement for the three Jacksonville IPTs, I will include the ride with me for free for the first two folks to sign up for each workshop. Please get in touch via e-mail with any questions.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

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

Flight Photography at Jacksonville Till You Can’t Lift Your Lens!

Join me on the beach at Huguenot Memorial Park to learn about photographing terns in flight. 8,000 pairs of Royal Terns nest there and there are birds in the air all the time, often carrying all kinds of fish and crabs for their young. Learn about how the relationship between the wind and the sun impacts flight photography and about the best gear for shooting birds in flight. Note that all the images in the video were created with the Sony a1 (and a variety of lenses). Join me on a workshop at Jacksonville this summer. See the details below.

Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune. Jacksonville IPT: #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of 16 June thru the morning of MON 20 June 2022: $2,099.00. (Limit 6 photographers) Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers) Jacksonville IPT #3: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5) Ride with me: add $200.00. I do not like to disappoint: each trip will run with one participant. If necessary. I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job. Morning sessions will average about three hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. After the first lunch there will be an introductory program. On days two and three we will do image review and Photoshop after lunch. We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check. What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better. 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it. 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight. 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer. 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them. 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations. 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior. 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective. 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds. 13- You will learn to see and understand the light. 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations. 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event. And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph. Typos With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. May 24th, 2022 | Category: 2022 | Leave a comment May 23rd, 2022 1/80 second Flight -- What Was I Thinking? 12 comments What’s Up? Sunday morning dawned hazy, and the sun was in and out between 7 and 8am. I did a little of this and a little of that and was about to head home. I decided to check the area just to the south of the pier one last time. Looking under the pier to the other side I saw a Great Blue Heron in the marsh with what looked like a large fish in its bill. I quickly drove to the north side of the pier. Once I got in position, I saw that the prey was a large marsh rat. I made some very nice images at 1200mm with the big lens supported by the BLUBB. The bird moved away from the pier to the north, so I parked, set up the tripod, move slowly to my right, and made some more good images at 1200mm. Photos soon. My new Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens was delivered on Sunday by 2nd Day Air Fed Ex. As always, Bedfords did a perfect job with any order and the shipping. I believe that the second 400/2.8 sold to a BIRDS AS ART disciple. The lens sits in the unopened box on my dining room floor. I do not foresee using it a lot at ILE and it would not do well with the 600 f/4 on the front passenger seat of my SUV … I will be doing a blog post on the whys and wherefores of my newest lens fairly soon. Today is Monday 23 May 2022. I just looked out the pool deck door to check the weather — it looks clear and still with a big of haze in the air. It is supposed to cloud up quickly. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took three hours to prepare (including the time spent on the image optimization and creating the screen captures) and makes seventy-three days in a row with a new one. Be sure to read and view all the way down as there is a ton to learn below. Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn! BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS) Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study. Wanting a Sony 600mm GM lens or a Nikon Z9? If you want to get your hands on a Sony 600mm f/4 GM, get in touch with Steve Elkins at Bedfords ASAP as below. Both a Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lenses sold quickly. The best way to get your hands on a Z9 is to join NPS (Nikon Professional Services) and then send your member number to Steve Elkins at Bedford via e-mail. Nikon insists that Z9s (and other hard to get stuff) go to NPS members. You can get one from B&H, but they have a huge wait list … This image was created on 28 June 2021 at Huguenot Memorial Park in Jacksonville. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250: 1/80 second at f/6.3 (stopped down 1 1/3 stops) in Manual Mode. AWB at 6:40:19am on a cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be 1/3 stop too dark. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird/Eye-Face Detection enabled. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: the Photo Mechanic screen capture for the Royal Tern in flight with baby Blue Crab for young image The Photo Mechanic Screen Capture First off, note the shutter speed: 1/80 second. Next, note that the histogram seems to show that the raw file is properly exposed to the right. RawDigger, however, showed that I could have used more than one-half stop of additional light to be dead-solid perfect. What Was I Thinking? Why a shutter speed of 1/80 second for flight? The classic blur speeds for photographing single birds in flight are from 1/15 to 1/50 sec. On very rare occasion, you can get the eye or eyes sharp at those speeds. You increase your chances of getting a sharp eye by increasing the shutter speed to somewhere between 1/60 and 1/125 second while producing nicely blurred wingtips if the bird is flapping. Higher shutter speeds in the range of 1/160 to 1/500 sec. can also pull that off. Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod I learned recently that the MAC Group quit making the great Induro tripods because of increasingly high trade tariffs imposed on goods made in China (where the tripods were being made). I have been using the 304L as my workhorse tripod for more than a decade. The 304 L is perfect for folks under 6′ 1″ tall using big glass. I used mine in and around saltwater with impunity. Though it is sturdy and rigid and can support any large super-telephoto rig, it weighs only 4 lbs 10.7 oz. It costs many hundreds of dollars less than the overpriced, overdone, clunky Really Wrong stuff tripod. The 304L meshes perfectly with the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro that I love and use every day. And please do not insult this great head by mentioning the worthless and now obsolete RWS BH-55 bullheads in the same sentence … Amazingly, we have two brand (and only two) new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $799.00 each plus the shipping. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Image #1A: this is the color corrected, converted, and cropped .TIF file for the Royal Tern in flight with baby Blue Crab for young image The Converted .TIF File First, note the single large dust spot under the bend of the left wing of the sharp bird. I realize that some might like this image best with the second bird in the background, but with the wingtips of the bird in the background cut off, my choice was to eliminate it. This image was created on 28 June 2021 at Huguenot Memorial Park in Jacksonville. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250: 1/80 second at f/6.3 (stopped down 1 1/3 stops) in Manual Mode. AWB at 6:40:19am on a cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be 1/3 stop too dark. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird/Eye-Face Detection enabled. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1B: the master file (optimized version) of the Royal Tern in flight with baby Blue Crab for young image The Optimized Version The bird in the background was removed using a series of Quick Masks refined with Regular Layer Masks. The fact that the wings of the subject bird were blurred made working along the edge of those wings a bit easier than if they had been sharp. There is lots of time for Photoshop lessons on the Jacksonville IPTs. Your Call? Would you have liked this image better with the second bird? Why or why not? The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II. The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II) The techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle. Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each. You can learn how and why I converted all my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. You can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here. You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Be sure to click on the cropped image to view the amazing sharpness and enjoy the high-res version. Image #1C: a tight unsharpened crop of the Royal Tern in flight with baby Blue Crab for young image Seemingly Not Possible … The trick to getting the eye perfectly sharp at relatively slow shutter speeds is to pan perfectly along with the bird in flight. Though the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro is great for panning smoothly, I do not always pull this off every time … For me, the sharpness of the tern’s eye at 1/80 sec. is nothing short of astounding. Image #1D: an A7INFO screen capture for the Royal Tern in flight with baby Blue Crab for young image Amazing Bird-Face/Eye Detection AF Click on the screen capture above to see the location of the active AF point. Not bad … Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action. Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points! The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free) The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. By early April, the group was up to an astounding 115 lucky and blessed folks. Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive four e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will see new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1. All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide here in the BAA Online Store. Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune. Jacksonville IPT: #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of 16 June thru the morning of MON 20 June 2022: $2,099.00. (Limit 6 photographers) Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers) Jacksonville IPT #3: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5) Ride with me: add $200.00. I do not like to disappoint: each trip will run with one participant. If necessary. I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job. Morning sessions will average about three hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. After the first lunch there will be an introductory program. On days two and three we will do image review and Photoshop after lunch. We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check. What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better. 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it. 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight. 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer. 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them. 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations. 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior. 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective. 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds. 13- You will learn to see and understand the light. 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations. 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event. And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph. Typos With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. May 23rd, 2022 | Category: 2022 | 12 comments May 22nd, 2022 Day of Pure Joy. Gatorland Saved the Best for Last ... Killed Em with The Sony 70-200 II, 2X, Alpha 1 Handheld! 4 comments Which of Today’s Three Featured Images is Your Favorite? Why? What’s Up? It all began with a great night of sleep on Friday. I was to be very early and woke to the alarm at 4:30am to pack the car and make my tea for the road. I met Vince Delack at Gatorland at 6:50am. He was personable and eager to learn. He worked mostly with the handheld Canon 100-400 II and an R5. At my urging, he is in the process of retiring his 7D Mark II. He was a quick study. I showed him how to evaluate the histogram after making a test exposure. He quickly began making perfect exposures. We worked on AF stuff, and he quickly had that down pat. He shot on his own for a while and when I reviewed his images, there were lots of mis-framed photos and terribly busy backgrounds. I urged him to work at the long end to reduce clutter. I explained to him that folks who are new to bird photography first need to learn to make the easy shots, to grab the low-hanging fruit. Pick a good situation with a bird just sitting there, set a good exposure, frame the image perfectly, and make it sharp. Bingo. That simple advice improved his images 1,000 percent. Or more. Conditions for photography were perfect. The forecast thunderstorms did not materialize so we enjoyed lovely cloudy bright light until after 10am when a hazy sun broke through. There were lots of silly tame Tricolored Heron fledglings and the large, readily accessible Great Egret chicks had not left the nest yet. Just as we left, three of the five large chicks surprised me by flying across the gator moat. We had a few decent chances with the Snowy Egret chicks, and one good Snowy Egret feeding in the clear. I was on the road by 10:30 and home at noon. I downloaded my images while watching the Golden State Warriors game on TiVo. They come back from 19 points down to defeat the Dallas Mavericks. I enjoy watching Golden State’s amazing skills and teamwork. Steph Curry, wildly acknowledged as the best shooter ever to play the game, will often take your breath away with his long three pointers, his slashing drives to the basket, and his other-worldly passes to teammates. I created 1496 images, keep 114 after the first edit, and had 19 photos that really made me happy. Three of those are shared with you here today with more to come. I was so juiced by the Gatorland session, my images, and the Warriors win that I never napped. I had a great swim and did 20 minutes of rope flow in the driveway. Then I stayed up to watch the end of the PGA golf tournament (also on TiVo). Today is Sunday 22 May 2022. The forecast for ILE is for cloudy with a gentle SE breeze. I will be heading down to the lake to see what I see. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes seventy-two days in a row with a new one. Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn! BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS) Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study. Wanting a Sony 600mm GM lens or a Nikon Z9? If you want to get your hands on a Sony 600mm f/4 GM, get in touch with Steve Elkins at Bedfords ASAP as below. other a Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lenses sold quickly. The best way to get your hands on a Z9 is to join NPS (Nikon Professional Services) and then send your member number to Steve Elkins at Bedford via e-mail. Nikon insists that Z9s (and other hard to get stuff) go to NPS members. You can get one from B&H, but they have a huge wait list … This image was created on 21 May 2022 at Gatorland in Kissimmee, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 242mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250: 1/250 sec. at f/7.1 (stopped down 2/3 stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:53:36am on a totally overcast but somewhat bright morning. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Tricolored Herons — large chicks cuddling in nest A Basic (and Obvious) Bird Photography Tip … If you see several photographers posting their lenses in the same direction and looking through their viewfinders, it might behoove you to see what they are up to. And that is true whether you are on the beach, in the woods, or at a rookery. You must, however, approach slowly as if you scare their subject away, you will have lots of explain to do. As we approached the two cuddling tricolored babies, the other three photographers walked away. That made things easy for Vince and me. Working at f/7.1 provided almost enough depth of field to cover the tips of the two bills. As I zoomed in, the depth of field suffered much more. Lesson Zooming out and working wider always provided additional depth of field. Compositional Tip In situations where you are torn between creating vertical images or horizontal images, a square crop will often win the day. This image was created on 21 May 2022 at Gatorland in Kissimmee, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 400mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 640: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:59:44am when the day had gotten a lot brighter. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Great Egret preening uropygial gland The Uropygial Gland The uropygial gland is an exocrine gland located above the tail of birds that produces a diverse range of biochemicals. It has been hypothesized to be involved in chemical protection, waterproofing and maintenance of plumage brightness. From the article here. Normal Anatomy and Function of the Uropygial Gland The uropygial gland is a bi-lobed gland found at the tail base of most psittacine birds. It drains into a single papilla at the base of the tail. Normally, the gland is easily expressed and secretes a clear, oily fluid. This gland is absent in Amazon parrots, some pigeons, and doves. The uropygial gland produces a sebaceous material containing vitamin D precursors, which are converted to the active form of vitamin D3 when exposed to ultraviolet light. During preening, the active form of vitamin D3 is ingested. Exposure to unfiltered ultraviolet light is necessary for this metabolic process to take place. Material produced by the uropygial gland is very important for waterproofing feathers. The above from the Science Direct website here. Note that the previously sited study questions the always assumed waterproofing theory … Why Wide Open? That is a good question. The feathers around the uropygial gland and the barely visible bill tip of this preening juvenile bird were not sharp due to insufficient depth of field. I was at 1/1000 second because the bird next to this one kept stabbing at a branch with its bill. When the bird in Image #2 struck the attractive pose, I made a series of images without stopping down. In a perfect world, for this specific image, working at 1/250 second at f/11 would have been a better option. Lesson Many of the nests at Gatorland are so close to the boardwalk that stopping down for additional depth of field is often a consideration. As I said to Vince, “You only want to stop down if you can verbalize a reason for needing more depth-of-field.” This image was created on 21 May 2022 at Gatorland in Kissimmee, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 346mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:09:45am when the day had gotten a lot brighter. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Great Egret chick feeding mayhem More Mayhem When we met in the parking lot, I explained the whole chick feeding operation to Vince: 1- The adult bird lands near or on the nest, stands tall, and stretches its neck toward the sky. This to encourage the chicks to beg. 2- The moment the adult lands, the chicks go crazy squawking and trying to reach the adult’s bill. 3- The adult, now stimulated to regurgitate the fish or fishes, lowers it head. 4- One of the chicks grabs the adult’s bill and yanks on it for all its worth; this stimulates the adult to regurgitate a fish or two. While this is going on, the other chicks try to get in on the action. This process is often repeated two or three times before the adult flies off to catch some more fish (or other prey). Note: when the chicks are small, the adult waits for a significant period of time so that the fish becomes partially digested. Small bits of fish usually wind up on the floor of the nest where they are snatched up by the hungry nestlings. As he had never seen a wading bird chick feeding, Vince was thrilled to witness several on Saturday morning. Because of the frantic and frenzied action, making a good image in these situations is always a challenge. Amazingly, the a1 AF system barely missed the visible eye of the adult. Vince e-mailed this (in part) last night: I am so happy to have made contact and arranged to meet with you! I thoroughly enjoyed your guidance, consultation, and encouragement!! We were truly blessed with great light, and abundant subject matter, quite close at-hand. He could not believe that so few folks took advantage of the Gatorland sessions this year … Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action. Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points! The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free) The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. By early April, the group was up to an astounding 115 lucky and blessed folks. Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive four e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will see new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1. All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide here in the BAA Online Store. Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune. Jacksonville IPT: #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of 16 June thru the morning of MON 20 June 2022: $2,099.00. (Limit 6 photographers) Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers) Jacksonville IPT #3: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5) Ride with me: add $200.00. I do not like to disappoint: each trip will run with one participant. If necessary. I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job. Morning sessions will average about three hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. After the first lunch there will be an introductory program. On days two and three we will do image review and Photoshop after lunch. We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check. What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better. 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it. 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight. 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer. 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them. 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations. 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior. 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective. 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds. 13- You will learn to see and understand the light. 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations. 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event. And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph. Typos With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. May 22nd, 2022 | Category: 2022 | 4 comments May 21st, 2022 Too Much Fun in the Rain on a Dark Day ... 2 comments What’s Up? It was cloudy and dark and threatening when I headed down to the lake at 7:10am on Friday morning. It did not threaten for long. It poured. There was thunder and lightning off and on for about 40 minutes. And torrential rain. And some strong wind gusts. Even though I had the the open driver’s side window facing away from the wind, the inside of my car and all my gear got soaked — the wind direction changed several times! Anyhoo, I had an absolute ball and tried lots of new things. Starting work early, and continuing for most of the rest of the day, I optimized 19 new images on Friday, most from Jacksonville as I get ready to do the YouTube Jax flight video sometime soon. As a late registration enticement for the three IPTs, I will include the ride with me for free for the first two folks to sign up for each workshop. Please get in touch via e-mail with any questions. Today is Saturday 21 May 2022. The forecast for Kissimmee is for scattered thunderstorms. That sounds familiar … I am meeting newbie Vince Delack for an In-the-Field session at Gatorland. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes seventy-one days in a row with a new one. Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn! BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS) Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study. Wanting a Sony Super-telephoto Lens or a Nikon Z9? If you want to get your hands on a Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM or a Sony 600mm f/4 GM, get in touch with Steve Elkins at Bedfords ASAP as below. The best way to get your hands on a Z9 is to join NPS (Nikon Professional Services) and then send your member number to Steve Elkins at Bedford via e-mail. Nikon insists that Z9s (and other hard to get stuff) go to NPS members. You can get one from B&H, but they have a huge wait list … And Please Remember You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account. Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation. Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases. Money Saving Reminder Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please. Important Note As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂 Please Remember Also Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit. Gear Questions and Advice Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up. This image was created on 20 May 2022 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 129mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. ISO 8000. 1/125 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:48:58am during a thunderstorm. Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane adult and two large colts taking shelter from the storm Taking Shelter From the Storm The large colt crane family was smarter than I was, but we all got soaked. The second adult was just out of frame left. At 1/60 second, the raindrops become long streaks and are not very evident. When I have some light, I like the look of the streaks created by shutter speeds ranging from 1/320 to 1/800 sec. The distance to the subject and the severity of the rain also come into play. This tree is in the South Field, not far from the eagle nest tree. This image was created on 20 May 2022 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 25600. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/60 sec. at f/5.6. (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:51:27am during a thunderstorm. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane colt enjoying the rainstorm Drinking Raindrops? This is the large colt with the duller cap. I went to the big lens with a TC (and ISO 25600) in an effort to make an nice image of this bird attempting to drink the raindrops. Either that or it was really enjoying its shower. It kept pointing its bill up and moving his head from side to side, seemingly enraptured. I did some video of this behavior and never saw him try to drink, but the bird sure did blink a lot! The Lesson Do not fear very high ISOs. When the choice is between having a decent chance to make a sharp image at a very high ISO or having no chance to make a sharp image, the former is always the best choice. Always. It’s digital. If the image quality is so bad that you have no use for the image, delete it. This image was created on 20 May 2022 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 188mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. ISO 6400. 1/125 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:03:03am at the tail end of the storm. Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Sandhill Crane large colt with bright cap in the rain My Favorite Colt With its brighter cap, this is my favorite of the two large colts. It was still raining when I made this image, but it was not raining as hard nor was it anywhere near as windy as it was when I created Image #1. There is not much depth of field at f/2.8 … Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune. Jacksonville IPT: #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of 16 June thru the morning of MON 20 June 2022: $2,099.00. (Limit 6 photographers) Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers) Jacksonville IPT #3: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5) Ride with me: add $200.00. I do not like to disappoint: each trip will run with one participant. If necessary. I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job. Morning sessions will average about three hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. After the first lunch there will be an introductory program. On days two and three we will do image review and Photoshop after lunch. We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check. What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better. 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it. 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight. 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer. 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them. 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations. 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior. 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective. 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds. 13- You will learn to see and understand the light. 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations. 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event. And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph. Typos With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. May 21st, 2022 | Category: 2022 | 2 comments May 20th, 2022 Nature Photography IS like a Box of Chocolates ... 11 comments What Word? What word or phrase would you use to describe today’s featured image? Great News from Bedfords Steve Elkins of Bedfords texted me on Thursday with great news. He has a Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens and a Sony 600mm f/4 GM lens in stock. Remember to use the BIRDS AS ART code at check-out to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second day air shipping. It has been nearly impossible to get your hands on either of these lenses for the past two years. For those looking for a Sony 400 f/2.8 there is good news and bad news. The bad news is that I just bought the one in stock. The good news is that Steve is getting another one next week. Have at it. If you are seriously interested in either lens, it would best to e-mail Steve at selkins@bedfords.com or text him at 1-479-381-2592. What’s Up? The great morning photo sessions continued at ILE on Thursday. Sunrise was foggy. I tried some Osprey foggy-sun ball silhouettes without much success. Then I did the small crane colt and the large crane colt family. Once again, I was ready to head home early, but decided to check by the pier one last time. There were ten Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in still blue water. I worked them from the car at 1200mm with the BLUBB for a while and did OK. I decided to try to get out of the car slowly and set up a tripod. Only one bird flew off. I had a ton of fun for the next hour both at 1200 and 840mm. Today is Friday 20 May 2022. The forecast for this morning is for cloudy with a SW breeze. I will be heading down to the lake early. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes seventy days in a row with a new one. Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn! Nikon D5 Professional dSLR Price Reduced $200.00 on 20 May 2022 BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price Sigmon Whitener is offering a Nikon D5 (Dual XQD/CF Express Type B) in like-new condition with 55,000 actuations for a BAA record-low $2596.95 (was $2796.95). The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it including the strap, one battery, the dual battery charger, the manual (Sp and En), the USB connecting cord, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Although the D5 has a 20MP sensor, the frame rate and AF tracking are the best (IMO) you can get in a DSLR. Some of my best BIF shots were made with this camera. It’s also great for any type of sports photography. And the low light performance is best of any camera I have owned. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Please contact Sigmon via e-mail or by phone at 1-818-239-2403 (Pacific time). The D5 was buy first Nikon camera body. After using it for ten minutes on flying pelicans in San Diego I sold all of my Canon gear. The AF system is indeed superb. artie BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS) Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study. This image was created on 18 May 2022 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 280mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras. ISO 1250: 1/800 sec. at f/4.5 (stopped down 1/3 stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:25:36am in the shade of mat torso on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Florida Softshell Turtle (Apalone ferox) Nature Photography IS like a Box of Chocolates You never know what you are gonna get … Please take a moment to enlarge the image above. For the past 24 hours, I have returned to study it many times. I can barely quit looking at it. What amazes me is that some of the turtle’s features seem almost human. I guess it’s those lips! When I decided to check out the North Field on Wednesday morning, I would never have expected to find a totally tame female Florida Softshell Turtle (Apalone ferox). I’ve driven that mowed field many hundreds of times and had never seen a turtle of any kind on the grassy expanse. When I first saw a brown form in the grass at a distance, I was puzzled. I thought that it might have been a dead vulture. As I approached and saw the shape and that pug nose, I knew exactly what it was. The turtle’s size — the shell was at least 20″ long, indicated that it was a female. Males never grow larger than a foot. There was no sign that she had dug a nest nearby. I parked a ways away and grabbed the 70-200 II with the 1.4X in place. The turtle was totally placid as I approached. As the sun was not doing me any favors, I shaded the head and the front of the carapace by squeezing my legs together. I made some images while pointing the lens down, standing almost directly above the turtle. As expected, those images were not very intimate. Still, the turtle showed no sign of being upset so as slowly as I could, I got down on the ground. She pulled her head into her shell for about ten seconds and then stuck it back out and began looking around. I forgot to switch the Subject from Bird to Animal, but Eye Tracking performed perfectly. In ten minutes, I took lots of images. I kept only two of those that were made when I was standing, the rest of the keepers were made while I was seated. Today’s featured image was one of the last that I made. It was chosen from four wonderful images that were virtually identical. Do you like the narrow depth of field? Why or why not? Would you have tried to shoot this at f/16? Why or why not? Typos With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. May 20th, 2022 | Category: 2022 | 11 comments May 19th, 2022 Cute & Beautiful: Photographing Chicks in Jacksonville, FL 2 comments This Just In! Steve Elkins of Bedfords texted me with great news. He has a Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens and a Sony 600mm f/4 GM lens in stock. Remember to use the BIRDS AS ART code at check-outland get 3% back on your credit card and free second day air shipping. Hurry. For those looking for The Sony 400 f/2.8 there is good new and bad news. The bad news is that I just bought the one in stock. The good news is that Steve is getting another one next week. Have at it. If you are seriously interested in either lens it would best to e-mail Steve at selkins@bedfords.com or text him at 1-479-381-2592. What’s Up? On Wednesday I enjoyed yet another beautiful and interesting morning. I marked the Killdeer nest to protect it from the ruthless mowers and e-mailed the folks at ILE to let them know. There was another big mayfly hatch. Even the Mottled Ducks were partaking! I made some nice images of the rapidly growing baby crane, a Cattle Egret atop a bush catching mayflies, and the duck pair catching mayflies. I had another good chance on one of the fledged and flying Killdeer in the small field to the south of the pier. Then, the Limpkin family showed up next to the pier again so I spent some quality time with them. Then, I decided to make one last swing around the North Field. I saw a brown form in the grass at a distance and was unsure of what it was. As I got closer, I identified it easily; it is quite a distinctive creature. I spent ten intimate minutes with it before it headed slowly back to the marsh. I made some wonderful images and will share my favorite with you here tomorrow. Today is Thursday 19 May 2022. The forecast for this morning at ILE is again calling for sunny and still (with a light breeze from the SW developing by 9am). I will be heading down to the lake early again. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about three hours to prepare and makes sixty-nine days in a row with a new one. Enjoy today’s new YouTube video. As a late registration enticement, I will include the ride with me for free for the first two folks to sign up for each Jacksonville IPT. Please get in touch via e-mail with any questions. Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn! BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS) Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study. Wanting a Nikon Z9? The best way to get your hands on a Z9 is to join NPS (Nikon Professional Services) and then send your member number to Steve Elkins at Bedford via e-mail. Nikon insists that Z9s (and other hard to get stuff) go to NPS members. You can get one from B&H, but they have a huge wait list … And Please Remember You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account. Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation. Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases. Money Saving Reminder Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please. Important Note As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂 Please Remember Also Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit. Gear Questions and Advice Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up. Cute & Beautiful: Photographing Chicks in Jacksonville, FL There is an amazing beach near Jacksonville, FL where 8,000 pairs of Royal Terns and 12,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls (along with a few other species) breed each year. As this video shows, photographing the chicks is relatively easy in the summer. And there is tons of great flight photography as well. Click on the composite image to enjoy the incredible quality of the hi-res JPEG. Clockwise from upper left clockwise and back around to the center: Royal Tern in flight with squid for chick; Royal Tern chick on beach; Royal Tern in flight with shrimp for young; Royal Tern chick — double overhead wing stretch; Royal Tern landing with greenback for chick; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi mahi for chick; Brown Pelican — large chick preening; Laughing Gull in fresh juvenal plumage; Royal Tern chick begging; Many Royal Terns with many chicks on face of dune. Jacksonville IPT: #1: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of 16 June thru the morning of MON 20 June 2022: $2,099.00. (Limit 6 photographers) Jacksonville IPT #2: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 1 JULY thru the morning of TUES 5 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers) Jacksonville IPT #3: 4 FULL DAYS — the afternoon of FRI 15 JULY thru the morning of TUES 19 July 2022: $2099.00 (Limit 6 photographers/Openings: 5) Ride with me: add $200.00. I do not like to disappoint: each trip will run with one participant. If necessary. I first visited the breeding bird colony at Jacksonville in late June 2021. I was astounded. There were many thousands of pairs of Royal Terns nesting along with about 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls. In addition to the royals, there were some Sandwich Terns nesting. And there are several dozen pairs of Brown Pelicans nesting on the ground. Flight photography was non-stop astounding. And photographing the tern chicks was relatively easy. Folks could do the whole trip with the Sony 200-600, the Canon 100-500 RF, or the Nikon 500 PF or 200-500 VR. With a TC in your pocket for use on sunny days. Most of the action is within 100 yards of where we park (on the beach). As with all bird photography, there are times when a super-telephoto lens with either TC is the best tool for the job. Morning sessions will average about three hours, afternoon sessions about 1 1/2 hours. On cloudy mornings with favorable winds, we may opt to stay out for one long session and skip the afternoon, especially when the afternoon forecast is poor. Lunch is included on the first three days of the IPT and will be served at my AirBnB. After the first lunch there will be an introductory program. On days two and three we will do image review and Photoshop after lunch. We will be based somewhere west and a bit north of Jacksonville where there are many AirBnB possibilities. The deposit is $599.00. Call Jim at the office any weekday at 863-692-0906 to pay by credit card. Balances must be paid by check. What You Will Learn on a Jacksonville IPT 1- First and foremast you will learn to become a better flight photographer. Much better. 2-You will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. 3- You will learn to work in Manual exposure mode even if you fear it. 4- You will learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography, especially the photography of birds in flight. 5- You will learn several pro secrets (for each system) that will help you to become a better flight photographer. 6- You will learn to zoom out in advance (because the birds are so close!) 🙂 7- You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them. 8- You will learn to spot the good and the great situations. 9- You will learn to understand and predict bird behavior. 10- You will learn to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. 11- You will learn to choose the best perspective. 12- You will learn to see and control your backgrounds. 13- You will learn to see and understand the light. 14- You will learn to see and create pleasing blurs in pre-dawn situations. 15- You will learn to be ready for the most likely event. And the best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever you are and whenever you photograph. Typos With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. May 19th, 2022 | Category: 2022 | 2 comments « Newer Entries     Older Entries »

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