Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

I just took a peek out the back door and saw a hazy half-moon so there is lots of moisture in the air and it seems quite still. It might be a good morning for flower photography. I will head down to the lake early this morning, Tuesday 14 APR 2020. I enjoyed two photo sessions yesterday afternoon. The best were some swimming crane images in the morning and a nice series of palm tree silhouettes late in the day.

Thanks to the many who have ordered the almost-finished SONY e-Guide and Video(s). If you purchase, please be sure to include your e-mail address in a note as we do not always receive Paypal notification and please send a copy of your Paypal order that includes your e-mail address to me at the samandmayasgrandpa@att.net address.

Thanks to Kathy Hronopoulos of Western Australia for her SONY e-guide order. Kathy, if you see this, please contact me via e-mail as the emails I sent to the address in your Paypal bounced back to me.

Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera Videos and Pre-publication e-Guide Costs and Discount Info

The cost of the SONY e-Guide is $100.00 US and will include one of the four camera set-up videos — we offer one video each for the a7r iii, the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii — and the written guide with the galleries. The guide is now 98% done and you will — of course, receive the final version when it is completed. I sent out the third draft today to those who have purchased the Guide with or without the discount.

Folks who have used my B&H links or purchased their SONY gear from Bedfords will receive said discount based exactly on how much they spent. If you spent more than $10,000 you will receive one free video and the e-Guide. Additional camera videos are $25.00 each. If you spent $2400, you will receive a 24% discount, and so on and so forth. And again, additional camera videos will be $25.00 each.

I will need time to verify your B&H purchases so folks will need to send their receipts and then be a bit patient. It is much easier to verify Bedfords’ purchases but I need those receipts as well.

If you have not used BAA links, please do so in the future. If that is the case and you would like the e-Guide now, please send a Paypal for $100 US to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words “SONY Pre-publication Guide” in the Paypal e-mail along with the name of your camera or cameras so that you can receive the correct video or videos. Please add $25 for each additional camera video. Be sure to send a copy of the Paypal transaction to me via e-mail.

Folks who have used BAA links to purchase their SONY gear should send their receipts to me via e-mail asap and let me know which camera videos they need. I will verify their purchases as quickly as possible and send a quote to be paid via Paypal as above.

Thanks to all who have properly used my B&H links or gone through the fabulous Steve Elkins at Bedfords, and thanks to everyone for having faith in the information that I provide, knowing that it will be the best available anywhere.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

New Used Gear Listings

Please note: the purchase of the below will include a $50.00 discount on the almost-finished SONY e-Guide.

Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS

IPT veteran and dear friend Patrick Sparkman is offering a Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens in very good condition for a very low $1650.00. The body of the lens is in excellent condition. The glass is perfect except for a tiny scratch on the front element that does not affect performance. The sale includes the lens hood, the original box, the soft case that came with the lens, the front lens cap, the rear lens cap, and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Patrick via e-mail.

The .98 meter minimum focusing distance of the SONY 100-400 is a huge plus. It comes in very handy when working with mega-tame birds and the lens can be effective as a quasi-macro lens for large bugs (including butterflies and dragonflies), frogs, all but very small flower blossoms, and lots more. In addition, it is a more than capable flight lens that is a lot lighter than the 200-600. The 100-400 was my workhorse lens on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime. As it sells new for $2,498.00 you can save a very neat $848.00 by grabbing Patrick’s lens.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created in my driveway on Sunday 12 APR 2020. I used the Induro GIT 404L FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at at 560mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless digital camera body. ISO 500. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/14 in Manual mode. AWB at 10:03am on a morning with mixed clouds and sun. Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. Image #1: Fresh Magnolia blossom portrait

Now is the Time

When you see something that interests you, photograph it. If you think, I’ll photograph that tomorrow, it ain’t gonna happen. This is doubly true with macro photography. Add in the fact that magnolia blossoms are quite fragile. They are often overrun by small bugs and the petals bruise easily. It had not been the greatest morning for bird photography — the only images that I kept were of vultures. The low blossom that I had seen when I pulled the car out of my garage had opened, so I checked it out despite the then-bright sun and the wind. Having just opened, it was in pristine condition. I almost gave up on the situation but realized that the flower might look really bad by the next day. So I pulled into the garage and went to work. As often happens, this was the first image in a long series. It was made when a cloud covered the sun briefly.

Image created with my i-Phone 11 on 12 APR. See The iPhone Photography e-Guide by Dr. Cliff Oliver. That’s where I learned to shoot with my i-Phone! macro-telephoto set-up

Why the Second Tripod?

Setting up a second tripod in the manner seen in the image above was the key to success. Why?

Image #2: Magnolia blossom on i-Phone 5s. Image courtesy of and copyright 2016 Jennifer Morris

The Prize-winner and Stamen Scars

The image above was created in my driveway by older daughter Jennifer. Though I like the image I created last Sunday, Jen’s image would surely win Best of Show in the Magnolia Blossoms in artie’s Driveway category. Read the whole story in the Can Photography Actually Be Simple? Or is it Genetic? blog post here. Curious as to the gorgeous pink in Jennifer’s image I did a few web searches. Here is what I came up with: the tiny curvy green parts are the carpels (or anthers or stigmas). The off-white cup-like structure below those are the (developing?) stamens. And the pink seen only in Jen’s slightly older flower are the stamen scars, presumably a result of some of the stamens falling off.

If you can add anything to the above or have any corrections, please leave a comment as my web search was anything but definitive.

Final note: By Monday morning the pink stamen scars on this year’s low blossom were evident but the flower was otherwise a mess.

The Art of Flower Photography, a 203 page eBook/a link to the PDF will be sent via e-mail: $29.00.

The Art of Flower Photography by Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris

You can learn everything e about this e-book here, or order your copy here.

Video: The Art of Flower Photography

In this B&H Event Space video, two of the world’s premier photographers of flora and fauna — Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito — share the techniques they use to create dramatic, sharp, well-composed, properly exposed images of flowers and flower fields. Denise does great things with the Canon 100mm f/2.8 L IS lens, while artie often goes to longer focal lengths—he has been seen photographing tulips at Keukenhoff Gardens, Holland, with a 600mm lens and a teleconverter. In addition to standard techniques, the video ends with Ippolito and Morris showing a wide range of abstract floral images and describing a variety of creative artistic effects such as multiple exposures, sharp/soft blending, texture overlays, warping a flower, creating zoom/twirls, in-camera blurs, and many others.

Click here to see the video.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog or Bedfords, for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links or Bedfords for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

Groundhog Day. Every day. Up early. Down to the lake. Work on the SONY guide. Work on photos. Speak to both my daughters. Swim. And two meals. Recently I have been watching reruns of the Masters golf tournament. In a normal year, we would be watching the winner get his green jacket in the Butler Cabin late this afternoon, Sunday 12 APR 2020.

Happy Easter and Azizen Pesach (have a sweet Passover) to all.

Via e-Mail from old-friend and multiple IPT veteran Dr. Steve Bein

Why is this night different from all other nights?
On all other nights, we open the door to Elijah. On this night we keep the door firmly shut as we are social distancing.
On all other nights, we dip for the 10 plagues. On this night we do not need to remind ourselves of another 9. One is quite sufficient, thank you.
On all other nights, we hide the afikomen (matzoh). On this night we hide a roll of toilet paper. Blessed be he who finds this treasure.
On all other nights, we eat bitter herbs. On this night lemon, honey and ginger to ward off chest coughs and colds.
Next year in Jerusalem as we are definitely not going to China!

Happy and Healthy Pesach

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created on the morning of 10 APR 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my SUV, I used the Induro FlexShooter Pro Mini-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body.. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:42am on a cloudy morning. Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. Scroll down for AF point location information. Cattle Egret, non-breeding plumage near pink marsh plant

The Situation

If I am doing non-breeding Cattle Egrets on cloudy days, you will know that the photographic opportunities were not great. That morning I kept only 22 images — some vultures, a young great blue, Old Gnarly, the crane colt family, and a few Osprey flight shots. There were a few Cattle Egrets feeding along the eastern edge of the North Peninsula that offered the chance of a gray water background. I slowly moved the SUV into position and shut off the engine while quickly removing the key to prevent the high-pitched whine that often scares away my intended subjects.

A bird flew in and landed. I knew instantly that I had to reposition the vehicle and risk scaring all the birds away. I started the Sequoia, put it in gear, moved the car forward six inches, and turned off the engine. The bird that I wanted had not moved. Hooray!

I keep Upper Center Zone as my default vertical AF Area Mode. As I framed the image I tapped the bottom of the joystick to set Center Zone. I acquired focus and created six images. Then the bird flew began to forage and the shot was gone. The first photo — today’s featured image — offered the best pose by far. Perfect bird/flower juxtapositions are rare; had I not acted quickly and decisively, I would not have succeeded.

Why?

Why did I move the car forward six inches?

The Flower?

If you know the name of the flower, please leave a comment. I do not think that it is native (but hope that I am wrong).

The Mini/GIT 204 Combo in the Vehicle

I am really loving using the FlexShooter Pro Mini on the Induro GIT 204. The Mini weighs 1 lb, 1.4 ozs and the GIT 204 tips the scales at 4 lbs, 0.2 ozs for a total of 5 lbs, 1.6 ozs. The FlexShooter Pro weighs 1 lb, 9.4 ozs and the GIT 304L comes in at 4 lbs, 10.7 ozs for a total of 6 lbs, 4.1 ozs. So the Mini/204 combo is 1 lb, 2.5 ounces lighter than the Pro/304L rig. Just over a pound does not seem like a huge weight saving, but the thinner legs and smaller size of the GIT 204 make it a lot easier to set up in my vehicle.

Learn how in

The Setting up a Tripod in Your Vehicle Video

.

Click on the image to read the fine print. Capture One RAW Conversion Screen-Capture

Capture One RAW Conversion Screen-Capture

First, carefully compare the optimized image that opened this blog post with the RAW image in the Capture One Screen-Capture and you will note some image clean-up. I used Content-Aware to eliminate the gray area in the bottom right corner, Divide and Conquer to get rid of some bright or ill-placed grass stems, and — working large — cleaned some tiny feathers off the bill tip. Eagle-eyed folks might note the small crop from below and from the right.

Note also that I increased the Exposure 1/3 stop (+.32) to bring the RGB values for brightest WHITEs on the top of the bird’s head into the mid-240s and then set the BLACK point by pulling in the dark tones on the left side of Levels until the BLUE underexposure warnings showed and then backed off just a bit. You might be asking, “If using Zebras to get a perfect exposure is so great how did you wind up 1/3 stop underexposed?” For the answer to that question, see the RawDigger item next.

RawDigger Screen-Capture

RawDigger Screen-Capture

The Over-exposure/Under-exposure Stats above show 206 underexposed RED pixels and 39 underexposed BLUE pixels. But as those are out of 61,000,000 pixels, the over/under percentages show 0.0% across the board. Such is the brilliance of Patrick Sparkman’s Zebra value. Using our method for getting the right exposure with ISO set to the Control Wheel is so accurate that even when you screw up one-third stop you are still perfect! You can learn just what we are doing in the soon-to-be-finished SONY e-Guide and Camera Videos. Recently, we added a Zebras Coaching gallery to the e-Guide. And the videos include a live Zebras demo.

Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera Videos and Pre-publication e-Guide Costs and Discount Info

The cost of the SONY e-Guide is $100.00 US and will include one of the four camera set-up videos — we offer one video each for the a7r iii, the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii — and the written guide with the galleries. The guide is now 98% done and you will — of course, receive the final version when it is completed. I sent out the third draft today to those who have purchased the Guide with or without the discount.

Folks who have used my B&H links or purchased their SONY gear from Bedfords will receive said discount based exactly on how much they spent. If you spent more than $10,000 you will receive one free video and the e-Guide. Additional camera videos are $25.00 each. If you spent $2400, you will receive a 24% discount, and so on and so forth. And again, additional camera videos will be $25.00 each.

I will need time to verify your B&H purchases so folks will need to send their receipts and then be a bit patient. It is much easier to verify Bedfords’ purchases but I need those receipts as well.

If you have not used BAA links, please do so in the future. If that is the case and you would like the e-Guide now, please send a Paypal for $100 US to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words “SONY Pre-publication Guide” in the Paypal e-mail along with the name of your camera or cameras so that you can receive the correct video or videos. Please add $25 for each additional camera video. Be sure to send a copy of the Paypal transaction to me via e-mail.

Folks who have used BAA links to purchase their SONY gear should send their receipts to me via e-mail asap and let me know which camera videos they need. I will verify their purchases as quickly as possible and send a quote to be paid via Paypal as above.

Thanks to all who have properly used my B&H links or gone through the fabulous Steve Elkins at Bedfords, and thanks to everyone for having faith in the information that I provide, knowing that it will be the best available anywhere.

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

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

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

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

You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About two years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12 and continue to do so today.

To purchase Capture One, please use this link. Then you can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here.

You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and edited by yours truly. Please use this link to purchase NeatImage.

To introduce folks to our MP.4 videos and the basics involved in applying more NeatImage noise reduction to the background and less on the subject, I’d be glad to send you a free copy of the Free Noise Reduction Basics MP.4 Video. Simply click to shoot me an e-mail to get your free copy.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog or Bedfords, for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links or Bedfords for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).