Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Your Favorite Image?

Which of today’s three featured Red Knot images is your favorite? All are invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choice.

Just for the Record

If you are not using a Sony a1 for bird photography, you are making your life far more difficult than it needs to be. Period.

What’s Up?

When I crawled into bed after 9:00pm on Tuesday evening, I had one thought: What a great day to have been alive!

The first morning of the Spring 2022 Instructional Photo-Tour was beyond anything I could have dreamed of. Every year I tire of the “there are no birds at DeSoto” reports. Keep reading to learn what we experienced that morning. The afternoon, that ended with a dozen spoonbills, was one of my best DeSoto afternoons ever. But that is another story.

Today is Wednesday 27 April 2022. The forecast for St. Pete in the morning is not quite as good as it was on Tuesday morning, but partly cloudy with a light northeast breeze is nothing to sneeze at. 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 forty-seven days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. 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.

This image was created on 26 April at Fort DeSoto Park in Pinellas County, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with the One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was dead solid perfect: 1/1000 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:48:30am on a clear sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to view the high-res JPEG. Image #1: Red Knot in breeding plumage — classic field guide pose

Light and Deadly

With clear skies and an east wind on Tuesday morning I left the 600 f/4 GM lens and the tripod in my vehicle and headed out light, lean, and mean with the hand held Sony 200-600 GM lens and an a1. A single 1.4X TC was in my fanny pack, along with a soft paint brush — the better to whisk the sand off your expensive camera body, my dear. Our morning began with some handsome Laughing Gulls followed by an absolutely fluorescent Little Blue Heron in breeding plumage. As I had seen several groups of shorebirds flying up and down the beach, I suggested to the group that we walk to the Gulf and see if we could find some breeding plumage Red Knots. When we were ten yards from the water’s edge, a group of about forty knots landed right in front of us. Many were in full breeding plumage. I got the group seated in position and instructed everyone to mount their teleconverters. They did. The birds were copacetic. With the early morning light, the breaking waves, and the wet sand, conditions could not have been better. We worked the flock for almost 30 minutes. I created roughly 950 images and kept 98. I deleted about 500 perfect photographs.

This image was created on 26 April at Fort DeSoto Park in Pinellas County, FL. I used the hand held I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with the One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was dead solid perfect: 1/1000 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:49:35am on a clear sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to view the high-res JPEG. Image #2: Red Knots in surf — sharp/soft juxtaposition

When Photographing Two Birds …

When photographing two birds on different planes, it is almost always best to focus on the closest bird. I love the juxtaposition of the two birds, and the differences in molt; the bird on our right is in full breeding plumage, the bird on our left still has a way to go. Note that I never entertained the thought of stopping down to attempt to get both birds in focus. With the birds at fairly close range and one several inches behind the other, getting enough depth of field to get both sharp would not have been practically possible. Not to mention that I love the soft/sharp look.

The Rest of the Morning

After I removed the TC, the rest of the morning was equally wonderful. We had lots of Royal Terns flying by at eye level with fish. Least Terns diving for bait. I made at least one really good Piping Plover flight image. We had Sanderling, Dunlin, Piping Plover, and Ruddy Turnstone in the surf. At my morning backup location, the action was nonstop. Dozens of wading birds fed on the greenbacks that escaped the fisherman’s nets while terns and pelicans dove and smash into hug schools of baitfish. Lunch and image review at the Neptune Grill was both delicious and educational. The highlight was making two videos of Red Knot image optimizations for the group.

This image was created on 26 April at Fort DeSoto Park in Pinellas County, FL. I used the hand held I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with the One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was dead solid perfect: 1/1000 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:52:53am on a clear sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to view the high-res JPEG. Image #3: Red Knot scratching

Red Knot Basic Biology

Half of the population of Red Knots in North America winter at the tip of South America. They begin their northward migration in late March or early April when they join knots that wintered in the southeastern US. During their migration, they stop at food-rich locations where they will often double their weight in ten days laying fat on their breasts. Then they continue to their breeding grounds in the high Arctic, always above the Arctic Circle: they lay eggs on Banks, Victoria, and Baffin Island in northern Canada as the snow and ice are melting. In a perfect world, the eggs hatch just as the tundra comes to life with the hatching of the billions of insects that provide fodder for the world’s shorebird chicks.

Imagine that you are a 140-pound marathoner. You eat enough pasta in two weeks to double your weight to 280-pounds. Then you start running and do not stop until you are back to 140. That’s what Red Knots do every year.

The Flight of the Red Knot

The Flight of the Red Knot: A Natural History Account of a Small Bird’s Annual Migration from the Arctic Circle to the Tip of South America and Back, by my friend, Brian Harrington who devoted his life to the study of Calidras rufa, the Red Knot

This beautifully illustrated book follows the extraordinary 18,000-mile annual migration of the Red Knot. Click on the logo to purchase.

Red Knots are in the sandpiper family. They are barely ten inches long and weigh about twenty ounces. Each spring they breed above the Arctic Circle, but in the year that follows they will migrate to the southern tip of South America and back again in their quest for food. Why and how they travel more than 18,000 miles each year, often as many as 2,500 miles nonstop (and at speeds averaging between thirty and forty miles per hour), is the subject of this engrossing and beautifully illustrated book.

Based on a popular NOVA series on migration, The Flight of the Red Knot is the story of an ornithological marvel by one of the world’s foremost authorities. Here we learn of the marvelous physical equipment of the long-distance flyers, their extraordinary food storage capacity, and the nature of their ever-moving food supply. The methods of research into the Red Knots’ life cycle are also described. Bird lovers especially, but also anyone interested in nature will love this book.

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 114 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 three 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.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I created 1352 images on Sunday morning in a bit more than an hour. On Saturday, an adult crane stood in the same spot for more than an hour and preened. On Sunday morning, it was in the same spot. I got down by the canal with the 600 f/4 and was determined to wait for an elegant wing stretch. I did not have to wait too long. From the beginning of the wing stretch until the bird re-folded its left wing, I created 122 images. Those included a few good ones. Next, I worked with the large colt family. Working vertically at 840mm, I was on one of the big colts as it ran across the South Peninsula to grab a big mole cricket from one of the parents. Though my shutter speed was marginal at 1/500 second, I did get a few good (sharp) ones. I was tooling around near the pier just about ready to head home when I spotted two fuzzy little birds on the grass. Then I photographed two Killdeer chicks for more than 45 minutes. They were the first I had seen at Indian Lake Estates in my 22 years here. What fun! I had given up finding the new chick, but on the way home I saw it with the parents on Park, two blocks up from the lakefront!

I finished editing the Z9 Camera User’s Guide and sent it to Warren Hatch via Hightail. I did my bursts and a swim after my nap and got back to work.

Today is Monday 25 April 2022. The forecast for this morning is for a gentle ENE breeze with clear skies, perfect for bird photography. I will be heading down to the lake for a short photo session. 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 forty-five 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.

This image is another that was created on 27 February 2022 on the second Homer IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 252mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 50: 1/30 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:47:28am on a cloudy dark morning. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Bald Eagle adult — striking blur

Necessity, the Mother of Invention

When the birds are flying around in extreme low light conditions, you have a choice of trying to create a few pleasing blurs or working at high ISO settings while trying to create some sharp flight images. If my math is correct, you would have needed to use ISO 4000 to get to 1/2500 second. At Kachemak Bay, the tree-covered hillsides reflected in still, deep waters offer green backgrounds that are perfect for blurred eagles. I created almost 300 blurs during a 15-minute session and kept 16.

This image is another that was created on 27 February 2022 on the second Homer IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 186mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 100: 1/30 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:55:49am on a cloudy dark morning. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Bald Eagle adult — striking blur II

Striking Splash Blur

Several images that I kept were created just as the bird struck. This resulted in some neat patterns with the spray caused by the splash. Compare the two images. Which is the stronger image? Why? Does anything bug you about Image #1? Does anything bug you about Image #2? Which image has the nicest background color?

This image was created on 27 February 2022 on the second Homer IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 98mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras. ISO 1000: 1/1600 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 11:37:21am on a then-cloudy bright morning. Tracking: Spot AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Counted and numbered Bald Eagles roosting on hillside

How Many Eagles?

In the blog post here, I asked, with regards to the image above, How many eagles?

The adults are numbered, the young birds were given a number with a J at the end, like 5J and 6J near the top of the tall tree. I counted 40. Did I miss any? Note: there is a Common Raven perched above eagles 29 and 30.

Both Muhammad Arif and Chris Davidson counted 40. Ted Willcox came up with 42, and Joel Eade with 39. Time will tell. One thing is for sure, that is a lot of eagles!

Homer 2022 Bald Eagle Highlights and Handholding Compositional Tips by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Enjoy and be inspired by just a few Homer Bald Eagle highlight images. Hand holding intermediate telephoto lens will always yield slightly different compositions. Learn more about that topic in this short (3:14) video.

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

2023 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs

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

IPT #2: SAT 25 FEB 2023 through the full day on THURS 2 MAR 2023. Six full days/24 hours on the boat: $6600.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4.

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

Save $1,000.00 by doing back-to-back trips. Save $1500.00 by doing all three.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

What’s Included

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

What’s Not Included

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

Please Note

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

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

Deposit Information

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

In Closing

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

Typos

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

Which is Your Favorite Image?

Why?

Two Viveza 3 Questions

1- How do you group multiple Control Points in Nik’s Viveza 3?

2- How do you see the masking effect?

What’s Up?

I headed down to the lake on Friday morning for the first time since I went to the GNPA EXPO and arrived home with COVID. Friend Anita North had told me that one chick from the 2-egg crane nest I had been watching hatched on 4 April 2022 just after I left. The second egg had disappeared from the nest. I saw and photographed the healthy 18-day old chick yesterday. I also had some good chances on a singing meadowlark from my SUV using the BLUBB. The two adult eagles were at the nest tree, but junior was nowhere to be seen. I checked both the South Peninsula and the South Field and saw no sign of the two-colt family. I’d be surprised if I do not see them again.

I spent an hour on the phone with Warren Hatch working on the Z9 Camera User’s Guide. Then I took and early nap, awoke, and did my bursts. And then I ran out of energy. Rather than swim, I took a second nap.

Today is Saturday 23 April and I will again be heading down to the lake for a short photo session. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 45-minutes to prepare and makes forty-three 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.

This image was created on 27 February 2022 at Kachemak Bay, AK. I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera. ISO 3200. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was perfect. AWB at 9:25:23am on foggy overcast morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird/Face-Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Barrow’s Goldeneye pair in flight

Difficult Subjects #1

There are big flocks of Barrow’s Goldeneye in most of the bays around Homer in winter. It is, however, very difficult to get anywhere near them. Our captain carefully maneuvered the boat towards this pair as it swam slowly along the cliff edge. When they took flight, I raised the big lens and fired off a few frames. Image #1 is a large crop that held up fairly well. Because AF grabbed the hen, she is sharper than the drake (that is covered to some degree by the depth of field). I was really pushing the lower limits of shutter speed for flight at only 1/1000 second; I got lucky.

This image also was created on 27 February 2022 at Kachemak Bay, AK. I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera. ISO 1600. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1250 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 10:14:47am on foggy overcast morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird/Face-Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: Common Murres swimming

Difficult Subjects #2

Though Common Murre in basic plumage is a relatively common species around Homer in winter, getting anywhere near them in a work boat is a challenge. This decent image required another healthy crop as the front and last birds were looking away. The super-accurate AF system and the superb image quality of the Sony a1 files open up new worlds of crop-ability.

This image was created on 27 February 2022 at Kachemak Bay, AK. I used the hand held 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 4000. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 10:29:26am on a now very cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed very well. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #3: tree growing out of corner of rock

Adding the TC

After chasing ducks, seabirds, and Sea Otters around the small, historic bay for an hour, it had gotten a bit brighter, so we decided to go for eagles. As we headed for the frozen waterfalls, I spotted this neat rock on a narrow strip of beach. I asked the captain to slow down a bit, quickly added the 1.4XTC, and made a very few images.

Note that in the three very different situations here that having Zebras set correctly on the camera and having ISO on the thumb (rear) dial, I was able to come up with a perfect or a dead-solid perfect raw file brightness for each image, all as determined by RawDigger. While other mirrorless camera bodies are catching up with the AF system of The Sony a1 (to some degree), the ease of getting the right exposure with Zebra’s puts the a1 light years ahead of the competition.

Homer 2022 Bald Eagle Highlights and Handholding Compositional Tips by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Enjoy and be inspired by just a few Homer Bald Eagle highlight images. Hand holding intermediate telephoto lens will always yield slightly different compositions. Learn more about that topic in this short (3:14) video.

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

2023 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs

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

IPT #2: SAT 25 FEB 2023 through the full day on THURS 2 MAR 2023. Six full days/24 hours on the boat: $6600.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4.

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

Save $1,000.00 by doing back-to-back trips. Save $1500.00 by doing all three.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

What’s Included

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

What’s Not Included

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

Please Note

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

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

Deposit Information

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

In Closing

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

Typos

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

Which is the Stronger Image?

Why?

What’s Up?

Not much and certainly nothing too exciting. But, I did have my highest pulse-ox reading of this entire adventure this morning: 98%SpO2! I am looking forward to leading the DeSoto IPT beginning next Tuesday.

Today is Thursday 21 April 2022. It is another gorgeous day here in Central Florida. 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 forty-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.

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 27 February 2022 on the second Homer IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 245mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras. ISO 1250: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 4:47:16pm on a crazy afternoon. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Bald Eagle immature and fog bank

A Day To Remember

Thursday 27 February began slowly. We toured an old fishing village now populated by expensive summer homes. We did some scenics and photographed a variety of ducks, gulls, seabirds, and marine mammals. And we worked on creating pleasingly blurred eagle images in the low light with green water backgrounds from the reflections of the forested slopes surrounding the bay. It got brighter, so we ended the morning with some excellent white-sky eagle photography. After a four-hour session, we returned to Homer to download and review our images, have some lunch, and enjoy a short rest or a nap.

Our afternoon session began in a narrow, little-visited bay to the north. Anchoring the boat near a point of land and a bend in the bay, we started off doing some bright-white-sky eagle photography. After an hour, the sun broke through, and the wind direction changed; an amazing situation developed. We had dozens of eagles diving at us in the sun behind the boat and dozens of eagles flying in an out of a fog bank that rose halfway up the mountain to our right. After two hours or non-stop flight photography, we headed south and enjoyed our best sunset eagle silhouette photography of the trip.

After more than seven hours on the boat, it had been a stellar day, one of the best I’d ever had in two decades of photographing Bald Eagles in Homer.

This image was created on 27 February 2022 on the second Homer IPT. 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: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 4:48:35pm on a crazy afternoon. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Bald Eagle adult and fog bank

One-Size-Fits-All Exposure

We had both adult and young eagles appearing seemingly out of nowhere in front of the fog bank to our right. We had both adult and young eagles lit by the sun with either dark blue water or shaded rock (black) backgrounds. And we also had both adult and young eagles flying in front of a snow-covered peak behind the boat. As the situations were seemingly so varied, because things were happening so quickly, and because all the birds were lit by the sun, I suggested to the group that a one-size-fits-all exposure would be the way to go. The exposure would be one that was a bit under for the young birds and close to perfect for the white-headed adults. I followed my own advice and went with 1/2500 second at f/4 at ISO 1250.

As predicted, RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness for Image #1 was less than 1/3-stop too dark and that the raw file brightness for Image #2 was perfect. It was that kind of afternoon!

Homer 2022 Bald Eagle Highlights and Handholding Compositional Tips by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Enjoy and be inspired by just a few Homer Bald Eagle highlight images. Hand holding intermediate telephoto lens will always yield slightly different compositions. Learn more about that topic in this short (3:14) video.

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

2023 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs

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

IPT #2: SAT 25 FEB 2023 through the full day on THURS 2 MAR 2023. Six full days/24 hours on the boat: $6600.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4.

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

Save $1,000.00 by doing back-to-back trips. Save $1500.00 by doing all three.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

What’s Included

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

What’s Not Included

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

Please Note

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

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

Deposit Information

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

In Closing

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I am feeling pretty much back to normal but am still lacking a bit of get up and go. I am, however, thinking of heading down to the lake one of these mornings.

Today is Tuesday 19 April 2022. 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 thirty-nine days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. 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 19 March 2021 somewhere in Georgia by Ken Dunwoody. He used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens and the Nikon D500 dSLR Camera. ISO 2000. 1/1250 sec. at f/4 (wide open). The raw file brightness was almost two stops too dark as per RawDigger. AWB at 7:18am in very low light. Image #1: Barn Owl in flight — Image courtesy of and copyright 2021: Ken Dunwoody.

GNPA EXPO Critiquing Sessions

On the first two mornings of the Georgia Nature Photographers EXPO, I did critiques. One of those was with Ken Dunwoody. Of his 20 images, many of the birds looked as if they had been painted with some sort of enamel as they had a glossy, waxy, shiny, detail-less look. Strangely, another photographer that same morning had offered up similar looking images. The only thing that made sense was that they had used much too much noise reduction. As good Barn Owl images are hard to come by, I asked Ken to shoot me the raw file when he had a chance.

Image #1A: The Photo Mechanic screen capture of the Barn Owl in flight image — courtesy of and copyright 2021: Ken Dunwoody.

The Original

Image #1A represents the tif file that came out of my converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Ken’s problems began with a too-huge crop of a grossly under-exposed image.

Image #1B: The RawDigger screen capture of the Barn Owl in flight image — courtesy of and copyright 2021: Ken Dunwoody.

The Raw Digger Screen Capture

Image #1B depicts the adapted pink histogram for Ken’s raw file. With the G channel barely making it past the 4000 line, this image is almost two full stops too dark. Not only did the underexposure create a ton of high ISO noise, it did a job on the image quality as well.

RawDigger — not for the faint of heart …

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

The RawDigger (pink) Adapted Histogram

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

RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

The RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

by Arthur Morris with Patrick Sparkman

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

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

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

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

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

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

Image #1C: The Topaz DeNoise AI screen capture for the Barn Owl in flight image — courtesy of and copyright 2021: Ken Dunwoody.

Topaz DeNoise AI

Be sure to click on the screen capture to see the complete elimination of noise in the after image on our right. And note that the fine details are far sharper than they were in the original. Topaz DeNoise AI did a fine job on eliminating the ton of noise caused by Ken’s big underexposure. Note: it is possible to get the waxy look to a bird’s feathers in DeNoise by using the Severe Noise settings. Those are to be avoided at all costs as they will ruin any image.

As regular readers know, I run DeNoise on virtually every image that I process immediately after executing the crop with the Delete Cropped Pixels box checked. For images made in sunny conditions, I used Standard. For images made in low light, I use Low Light. You can check all four methods by using the Comparison View, but I rarely do that anymore as I am confident as noted above.

Great Topaz News!

Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plug-ins), will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. If the stuff is on sale (as it usually is), you save 15% off the sale price! To get the discount you must use my link and you must enter the discount code. Be sure to start with this link.

Those who purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or any other Topaz plug-ins using my link and then entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout can e-mail to request a short Getting Started with Topaz e-Guide. Please include a copy of your Topaz receipt that shows the discount. Aside from the basics, the guide explains how to install the plug-ins so that they appear in the Photoshop Filter Menu.

This image was created on 19 March 2021 somewhere in Georgia by Ken Dunwoody. He used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens and the Nikon D500 dSLR Camera. ISO 2000. 1/1250 sec. at f/4 (wide open). The raw file brightness was almost two stops too dark as per RawDigger. AWB at 7:18am in very low light. Image #1D: The optimized Barn Owl in flight image– courtesy of and copyright 2021: Ken Dunwoody. Image optimization by BIRDS AS ART.

The Optimized Image

I followed my standard raw conversion and image optimization workflow to create Image #1D. All as detailed in Digital Basics II. The improved, more natural look of the image is more the result of what I didn’t do rather than the result of my doing anything special.

Using only 35% of the original pixels, my crop was far more modest than Ken’s original crop. In addition, I did not go overboard with the noise reduction, and I did not over-saturate the image. Image optimizations are best done with a soft touch.

The only fancy thing that I did was to work on softening the background. I did much of that with a layer of Gaussian blur painted in with an Inverse Layer Mask. And for the first time ever, I used a very large Spot Healing Brush to eliminate the jangly look to the bushes on our right.

The Lessons

• 1- Learn to expose to the right to reduce noise and increase the image quality. Do not fear using very high ISOs when fast shutter speeds are required.
• 2- Avoid making huge crops as there is no better way to destroy image quality.
• 3- Avoid over-doing noise reduction.
• 4- Do not increase the Saturation during the raw conversion.
• 5- Instead, increase the Vibrance by no more than 10-15% in most cases. Vibrance saturates only unsaturated colors.

Typos

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

Which is the Stronger Image?

Why?

What’s Up?

I felt much better on Saturday morning. When I woke, I was not coughing at all. As the day progressed, I coughed a bit but nothing like the horrific hacking I experienced on Friday. I spent lots of time on the nebulizer. My pulse Ox again ranged from 93 to 96. All in all, things continue to improve.

Today is Sunday 17 April 2022. I am feeling great at 7:24am. We will see how the day progresses. Again, no worries, I will be taking it easy. I will start my edit of the Nikon Z9 Camera User’s Guide that was written by Warren Hatch, an excellent bird photographer who has been using the Z9 since Christmas. Beyond his extensive field experience with the camera, Warren has a unique knowledge of the camera’s capabilities. He decoded the Z9 EXIF information for Nikon. It is available in ExifTool – the preeminent utility for displaying the metadata information embedded in NEF image files. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 40 minutes to prepare and makes thirty-seven days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. 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.

This image was created on 13 April 2022 at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT304L Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). the exposure was determined via Zebras technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/160 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. The raw file brightness was perfect when evaluated in RawDigger. AWB at 8:35:32am in the shade on a mostly 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: Great Egrets at their under-construction nest

St. Augustine Alligator Farm (SAAF) Photo Pass INFO (and my comments)

You can find all the details on the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Photo Pass here. If you plan on going this season, please read everything carefully. Here are the highlights along with my comments.

There are two types of SAAF photo passes, an Annual Photo Pass for $119.95 and a 2-Day Photo Pass for $74.95. The latter is good only on two consecutive days. The former is an amazing value. It gets you in early every single day from February 26 – June 26, 2022. The extended hours benefits include early entry at 8 am and weather-dependent late-stay until sunset. The length of the season is exceedingly generous and the daily entry with late stay is astounding. Compare those with Gatorland in Kissimmee where there are only ten days to the season with no late stay and you can see where I am coming from.

The only advantage to the Gatorland Pass is that you can enter at 7:00am rather than 8:00am. Standing on the line by the red door for 45 minutes at St. Augustine knowing that the sun rose before 7:00am and that the golden light is shining on the birds to the left of the long boardwalk is pure agony, at least for me. If they opened the doors at seven, they would have things perfected. I’d gladly pay a substantially increased price that included 7:00am entry. Hey, a guy can dream, can’t he?

As for conditions at both places this year, there are probably ten times as many nests at SAAF this year than at GL. As you have seen on the blog, there have been some very accessible Great Egret nests with small chicks at GL. As far as potential for the rest of the season, I believe that SAAF has a huge edge. Do understand that creating good photographs is a very difficult thing to do at both places. I wouldn’t mind spending a week at St. Augustine in early May …

I forgot to mention that you do not need to get a pass in advance. Show up, get on the line, and hand over your driver’s license and a credit card to the staff member at the gate and pick up your pass in the gift shop on your way out. Be sure to specify Annual or Two Day. And have fun.

If you live near either place, getting an Annual Pass is surely the way to go. If you will be coming from out of state, the Alligator Farm Annual Pass would make St. Augustine the obvious choice with daily extended entry, late stay, and lots of birds.

This image was also created on 13 April 2022 at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. Again, I used the no-longer available Induro GIT304L Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). the exposure was determined via Zebras technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/125 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. The raw file brightness was about 1/6 stop too dark when evaluated in RawDigger. AWB at 8:47:13am in the shade on a mostly 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 #2: Little Blue Heron in breeding plumage

Tips on Making Good Images at SAAF in the Morning

As I have written a thousand times, rookeries are cluttered places. It is easy to make several thousand bad images in a single session without even trying. Whenever you are working at a rookery, you will do best by moving almost constantly, by being on the lookout for momentarily good situations, and by looking for clear shooting slots to a nest or a perched bird. Longer focal lengths will enable you to better isolate a bird or a nest. On sunny days, working wide and/or off sun angle will yield images with lots of harsh, unpleasant shadows. As it was sunny when I visited, I went to the 600 lens with a 2X teleconverter and only photographed birds in the shade. Those were often very gently backlit. On sunny mornings, the birds, and the nests on the right side of the boardwalk for the first sixty yards, are shaded for well more than an hour.

On sunny mornings with any decent wind from the south or the east, standing on the ramp with either a hand held or a tripod-mounted a flight lens can pay dividends. In retrospect, I should have tried that on my last visit, but I was in a hurry to get home and discover that I had COVID 🙂

The Image Clean-up

The habitat is not the only messy thing at the wading bird rookeries (especially after the chicks hatch). The beautiful breeding plumages of the adults is often spoiled by regurgitant, fish scales, goo, poop, and pretended body feathers. And the chicks, pristine at hatching, usually wind up an even worse mess. The bird in Image #2 was quite handsome but its bill had seen better days. I knew that to execute a successful clean-up I would need to work large, work slowly, and work carefully. So I did. I used my usual cadre of clean-up tools and techniques — the Spot Healing Brush, the Patch Tool, Content-Aware Fill, the Clone Stamp Tool, Divide and Conquer, and a series of small Quick Masks refined by Regular Layer Masks. Lastly, I used Select/Color Range to select the lightest tones on the base of the bill. I just those on their own layer and ran a Linear Burn at 30%.

I love the clean-up job — it took about 25 minutes in all. I also loved the clean plumage, the perfect head angle — about 1° toward us, the breeding plumes, and the un-cropped image design.

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

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?

The fever and exhaustion of Wednesday afternoon are long gone. My breathing is fine despite nasal and throat congestion and my pulse ox remains relatively constant at about 94-95. I spent all day yesterday with the dry, stickily cough experienced by many with COVID. And I have a slight eyeball headache (for the lack of a better term). I have been in contact with my family doctor and with several highly skilled personal health advisors. I am following the I-Mask+ Protocol from the Front Line COVID Critical Care Alliance. Learn more at the links here. Thanks to all for their get-well wishes.

Today is Friday 15 April 2022. Again, I will be taking it easy. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 45 minutes to prepare and makes thirty-five 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. Then use a large file sending service link Hightail or DropBox and send me the raw file for one of you very best (preferably sharp) images. I will download and save the file, evaluative 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 whole process and send you a link to the file.

This image was created on 12 April 2022 from a tour boat at Okefenokee Swamp NWR, GA. I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera. Multi Metering +1.7 stops. Auto ISO set ISO 160. The exposure was determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the rear wheel: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Shutter Priority (S or Tv) mode. AWB at 8:23:14am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled produced a sharp-on-the-eye image despite that fact that active AF point was on the sky behind the bird! Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Little Blue Heron taking flight

Screwing Up and Getting Lucky!

So, why was I in Shutter Priority mode? We had some subjects in deep shade and others in bright sun. We had light sky and dark green vegetations backgrounds. Experienced folks can do well by dialing in the correct Exposure Compensation (EC) while letting the camera determine the ISO automatically. Note: this approach is recommended in similar situations only for experienced photographers who have mastered Exposure Theory (as detailed in the original The Art of Bird Photography).

I was using the best mode for the situation and set the EC correctly to +1.7 stops. So how exactly did I screw up? The shutter speed that I set was far less than ideal for a flight shot. Notice the ISO, a ridiculously low 160. Has I gone to a shutter speed of 1/4000 second, the camera would have set the ISO to 640. A faster shutter speed would have been much better for several reasons:

I screwed up because I was excited to be in a boat tooling by a wading bird rookery where Little Blue Heron was the predominate species and because there were lots of very different photo opportunities. In short, I was excited that I was not thinking clearly.

Today’s featured image, one of a series of eleven, was the sharpest of the lot. In addition, it had the best wing position along with a head turn toward me. Lucky indeed!

Does Anything Bug You?

If yes, please do share.

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 113 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 three 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.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

We woke early and headed to Okefenokee Swamp NWR for a boat ride. The scenery and vegetation were gorgeous in the early morning light. We had permission to visit a large wading bird rookery. Instead of parking the boat on the far side of the canal, waiting quietly for the birds to return, and having some really good photo chances, we motored past the colony and flushed all the birds. Then we then made a u-turn, motored past the colony, and flushed all the birds again. The boatman said, “We can’t stop because photographers will flush the birds and keep them off their eggs …”

We had a nice lunch at Skippers Fish Camp Restaurant in Darien, GA, the second oldest town in the state. We looked at lots of images after lunch. I had seen some of Christy’s image from the previous night on the back of the camera and wanted to use one of the birds on the roof of the shelter to set the scene for today’s featured image. But she did not have either a card reader or her laptop. Eric Bowles saved the day again by coming up with a solution. We put the card in Christy’s R5, put in one of my Delkin UHS II cards in the other slot, and copied all the images from one card to the other. With all the images on my card, I downloaded them and optimized my favorite of Christy’s rooftop images.

For our afternoon session we spent some time at Harris Neck NWR. Can you say not-too-good?

Today is Wednesday 13 April. I will be leaving very early and headed for Indian Lake Estates. Though I may stop at Huguenot Memorial Park to check on the breeding bird colony, I hope to be home in time for a swim. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took less than an hour to prepare and makes thirty-three 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!

John Prine

As has been the case with my obsession for bird photography, my obsession with the words and rock-a-billy music of John Prine has not lessened over time. I listen to every song, concert, and interview that I can find on YouTube. He is so personable and humble that you get the feeling that you are talking to an old friend. His fabulous sense of humor is evident in the lyrics of Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore , a powerful anti-Vietnam war protest song.

rockabilly: a form of popular music combining features of rock music and bluegrass.

Or, rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and blues, leading to what is considered “classic” rock and roll.

Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore

Song by John Prine

Lyrics:

While digesting Reader’s Digest
In the back of a dirty book store,
A plastic flag, with gum on the back,
Fell out on the floor.
Well, I picked it up and I ran outside
Slapped it on my window shield,
And if I could see old Betsy Ross
I’d tell her how good I feel.
But your flag decal won’t get you
Into Heaven any more.
They’re already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don’t like killin’
No matter what the reason’s for,
And your flag decal won’t get you
Into Heaven any more.
Well, I went to the bank this morning
And the cashier he said to me,
“If you join the Christmas club
We’ll give you ten of them flags for free.”
Well, I didn’t mess around a bit
I took him up on what he said.
And I stuck them stickers all over my car
And one on my wife’s forehead.
But your flag decal won’t get you
Into Heaven any more.
They’re already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don’t like killin’
No matter what the reason’s for,
And your flag decal won’t get you
Into Heaven any more.
Well, I got my window shield so filled
With flags I couldn’t see.
So, I ran the car upside a curb
And right into a tree.
By the time they got a doctor down
I was already dead.
And I’ll never understand why the man
Standing in the Pearly Gates said…
“But your flag decal won’t get you
Into Heaven any more.
We’re already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don’t like killin’
No matter what the reason’s for,
And your flag decal won’t get you
Into Heaven any more.”

This image was created on 11 April 2022 by post-GNPA IPT participant Christy Cox. She used the handheld Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM lens (at 500mm) and the highly touted 45MP Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 250. Exposure determined via the in-viewfinder histogram and highlight alert evaluation. 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:40;12pm on sunny afternoon. Tracking/AI Servo AF was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a high res version. Image #1: Courting Royal Terns and Laughing Gull on roof of shelter

Thanks Christy!

Huge thanks to post-GNPA IPT participant Christy Cox for allowing me to share her scene-setting image with you here today. I had been on the end of the pier trying to silhouette some of the fly-by pelicans when I noticed Eric and Christy and Deb Dance near the base of the pier. Curious as to what they were doing, I walked back and realized that Eric had discovered a great situation. With the wind from the north, our left, the birds that were landing atop the shelter were perfectly silhouetted. I prayed for a few birds to land. Some did! Thanks Christy and thanks Eric!

This image was created on 11 April 2022. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT304L Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). Multi-metering +1.7 stops set AUTO ISO to ISO 1600: 1/2500 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Shutter Priority Mode. The raw file brightness was one full stop too dark when evaluated in RawDigger. AWB at 7:37:22pm on a clear afternoon. Tracking: Zone with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Royal Tern landing

Razor-sharp 1200mm Dynamic Flight

One of the main themes of my first GNPA Keynote was that I switched cameara systems twice in recent years in hopes of becoming a better flight photographer. Despite my somewhat limited strength and stamina and my far from superior hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, I am happy to say that The Sony A1 has made me a much better flight photographer, or at least allowed me to reach my potential. Accurate full screen tracking AF is simply amazing.

What Bugs Me?

One tiny thing bugs me about this very excellent image that I love otherwise. If you think that you know what it is, please leave a comment.

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 113 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 three 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.

Typos

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

`

What’s Up?

I led a Sunday morning GNPA EXPO photo workshop to Jekyll Point on Sunday. We enjoyed a second lovely clear, orange-glow sunrise. Eric Bowles put the group in the perfect spot for tidal pool-scapes. It was windier than last time, so the 8-second or so shutter speeds yielded some really neat patterns in the water. Then we headed a bit farther south to the point proper and did flock and incoming flight silhouettes. With the bright sun and a NW breeze, we were pretty much done by 8:15am so we talked about tripods and heads for a while before heading home.

The post-GNPA EXPO IPT began on Sunday afternoon. We headed to Jekyll Point in less than ideal conditions: clear skies with a southeast wind. We worked hard, worked bit off sun angle to parallel the subjects, and got lucky right before sunset with some birds square to the gorgeous light.

Today is Monday 11 April 2022. The forecast for the morning is for a SW breeze and clear skies. That is pretty good for Jekyll Point so that is where we will be headed. 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 thirty-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!

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 8 April 2022 at Jekyll Point, Jekyll Island, GA. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640 1/2500 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 6:42:37pm on a clear afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Black Skimmer and Laughing Gull S-curved flock

S-Curved Flock

I worked this flock for about twenty minutes as it blasted off and re-landed on the beach. When I saw the S-curve I used Tracking: Single Spot and moved it to the lower right corner of the frame so that I could focus on the closest bird, the forward-most skimmer in the lower right portion of the frame. When I saw the Laughing Gull in flight over the ocean, I created several images and chose the one with the best wing position. The pano crop was an obvious choice. I like creating this type of image wide open so that sharp focus falls off in the distance and gives a sense of depth to the flock.

Tip: when photographing flocks of birds, it is almost always best to focus on the closest bird.

This image was also created on 8 April 2022 at Jekyll Point, Jekyll Island, GA. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 430mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 6:43:54pm on a clear afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be dead-solid perfect. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Laughing Gull in elegant flight

What One Thing Bugs Me?

One thing bugs me in one of today’s two featured images. And I am not saying which one. Please leave a comment about anything that bugs you in either image. I will follow up.

Sony 200-600 Usability and Versatility

Being able to make some very good images while leaving the 600mm f/4 and the tripod behind and taking only the 200-600 gives me great pleasure. Hand holding the 2-6 makes it fast and easy to get in position and opt for the very best perspective. As for versatility, note the different focal lengths used to create today’s featured images. I had to move back for the flock shot to fit all the birds into the frame at 200mm. At present, if you are using another system, you need to strongly consider going to the 200-600 with either an a9II or an Alpha 1. Did I forget to mention that once you learn to set and use Zebras correctly and put ISO on the Thumb Dial, you will be coming up with perfect and near perfect exposures quickly, easily, and consistently? Using Bedfords or my B&H links to purchase your new Sony gear will earn you either a large discount or a free SONY Guide.

Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, many in full breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull landing on head of Brown Pelican, Laughing Gull in flight, Reddish Egret sunrise silhouette, Great Blue Heron with needlefish, Yellow-crowned Night Heron with ghost crab, Roseate Spoonbill, Sanderling in breeding plumage, and white morph Reddish Egret in glorious breeding plumage.

The 2022 DeSoto Spring IPT/April 26 through the morning session on April 29, 2020. 3 1/2 DAYS: $2099.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings 2

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for breeding terns and gulls and wading birds in spring. Migrant shorebirds are in abundance, and many are exceedingly tame. We should have great chances on Royal and Sandwich Terns and both white- and dark-morph Reddish Egrets. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two along with some American Oystercatchers. We will enjoy lots of great flight photography.

Again, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull in flight, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Sandwich Terns copulating, Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egret with reflection, breeding plumage Short-billed Dowitcher, American Oystercatcher, Royal Tern, white morph Reddish Egret, and Snowy Egret in marsh.

Lots of Tame Birds

We will also get to photograph a variety of other shorebirds including Black-bellied, Semipalmated, Wilson’s, and Piping Plovers, Willet, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, most especially, Red Knot with many individuals in their handsome breeding plumages. In spring the T-shaped peninsula and the newly formed sandbar, Outback Key, are literally packed with avian treasures.

With luck, we might get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable species: Roseate Spoonbill. And we will almost surely get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. With luck, they will have Laughing Gulls landing on their heads. And though not guaranteed, Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.

Yes, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: breeding plumage Dunlin, dark morph Reddish Egret displaying, Laughing Gull vertical front-end portrait, Laughing Gull with prey item, landing on head of Brown Pelican, breeding plumage Royal Tern displaying, Royal Terns — pre-copulatory stance, Laughing Gulls copulating, Laughing Gull head portrait, breeding plumage Sandwich Tern with fish, and a rare treat, a breeding plumage White-rumped Sandpiper.

What You Will Learn

On the DeSoto IPT you will learn the following:

• 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
• 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
• 3- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 4- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
• 5- To age and identify many species of shorebirds including sandpipers, plovers, dowitchers, and possibly yellowlegs.
• 6- To spot good situations and to choose the best perspective.
• 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
• 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography.
• 10- How and when to access the magical sandbar safely.
• 11- More than you could ever imagine.

You’ve got it by now! Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Roseate Spoonbill, immature Brown Pelican in flight, the heron/egret hybrid, American Oystercatcher feeding, immature Royal Tern on railing, Great Egret morning silhouette, Black Skimmer in surf, and underside head portrait of Great Blue Heron.

Morning sessions will run at least three hours, afternoon sessions 2 1/2. There is never a set schedule on an IPT — we adapt to the conditions. On cloudy morning when the photography is excellent, we may opt to extend the morning session and skip the afternoon, especially if the afternoon weather is not looking too good. There will be a Photoshop/image review session after lunch (included) each day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. This IPT will run with only a single registrant (though that is not likely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area — Gulfport in this case, rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away.

Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:30am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We will be getting wet.

Credit cards are OK for your $500 deposit. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. After you leave the deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check. If you wish to pay in full right off the bat, you can make your check out to BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice a month before the trip. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

Typos

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

Which Image is Your Favorite?

Please leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.

What’s Up?

My keynote went perfectly for 30 minutes. With the expensive, high quality, ceiling mounted projector, the images looked bright, the color was perfect, and the audience was enraptured with my stories. Then the expensive, high quality, ceiling mounted projector decided to go on vacation. After fifteen minutes of trying to fix the expensive, high quality, ceiling mounted projector, we went to the back-up projector. The images looked dull with a big green cast. We could have tried to fix the color cast, but I wanted to go on. So I did. I was glad to quickly have the audience back under my spell. The program was well-received.

We learned later from the repair tech that all we needed to do to reboot the projector was to press the space bar on my MacBook Pro … you gotta love it.

After attending the EXPO reception at 4:00pm, Eric Bowles and I headed back to Jekyll Point for a 2 1/2-hour shoot. The wind was howling from the southwest and the sand was blowing. After walking to the point proper, about 1 1/2-miles, we enjoyed lots of action with a large flock of Black Skimmers and dozens of Royal Terns and Laughing Gulls. My best stuff was on the terns. It has been quite chilly here — in the very low 50°s the last two mornings. I wore both a lightweight hoodie and a field shirt on our walk late yesterday afternoon and was glad to discover a pair of light gloves in my pocket on the way back to the car.

Today is Saturday 9 April 2022. I will be doing my second GNPA keynote — Lessons from the Field, at 10:00am. 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 twenty-nine days in a row with a new one.

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

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 113 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 three 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.

This image was created on 7 April 2022 at Jekyll Point, Jekyll Island, GA. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 407mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 500: 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 5:41:39pm on a clear afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be 1/3-stop under. Tracking: Zone AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Royal Tern in flight “All Angles”

A Spring Beach Walk in Southern Georgia With Almost No Laughing Gulls Present!

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I led a photo workshop to Jekyll Point on Thursday afternoon and was astounded at how few birds there were on the beach after the storm. We had zero skimmers, a few dozen Royal Terns, and a grand total of less than ten Laughing Gulls. Most days in spring you would expect to see hundreds of the gulls. Nonetheless, the group learned a ton, especially about the importance of wind direction and sky conditions with regards to bird photography. One of the very best compliments I ever received after another session that featured very few birds was this: “Artie, you could teach nature photography in an empty mop closet.”

As Royal Terns were the best available (and only) subjects, we concentrated on them. They are quite handsome in breeding plumage. In Image #1, I love the angled wing position flight pose.

This image was created on 7 April 2022 at Jekyll Point, Jekyll Island, GA. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 407mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 500: 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 5:56:49pm on a clear afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be 1/3-stop under. Tracking: Zone AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Royal Tern shaking off water in flight

Almost Missed This One …

I did not see this incoming tern shaking off water in flight until it was just about done ruffling. I raised my 2-6 quickly, got on the bird ASAP, and fired off ten frames. Only the first image was interesting. The rest featured the bird in flat flight. The first one needed a 3° CW rotation. I used Content Aware Crop as detailed in Digital Basics II.. Folks at the GNPA EXPO have been amazed by this technique even though they own Photoshop. In addition, I replaced the bird’s eye with one from the third frame in the series. That also as detailed in DB II along with tons of other great Photoshop tips.

This image was created on 7 April 2022 at Jekyll Point, Jekyll Island, GA. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 500: 1/1600 second at f/9 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 6:36:53pm on a clear afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be 1/3-stop under. Tracking: Zone AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Royal Tern pair pano

Creating a Content Aware Crop Panorama

As the bird on our left was too close to the edge of the frame, I again used Content Aware Crop, this time to add canvas left. Tip: be sure to choose W x H x Resolution from the Crop Tool drop-down menu. As the expanses of sky above and foreground sand did not add anything to a photo of two birds standing rather far apart, creating a pano seemed the obvious way to go. I like that the ruffling bird seems to be the star of the show.

The Ankle-Pod Technique

This image was created by working off the tilted rear screen using the ankle-pod technique. While seated and holding the lens in my left hand, I bend my left leg at the knee and place the back of my left hand on my ankle. My right hand holds the body and my reading glasses allow me to see the level and the AF points at work — I almost always use Tracking: Zone. You are at a great disadvantage if the bird takes off. 🙂 I went to my ankle for this image as placing the lens very near the ground hid the bird’s feet behind the o-o-f sand.

This image was created on 7 April 2022 at Jekyll Point, Jekyll Island, GA. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 216mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 500: 1/1000 second at f/16 (stopped down 2 2/3 stops) in Manual Mode. AWB at7:33:19 pm on a clear afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be 1/3-stop under. Manual focus with focus peaking. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #4: Golden sand patterns at sunset

Sony 200-600 Usability and Versatility

Being able to make some very good images while leaving the 600mm f/4 and a tripod behind and taking only the 200-600 gives me great pleasure. Hand holding the 2-6 makes it fast and easy to get in position and opt for the very best perspective. As for versatility, note that the focal lengths for today’s four images ranged from 216 to 840mm. As you have seen here often, the 2-6 with the 1.4X TC is a viable combination. At present, if you are using another system you need to strongly consider going to the 200-600 with either an a9II or an Alpha 1. Did I forget to mention that once you learn to set and use Zebras correctly and put ISO on the Thumb Dial, you will be coming up with perfect and near perfect exposures quickly, easily, and consistently?

Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, many in full breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull landing on head of Brown Pelican, Laughing Gull in flight, Reddish Egret sunrise silhouette, Great Blue Heron with needlefish, Yellow-crowned Night Heron with ghost crab, Roseate Spoonbill, Sanderling in breeding plumage, and white morph Reddish Egret in glorious breeding plumage.

The 2022 DeSoto Spring IPT/April 26 through the morning session on April 29, 2020. 3 1/2 DAYS: $2099.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings 2

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for breeding terns and gulls and wading birds in spring. Migrant shorebirds are in abundance, and many are exceedingly tame. We should have great chances on Royal and Sandwich Terns and both white- and dark-morph Reddish Egrets. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two along with some American Oystercatchers. We will enjoy lots of great flight photography.

Again, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull in flight, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Sandwich Terns copulating, Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egret with reflection, breeding plumage Short-billed Dowitcher, American Oystercatcher, Royal Tern, white morph Reddish Egret, and Snowy Egret in marsh.

Lots of Tame Birds

We will also get to photograph a variety of other shorebirds including Black-bellied, Semipalmated, Wilson’s, and Piping Plovers, Willet, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, most especially, Red Knot with many individuals in their handsome breeding plumages. In spring the T-shaped peninsula and the newly formed sandbar, Outback Key, are literally packed with avian treasures.

With luck, we might get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable species: Roseate Spoonbill. And we will almost surely get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. With luck, they will have Laughing Gulls landing on their heads. And though not guaranteed, Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.

Yes, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: breeding plumage Dunlin, dark morph Reddish Egret displaying, Laughing Gull vertical front-end portrait, Laughing Gull with prey item, landing on head of Brown Pelican, breeding plumage Royal Tern displaying, Royal Terns — pre-copulatory stance, Laughing Gulls copulating, Laughing Gull head portrait, breeding plumage Sandwich Tern with fish, and a rare treat, a breeding plumage White-rumped Sandpiper.

What You Will Learn

On the DeSoto IPT you will learn the following:

• 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
• 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
• 3- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 4- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
• 5- To age and identify many species of shorebirds including sandpipers, plovers, dowitchers, and possibly yellowlegs.
• 6- To spot good situations and to choose the best perspective.
• 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
• 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography.
• 10- How and when to access the magical sandbar safely.
• 11- More than you could ever imagine.

You’ve got it by now! Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Roseate Spoonbill, immature Brown Pelican in flight, the heron/egret hybrid, American Oystercatcher feeding, immature Royal Tern on railing, Great Egret morning silhouette, Black Skimmer in surf, and underside head portrait of Great Blue Heron.

Morning sessions will run at least three hours, afternoon sessions 2 1/2. There is never a set schedule on an IPT — we adapt to the conditions. On cloudy morning when the photography is excellent, we may opt to extend the morning session and skip the afternoon, especially if the afternoon weather is not looking too good. There will be a Photoshop/image review session after lunch (included) each day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. This IPT will run with only a single registrant (though that is not likely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area — Gulfport in this case, rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away.

Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:30am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We will be getting wet.

Credit cards are OK for your $500 deposit. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. After you leave the deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check. If you wish to pay in full right off the bat, you can make your check out to BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice a month before the trip. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

Typos

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