Stick Marsh was better than expected. Just before sunrise there were about 20 Roseate Spoonbills on the North Rookery Island. Most of those birds flew off at about 7:15am. Soon thereafter, there were spoonies flying in and out until about 8:15am. The birds were displaying, courting, and pulling leaves (but not sticks or branches). They seemed not to be disturbed at all by the big construction project. All in all, I would say that things are looking good for a successful breeding season. I finally heard from FWC and will share some good info when I get my laptop back. I worked on the tripod at 1200mm and likely got at least one really good flight image.
Today is Thursday 3 February. The forecast for this morning is for clear skies with a southeast breeze. I will be heading down to the lake early, keeping all of my images on a single card until I am back in business. The data recovery is on-going. I learned yesterday that my MacBook Pro will almost surely need to be repaired or replaced. If you need to get in touch with me before I get my laptop back and running, please shoot an e-mail to staffbaa@att.net with the “ATTN: artie” as the Subject Line. Or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about ninety minutes to prepare and makes 82 days in a row with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
Songs About Love #1
Which song do you like best, Bette Midler’s The Rose?
Songs About Love #2
Or John Denver’s Perhaps Love (with Placido Domingo)?
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed very well in a difficult situation. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican Pacific-race adult face portrait
My Favorite
The following appeared in the Clean, Tight, Graphic (and Abstract) blog post here:
I’ve made many hundreds of images like the one above over the past decade, but I’d never made one of a bird in the complete shade. Two things make this image very special to me. If you think that you know what they are, please leave a comment.
Like me, BPN member Kevin Hice liked Image #2 the best. He agreed that the matte gray background was superb. I am not sure if the background was water or the far cliff wall. In addition, I loved the unique combination of the single white feather and the smaller single gray feather on the top of the bird’s head.
This image was created on 19 January 2022. Standing at full height, I used the no-longer-available Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). IS 400. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:52:04am on a mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: upper center Zone AF-C performed very well. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a higher-res version.
Image #3: Brown Pelican vertical front-end flight take-off
Head Angle (Very) Fine Point
In the When Something Unexpected Happens blog post here, I wrote, with regards to the image above, Only one tiny thing bugs me about this image and keeps it from being perfect. If you think that you know what it is, please leave a comment.
Though the pelican’s head is pretty much square to the sensor, i.e., to the back of the camera, it is slightly turned away from the line of its body. For me, that makes it a poor head angle.
To better explain. The bird’s body in flight is angled slightly toward me. Imagine yourself in a helicopter well above the bird. Now draw a line from the center of the bird’s tail to the top of its head. In a perfect world, the tip of the bill would be on the same line. It is however, turned slightly away. Yes, that is a very fine point, but it bugged me. What was the cause? The wind was from the northeast and that determined the light path as it lifted off into the breeze. The bird, however, was just beginning to turn left heading for the feeding spree to the southwest … So it goes.
Re-writing for Clarity
Thanks to David Policansky (AKA Doctor Fish)
In the Understanding Depth-of-Field with Telephoto Lenses blog post here, I wrote:
If you are at a given aperture and focal length the d-o-f will be identical only if and when the subject is the same size in the frame. So if you are at 400mm and you get twice as close to the bird, the d-o-f will be identical; only the angle of view will change. Your frame will include much more background at the shorter focal length; the image will look totally different, but the degree of sharpness of the background will be identical.
If you are photographing a given bird in a given situation with the same rig at the same aperture and you zoom out, d-o-f will increase dramatically according to the laws of optics as we saw above. And the same is true if you move away from the subject; d-o-f is a function of the distance to the subject: the closer you are, the less the d-o-f. And the farther away you are, the greater the d-o-f.
David Policansky/February 1, 2022 at 10:57am
Artie: I am having a hard time understanding this from you. Is there another way to say it? “If you are at a given aperture and focal length the d-o-f will be identical only if and when the subject is the same size in the frame. So if you are at 400mm and you get twice as close to the bird, the d-o-f will be identical; only the angle of view will change. Your frame will include much more background at the shorter focal length; the image will look totally different, but the degree of sharpness of the background will be identical.”
Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART: February 1, 2022 at 8:48pm
Hey David, I see that the problem is with some poor writing by me. I need to hit the sack and will get back to you with a re-write soon.
with love, artie
Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART/February 2, 2022 at 6:34am
Hey David, Is this any better:
If you are at a given aperture and work at two different focal lengths, the d-o-f will be identical if and only if the subject is the exact same size in the frame. If you are at 400mm and you get twice as close to the bird working at 200mm, the d-o-f will be identical.
The angle of view, however, will change. Your frame will include much more background at the shorter focal length; being a lot wider, the image will look totally different, but the degree of sharpness of the background will be identical.
LMK if that works and I will go back and change the text in the blog post. If not, call me this afternoon 🙂
thanks with love, artie
David Policansky/February 2, 2022 at 3:16pm
Thanks, Artie. That’s clear, but as you would say, only 100%. 🙂 David
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
I headed out for a short session on Tuesday morning. I photographed the usual ILE suspects: Cattle Egret, Turkey Vulture, and Sandhill Crane. I am pretty sure that I got one very nice crane image. With no laptop, I will not know for sure for at least a while. I spoke to the data recovery spokes late on Tuesday but there was not much news. There is a chance of recovering photos from the laptop. I gave them permission to expedite the process. I should learn more tomorrow. If you need to get in touch with me before I get my laptop back, please shoot an e-mail to staffbaa@att.net with the “ATTN: artie” as the Subject Line. Or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372.
Today is Wednesday 2 February 2022. The forecast for this morning is for mostly sunny with an east wind. I will likely be heading to Stick Marsh early for a look around. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 82 days in a row with a new one.
If you use a vertical (battery) grip on your camera, you are invited to leave a comment letting us know which camera body and sharing your thoughts on the good and the bad. If not, leave a comment and let us know why not.
Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Dieter J. Schaefer
artie using the vertical grip at La Jolla, CA
The Vertical Grip in Action
For the most part, I used the vertical grip when I am using the big lens on a tripod as seen above. When hand holding, I use my second a1, the one without the vertical grip.
Note that you cannot see the Sony 70-200 f/2.8 II lens with the 1.4X TC and an a1 hanging on my right shoulder via a Black Rapid Curve Breathe Camera Strap. Note also the advanced sharpness technique that I am using by checking out the position of my left forearm and the positioning of the fingers on my left hand.
Upper Center Zone Continuous AF was active at the moment of exposure and nailed focus on the eye.
Image #1: Wood Stork head and neck portrait
Click on the image to see a larger, sharper version.
Coming to Grips with Vertical Grips
Most Canon and Nikon pro bodies have built in vertical grips that often accommodate powerful batteries that are larger in size than those used with the prosumer model camera bodies. Examples of those would be the Canon 5D Mark IV and the Nikon D-850. Most mirrorless camera bodies do not have vertical grips. Those would include all of the high end Sony and Canon bodies. The exception would be the new Nikon Z9 that has a built-in vertical grip.
Wide AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly.
Image #2: Little Blue Heron, fresh juvenile on rock
The Two Main Advantages of Vertical Grips
1- Vertical grips allow users to rotate the camera to vertical either when hand holding or on a tripod without having to twist their wrists by offering the same set of controls they would enjoy when shooting horizontally. Good ones offer a perfect duplicate of the button and dials on the top right of the camera body (that match the controls that you have at hand — or at finger — when the camera is held horizontally). Poorly designed vertical grips often leave folks frustrated when the configuration and/or the size of the buttons do not quite match up with the horizontal controls …
Without a vertical grip, users most often will twist their wrists 90 degrees counter-clockwise; their right index finger never leaves the shutter button. Some folks choose to rotate their wrists clockwise while still keeping their trigger finger on the shutter button. That always seemed quite awkward to me when hand holding. On a tripod, it is a reasonable alternative. If you are shooting with, slightly behind, and in close proximity to another photographer who is shooting vertically, their elbow often be in your shot. If they are on a tripod, you might request that they rotate their lens in a clockwise rather than in a counter-clockwise direction. No more elbow. Having done this on several occasions, I am always surprised when the other photographer invariably responds. “I never thought of doing it that way.”
2- Most vertical grips allow for the use of two batteries, or for the use of a single, larger, more powerful battery. I am pretty sure that the performance of the camera body does not improve with more or larger batteries. The big advantage on the battery side of things with a vertical grip is that you do not have to carry an extra battery or stop to change batteries while the action is hot.
This image was created on 15 January 2022, my first morning in La Jolla. Standing at full height on the sidewalk, I used the no-longer-available Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). IS 640. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/320 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:45:17am on a mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C performed very well. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a higher-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican shaking off rain
The Disadvantage of All Vertical Grips
The biggest disadvantage that comes with using a battery grip is that they make your camera heavier. When I was using two 5D Mark IV bodies or two Nikon D850 bodies, I’d always have a grip on one body but not the other. Nearly all the time I would go with the gripped body when using a big lens on a tripod, and the body without the grip when hand holding an intermediate telephoto lens or a telephoto zoom lens for the obvious reason: keeping my hand held rig as light as possible.
When I was using the Sony a7R iii, the a7R iv, the a9, or the a9 II, I never used the battery grip. With my Sony Alpha 1 bodies, I purchased one Sony VG-C4EM Vertical Grip and use the gripped body almost exclusively when I am using the big lens (the 600mm f/4 GM) on the tripod.
This image was created on 19 January 2022. Standing at full height, I used the no-longer-available Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). IS 400. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:52:04am on a mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: upper center Zone AF-C performed very well. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a higher-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican vertical front-end flight take-off
The Disadvantages of the Sony VG-C4EM Vertical Grip
While looking for images to illustrate this blog post, I was shocked at how difficult it was for me to find vertical photographs; it seemed as if 98% of my images were horizontals. Anyhoo, I have two problems with the Sony VG-C4EM Vertical Grip:
#1: The positioning and sizes of the buttons and dials on the vertical grip are slightly different than those on the camera body when it is held horizontally. Thus, I need to look at the controls when I need to make changes. Working with the camera in horizontal format, I never need to look at the back of the camera. My biggest problem with the grip for the a1, however, is that it is somewhere between very difficult and almost impossible to reach the Thumb Wheel (AKA the Control Dial) on the back of the camera.
#2: This next issue is unique to those using the 600mm f/4 GM lens (and probably the 400mm f/2.8 GM lens as well). The grip increases the torque on the lens when you are working vertically. The big Sony GM lenses rotate so smoothly in the tripod collars that when you rotate the camera and the lens counter-clockwise to get to vertical, the lens will tend to rotate clockwise as the torque from the weight of the grip is greater than the force of the friction. It is necessary to tighten the tripod collar a bit to keep the lens from turning CW. If you level the rig with the electronic level and let go, the lens will spin a bit. When you tighten the tripod collar to keep the lens square to the world, it is more difficult to get back to horizontal format in a hurry when you need to.
SONY and artie
Switching to SONY, first with the a9 and the a9 II, and then to the remarkable a1, has enabled me (and others, like Mike De Rosa as seen a while ago in the blog post here), to create images of birds in flight and in action that I could never even dreamed of when using Canon for 33 years, and then Nikon for more than two. Most of the time I am using one of two AF methods that together, cover about 99% of the commonly-encountered bird photography situations. At present, I am experimenting beyond those … Learn more by joining the group! (I’ve recently switched to two other AF Methods!)
From long-time group member Craig Elson who has helped me often and immensely by answering some tough a1 questions, via e-mail
Artie, Thanks so much for consolidating and re-organizing all of the threads. I can only imagine how helpful this will be to someone opening the box on their new a1, not to mention your CAMSETA2.DAT file. And I think that was the first, and likely the last, time, that I will be referred to as “the estimable!”
Larry Master via e-mail:
I bought an a1 and associated lenses a year ago. I love it, esp. with the 200-600 w/1.4X TC, as my standard set-up. I use all of Artie Morris’ settings, causing almost all images, esp. flight shots, to be razor sharp on the eye. And exposure is easily nailed using the control wheel to dial the ISO. I have never had such a great bird photography camera!
From Long-ago IPT veteran Keith Kennedy via e-mail
Absolutely great information. I am calling Jim in a few minutes to order a couple of Delkin 128GB UHS-II cards. Your timely email has saved me a ton of money! Many thanks
In the same vein, via e-mail from John LeClair
Well, e-mail #21 alone was worth the price of admission!
From Pamela Viale, after receiving artie’s a1 settings along with detailed instructions on how to copy them to her SONY a1 via e-mail
This e-mail group has been an incredible boon to me! Thank you so much!
From Joe Barranco via e-Mail
Thanks for your great ideas on the A1 set up. I have been getting MANY more keepers doing things your way!
From Barbara White via e-Mail
Wow, I just gotta say – I learn so much from the SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info group! My camera is on my desk, and I’m always picking it up and changing something that I’ve read about in the e-mails.
Thanks, Barbara
From Janet Horton via e-Mail
Hi Artie, Mystery solved. Yes, I was able to replicate what you did. I forgot that you have to set self-timer using the upper dial. I am used to that being a MENU selection.
Thanks much, Janet
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up 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. Last week, two folks in the group ordered a third a1! I am envious. The group is now up to an astounding 104 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 all who wish, can request 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. I finally finished the consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE and distributed it yesterday. New a1 folks will now receive three e-mails instead of the previous 28! It is a lot easier on me and is an incredible resource for folks new to the a1.
All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info & Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
My MacBook Pro (and the almost surely messed-up back-up drive) are on the way to the data recovery outfit in California by Fed-Ex Overnight Priority. I should find something out late today or early on Wednesday. My fingers still crossed. I will spare you the details when I learn more.
If you need to get in touch with me before I get my laptop back, please shoot an e-mail to staffbaa@att.net with the “ATTN: artie” as the Subject Line. Or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372.
Today is Tuesday February 1 2022. It is 10 degrees warmer than it was yesterday with clear skies and little wind. Though I have no place to put my images right now, I will head down to the lake by 7:30am. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about ninety minutes to prepare and makes 81 days in a row with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!
Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know recently that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!
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.
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens
BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price
Good friend and multiple IPT veteran Mark Hardymon is offering a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $1,348.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the factory soft case, the strap, the original box, the manuals, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 U.S. addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
The versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses have long been big favorites of many nature photographers. They are great for landscapes. I have used this lens with Canon and Nikon and SONY. I used my Canon version to photograph granddaughter Maya’s dance recitals and to create bird-scapes and pre-dawn blast-off blurs at Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico. They are fast and sharp and have 1,000 uses. The 70-200 f/2.8 lenses are a specialty lens for bird photographers. Like the bad little child, when they are good, they are really, really good! I’ve used mine mostly for flight photography at point blank range where their performance is unmatched, especially in low light. I’ve killed with these lenses on the gannet boat in the UK, in Homer for eagles, for pre-dawn and blizzard blast-offs at Bosque, and at Merritt Island on single birds from huge feeding sprees right next to the road.
This super-fast lens weighs only 3.26 pounds and is easily hand holdable by just about everyone. As it sells new right now for $2,298.00, you can save a cool $800.00 by grabbing mark’s lens asap. artie
ps: To see what the 70-200 zoom lenses can do, see below, and also see the images in the blog post here. artie
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican sitting on dirt ridge on cliff
The Consensus Favorite
In the Eight Seconds Later and 165mm Wider blog post here, I posted the image above and the image below. Everyone who commented preferred the large-in-the-frame pelican image above to the habitat shot of the same bird below. Several folks trashed Image #2:
With the small in frame (subject), the bird seems to be lost.
#1 because I want to see the bird, not a busy, out-of-focus environmental shot.
#1, for the exact same reasons as the previous poster.
I actually liked Image #2 a lot, for several reasons. It helps to tell the whole story. It gives viewers a good idea of the setting. It gives the viewer an idea of the distance from the subject to the background. It shows the great versatility of all 70-200mm lenses. I thought that the o-o-f birds on the far wall provided an interesting background, and did not find the background very distracting at all. Lastly, when presented with Image #1 above, I saw the opportunity to teach a good lesson on depth-of-field, a topic that many bird photographers have serious misconceptions about.
Do understand that I respect the thoughts of the folks who did not like Image #2, and as always, am glad that they posted a comment. Above I am just sharing my two cents on the image.
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican sitting on dirt ridge on cliff/bird-scape
Trying Yet Again to Explain the Relationship Between Depth of Field and Focal Length
In the Eight Seconds Later and 165mm Wider blog post here, I wrote:
Though I was standing in just about the same spot when I created both images, why are the birds in the background so much more sharply defined in Image #2 than in Image #1?
The question generated a series of comments (in part, below):
Adam: January 28, 2022 at 10:05am
To your question about DOF, the answer is that assuming you didn’t change the distance to the subject or aperture, the absolute DOF remains the same. The apparent DOF appears greater because you are zoomed out and smaller images appear sharper because they are more numerous and contrast is more apparent. However, if you were to enlarge/crop the second image to match the first image, the background would appear nearly the same.
Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART: January 28, 2022 at 2:34 pm
Thanks for commenting, Adam. You wrote, in part:
“To your question about DOF, the answer is that assuming you didn’t change the distance to the subject or aperture, the absolute DOF remains the same”
That would be true if and only if the size of the subject in the frame was the same. Cropping will not get you there. You are missing something important 🙂 with love, artie
Adam: January 28, 2022 at 4:24pm
Yes, how could I forget focal length? It must have been Covid-brain?
Next up was good friend and a many multiple IPT veteran John Dupps: January 28, 2022 at 3:49pm
You changed the focal length so the depth-of-field changed.
Morris/BIRDS AS ART: January 28, 2022 at 3:51pm
Hi John, I am glad that someone has been paying attention :).
with love, artie
John is of course, correct. Standing in roughly the same spot, the d-o-f increased dramatically. How dramatically? With a full frame camera body and an aperture of f/4, and assuming that I was about 10 feet from the subject, the d-o-f behind the bird for image #1 was about .48 inches. From the same spot, zooming out from 280mm to 115mm, the d-o-f behind the bird increased to 6.36 inches. Thus, the d-o-f increased by a factor of 13.25. And that explains why the birds on the far wall were more sharply defined than the few birds in the background in Image #1.
Some suggested that they might have liked Image #2 better had the birds on the far wall been in sharp focus. That shows a complete lack of understanding of d-o-f with telephoto lenses. The smallest aperture available with the gear in question is f/32. Going to f/32 would have required a much higher ISO along with a tripod and a much slower shutter speed. But here is the bigger problem: the far limit of d-o-f would have been about 12.7 feet, but the wall behind the birds was well more than 150 feet away. As they say frequently in Japan, “Not possible!”
The data above is from the excellent PhotoPills website here.
The Main Lesson
If you are at a given aperture and work at two different focal lengths, the d-o-f will be identical if and only if the subject is the exact same size in the frame. If you are at 400mm and you get twice as close to the bird working at 200mm, the d-o-f will be identical.
The angle of view, however, will change. Your frame will include much more background at the shorter focal length; being a lot wider, the image will look totally different, but the degree of sharpness of the background will be identical..
Related Telephoto Depth-of-Field Lessons
Probably 90% or more of my bird photography is done at the wide open aperture. Why? I love those creamy, dreamy backgrounds. Consider the following advice:
1- Unless you can verbalize a specific reason for stopping down to a smaller aperture, shoot wide open.
2- That said, understand that when you wish to create those smooth backgrounds, the distance from the subject to the background is at least as important as the f/stop.
3- Since depth-of-field is a function of the distance to the subject, the time to work with smaller apertures is when you are working near the minimum focusing distance of the lens with a large-in-the-frame subject.
4- Remember that WYSIWYG: what you see is what you get. If the whole subject looks completely sharp in the viewfinder, that means that it is covered by the d-o-f. In those case, there is no need to stop down at all.
5- That said, do understand that in such situations with long focal lengths d-o-f is measured in tiny fractions of an inch. Stopping down, therefore, will not help a ton.
6- As flying birds are generally a good distance away, you should — as a general rule, shoot flight at the wide open aperture so that you can maximize shutter speed at a given ISO.
As always, questions and comments are welcome.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
I was unable to get my MacBook Pro (and the almost surely messed-up back-up drive) for shipment to the data recovery outfit by Fed-Ex Overnight on Saturday afternoon; the Fed Ex depot in Lake Wales was closed when I got there. It will ship today. Fingers still crossed. I will spare you the gory details until I learn more.
If you need to get in touch with me, please shoot an e-mail to staffbaa@att.net with the “ATTN: artie” as the Subject Line. Or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372.
The favored Kansas City Chiefs destroyed the upstart Cincinnati Bengals in the first half, leading 21-3. They botched the last few seconds of the second quarter, leaving a bit of a sour taste in fans’ mouthes, but what could go wrong? Well, pretty much everything. Led by cocky young gunslinger Joe Burrow, the Bengals took the lead late in the game. The quarterback of the “Dynasty of One,” Patrick Mahomes, led the Chiefs to a trying field goal at the end of the fourth quarter. Ominously for the Bengals, the Chiefs won the overtime coin toss as they had in their miraculous come-from-behind win over the Buffalo Bills last weekend. But the Bengals intercepted a deflected Mahomes’ pass and drove for the point-blank game-winning field goal.
The Bengals are on to their first Super Bowl since 1988 to face the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams beat their long-time rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, with the second second-half comeback of the day. San Fran had beaten the Rams in the last six games they had played over the past three seasons. So much for winning streaks.
In the Super Bowl, to be played on Sunday February 13, I will be pulling for the cocky young gunslinger. I fly to Anchorage for the Homer IPTs on the 15th.
Today is Monday 31 January 2022. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. It finally got below freezing here today: 30 degrees! It is supposed to warm up this week. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 80 days in a row with a new one.
Again, please realize that having three back-ups of your images should be mandatory (he said after the horses may have escaped from the barn …)
My Recent Comment at the “Disaster Pending” blog post here:
Thanks all for your comments and suggestions. I may be getting back to some of you for help when the smoke clears. As far as the expense of data recovery, that is fortunately pretty much irrelevant to me. The laptop should be fine, unless the Fed Ex plane crashes.
Mentally, I am in pretty good shape and will be, no matter the outcome, that thanks to The Work of Byron Katie. As far as cloud storage and backup, one of the problems here at ILE is that we have very slow internet with lots of promises but zero options at present. Please correct me if upload and download speeds have nothing to do with cloud storage.
Tracking: Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #2A: Osprey rising after missed strike — re-crafted as a vertical!
The Things That I Hate About the World’s Best Bird Photography Camera, the Sony Alpha 1
I love the quality of color of the Sony a1 raw files. I love the fine-feather detail of the sharp 51MP images. And most of all, I love that the remarkable AF system of the a1 with its Bird Eye/Face Detection feature has enabled me to become both a better flight photographer, and a better all-around bird and nature photographer as well.
There are however, several things that I strongly dislike about this great mirrorless camera body. Keep reading to learn about my pet a1 peeves.
Your Favorite Camera Body
If anything really bugs you about your favorite camera body, consider leaving a comment and sharing that information with us. Be sure specify your camera system and the particular body you use, and let us know what pisses you off.
Tied for First: Why Image Playback Forever?
When you press the Playback button to review an image, you must either press the Playback button again or half-press the shutter button to get back to active Shooting mode. If you forget to press the Playback button again or half-press the shutter button, you will see the image in the viewfinder when you raise the camera to your eye. Then you must either press the Playback button again or half-press the shutter button to clear the viewfinder. If you were after an action shot, sorry Bud, you missed it. If you were after a particularly nice pose that lasted only an instant, you were screwed again.
I first complained to Sony about this with the a9 and then with the a9 II. The folks at Sony said, “Don’t worry about it. It will become second nature.” Well, three years later, it has not. It continues to happen to me several times during most shooting sessions. I have suggested often to Sony that a simple Firmware update could give users the option of having the reviewed image turn off automatically after three, five, or even 10 seconds. Or Never, if anyone out there would like that option. Obviously, I could never understand why anyone would want the reviewed image to be displayed forever, or understand why that is the default in the first place.
Tied for First: What AF Method Was I Using?
With camera bodies from every major camera manufacturer that I know of, you are able to examine a raw file on your computer and determine what AF Method was used. Period. And simple. Sony’s Imaging Edge software, though a pain to use, allows you to see the location of the active AF point, but it does not tell you whether you were using Spot S, Tracking: Zone, or Tracking Spot S. How are you supposed to learn about the AF system of the a1 (or the AF systems of any of the other Sony bodies for that matter), if you are not able to determine after the fact which AF Method you used to create a given image?
This situation is utterly ridiculous; Sony should be embarrassed.
Third: Why Can’t Custom Key Settings Be Saved With Memory Recall?
Like most camera bodies, the a1 allows you to register different groups of settings that can be recalled almost instantly by choosing 1, 2, or 3 on the mode dial. On most cameras, this is a great time-saving feature that allows you to switch tracks quickly and easily. Like this, from the Sony a1 Help Guide:
Memory Recall (MR): Recall Camera Settings. You can call up frequently used modes and numerical value settings that have been registered in advance.
The huge Memory Recall problem with the a1 is that you cannot save Custom Key Settings when using MR. When I go from shooting in M (Manual mode) to working in S (Shutter Priority Mode), as I do often when creating pleasing blurs (or trying to), I first set AUTO ISO and then go to Custom Key Settings and assign Exposure Compensation to the Thumb Wheel. When I go back to working in Manual Mode I need to retrace my steps by going back to Custom Key Settings and assign ISO to the Thumb Wheel.
It would be nice, not to mention super-convenient, to be able to save both of the above configurations as say MR 1 and MR 2 so that that could be accessed by turning the mode dial. But Sony MR does not save Custom Key Settings. This is not something that I would expect or hope for with a $6500.00 camera body.
Fourth: Why No Vertically Tilting Rear Monitor?
I love shooting ground level images using the tilted rear monitor (especially when I have my reading glasses with me). I’ve done this with the camera body and/or the lens on the ground, with my rig mounted on a Panning Ground Pod or a splayed tripod, using the ankle-pod technique, or recently, in San Diego, simply holding the camera below me in midair while I was seated. With the a1, however, you are pretty much restricted to working in horizontal format. There have been dozens of times when I’ve wished that the a1 had an articulating screen that could be used to shoot both horizontals and verticals at ground level.
Fifth: Why Only +/- Two Stops on the Analog Exposure Scale in Manual Mode?
When you are working in an automatic exposure mode like S (shutter priority), A (Aperture Priority), or P (Program), the analog exposure scale at the bottom of the viewfinder is active from -5 stops to + five stops. When you are working in M (Manual mode) as I do for more than 95% of my bird photography, the analog exposure scale is active only for -2 to +2 stops. If you are at +2 stops and you add one click more of light, the indicator jumps to off scale plus with the right-facing triangle on the right end of the scale flashing to indicate more than 2 stops of over-exposure (rather than indicating the exact amount from +2 1/2 to +5 stops).
Why? Again, this makes zero sense to me and seems like something that could easily be fixed with a firmware update.
Sixth: Shutter Closing on Power Off Too Slow
The a1 offers a great Menu item that gives users the option to have the camera close the shutter when it is turned off. This helps keep the sensor clean. The problem is that it takes five seconds (and sometimes longer, possibly related to the battery power), for the shutter to close. So when you are in a situation where you need to add or remove a teleconverter right now, this instant, folks will often forget to wait to hear the soft clunk that signifies that the shutter has closed. Summing up, this is a great feature. I just wish that it were a lot faster, perhaps instantaneous.
Seventh: A Recommendation for the Manufacturers of all Digital Camera Bodies
I have thought of this one for well more than a decade. When you are working in an automatic exposure mode such as Tv (time value or shutter priority), or Av (aperture value or priority), all camera bodies record the Exposure Compensation (EC). You know if you were working at +2 stops or -1/3 stop. At present, however, it is not possible to know the EC when you are working in Manual mode (unless you happened to be looking at the analog exposure scale at the moment the image was made and either remembered or wrote down the EC value).
When you are working in Manual mode, all digital and mirrorless camera bodies know the exact difference between the exposure suggested by the camera and the actual exposure at the instant each and every photograph is created. If the cameras could record the data from the analog exposure scale and record it in the EXIF, users could access that information and learn more about exposure than ever before. Just a thought.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
I am in the throes of a potentially major computer disaster. I may or may not be able to get a blog post done for the next few days. I will do my best. I sent my MacBook Pro (and a probably messed up back-up drive) to a data recovery outfit by Fed-Ex Overnight on Saturday afternoon. Fingers crossed.
If you need to get in touch with me, please shoot me an e-mail to staffbaa@att.net with the “ATTN: artie” as the Subject Line. Or try my cell at 863-221-2372.
Today is Sunday 30 January 2022. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about ten minutes to prepare and makes 79 days in a row with a new one.
ps: please consider that having triple back-ups is strongly advised (he said after the horses may have escaped from the barn …)
Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission on items priced at $1,000 or more. With items less than $1000, there is a $50 flat-fee. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. If you are interested, please click here, read everything carefully, and do what it says. To avoid any misunderstandings, please read the whole thing very carefully. If you agree to the terms, please state so clearly via e-mail and include the template or templates, one for each item you wish to sell. Then we can work together to get your stuff priced and listed.
Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice only to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past years, we have sold many hundreds of items. Do know that prices for used gear only go in one direction. Down. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
Sony a9 Mirrorless Camera Body
BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price Sale Pending the first day of listing
Good friend and multiple IPT veteran Mark Hardymon is offering a Sony A9 Mirrorless Camera Body in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $1,847.00 The sale includes the body cap, the strap, the original box, books, the USB cable, the charger with one battery, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 U.S. addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
The a9, the original AF king, offers superb autofocus that absolutely kills for bird photography; virtually every image is sharp on the eye. Many feel that the AF system on the a9 ii is no better. As the a9 ii sells new for $4498.00 you can save an incredible $2651.00 by grabbing Mark’s a9 right now! artie
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens
BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price
Good friend and multiple IPT veteran Mark Hardymon is offering a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $1,348.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the factory soft case, the strap, the original box, the manuals, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 U.S. addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
The versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses have long been big favorites of many nature photographers. They are great for landscapes. I have used this lens with Canon and Nikon and SONY. I used my Canon version to photograph granddaughter Maya’s dance recitals and to create bird-scapes and pre-dawn blast-off blurs at Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico. They are fast and sharp and have 1,000 uses. The 70-200 f/2.8 lenses are a specialty lens for bird photographers. Like the bad little child, when they are good, they are really, really good! I’ve used mine mostly for flight photography at point blank range where their performance is unmatched, especially in low light. I’ve killed with these lenses on the gannet boat in the UK, in Homer for eagles, for pre-dawn and blizzard blast-offs at Bosque, and at Merritt Island on single birds from huge feeding sprees right next to the road.
This super-fast lens weighs only 3.26 pounds and is easily hand holdable by just about everyone. As it sells new right now for $2,298.00, you can save a cool $800.00 by grabbing mark’s lens asap. artie
ps: To see what the 70-200 zoom lenses can do, see the images in the blog post here. artie
Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens
BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price Sale Pending the first day of listing
Good friend and multiple IPT veteran Mark Hardymon is offering a Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $1,297.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, factory soft case, strap, original box, books, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 U.S. addresses only.
Item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
This versatile, mega-close-focusing lens is easily hand holdable by most folks; it is much lighter than the 200-600 G lens. It is great for bird photography. I used mine often for flight photography, for head shots of silly-tame birds, and for large flowers, butterflies, frogs, and the like. It sells new for $2498.00 so you can save a handsome $1,2001.00 by grabbing Mark’s lens today. artie
I slept long and well on Thursday night. I guess I was knackered from the great San Diego trip. When I left for California, the pool was 86°. When I got into the pool on Friday afternoon it was 81°. That’s the good news. I dressed warmly and enjoyed my 1/2 swim. The forecast for tomorrow morning is for a balmy 29° with a strong wind from the northwest. If that pans out, it will be my coldest ILE morning since I moved here in 1999. I will definitely not be heading out early for photography.
I did not make it down to the lake until after my swim. As I pulled up, bins in hand, both adult eagles flew from the nest in hot pursuit of a Turkey Vulture that must have gotten a bit too close. It seemed as if one of the eagles would surely take the intruder down. But it escaped, unscathed. I was wishing that I had a lens in my hand with the camera turned on.
I thought that I saw a grey head in the nest and just before I pulled away, I saw a single large grey wing flap above the edge of the nest. The single eagle chick has survived and is doing well. It seems that this pair has only one young. The tiny chick sure grew a lot in the two weeks I was gone!
Today is Saturday 29 January. 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 78 days in a row with a new one.
This Just In
At 6:00am the overnight low was 42°, 13° warmer than originally forecast. It is supposed to get down to 31° on Sunday morning …
Please remember that 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.
From Blog Regular Elinor Osborne via e-mail
Thanks so much for doing handling my used gear sales. You are very helpful. The process is easy. And the Used Gear Page is the place to find the best customers.
Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission on items priced at $1,000 or more. With items less than $1000, there is a $50 flat-fee. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. If you are interested, please click here, read everything carefully, and do what it says. To avoid any misunderstandings, please read the whole thing very carefully. If you agree to the terms, please state so clearly via e-mail and include the template or templates, one for each item you wish to sell. Then we can work together to get your stuff priced and listed.
Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice only to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past years, we have sold many hundreds of items. Do know that prices for used gear only go in one direction. Down. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
This image was created by Greg Gulbransen on 21 January 2022. He used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens and the Nikon D850 dSLR. ISO 640: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 3:52:44pm on a cloudy afternoon.
Group AF/C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Photo courtesy of and copyright 2022: Greg Gulbransen
Image #1: Snowy Owl striking
Images #1 and #2 were made with the very same lens that is for sale here:
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens(with Extras)
BAA friend Greg Gulbransen is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens in near-mint condition (with extras) for a very low $8496.95 (Payment by teller’s check or Long Island, NY — cash pick-up only). The sale includes the rear lens cap, the front lens cover, a RRS low foot (a $110.00 value), the original lens foot, the LensCoat (a roughly $100.00 value) that has protected the lens since Day 1, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until the money is in the bank.
The 400mm f/2.8 lenses are the fastest big lenses in production. This, the newest Nikon version available, is super-sharp. It is a very versatile lens for wildlife photographers, especially those doing Africa, big game, and birds in low light situation. It creates incredibly sharp images with the TC-E14. It is currently back-ordered at B&H where it sells new for $11,196.95. You can save a very handsome $2700.00 by grabbing Greg’s pretty much new lens right now. artie
This image was created by Greg Gulbransen on 21 January 2022. He used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens and the Nikon D850 dSLR. ISO 640: 1/2500 sec. at f/4.5 (stopped down 1 1/3 stops) in Manual mode. AWB at 3:43:26 on a cloudy afternoon.
Group AF/C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Photo courtesy of and copyright 2022: Greg Gulbransen
Image #2: Snowy Owl, angled flight pose
Your Calls
After clicking on each image to view the spectacular high-res versions, try your hand at the following:
Which is the stronger image? Why?
What do you like best about Image #1?
Would you have cropped Image #1 any differently? How and Why?
What do you like best about Image #2?
Would you have removed the tiny bit of grass from the lower right corner of Image #2?
This great guide includes 15 pages of text, a 46-image gallery, and a comprehensive camera handling video.
The text covers all of the menu item settings that I used on my two D850 bodies and each gallery image has a legendary BIRDS AS ART educational caption. The emphasis is two-fold:
1- getting your camera set-up so that it is optimized for bird photography.
2- sharing everything that I know about the Nikon AF system so that you can create consistently sharp images of static subjects, and most especially, of birds in flight and in action.
Though this guide is designed for the D850, nearly all of the info applies to the D5 and to the D500 as well. You can purchase your copy in the BAA On-line Store here. Both files are large so you will need a good internet connection to download them.
The Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide: $30.00 (or free to some–see below for details on that).
by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART and Patrick Sparkman
There is lots of misinformation out there on the Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune feature. Much of that involves vast over-simplifications. Patrick Sparkman and I developed a way of using the Automatic Fine-tune feature effectively with the D5, D500, the D7500, and the D850. Patrick, however, was on a roll and perfected a method for using the Focus Peaking feature available only on the D850 to quickly and accurately micro-adjust all lenses and TC-Es with your D-850. If you own a D850 you should be using D850 Focus Peaking AF Fine-tune rather than Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune. It is faster and easier and more accurate. While there is some halfway decent info online with regards to Nikon Automatic Fine-tune feature, I have never seen a word about using the amazing D850 Focus Peaking capabilities to determine an accurate AF Fine-tune value. You can thank Patrick Sparkman for rectifying that situation.
With both Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune and D850 Focus Peaking AF Fine-tune, the use of a LensAlign Mark II unit is recommended as best by far for accurate results, and thus, this guide is written reflecting that. Taping a sheet of newsprint on a wall or using the FoCal kit does not assure you of the True Parallel Alignment (TPA) that is guaranteed when you set up your LensAlign properly. Without TPA your results will be off anywhere from a little to a lot. You can purchase the LensAlign Mark II alone here. Or you can purchase the LensAlign/FocusTune combo here. If you do not own either of those we suggest that you decide which to purchase after reading this guide through once. That said, we recommend the LensAlign/FocusTune combo for reasons that will become obvious as you make your way through the guide.
Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? Why? which background do you prefer?
What’s Up?
I was out of bed at about 2:30am San Diego time on Thursday to shower, finish packing, and pack the car before heading to the airport for my 6:45am flight to Austin, TX on Southwest. After a bit more than a two hour layover, I enjoyed my second uneventful flight to Orlando. Jim picked me up and we were home before 7:15pm. The only big excitement occurred as I went through security in San Diego. Even though I have TSA-Pre, they pulled out my laptop bag for a closer inspection. The culprit in a small Tupperware container: my tuna and egg salad with blueberries. After consulting with a supervisor, I was allowed through …
Today is Friday 28 January 2022. The forecast for this morning is for mostly cloudy with a northwest wind. I will probably take a ride down to the lake to see what’s going on with the eagle nest. 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 77 days in a row with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!
Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know recently that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!
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.
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican sitting on dirt ridge on cliff
Early Morning at La Jolla
I’ve been doing Brandt’s Cormorants incoming flight blurs with the 70-200 ii/1.4X TC/a1 rig well before the time of sunrise. Most of the birds are carrying nesting material. I probably have close to 300 keepers to whittle down. When I get to the cliffs, I keep the same rig in my hands as it is four clicks faster than the 200-600. For image #1, I went long working at 280mm. As it gets a bit brighter, the lightweight 70-200 ii/1.4X TC/a1 combo is ideal for flight photography with the incoming pelicans.
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican sitting on dirt ridge on cliff/bird-scape
Eight Seconds Later
I zoomed out, changed my perspective slightly, and eight seconds lager, created a neat bird-scape with the wall across the small bay filled with roosting pelicans and roosting and nesting cormorants as the background. Both images were made using Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection (with the spot in the center!). You acquire the eye, zoom in or out, and recompose to your heart’s content as the system tracks the bird’s eye flawlessly. Combine that with knowing that you have either a perfect or dead-solid exposure exposure (thanks to Zebra technology), and bird photography seems almost too easy …
Depth of Field and Focal Length
Though I was standing in just about the same spot when I created both images, why are the birds in the background so much more sharply defined in Image #2 than in Image #1?
SONY and artie
Switching to SONY, first with the a9 and the a9 II, and then to the remarkable a1, has enabled me (and others, like Mike De Rosa as seen a while ago in the blog post here), to create images of birds in flight and in action that I could never even dreamed of when using Canon for 33 years, and then Nikon for more than two. Most of the time I am using one of two AF methods that together, cover about 99% of the commonly-encountered bird photography situations. At present, I am experimenting beyond those … Learn more by joining the group! (I’ve recently switched to two other AF Methods!)
From long-time group member Craig Elson who has helped me often and immensely by answering some tough a1 questions, via e-mail
Artie, Thanks so much for consolidating and re-organizing all of the threads. I can only imagine how helpful this will be to someone opening the box on their new a1, not to mention your CAMSETA2.DAT file. And I think that was the first, and likely the last, time, that I will be referred to as “the estimable!”
Larry Master via e-mail:
I bought an a1 and associated lenses a year ago. I love it, esp. with the 200-600 w/1.4X TC, as my standard set-up. I use all of Artie Morris’ settings, causing almost all images, esp. flight shots, to be razor sharp on the eye. And exposure is easily nailed using the control wheel to dial the ISO. I have never had such a great bird photography camera!
From Long-ago IPT veteran Keith Kennedy via e-mail
Absolutely great information. I am calling Jim in a few minutes to order a couple of Delkin 128GB UHS-II cards. Your timely email has saved me a ton of money! Many thanks
In the same vein, via e-mail from John LeClair
Well, e-mail #21 alone was worth the price of admission!
From Pamela Viale, after receiving artie’s a1 settings along with detailed instructions on how to copy them to her SONY a1 via e-mail
This e-mail group has been an incredible boon to me! Thank you so much!
From Joe Barranco via e-Mail
Thanks for your great ideas on the A1 set up. I have been getting MANY more keepers doing things your way!
From Barbara White via e-Mail
Wow, I just gotta say – I learn so much from the SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info group! My camera is on my desk, and I’m always picking it up and changing something that I’ve read about in the e-mails.
Thanks, Barbara
From Janet Horton via e-Mail
Hi Artie, Mystery solved. Yes, I was able to replicate what you did. I forgot that you have to set self-timer using the upper dial. I am used to that being a MENU selection.
Thanks much, Janet
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up 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. Last week, two folks in the group ordered a third a1! I am envious. The group is now up to an astounding 104 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 all who wish, can request 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. I finally finished the consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE and distributed it yesterday. New a1 folks will now receive three e-mails instead of the previous 28! It is a lot easier on me and is an incredible resource for folks new to the a1.
All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info & Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which of today’s two superb images do you think is best (he asked modestly)? Please leave a comment let us know why you made your choice.
Though there were more than a dozen photographers on the cliff this morning, I would be quite surprised if any of them made a single image as good as either of today’s two featured photographs (he stated modestly). That surely out of many thousands of images.
What’s Up?
I enjoyed a final last morning with the pelicans on Wednesday. I headed back early to my AirBnB to pack for my flights tomorrow which is now today – Thursday 27 January 2022. The forecast for this morning does not matter. 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 76 days in a row with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
This image was created on 26 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens(at 547mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) ISO 1250. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:34:11am on a sunny morning.
Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican — prey-breeding adult preening
Wave Placement
As I say here often, usually with regards to photographing along the shore with the gentle waves of the Gulf of Mexico, good photographers need to learn to observe all aspects of breaking waves and note how they impact their images. And the same is true when the waves are six to eight footers like those we’ve had in San Diego for the past three days.
As a general rule, a wave breaking through the middle of your subject is to be avoided at all costs. On the other hand, they can add tremendously to the artistic success of your images. Note the cresting wave in the upper left corner of the frame that serves to elegantly frame the elegant bird. Note also the lovely early morning light falling on both the bird and on the relatively distant Pacific Ocean background.
Photoshop Hanky-Panky?
If you see any evidence of any major Photoshop hanky-panky in Image #1, please leave a comment and state your evidence clearly.
This image was created on 26 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens(at 437mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) ISO 1000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:45:51am on a sunny morning.
Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican adult in flight on sunny morning
My Best Flight Image
Funny that I should make my very best flight image on the last morning of the trip. The bird is a gorgeous adult in full breeding plumage. The head angle is perfect for the pose. The bird is nicely angled in the frame. The light is sweet. The image is razor sharp. And there is not a shadow to be seen on the near-underwing, the belly, or the face.
Notice that when the sun is shining I go to the 200-600 for hand held flight photography. Zooming out 163mm here enabled me to fit the bird into the frame. This image was cropped proportionately from the right and from below.
Whether you are visiting San Diego for photography for the first time, or live in the area and have done the pelicans many dozens of times, you will learn a ton by studying the San Diego Site Guide. Why spend days stumbling around when you can know exactly where and when to be depending on the wind direction and sky conditions? In addition to the pelican primer, there is great info on the best beaches for the gorgeous gulls, on Marbled Godwit, on the lower cliffs, Lesser Scaup, and Wood and Ring-necked Ducks as well.
This is one of our oldest guides, so the photos are not great. But the information is still solid and relevant. All of the great spots are detailed. I met a nice man shooting a Sony 600 GM with the a7r IV. He did not know where to be every morning. He will be there this morning! If you would like to see some great San Diego images, do a search in the little white box on the top right of each blog post for San Diego, La Jolla, Santee Lakes, Coronado, or Scripps.
In any case, you can learn more or purchase your copy here.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Tuesday, my next-to-last photography day in San Diego this year, seemed not quite as spectacular as Monday had been, yet I created more than 5,000 images. No worries, I picked my 209 keepers in 31 minutes using Photo Mechanic! The forecast had been for partly to mostly cloudy all day. It turned out to be barely cloudy to sunny and clear. Today’s two featured “surfing” images were created late in the morning. I met Cliff Oliver and Annie for lunch at El Pescador on Pearl Street, and then returned to the cliffs without a nap! All in all, it was a great day.
Please be absolutely sure to click on the surfing pelican pano to view the spectacular high-res version!
Folks who own the San Diego Site Guide and want to try for the surfing pelicans, walk south past the Green Patch on the rocky shelf with your longest lens. Sunny mid-mornings with a south wind are best.
Today is Wednesday 26 January 2022. The forecast for this morning is for cloudy with light rain. Well, I might have lots of time for packing; I fly home oh-dark-hundred tomorrow. Oh-dark-hundred is flight attendant-speak for very, very, early. I need to be at curbside check-in when it opens at 4:30 sharp.
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 75 days in a row with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!
Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know recently that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!
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 25 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. Standing at full height on the low cliffs south of Green Patch, I used the no-longer-available Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 400. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 11:11:53am on a sunny morning with lots of moisture in the air from the big breakers.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Human-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: Surfer riding wave
Photographing Surfers
Cliff and Annie, now both shooting the Sony 200-600/a1 rigs, have developed a decent business selling images of surfers to the individual surfers. To see some of their work and to learn more, see their Creative Surf Photography La Jolla website here.
There was a big surf yesterday with six to eight foot waves. So while I was waiting for the pelicans to fly south, low over the breaking waves, I tried my hand at photographing a surfer or two. Cliff and Annie shoot only JPEGs so they must guard against ever over-exposing the whites of the breaking waves. When they saw some of my images — I had to download at lunch as I needed one clean card for the afternoon, they were astounded at how washed out my raw files looked I explained the need to expose-to-the-right when shooting raw and then explained that the images would look great after being optimized.
This image was created on 25 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. Standing at full height on the low cliffs south of Green Patch, I used the no-longer-available Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 400. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 11:14:19am on a sunny morning with lots of moisture in the air from the big breakers.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Human-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #4: Four Pacific-race Brown Pelicans flying south over breaking waves
Surfing Pelicans
I had tried the surfing pelicans on Monday. With the clear skies and south winds, I tried again yesterday morning. I did not have many good chances either day. Checking the time on my camera, I said to myself, “I will leave at 11:30 sharp.” Anyhoo, when I looked far to the north and saw four pelicans flying south, I was happy and hopeful. I got the lens on the flock of four and was thrilled when they turned and flew toward me, low over the waves. I was using Tracking: Center Zone and could do nothing but trust it.
I placed the center of the zone on the brightest bird, the one in the back left with the red bill pouch, and then re-composed by panning. The AF system tracked the bright bird! All of the four subjects were reasonably sharp due to the great distance to the birds. Remember: as the distance to the subject increases, depth-of-field increases dramatically.
Whether you are visiting San Diego for photography for the first time, or live in the area and have done the pelicans many dozens of times, you will learn a ton by studying the San Diego Site Guide. Why spend days stumbling around when you can know exactly where and when to be depending on the wind direction and sky conditions? In addition to the pelican primer, there is great info on the best beaches for the gorgeous gulls, on Marbled Godwit, on the lower cliffs, Lesser Scaup, and Wood and Ring-necked Ducks as well.
This is one of our oldest guides, so the photos are not great. But the information is still solid and relevant. All of the great spots are detailed. I met a nice man shooting a Sony 600 GM with the a7r IV. He did not know where to be every morning. He will be there this morning!
In any case, you can learn more or purchase your copy here.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which of today’s four featured images is the strongest? Please leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice. I feel that two of the images are far stronger than the other two, and of those two, I have a very clear favorite. Comments on the two best are of course welcome.
What’s Up?
Well, nobody signed up for the Mini IPT. Yesterday, Monday, would have been Day 1. It turned out to be the best day of my trip so far. Where the lower shelf had been totally empty the day before, there were more than 100 pelicans packed onto just a small portion of the lower shelf. There were lots of chances for flight, and with so many birds so close together, lots of chances to isolate the subject, provided that you had the right rig in your hands.
New a1 Group member Kitty Kono sent me a quote that multiple IPT veteran and BAA-friend Larry Master posted to her hopping flicker image on her FB page here.
Larry wrote:
I bought an a1 and associated lenses a year ago. I love it, esp. with the 200-600 w/ 1.4, my standard set-up. I use all of Artie Morris’ settings, causing almost all images, esp. flight shots, to be razor sharp on the eye. And exposure is easily nailed using the control wheel to dial the ISO. I have never had such a great bird photography camera!
Though I have used the 1.4X TC with the 2-6, I had not really considered it for flight. So thanks, Larry, for your kind comment and for inspiring to try flight with the TC in place.
After early morning on the cliffs, I headed down the coast and look for pelicans skimming the waves. I was fairly successful, and was planning on doing ever better today (until I saw the weather forecast …)
I almost didn’t go out in the afternoon, but after checking the wind — strong from the south — I headed back to La Jolla and enjoyed some superb flight photography with the tripod-mounted 600mm f/4 lens with and without the 1.4X TC. Sunset looked promising at first, but fizzled (just as I ran out of space on my card). It was a fitting end to a great day.
Today is Tuesday 25 January 2022. The forecast is for today is for mostly to partly cloudy. That’s a bummer as I was getting used to the sun! Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 74 days in a row with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
SONY and artie
Switching to SONY, first with the a9 and the a9 II, and then to the remarkable a1, has enabled me (and others, like Mike De Rosa as seen a while ago in the blog post here), to create images of birds in flight and in action that I could never even dreamed of when using Canon for 33 years, and then Nikon for more than two. Most of the time I am using one of two AF methods that together, cover about 99% of the commonly-encountered bird photography situations. At present, I am experimenting beyond those … Learn more by joining the group! (I’ve recently switched to two other AF Methods!)
From long-time group member Craig Elson who has helped me often and immensely by answering some tough a1 questions, via e-mail
Artie, Thanks so much for consolidating and re-organizing all of the threads. I can only imagine how helpful this will be to someone opening the box on their new a1, not to mention your CAMSETA2.DAT file. And I think that was the first, and likely the last, time, that I will be referred to as “the estimable!”
From Long-ago IPT veteran Keith Kennedy via e-mail
Absolutely great information. I am calling Jim in a few minutes to order a couple of Delkin 128GB UHS-II cards. Your timely email has saved me a ton of money! Many thanks
In the same vein, via e-mail from John LeClair
Well, e-mail #21 alone was worth the price of admission!
From Pamela Viale, after receiving artie’s a1 settings along with detailed instructions on how to copy them to her SONY a1 via e-mail
This e-mail group has been an incredible boon to me! Thank you so much!
From Joe Barranco via e-Mail
Thanks for your great ideas on the A1 set up. I have been getting MANY more keepers doing things your way!
From Barbara White via e-Mail
Wow, I just gotta say – I learn so much from the SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info group! My camera is on my desk, and I’m always picking it up and changing something that I’ve read about in the e-mails.
Thanks, Barbara
From Janet Horton via e-Mail
Hi Artie, Mystery solved. Yes, I was able to replicate what you did. I forgot that you have to set self-timer using the upper dial. I am used to that being a MENU selection.
Thanks much, Janet
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up 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. Last week, two folks in the group ordered a third a1! I am envious. The group is now up to an astounding 104 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 all who wish, can request 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. I finally finished the consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE and distributed it yesterday. New a1 folks will now receive three e-mails instead of the previous 28! It is a lot easier on me and is an incredible resource for folks new to the a1.
All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info & Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.
This image was created on 24 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 708mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 640. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was dead solid-perfect: 1/640 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:14:17am on a clear sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to view the high-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelicans tandem bathing
A Twenty-year Wait Ends: Right Time, Right Place, Right Rig!
The pelicans sometimes bathe in the ocean below the main cliffs. They are usually too far away. Or they are way off sun angle. Or I do not have a long enough lens. On Monday, after a 20-year wait, I had a good chance with a single bathing pelican at 8:12am. The dam had burst. More than an hour later, two pelicans landed very close to the cliffs and very close to being right on sun angle. Having the 1.4X TC on the 200-600 turned out to be perfect. Note here that I actually needed to zoom out a bit. Out of hundreds of images, I kept 24. This was my favorite of the bathing birds.
This image was created on 24 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 766mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 500. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was dead perfect: 1/1250 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:30:54am on a clear sunny morning.
Tracking: Center Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to view the high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican head throw — viewed from below
Reach, Great AF, and Versatility
Sitting on my favorite perch above the pelicans, the 280-840mm combo gives me great reach, superb AF, the ability to isolate the subject, and the ability to zoom out from 840mm as needed (as with Images #1 and #2). Had I been at 600mm it would have been impossible to isolate the subject in Images #2 and #4. In short the 200-600/1.4X TC/a1 combo is beyond deadly on sunny days. Not to mention that it is hand holdable for most folks in reasonably good condition.
This image was created on 24 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 500. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the exposure was about 1/3 stop under: 1/1250 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:34:42am on a clear sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to view the high-res version.
Image #3: Brown Pelican adult in flight at 840mm
Hand Held Flight at 840mm?
A regular readers know, I cannot hand hold the 600mm f/4 GM lens for more than a few moments. Though it is the lightest and best balanced 600mm f/4 lens on the market, it is pretty much too heavy for me to hand hold it for more than a minute or two. Thanks again to Larry Master for inspiring me to try it for pelican flight. I was quite surprised that this image was critically sharp at “only” 1/1250 sec. I strive to do all of my flight photography with shutter speeds of at least 1/2500 sec. When this bird flew by, I followed my oft-given advice: shoot now and ask questions later. Had I tried to raise the shutter speed to 1/2000 sec. and increase the ISO to 800, I would have missed the shot.
In the same vein, Jordan Cait who has been doing a great job of proof-reading the blog recently, and teaching me some grammar as well, ends every-mail with this quote:
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky, hockey legend.
This image was created on 24 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect: 1/1600 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:42:57am on a clear sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to view the high-res version.
Image #4: Brown Pelican in mega-breeding plumage/preening head portrait
The Sweetest Backgrounds
When the distance from the subject to the background is constant, the longer the focal length, the sweeter the background. With image #4, I was working the closest pelican at 840mm; the bird was teed up on a rock about 15 feet from me. I was seated, so when I had the viewfinder to my eye, there were other pelicans in the background. Holding my rig just above the ground while working off the tilted rear monitor effectively moved the background farther from the bird, and eliminated the distracting elements at the bottom of the frame. The result? As clean, as soft, and as sweet a Pacific-blue background as you could ever dream of.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
I had a perfect plan in place for Sunday morning at La Jolla with perfect conditions. But the wind died and more than 200 pelicans sat on the opposite cliff until they flew off to the southwest to go fishing. You gotta love it.
The rest of the day was football. The LA Rams were killing the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a good portion of the game. After four lost fumbles by the Rams who were trying their best to give the game away, the score was tied with less than a minute to go. With no time-outs, Rams QB Matthew Stafford moved the team right down the field by connecting on two passes with all-star receiver Cooper Kupp. Matt Gay kicked the winning field goal that sealed Brady’s and Tampa Bay’s fate. Three games, three game-winning field goals by the underdogs with no time on the clock! What could be more exciting?
In the nightcap, the Kansas City Chiefs, lost a shootout to the Buffalo Bills. The lead changed hands three times with three touchdowns in the last two plus minutes. Both quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen were superb, but it was Allen who had the last laugh after a Mahomes to Tyreek Hill catch and TD-run slant pass put the Chiefs ahead with just 62 seconds left in the game. You can’t win em’ all.
I wrote the paragraph above in good faith, firmly believing that the Chiefs had lost when the Bills scored to go ahead with just 13 seconds left in the game. The Chiefs got the ball and after two complete passes — Mahomes to Hill and Mahomes to Kelce, Harrison Butker kicked the tying field goal. The game went to overtime. The Chiefs won the coin toss and marched down the field to win the game.
As much as I love the Chiefs, the NFL overtime rule needs to be changed, at least for the playoffs. If the team that gets the ball first kicks a field goal, the other team gets a chance to tie with a field goal or win the game with a touchdown. If the team that gets the ball scores a touchdown, however, the game is over. That simply is not fair. Josh Allen at least deserved a chance.
The Bills coach, however, pretty much lost the game. He had his kicker kick the ball into the end zone after the Bills went ahead with just 13 seconds left. Had he ordered a squib kick, a sort of ground ball, the clock would have run and Mahomes almost surely would not have had time to engineer the drive for the tying field goal …. Final in overtime: KC 42, Bills 36. Did I mention that Tyreek Hill is fast?
Today is Monday 24 January 2022. The forecast again is for cool, clear, and sunny with a gentle breeze from the northeast. I will be heading back to La Jolla. 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 73 days in a row with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission on items priced at $1,000 or more. With items less than $1000, there is a $50 flat-fee. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. If you are interested, please click here, read everything carefully, and do what it says. To avoid any misunderstandings, please read the whole thing very carefully. If you agree to the terms, please state so clearly via e-mail and include the template or templates, one for each item you wish to sell. Then we can work together to get your stuff priced and listed.
Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice only to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past years, we have sold many hundreds of items. Do know that prices for used gear only go in one direction. Down. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
Sony a9 II Mirrorless Camera Body
Dennis Westover is offering a Sony a9 II mirrorless camera body in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $2349.00. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it including the manuals, one battery, the charger, the front body cap, the strap, the USB cable and cable protector, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US-addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Dennis via e-mail or by phone at 1-206-605-0404 (Pacific time zone).
As things worked out, the a9, and then the a9 ii, turned out to be life-changers for me. From the moment I tracked that first incoming Brandt’s Cormorant at LaJolla, I knew that at that time, the SONY a9 series bodies featured the world’s best AF. I upgraded to the a9 ii as soon as it was released for the slightly larger body size. At one point I owned two a9 ii bodies. A new a9 ii sells for $4,498.00 so you can save a very nice $2149.00 by grabbing Dennis’s a9 ii ASAP. Not to mention that the new Sony A1 sells for $6498.00 … artie
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed quite well. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: Northern Shoveler resting/Sidelit!
A Rare Sidelit Image!
When it is sunny, I rarely photograph more than 10 degrees or so on either side of sun angle. Most of the time, I want my shadow pointed directly at the subject. Except of course, when creating silhouettes. There I generally want the sun right behind the subject to maximize the silhouette effect and the color. It is extremely rare that I even try to create side-lit images. And it is far rarer still that I like a side-let image.
I am not sure exactly why I chose to work about 80 degrees off sun angle for today’s featured image, but the following surely influenced me to try:
1- I was able to be a lot closer to the bird by shooting way off sun angle.
2- If I had been right on sun angle, there would have been a stand of ugly reeds as the upper background.
3- The duck was, well, it was a sitting (actually floating) duck. It floated at rest in the same exact spot for several minutes. And it looked very peaceful.
4- By working off light angle, I was able to enjoy the dark and very dramatic background.
5- I knew that Sony’s Zebra technology would make it easy to create a very good exposure in an extremely difficult situation. Heck, with Zebras, there are no extremely difficult exposure situations. They are all relatively easy.
6- As the duck spun very slowly in a circle, I was able to press the shutter button only when the eye was relatively well lit.
In any case, I love the side-lit result. What do you think? What do you like What don’t you like? What is your favorite part of the image?
Image #1A: RawDigger screen capture for the Northern Shoveler resting/Sidelit! image.
Almost Perfect!
Images where the G channel gets 2/3rds of the way from the 8000 to the 16000 line are perfect exposures. Images where the G channel gets right up to the line are dead-solid perfect. With just 3 OvExp pixels out of 51,000,000 and the G channel just a hair short of the 8000 2/3rds line, this is a near-perfect exposure in a very difficult situation.
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 how to use it to quickly and easily evaluate the exposure or raw file brightness of images from all digital cameras currently in use. RawDigger was especially helpful to me 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.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which of today’s two featured flight images do you like best? Why? Which background do you like best?
What’s Up?
I headed back to Santee on Saturday morning. Right outside of the park fence, adjacent to my new favorite morning spot, there was a large tree removal operation replete with three very loud wood chippers. The ducks stayed away in droves. I moved a bit to the north and had an OK morning. On Saturday afternoon I tidied up my AirBnB and watched the two NFL playoff games.
Last weekend all five of the teams I was rooting for won. When the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the favored Tennessee Titans with a last second field goal, I was six for six. I was rooting for the San Francisco 49ers to topple the Green Bay Packers who were favored by 5 1/2 points. After the first half, the 49ers chances looked to be somewhere between slim and none as their offense was non-existent. With the help of a blocked field goal, a blocked punt returned for a Niner’s touchdown, and a field goal by Robbie “Good as” Gould with zero time left on the clock, San Fran pulled off a miracle win. Now I am seven for seven thanks to the two underdogs winning.
I am torn between rooting for the Rams or for Tampa Bay in the first game. I will surely be pulling for the KC Chiefs to defeat the Buffalo Bills in the second game. I really like both teams a lot, but have been a huge Patrick Mahomes fan for forever.
I was glad to learn yesterday that John Flynn’s Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens in excellent condition sold for a BAA record-low $4899.00 within hours of being listed.
Today is Sunday 23 January 2022. The forecast is for cool, clear, and sunny with a gentle breeze from the northeast. I will be heading to the cliffs for more pelicans and more. I have a special Sunday plan in mind. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about ninety minutes to prepare and makes 72 days in a row with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!
Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know recently that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!
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 17 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. While seated, I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 400mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. ISO 2000: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:55:26am on a cloudy morning.
Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican — low light flight
Sony 70-200 II for Flight Photography
With large birds like pelicans at relatively close range, I love the new 70-200 for flight photography — usually with either the 1.4X TC or the 2X TC. Much smaller and much lighter than the 200-600, it is a dream to hand hold. And it is faster as well. One and one-third stops faster with the 1.4X TC, and one-third stop faster with the 2X in place.
Image #1A: AF Point for the Brown Pelican — low light flight image
a1/70-200 f/2.8 AF Performance
AF performance with the 70-200 f/2.8GM lens and the a1 is other-worldly, even with the 2X TC in place. Initial focusing acquisition is lightning fast and the Bird/Face-Eye Detection is nothing short of amazing.
Image #1B: Topaz DeNoise AI on the Brown Pelican — low light flight image
How Good is Topaz DeNoise AI?
Be sure to click on the screen capture to see the great job done by DeNoise AI. Viewing at 400%, it is easy to see the complete elimination of the ISO 2000 noise in the dark tones on the pelican’s belly. 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!
Be sure to check out the Sharpen AI item below.
Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plug-ins), will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. If the stuff is on sale (as it usually is), you save 15% off of the sale price! To get the discount you must use my link and you must enter the discount code. Be sure to start with this link.
Those who purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or any other Topaz plug-ins using my link and then entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout can e-mail to request a short Getting Started with Topaz e-Guide. Please include a copy of your Topaz receipt that shows the discount. Aside from the basics, the guide explains how to install the plug-ins so that they appear in the Photoshop Filter Menu.
This image was created on 20 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens(at 255mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) ISO 1000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:34:04am on a barely sunny morning.
Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican adult in flight on sunny morning
When the Sun Shines
When the sun comes out, I will often go to the 200-600 for birds in flight despite that fact that it is larger and heavier, and thus more difficult to hand hold. Not to mention that it is at least 1/3 stop slower than the 70-200 with either TC. So what not just stay with the 70-200?
Reach. Since the size of the bird in the frame is a factor of the square of the focal length, the 200-600 at the long end is the clear winner. And on sunny days, working with the slightly slower lens is not a problem for folks who can hand hold it successfully. Here is the math comparing the maximum focal lengths of the two rigs: the 70-200 with the 2X TC (i.e., 400mm) and the 200-600 alone (at 600mm). Four squared is 16. Six squared is 36. 36 divided by 16 is 2.25. Thus, the size of the bird in the frame at 600mm will be two and one-quarter times larger than the size of the bird in the frame at 400mm!
Please note that Image #2 was created from a horizontal original. Canvas was added above and below.
The Choice With Other Systems
As all major camera systems offer a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, and longer hand holdable lenses, the same considerations discussed above will come into play. One thorn in the side for folks on the dark side is the fact that the Nikon TCE 20, their 2X TC, is a real clunker.
Image #2A: Topaz Sharpen AI on the head and breast of the Brown Pelican adult in flight on sunny morning image
Topaz Sharpen AI
The truth is that I rarely use Topaz Sharpen AI. And I am even not sure why I tried it with Image #2. But was sure am glad that I did as the improvement was monumental. Be sure to click on the screen capture to see that improvement while viewing the high-res version. Note that I increased the magnification to 200%.
Actually, the sharpened selection looked a bit too sharp, so I simply reduced the opacity of the layer to 70%.
Great Topaz News!
Be sure to check out the DeNoise AI item above.
Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plug-ins), will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. If the stuff is on sale (as it usually is), you save 15% off of the sale price! To get the discount you must use my link and you must enter the discount code. Be sure to start with this link.
Those who purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or any other Topaz plug-ins using my link and then entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout can e-mail to request a short Getting Started with Topaz e-Guide. Please include a copy of your Topaz receipt that shows the discount. Aside from the basics, the guide explains how to install the plug-ins so that they appear in the Photoshop Filter Menu.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Please leave a comment and let us know which of today’s three featured images you like best and why you made your choice. Enjoy this weekend’s NFL games. I was sad to learn yesterday of the death of Rock and Roll legend Michael Lee Aday, better known as Meat Loaf. The song above was his only #1 hit and resurrected his career in the early 1990s after a long drought. I saw him perform live with my late-wife Elaine in Orlando just months before her death from breast cancer in 1994.
What’s Up?
We had a stellar morning at Santee Lakes Preserve on Friday. We got there early and it was very cold. As I had hoped, we enjoyed fire-in-the mist conditions. Then it was on to the ducks. I discovered a great gold water background (with killer blue streaks as the birds disturbed the water) so we sat on that and had fun. We did well on the Wood Ducks. And the Ring-necked Ducks. And we had a gorgeous pair of Gadwall. And amazingly, four Cinnamon Teal! Yikes! I almost forgot the most exciting event. Keep reading to see what happened.
Carolyn and Marni headed home after brunch. Bill Schneider and I returned to La Jolla Cove and did the nesting Brandt’s Cormorants and then some really nice pelican stuff on the cliffs just up the hill. With the pelicans, we worked on shooting through openings in the green leaves of the bushes so that we could add some (suffused) green whenever possible. I kissed Bill and his wife Karen goodbye and then got to bed early. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about ninety minutes to prepare and makes 71 days in a row with a new one.
Inexpensive shared lodging is available for the San Diego Mini IPT (info below). Please contact me via e-mail to inquire about the late-registration discount. So far it is just me.
Today is Saturday 22 January 2022. The forecast for the next two mornings is for clear and sunny with a light NE breeze. I am torn between going back to Santee or heading for the cliffs at La Jolla. Both have been superb recently. I will make up my mind when I walk out the door of my AirBnB.
Please remember that 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.
Canon 600mm f4L IS II lens
John Flynn is offering a Canon 600mm f4L IS II lens in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $4899.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the original tough front lens cover, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact John via e-mail or by phone at 1-860-944-7489 EST (CT area code, FL resident).
The 600mm f/4 lenses have been the state of the art super-telephotos for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many years. When I was using Canon and could get it to my location, my 600 II was always my go-to weapon. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. With a new 600 III going for $12,999 and used version IIs hard to find, you’d do well to grab John’s lens ASAP. artie
Tracking: Center Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed quite well. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: American Coots battling
The Battling Begins
When we got seated on the bank of my favorite Santee Lake, I told the group that it was likely that we might get to photograph some serious coot fights. And that is exactly what happened at 9:19am. It seemed as if the fight went on forever. I guess when it comes to bird battles, ones lasting more than two minutes are both very rare and very exciting events.
Tracking: Center Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed quite well. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #2: American Coots battling
My Less Than Ideal Set-up
To take full advantage of the gold and blue backgrounds ,I sat as close to the lake as possible with the tripod flattened. I leveled the silver ball of the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro and worked off the tilted rear monitor. That worked fairly well with the swimming ducks but when the fighting began, it was difficult to see the Zebras through the action even though I did have my reading glasses on. RawDigger showed that the beaks of all of the coots were slightly over-exposed, but with the over-exposures all in the GREEN channel I was able to restore the detail using techniques from the Saving the Whites (and lots more!) Video.
When I go back, I will work seated so that I will be in better control of both Zebras and AF.
The Saving the WHITEs (and lots more!) Video image
The Saving the Whites (and lots more!) Video
My two biggest challenges when optimizing images are getting the BLUEs just right, and restoring detail to the WHITEs and highlights of properly exposed raw files. There are four things that I do to accomplish the latter. All are covered in detail in this 21+ minute video, along with a dirty trick to try if the first four do not work perfectly. Sit with me at my laptop as I teach you how to save the WHITEs. I begin with the raw conversions of two different raw files, first with the Snowy Owl image featured here, and then with Joe Usewicz’s spoonbill image that was featured in the Extraordinary Over-Exposed (?) Spoonbill/Saving the WHITEs Optimization blog post here.
In addition to learning how to save the WHITEs (in both images), you will learn how to expand canvas using the amazingly convenient Content-Aware Crop Tool, to set the White Balance (color temperature), to set the WHITE and BLACK points, see Digital Eye Doctor and RawDigger in action, learn to make a Color Range Selection, and lots more.
To purchase your copy of the Saving the Whites Video (and lots more!) video, you can send a PayPal for $37.00 to us at birdsasart@verizon.net, call Jim in the office at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand, or visit the item in the BAA Online store by clicking here.
Tracking: Center Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed quite well. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #3: American Coots battling
Shutter Speeds for Action
When the battles began, I thought that I had been at 1/1000 sec. When I noticed that I had been at only 1/800 sec., I raised the shutter speed one click to better freeze the action. Most of the several hundred fight images were sharp enough in a really difficult situation for AF. Tracking Zone did just fine as most of the unsharp images were due to motion blur rather than missed focus. I kept only 17, those determined by wing and foot/feet positions, head angle, and the positioning of both combatants.
The Image Optimizations
Aside from restoring detail in all of the well-lit coot bills, I replaced the eye of the “other” coot in each image. Eye Doctor work was done on all three of the photos. Image #2 was cropped slightly while the other two are full frame.
San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2022 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) Mini IPT. Monday 24 January thru the morning session on Wednesday 26 January 2022. Three mornings and two afternoons: $1649.00. Deposit: $499.00. Limit: 6 photographers
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. (Or two seconds with SONY zebras…) And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure is one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five three hour morning photo sessions, four one and one-half afternoon photo sessions, four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy day occasions, we may — at my discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
A $499 deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Best would be to call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately.
Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
The sun finally came out on Thursday morning. Photography was spectacular. We had lots of pelicans including many gorgeous adults, along with lots of head throws. We enjoyed another fine working brunch at Cafe Vahik. We got to Santee Lakes early in the afternoon and photographed drake and hen Ring-necked Duck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, and Mallard along with Ruddy Duck and American Coot. We saw but did not photograph Wood Duck and Cinnamon Teal. I have 3409 images to go through from what was a very fine Thursday. Carolyn continues to do great with her new 200-600/a1 rig. She and daughter Marni will be heading home after brunch today. Bill Schneider will be with me all day.
Inexpensive shared lodging is available for the San Diego Mini IPT below. Please contact me via e-mail to inquire about the late-registration discount.
Today is Friday 21 January 2022. The forecast is for sunny all day. We are headed back to Santee Lakes very early in hopes of fire-in-the-mist conditions at sunrise followed by Wood Duck (and more) photography. 🙂 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 70 days in a row with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
Sony a7R IV
BAA Record-low Price
BAA-friend Peter Noyes is offering a Sony A7R IV camera in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $1898.00. The sale includes the camera body, the camera strap, the original Sony NP FZ100 Lithium-Ion Battery, the Sony BC-QZ1 Battery Charger, the camera manual, a SonyALC-B1 EN Body Cap for E-Mount cameras, the Cable Protector, the USB type C cable, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Peter via e-mail or by phone at (567) 356-0878 (EST).
For the past several years you have seen the incredible detail in my a7r IV images made with a variety of SONY lenses and both teleconverters. Before the a1, I typically used my 7r IV for about 50% of my bird photography and my a9 II in pure flight situations. As the 7r IVA sells new right now for $3498.00 (and the only “improvement”, over the original a7R IV is more resolution in the rear monitor, you can save a cool $1600.00 by grabbing Peter’s a7r IV. Though this 61-MP body is especially attractive to landscape and macro photographers, it is great for birds as well; you can pretty much crop to your heart’s content. For photographing birds in flight, I do not recommend its use with the 200-600 G lens. artie
This image was created on 19 January 2022. Standing at full height, I used the no-longer-available Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). IS 400. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:52:04am on a mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: upper center Zone AF-C performed very well. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a higher-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican vertical front-end flight take-off
When Something Unexpected Happens …
I’ve said it here dozens of times, “When something unexpected happens, push the shutter button.”
I was working a pelican on my favorite pedestal rock perch in vertical format with Tracking: upper center Zone AF-C. When the bird leaned forward and took off to the north, I followed my own advice by pressing the shutter button; I created seven images. All were sharp on the bird’s eye, and amazingly, three of them were nicely composed. Whoever head of a vertical front-end flight take-off image? As I had taken a moment to center the bubble on the silver ball of the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro, all of the images in the series remained square to the world as I panned right. When it comes to bird photography with the Sony Alpha 1, life is like a box of chocolates …
One Tiny Thing …
Only one tiny thing bugs me about this image and keeps it from being perfect. If you think that you know what it is, please leave a comment. I clipped the tip of the fourth primary feather in this frame, added canvas, and repaired the missing wingtip. Nothing there bugs me. It is something else.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up 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. Last week, two folks in the group ordered a third a1! I am envious. The group is now up to an astounding 104 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 all who wish, can request 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. I finally finished the consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE and distributed it yesterday. New a1 folks will now receive three e-mails instead of the previous 28! It is a lot easier on me and is an incredible resource for folks new to the a1.
Long-time group member Craig Elson has helped me often and immensely by answering some tough a1 questions, He sent this via e-mail yesterday:
Artie,
Thanks so much for organizing all of these threads together. I can only imagine how helpful this is to someone opening the box on their new a1, much less combined with your CAMSETA2.DAT file. And I think that was the first, and likely the last, time, that I will be referred to as “the estimable!”🙏
All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info & Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.
San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2022 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) Mini IPT. Monday 24 January thru the morning session on Wednesday 26 January 2022. Three mornings and two afternoons: $1649.00. Deposit: $499.00. Limit: 6 photographers
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. (Or two seconds with SONY zebras…) And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure is one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five three hour morning photo sessions, four one and one-half afternoon photo sessions, four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy day occasions, we may — at my discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
A $499 deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Best would be to call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately.
Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
A fourth straight cloudy morning turned into another very long, very excellent morning photo session with the afternoon off. We started doing pleasing blurs of incoming Brandt’s Cormorants. The action was non-stop. With her skeet shooting experience, Carolyn Johnson was a natural. We worked in manual mode with shutter speeds in the 1/20 to 1/60 sec. range and set the ISO so that we were reading +1 2/3 stops off the green water. Easy peasy. When we downloaded at brunch, everyone’s biggest problem was that they were keeping too many pearling blurred images! Then we headed to the cliffs where dozens of breeding plumage adult Pacific-race Brown Pelicans showed up and posed. Cafe Vahik is great not only because they serve large portions of great-tasting, wholesome food, but they have electric outlets and do not mind us staying to work on images for as long as we want. Try the Del Norte Salad! Yikes, I almost forgot: fast, free WiFi!
Today is Thursday 20 January. The weather is calling for our first full day of sun. That translates to pelicans in the morning and ducks in the afternoon. Multiple IPT veteran and BAA-friend Bill Schneider will be joining us for two days of instruction and great photography. 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 69 consecutive days with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!
Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know recently that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!
Brand New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard to get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Please Remember Also
Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
This image was created on 18 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 70mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. ISO 640: 1/1600 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 10:07:48am on a cloudy morning.
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Human-Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Anita North and friends on cliff
Tame Pelicans and Anita’s New Best Friend
To make this image I removed the 1.4X TC from my 70-200 II to get my “wide angle” setting: 70mm. And I had to move back on the cliff a bit as well to get the framing that I wanted. The Sony 70-200mm II has proven to be incredibly versatile and as stated here before, the improved AF system is hard to believe. And that is true with either the 1.4X or the 2X TC.
In the photo above, Anita is hand holding the new lens with the 2X TC and a Sony Alpha 1. She finds that rig ideal for head-throw hunting! Note also how tame the birds are.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican Pacific-race 2-year old resting
The Fourth Pelican From Our Right to Our Left
In Image #1, take a look at the fourth young pelican from our right to our left. The bird is sitting on a very sweet pedestal rock, one of my favorite perches at the cliff. Well, anyhoo, that bird is the subject in Image #2 that was made at 840mm from just about the spot that I created the image of Anita and friends that opened this blog post.
Note that I placed the tripod so that I was perfectly parallel to the subject. Note that it was the distance from the subject to the background that yielded the super-smooth and pleasing background, not the aperture. The two things that I love most about Image #2 are the pink and blue about the face and the way that the blue picks up the color of the Pacific Ocean background. Oh, and I love the perch.
This image was created on 16 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA by my friend Anita North. She used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 400mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. ISO 640: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 10:07:48am on a cloudy morning.
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Human-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Brown Pelican squabble-scape
Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Anita G. North
An Aggressive Shooting Style Often Pays Off
Anita was tracking the bird on our left in the image as it flew in and kept firing as it landed. Anita shoots more aggressively than I do, often to her advantage. It is highly likely that I would not have made this image as I would have quit as the bird approached the cliff …
Anita was one of the lucky ones who got her Sony 70-200 II GM lens from Bedford’s first shipment. I told her from the get-go how much I loved mine. Today she said, That lens is my new best friend. I just love it!” She brings her 600 f/4 down onto the cliffs, places it carefully on the dirt along with her tripod, and clambers around on the cliff with the 70-200 II and both TCs.
San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2022 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) Mini IPT. Monday 24 January thru the morning session on Wednesday 26 January 2022. Three mornings and two afternoons: $1649.00. Deposit: $499.00. Limit: 6 photographers
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. (Or two seconds with SONY zebras…) And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure is one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five three hour morning photo sessions, four one and one-half afternoon photo sessions, four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy day occasions, we may — at my discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
A $499 deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Best would be to call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately.
Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
We had another great long cloudy morning shooting session on Tuesday. And another great working brunch at Vahik Cafe. I am amazed this year by the large percentage of young pelicans. In most years, juvenile pelicans can be hard to find. This year there are dozens and dozens. The brown backed, white bellied juvies make up well more than 80% of the birds we’ve been seeing.
Inexpensive shared lodging is available for the San Diego Mini IPT below. Please contact me via e-mail with any questions.
Today is Wednesday January 19 2022. The forecast for today is for mostly cloudy without much of a breeze in the morning and sunny with a northwest wind in the afternoon. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare and makes 68 consecutive days with a new one.
Please remember that 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.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed very well in a difficult situation. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican Pacific-race hind-neck abstract
Let’s Start With Abstract
This beautiful adult pelican was sleeping peacefully high up on the cliff pretty close to the sidewalk. I saw the image I wanted in my mind. I made my tripod as tall as possible to be able to shoot down as much as possible. And I put one leg over the fence to get the angle that I wanted. The pelican slept on. I focused on the tuft of feathers on the top back of the bird’s head. I made many different compositions and kept checking them on the rear screen. I was never happy with any of them until I saw the very last one in the series. That is, of course, Image #1 above. The other thirty-some-odd were deleted. It felt good to finally get it right!
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed very well in a difficult situation. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican Pacific-race adult face portrait
Clean, Tight, and Graphic
I’ve made thousands of images like this over the past decade, but I’d never made one of a bird in the complete shade. Two things make this image very special to me. If you think that you know what they are, please leave a comment.
Take a Crack at This One …
Is the bird in Image #1 the same individual as the bird in Image #2? How did you know?
Your Preference
Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? Why?
San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2022 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) Mini IPT. Monday 24 January thru the morning session on Wednesday 26 January 2022. Three mornings and two afternoons: $1649.00. Deposit: $499.00. Limit: 6 photographers
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. (Or two seconds with SONY zebras…) And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure is one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. Depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five three hour morning photo sessions, four one and one-half afternoon photo sessions, four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy day occasions, we may — at my discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
A $499 deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Best would be to call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately.
Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Please leave a comment letting us know which of today’s featured images floats you boat and why you made your choice. “Whatever floats your boat” pays homage to my late friend, the very dear Dr. Hugh P. Smith.
What’s Up?
Carolyn’s daughter Marni made it for both sessions on Monday. We all had a great time. Carolyn continued her quick mastery of the a1/200-600 combo, and I was able to help Marni with her Nikon D850/80-400VR rig. We had a great lunch at Cafe Vahik. Both Carolyn and Marni wanted to learn about picking your keepers in Photo Mechanic. So that was our lesson.
I am glad that all five of the teams I was rooting for in the NFL playoffs won this weekend (and last night). Now all I need is for the Green Bay Packers to lose ASAP.
Today is Tuesday 18 January. The forecast is for this morning if for more clouds. As clouds are fairly rare here, I love the occasional cloudy day. And with the amazing version II of the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8, cloudy days are even more fun. Its low light capabilities are fantastic. I’ve been using the a1 with the lens alone, with the 1.4X TC, and when it got a bit brighter on Monday, with the 2X TC. The accuracy of the AF system with the new lens and TCs really is so much better than it was with the previous version that it is hard to believe. And best of all, it handles like a dream (especially when compared to the Sony 100-400GM lens). And virtually all of the 70-200II images are razor sharp.
Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare and makes 68 consecutive days with a new one.
Please remember that 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 save 3% 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.
Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!
Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know recently that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!
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 15 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 176mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. ISO 1000: 1/60 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:08:49pm on a dark, dingy morning.
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican immature on cliff
OSS/IS/VR Mode 1
When photographing static subjects hand held at silly-slow shutter speeds, I will often go to stabilization Mode 1 to try to ensure sharp results. Then I need to remember to switch back to Mode 3 (with Sony). In the past, I’d need to switch back to Mode 2 with Canon, or to Active with Nikon. And to answer a commonly asked question, When I am on a tripod I keep IS on 99.9% of the time.
Using the knee-pod technique while sitting on the wet dirt for Image #1, about half of the images that I made of tis young pelican were sharp. The soft images were surely due to gear shake and the relatively slow shutter speed with at 200mm focal length. You can get an idea of how dark it was by looking at the EXIF: 1/60 sec. at f?2.8 at ISO 1000! Making a halfway decent image in such conditions is a neat trick!
Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican adult preening
A Fair Question
Here are two questions left in the Comments section of the Thank You Nice Lady blog post here. My reply follows.
Mike Ross/January 16, 2022 at 2:00pm
Hi Artie,
Please let us know why the 70-200 is so much better than the original version and why it makes the Sony FE 100-400 GM lens obsolete?
Jim Brown/January 16, 2022 at 4:39pm
Yes, I am very curious as well – how a 70-200 can replace a 100-400, even if a 2.8. Does the 70-200 accept teleconverters?
Arthur Morris — BIRDS AS ART/January 16, 2022 at 11:24pm
Mike and Jim,
I sort of shot myself in the foot by failing to finish a sentence and include the link. This is now correct:
You can learn more about why this lens is so much better than the original version and why it makes the Sony FE 100-400 GM lens obsolete in the New Kid on the Block: Versatile, & Deadlier Than Ever blog post here.
I will summarize here: The new 70-200 f/2.8 II is amazingly small and light; it focuses much more quickly and accurately than either the old version of the 70-200 or the 100-400 GM; the zoom mechanism is infinitely better than the zoom mechanism of the 100-400. I would often joke that you need an oil filter wrench to zoom in and out with the FE 100-400 GM; You can zoom smoothly through the entire focal length range with less than a quarter turn of the zoom ring; In addition, the 70-200 II performs perfectly with either the 1.4X TC or the 2X TC; At 400mm with the 2X, it focus down to 33 inches; And of course, at f/2.8 it is a very fast lens when used on its own.
I will be doing several follow-up blog posts on the new lens very soon and will expound on my comments above. If this were a fight — the 70-200 II with TCs versus the 100-400, it would be stopped at the weigh-in!
Just my thoughts.
This image was created on 15 January 2022 at La Jolla, CA. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 164mm) 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 12:56:47pm on a cloudy afternoon.
Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Brown Pelican juvenile coming in to land
No Sony 300mm f/2.8 Lens
I have felt from the get-go that the absence of a 300mm f/2.8 was a big hole in the Sony lens lineup. But, as I have pointed out here before, the release of the 70-200 f/2.8 fills that gap rather nicely. With the addition of the FE 1.4X teleconverter, you have a 98-280mm f/4 lens. So you’ve lost 20mm of reach and one full stop of light. But the 300mm f/2.8 lenses now in production weigh more than five pounds, cost more the $6,000, and are not nearly as versatile as the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 II with the 1.4X TC.
I’m fine calling the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 II with the 1.4X TC the poor man’s 300mm f/2.8.
Tracking: Zone S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #4: western Gull adult braking to land
The Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 II with the 1.4X TC as a Flight Lens
As you can see with images #3 and #4, the poor man’s 300 f/2.8 is a superb combination for photographing birds in flight. It light in weight, is ridiculously easy to hand hold, offers fast and super-smooth zooming, and, paired with a (properly set up) Sony a1, consistently produces razor-sharp flight shots. I’ll be sharing some images made with the hand held 70-700mm f/2.8 II/2X/a1 rig with you here very soon.
Doing flight photography requires fast shutter speeds. Working at f/2.8 (with large birds) or at f/4, gives you a very big ISO advantage when compared with either the Sony 100-400m GM of the 200-600 G lens.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up 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. This week, two folks in the group ordered their third a1! I am envious. The group is now up to an astounding 103 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 all who wish, can request 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.
All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info & Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.
San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2022 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) Mini IPT. Monday 24 January thru the morning session on Wednesday 26 January 2022. Three mornings and two afternoons: $1649.00. Deposit: $499.00. Limit: 6 photographers
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. (Or two seconds with SONY zebras…) And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure is one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five three hour morning photo sessions, four one and one-half afternoon photo sessions, four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy day occasions, we may — at my discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
A $499 deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Best would be to call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately.
Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Thanks to all who commented on the Allen’s Hummingbird images. I am still excited about those. All are invited to leave a comment letting us know which of today’s three pelican images is their favorite, and why they made their choice.
What’s Up?
Carolyn Johnson, a shipmate on a Southern Ocean voyage about ten years ago, called me about two months ago wanting to sign up for the first San Diego IPT. I asked her about her gear — she was using Nikon at the time. We talked for a bit and I shared my experiences with Sony, especially with the a1 and the 200-600 G lens. I thought that that combo would be perfect for her. Wanting very much to improve her photography, she followed my advice and purchased both items from Bedfords (thank her very much). When we met early on Sunday morning, she had never used the camera. Now the word on the street is that the a1 is a difficult camera to use with a menu that is nearly impossible to understand. That may very well be true if you do not know how set up the camera. We had loaded my CAMSETA2.DAT onto Carolyn’s camera body. I sat with her for ten minutes demonstrating how to set the right exposure using (properly set-up) Zebras, and how to use the AF system. She was astonished as she watched the back of my camera as it tracked the eye seamlessly in with both Tracking: Spot S and Tracking: Zone. And when she tried it herself she was even more astonished.
She worked off the tripod for a bit, but when the light levels increased, she began hand holding her rig and did so with ease. Carolyn is on the petite side and is 78 years young. Not to mention that she learned to use her new camera in ten minutes flat.
She sent me a text that afternoon, and I quote:
Artie, I am sitting here in tears as the photos are so good. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
The fact is that set up correctly, the a1 is super-easy to learn to use. You can begin making excellent photographs in short order.
Today is Monday 17 January. The forecast for this morning is for mostly to mostly cloudy skies with a gentle breeze from the southeast. Carolyn’s daughter Marni was delayed a day and will be joining us early today. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare and makes 67 consecutive days with a new one.
Please remember that 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 save 3% 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.
This image was created on 15 January 2022, my first morning in La Jolla. Standing at full height on the sidewalk, I used the no-longer-available Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). IS 640. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/320 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:44:26am on a mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C performed very well. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a higher-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican on curved branch perch
The Discovery
I was working for two hours with the amazing Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens when I saw this bird on the crazy-beautiful perch. There was a small opening through the bushes and it looked as if I could get a long lens on the bird. So I headed back to the car and grabbed the 600 and the tripod. I was thrilled when I returned and found the bird still sitting on the same perch. Image #1 is a straight-forward horizontal portrait of the whole bird. I found the distant cliff-wall background to be quite lovely.
I almost forgot to mention that at times on Sunday morning it was drizzling pretty good.
This image was created on 15 January 2022, my first morning in La Jolla. Standing at full height on the sidewalk, I used the no-longer-available Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). IS 640. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/320 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:45:17am on a mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C performed very well. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a higher-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican shaking off rain
Missing the Head Throw!
Working horizontally, when the bird did a perfect head throw I was dead in the water; I did not even press the shutter button. So I switched to vertical, but alas, that was the last head throw. The bird did, however, raise its head while shaking off the rain. Score one for vertical. Would you have replaced the eye in this frame? Why or why not?
This image was created on 15 January 2022, my first morning in La Jolla. Standing at full height on the sidewalk, I used the no-longer-available Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). IS 1000. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:44:26am on a mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C performed very well. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a higher-res version.
Image #3: Brown Pelican stretching
Score Two for Vertical
When the bird leaned forward to stretch its right wing, it fit perfectly into the still vertical frame. This image was cropped a bit on all sides but the bottom.
San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2022 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) Mini IPT. Monday 24 January thru the morning session on Wednesday 26 January 2022. Three mornings and two afternoons: $1649.00. Deposit: $499.00. Limit: 6 photographers
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. (Or two seconds with SONY zebras…) And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure is one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five three hour morning photo sessions, four one and one-half afternoon photo sessions, four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy day occasions, we may — at my discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
A $499 deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Best would be to call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately.
Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
On Saturday, I was photographing pelicans from the sidewalk and getting some really nice stuff on a lousy weather/great photography day in San Diego. A lady walked by and said, “There’s a male Allen’s Hummingbird up on the Coast Walk Trail.” “Thanks,” I said, “I have been photographing birds for 38 years and have never had any kind of chance on that species.” Thank you lady indeed.
What’s Up?
It was a drizzly morning in San Diego. There was little light at first. There were lots of pelicans and lots of tourists walking around on the cliffs scaring off first some and then all of the pelicans. I photographed hand held for two hours with the amazing Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens. You can learn more about why this lens is so much better than the original version and why it makes the Sony FE 100-400 GM lens obsolete in the blog post here. When the pelicans relocated, I did the same. Then I saw a nice pelican image in my mind and went back to the car to grab the 600 f/4 and the tripod. I was thrilled that the bird had not moved an inch when I got back to the spot.
Today is Sunday 16 January 2022. The forecast for this morning is for partly to mostly cloudy with a northeast breeze. Excellent. I am meeting long-ago shipmate Carolyn Johnson and her daughter Marni Nagy for a pre-IPT free morning. Carolyn is new to the Sony A1 and Marni is with my old friend, the Nikon D850. We are looking forward to a grand time. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare and makes 67 consecutive days with a new one.
Please remember that 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 save 3% 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.
Sony Alpha 1 Bodies in Stock at Bedfords/free card offer!
Steve Elkins of Bedfords let me know recently that he had several Sony a1 bodies in stock. If one of them has your name on it, please click here and be sure to enter the BIRDSASART coupon code check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. Right now, in lieu of the 3% credit refunded to the card you used for your purchase, you will receive a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card, a $399.99 value!
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.
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed very well in a difficult situation. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: Allen’ Hummingbird male calling
Not a Pelican in San Diego!
How’s this? A Brown Pelican weighs between eight and ten pounds. It takes nine Allen’s Hummingbirds to weigh one ounce. Yet I love to photograph both of them.
Having never photographed Allen’s, I was thrilled to find the bird so quickly. After more than an hour, I had created 1008 images of the single bird. I kept 101 after the first edit. Four of my favorites are below.
Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed very well in a difficult situation. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #2: Allen’ Hummingbird
Photographing Tiny Birds in Low Light
When the Allen’s perched, it was pretty much oblivious to humans. There were lots of folks walking within ten feet of the bird and the little hummer never moved. My 600 lens only focuses down to 14 feet. I knew that I needed a TC to get additional pixels on the bird. The choice of the 1.4X over the 2X was an easy one because of the low light levels. I did not want to be using the higher ISOs. And it is easier to make sharp images at 840mm than at 1200mm. That said in the low light I was working with dry low shutter speeds and did lose lots of images to subject movement. But I did get a few very sharp and very good ones. Each of today’s images was cropped to about 50% of the original frame.
Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed very well in a difficult situation. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #3: Allen’ Hummingbird side view
The Side View
With the breeze from the east, most of the images were of the bird facing me. That was nice because the gorget was lit up nicely more than half the time. I had one chance at a side view and was lucky that just before the bird flew to a new perch, it gave me a very nice head angle for about three seconds. How handsome!
Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed very well in a difficult situation. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #4: Allen’ Hummingbird scratching
The Best Image?
Which of the four Allen’s Hummingbird images do you think is the best? Please leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.
San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2022 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) Mini IPT. Monday 24 January thru the morning session on Wednesday 26 January 2022. Three mornings and two afternoons: $1649.00. Deposit: $499.00. Limit: 6 photographers
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. (Or two seconds with SONY zebras…) And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure is one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five three hour morning photo sessions, four one and one-half afternoon photo sessions, four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy day occasions, we may — at my discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
A $499 deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Best would be to call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately.
Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
My flights to San Diego were happily non-eventful. As often happens, I got a ton of work done on consolidating the 26 SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Notes e-mails. I had already completed a SONY Alpha a1 Setup and Info Getting Started Guide and an Artie’s Settings & CAMSETA2.DAT Buttons and Dials Guide e-mail. On the plane en route to Pheonix, I worked for more than four hours on the a1 CAMSETA2 INFO file. That is a compilation of the 26 e-mails that had been sent to the group members. I have a bit more work to do and when that is done, I will need to send only three e-mails to the new folks in the group (rather than the previous 28). Much of the stuff in the 26 e-mails dealt with the no-longer-relevant Viewfinder Blackout issues that were solved many months ago with the release of the V.1.10 Firmware update.
Today is Saturday 15 January 2022. I am headed to La Jolla early to scout for the first San Diego IPT. Amazingly, the early morning forecast is for cloudy with occasional light rain. For more than the past 50 years, the sun always shines when I am in San Diego. 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 66 consecutive days with a new one.
Please remember that 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 save 3% 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.
Image #1: Pacific-race Brown Pelican, sub-adult head throw
Seeking Head Throws!
On every San Diego IPT, we strive to teach folks to anticipate the dramatic head throws and to make some good images of this cool behavior. Consider joining me on the Mini IPT above or inquiring via e-mail if you would like to explore the possibility of an In-the-Field session or two the previous week (18-20 January).
With Image #1, note the isolation of the subject, the vertical framing without clipping anything, the subject-to-film-plane orientation (perfectly square), the distant background, and that the image captured the peak of the action. Making a great head throw image is both very challenging and very rewarding.
Image #1A: RawDigger screen capture for the Pacific-race Brown Pelican, sub-adult head throw image
My Excuses
So just why is this image one full stop under-exposed?
#1: I was brand new to Sony at the time and Patrick (mostly) and I (somewhat) had not figured out how to set and utilize the Zebra technology.
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 how to use it to quickly and easily evaluate the exposure or raw file brightness of images from all digital cameras currently in use. RawDigger was especially helpful to me when I struggled with R5 exposures and when I learned my new camera body, the Sony Alpha a1.
San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2022 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) Mini IPT. Monday 24 January thru the morning session on Wednesday 26 January 2022. Three mornings and two afternoons: $1649.00. Deposit: $499.00. Limit: 6 photographers
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. (Or two seconds with SONY zebras…) And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure is one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five three hour morning photo sessions, four one and one-half afternoon photo sessions, four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy day occasions, we may — at my discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
A $499 deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Best would be to call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due immediately.
Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
