December 20th, 2019 What’s Up?
I optimized the six images for this blog post (in less than 30 minutes) while waiting for my early morning flight from Islip to Orlando on Thursday, December 19, 2019. It was a bit nippy on Long Island when I exited my cab at the airport at 4:11am: 16 degrees F, with me in a sweatshirt … I began working on this blog post on the plane (while off-line).
I was glad to learn that IPT veteran Terry Tsuchiyama will be joining the still-small San Diego IPT group.
Please …
Please consider leaving a comment and letting us know which of today’s eight featured images you wish was yours, and why.
This Week’s Sign That the Apocalypse is Upon Us
Near the end of the flight, I had a nice chat with the guy in my row. The last thing that I said to him before we exited was “I really need to be careful not to leave. anything behind.” Laptop: check. Water bottle: check. Pen: check! Cell phone: check. I got my Think Tank roller out of the overhead and was ready to deplane when the guy in the row behind me said, “You might want to grab your brown shoes from under your seat.:
Because the plane was so cold when we boarded, I put on my super-warm MEC booties and thought that putting my shoes under my seat rather than under the seat in front of me would be a good plan and keep them out of the way. Well, they were not only out of the way, they were out of my mind. That is the last time I will do that; from now on, they will go under the seat in front of me …
Friday Morning Update
My flight was easy-peasy. Jim picked me up at about 9:30am. After a short stop at Publix, we were home by 11am. Then it was back in the pool for a half-mile swim in my second-coldest-ever pool: an even 70 degrees F. Once this is posted I will head down to the lake for a walk.
|
|
|
My Images from a trip to Longyearbeyn with Patrick and Robin Sparkman in 2011 — could it be that long ago?
Images copyright Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
|
Svalbard Arctic Nesting Bird IPT
If you are interested in joining me for a week of bird photography in Arctic Norway (Longyearbyen, Svalbard) in mid-June of this year, please shoot me an e-mail immediately. Common and King Eider, Red-throated Loon, Red Phalarope, Ivory Gull, jaegers, Dovekie, and lots more. This trip fits perfectly with the Cheeseman’s Svalbard Islands June 23 to July 6, 2020 Polar Bear trip. I will be on that.
IPT Updates
Click here for complete IPT info and details.
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 December 18, 2019 at Point Lookout, LI, NY. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 400mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 500. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 1:46pm on a then partly sunny afternoon.
Lowest center Flexible Spot (L) worked perfectly by getting sharp focus on the closest birds.
Click on the image to see a larger, inexplicably sharper version
Image #1: Brant flock in inlet
|
A Cold and Windy Afternoon Beach Walk
A few decades ago, I did a program for Huntington Audubon. I am not sure how things developed, but skilled Long Island bird photographer Tom Pfeifer kindly invited me to his home for dinner. Since then, I try to meet up with Tom for at least one photo session. I was free from Monday through Wednesday but the weather on Monday was lousy and Tuesday was ice-rain all day. It was supposed to be clear on Wednesday morning but with the winds from the northwest that was a no-go for me. Tom and I agreed to meet at Nickerson at 1pm on Wednesday afternoon to search for the reported Snowy Owl. You know how those usually go …
A Text From Tom
Tom texted me mid-morning saying that he got to the beach early, had quickly found the owl, and had made a few good images. I texted back saying that I would get my gear and cold-weather clothing together as fast as possible and head to Nickerson. I got there at about 12:30pm and called Tom. He said that the owl had flown and was in a lousy spot deep in the beach grasses. I told him that I would scout the inlet at Point Lookout and report back to him. They do not make it easy to park there, so I grabbed only the 2-6 and walked the few blocks. As I approached the water, two big flocks of Brant flew by well off sun angle. When I reached the water’s edge the flock was far to my left but right down sun angle. I set up for sunny flight photography hoping that they would take flight. That never happened. So, I walked the beach to the left and created the bird-scape above.
With the sun out at nearly full strength, but still hoping for a take-off, I simply lowered the ISO until the white areas on the Brant showed Zebras and then backed off one click on the ISO. Post processing in Capture One was straight-forward. Once I had the image in Photoshop, I eliminated a very few birds from each frame-edge using the Patch Tool on the left frame-edge and a Quick Mask refined by a Regular Layer Mask on the right frame-edge. All of my clean-up techniques and tons more Photoshop/current workflow stuff info including all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — is 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.
|
|
|
This image was also created on December 18, 2019 at Point Lookout, LI, NY. Again I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (this time at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1600. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 1:51pm on a then cloudy afternoon.
One up from the bottom left of center Flexible Spot (L) worked perfectly by getting sharp focus on the closest bird just right of center.
Click on the image to see a larger, inexplicably sharper version.
Image #2: Brant Flock-scape — small group in inlet
|
My Beach Walk Continued …
I called Tom to let him know about the Brant, but he decided to stay with the owl that was “not doing a thing.” The weatherman was — for a change — right on the money. The forecast was for clouds to develop in the early afternoon and that is exactly what happened. I headed back up the beach and when the Brant came a bit closer, I created Image #2. Notice that with the thickening’ clouds, I increased the ISO correspondingly. All that was needed to create the clean frame-edges for Image #2. was a small crop.
|
|
|
This image was also created on December 18, 2019 at Point Lookout, LI, NY. Again I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (this time at 524mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 2500. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/2000 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 2:08:23 on a by now cloudy-dark afternoon.
One down from center Flexible Spot (S) was placed on the eye of the Purple Sandpiper.
Click on the image to see a larger, inexplicably sharper version.
Image #3: Purple Sandpiper with Dunlin on a small rock jetty
|
Making a U-turn …
I was almost back at the path that led up to the tiny town of Point Lookout when I saw a flock of shorebirds land on the small rock jetty about 200 yards up the inlet (to the north which was to my left). I had thought that they were Sanderlings. When I got closer, I noted several Ruddy Turnstones on the beach, and perhaps a dozen more shorebirds on the jetty — three were handsome Purple Sandpipers and the rest were Dunlin. As I just about clipped the eye of the bird just peeking into the frame on our right, I expanded the canvas there using Content-Aware Fill Crop. Everything looked good except for the two eyes! I used the Patch Tool and the Clone Stamp Tool to clean that up.
I could have avoided that by moving the selected AF point once or twice to the left. Note with this image that f/9 was an error. Working at f/7.1 would have allowed me to drop the ISO two clicks to 1600. That said, I’d rate the a9 II high ISO performance as excellent.
How Many Birds?
How many birds do you count in Image #3?
|
|
|
This image was also created on December 18, 2019 at Point Lookout, LI, NY. Again I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (this time at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1600. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/500 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 2:08:52 on a by now very cloudy-dark afternoon.
One down from center Flexible Spot (S) was placed on the eye of the Purple Sandpiper.
Click on the image to see a larger, inexplicably sharper version.
Image #4: Dunlin juxtaposition
|
The Strong West Wind
I was able to approach the normally skittish shorebirds quite closely in part because I moved very slowly and in part because of the strong west wind; birds are often reluctant to fly in very windy conditions, sort of pinned down by the wind. Note that Image #4 was created just 29 seconds after Image #3. In good situations, you need to be prepared to work quickly and efficiently in order to maximize your opportunities. The birds were hopping around from rock to rock as small waves hit the jetty so the chances were pretty good that I would be able to isolate a bird or two. And I was hoping that one of the purple sands would hop up to a nice rock all by itself.
As it was a pretty good situation and Tom was keeping an eye on the owl for me, I decided to give him a FaceTime call and show him the situation. I figured that he might want to walk to his car, drive to the east end of Point Lookout, walk down to the inlet, and then traverse the 200 yards to the small rock jetty. I realize now that that was not quite realistic.
Perhaps Not the Wisest Move …
Once I got Tom on FT I raised the phone to show him how close I was to the birds. As I raised my arm, the small flock of shorebirds flew away, not to be seen again. Oops. At least Tom did not have to make a decision. He did let me know that the owl was still resting in the tall grasses.
Anyhoo, I decided to head to Nickerson and at least take a look at the owl as I had only seen a very few in my 42 or 43 years of birding and bird photography. I called Tom as I pulled into the lot. He told me that the owl had flown to a more favorable position.
|
|
|
This image was also created on December 18, 2019 at Point Lookout, LI, NY. Again I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (again at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 2500. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/800 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 2:24pm on a very cloudy-dark afternoon.
One down from center Flexible Spot (S) was placed on the eye of the Purple Sandpiper.
Click on the image to see a larger, inexplicably sharper version.
Image #5: Brant juxtaposition
|
Closer Still …
Once I scared off all the shorebirds, I headed back to my vehicle. As I approached the path back to town, I noticed that the Brant were swimming in closer, so I nestled down among some large rocks and created image # 5 (while wishing that I had the 600 GM with the 1.4X TC).
Thanks Buddy!
Thanks not only to good buddy Tom Pfeifer who babysat the owl for me until things improved.
|
|
|
i-Phone 8+ image.
Image #7:Photographers at the beach
|
What Excites You?
When I saw the photographers atop the sand ridge and the big sky with the God-rays, I took off my gloves and got out my i-phone. Just as I was framing the image the guy in blue started to leave. I asked him to go back and pose with his lens for a minute. And he did. Without him in the shoot, it would not have been nearly as good.
Exposure Question
After bringing the i-Phone image into Photoshop, a healthy dose of the Shadow slider did a great job of opening up the underexposed photographers. Why had the photographers been so under-exposed?
Good Going!
There were about a dozen photographers working the owl. Perhaps a few more than that. I am glad to be able to report that everyone was well-behaved. Everyone moved slowly when approaching the bird and kept their tripods low. Newly arrived folks were careful to approach from directly behind those already shooting so that their movements were shielded from the bird. And folks who wanted a different angle moved even more slowly and stayed back a bit. After about an hour, the bird turned around, faced into the wind, and took flight.
Tom and old friend Jimmy G headed off the re-find the bird. I headed back to Lissy’s house to pack for my flight home. Tom told me that the bird landed in an uncluttered spot; I was glad for them. I had had a great afternoon.
|
|
|
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 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)
Introductory Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; WED JAN 7, 2020.
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, 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 Bird of Paradise flowers. 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 relocated) 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 the subject of blinkies. 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. And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be 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. 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 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 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, four lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own.
A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 3385, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due upon registration. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.
|
|
|
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.
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 will be visiting 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 :).
December 18th, 2019 What’s Up?
I changed my flight from late on Thursday to very early on Thursday (tomorrow, 18 DEC). Jim will be picking me up at Orlando just a bit after 9am.
I was glad to learn of the sale of Jim Miller’s Canon 600 II and his 1.4X III TC within hours of being listed yesterday.
I am heading to Nickerson Beach this afternoon in search of a reported Snowy Owl and perhaps some large flocks of wintering Sanderling and a few gulls.
|
|
|
My Images from a trip to Longyearbeyn with Patrick and Robin Sparkman in 2011 — could it be that long ago?
Images copyright Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
|
Svalbard Arctic Nesting Bird IPT
If you are interested in joining me for a week of bird photography in Arctic Norway (Longyearbyen, Svalbard) in mid-June of this year, please shoot me an e-mail immediately. Common and King Eider, Red-throated Loon, Red Phalarope, Ivory Gull, jaegers, Dovekie, and lots more. This trip fits perfectly with the Cheeseman’s Svalbard Islands June 23 to July 6, 2020 Polar Bear trip. I will be on that.
Please …
Please consider leaving a comment and letting us know which of today’s eight featured images is your favorite, and why.
IPT Updates
Click here for complete IPT info and details.
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.
An e-mail from Patrick
I finally got out to La Jolla with the 600 yesterday. It was a mostly cloudy morning, with a really large swell and a 6-foot high tide — ideal conditions. The point was covered with birds! The road is open, and there are even more parking spots down the left side than there were before. The Bridge Club and bathrooms are fenced off for some reason, but there are porta-potties to use. So overall, things are really good!
The Brandt’s Cormorants are starting to nest, and there are a lot more 1st-year Heerman’s Gulls this year; that makes me happy. But the real show-stoppers are the pelicans. They are really beautiful this year. There are lots of both white-necks and black-necks, with a few odd juvies and second-year birds.
This was the first time that I have been out with the 600 GM and the A9 with the Animal Eye AF firmware update. The 600 is absolutely unbelievable!! It is light and easy to handhold with the most amazing sharpness of any lens that I have ever used, especially with the 2X. With Canon, I could always tell the images that I shot at 1200mm just by looking at them in the editing software. They had lower contrast and sharpness, still usable, but definitely noticeable. With the Sony combo, however, I have to look at the file data because the 1200mm images look so good. As for the A9, it continues to be the most-fun-to-use camera body ever for me. The fact that it occasionally locks onto the bird’s eye is icing on the cake for me; it is really neat when that happens. But the real killer plus is the ease of flight shots with the 600 alone, with the 1.4X, and even the 2X. With the 600 bare, it is almost like shooting stills — just point and shoot. I know that the A7R boodies have better image quality, but the A9 is just more fun to use and much better for flight. I am thinking about just selling my A7r III, getting an a9II, and using my A9 as a backup. I have always been frustrated using a slower, higher resolution body along with a faster, lower resolution camera; I always seem to have the wrong camera on the wrong lens. I find that I enjoy the a9 more and make more good images with it, especially with the viewfinder not blacking out.
Included are a few images from Saturday morning.
SONY WIDE AF
Note that with 5 of today’s featured images, Patrick opted to go with WIDE AF. And got great results. Notice the stellar performance with getting the eye sharp in Image #2, possible only because of the incredible 93% AF coverage.
(Dark) Chocolate Necks
Patrick calls birds in this plumage Black Necks. I call them Chocolate Necks because in soft light (as opposed to full sun) they appear a dark chocolate brown with just a hint of reddish tones. Note the classic pose and the classic framing along with the perfect head angle.
Hatch-year Pelicans
Birds of the year or hatch-year birds were hatched during the last breeding season. During their first winter, they are somewhere in the vicinity of five to seven months old. The tiny, neat white fringing on many of the upperparts feathers are characteristic of many juvenile birds including gulls and terns and shorebirds and raptors. I might have processed Image #4 a bit warmer. Note the absolutely stunning pose; had the bill been on the other side of the bird’s neck this would have been an insta-delete. But Patrick was well aware of that before he pushed the shutter button.
Adding and Removing TCs in the Field
Note that Patrick worked with the 600 alone, at 840mm with the 1.4X TC, and with the 2X at 1200mm. Some photographers are reluctant to add or subtract TCs in the field in fear of sensor dust (especially with mirrorless camera bodies!). For Patrick and me, that is an insane approach. Practice adding or subtracting a TC in the comfort of your home until it becomes second nature. When you are in the field, simply keep your back to the wind and execute the switch quickly without dropping anything and you will not need to worry about sensor dust. I will be creating and posting a short mirrorless camera body sensor cleaning video soon.
1200mm Flight Photography
As noted in the blog post here, flight photography at 1200mm with the SONY 600 GM is almost too easy … The fact that Patrick does it handheld astounds me.
Vignetting or the Lack Thereof with SONY Gear
Patrick works wide open (at the widest aperture) even more than I do. We both have been astounded by the absence of vignetting (a darkening of the corners of an image) with SONY gear even when working wide open with teleconverters. Even with the 2X. With Image #7, Patrick stopped down a lot (for him!) from f/8 to f/9. Why? Because additional depth-of-field is needed when working at or close to the minuimum focusing distance of the lens.
Somebody Once Wrote …
Somebody once wrote, When photographing preening birds strive to create images with the bird’s eye both visible and wide open and with the plane of the bird’s head and face perfectly parallel to the back of the camera (to the imaging sensor). Patrick must have read that somewhere as he executed that strategy perfectly.
|
|
|
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 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)
Introductory Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; WED JAN 7, 2020.
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, 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 Bird of Paradise flowers. 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 relocated) 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 the subject of blinkies. 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. And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be 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. 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 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 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, four lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own.
A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 3385, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due upon registration. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.
|
|
|
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.
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 will be visiting 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 :).
December 17th, 2019 What’s Up?
While I enjoyed Hamilton I was not thrilled by it. It was quite long, I do not love rap music, they really twisted the history, and seeing a great cast of talented Black actors and actresses with amazing and powerful voices portraying slave traders was a bit disconcerting to me.
New Listings
Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM telephoto lens (the “old five”) in excellent condition for $2399.00. There are some small rub-marks on the lens hood and where the lens hood tightening knob contacts the lens barrel. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk (without the key and with minor rubs and some paint loss on the hinges), the lens hood (with several small paint scrapes), the tough front lens cover, the manual and the warranty card, 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
The 500mm f/4 lenses have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. If you use Canon and don’t have the cash for a 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds, then this is your best super-telephoto option. Most everyone can produce sharp images with this lens and a 1.4X TC. Folks with good to excellent sharpness techniques can do the same with a 2X TC. A new 500 II sells right now for $8,999.00; you can save a big bundle by grabbing Jim’s lens right now. artie
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
Sold in two hours!
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens in excellent condition (with some paint scrapes on the bottom of lens foot where it meets mounting plate) for a very low $5,699.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the tough front lens cover, a camo LensCoat, 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
The 600 II has been the state of the art super-telephoto for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many years. When I was using Canon and could get it to my location, it was always my go-to weapon. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. With a new one going for $$9,499.00, you can save a cool $3502.00 by grabbing Jim’s lens today. artie
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens
BAA record-low Price!
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a rarely used Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $499.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the lens pouch, the lens hood ET-73, the warranty card, the CD, the Lens Guide, all original packaging including the 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
Denise Ippolito absolutely loves her Canon 100mm macro lens. And I did also. She used it handheld for the most part while I most-often used it on the tripod. (Note: the tripod collar requires a separate purchase.) artie
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens
BAA record-low Price!
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for a BIRDS AS ART record-low $1149.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the Lens Hood ET-830, the Lens Case LZ1326, the lens strap, the warranty card , the manual, all original packaging including 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
The incredibly versatile 100-400 II was my favorite Canon lens. I loved the .98 meter close focus — tall folks can focus on their own toes! And it was a great flight lens with birds at close range. And I did well with it with the 1.4X III teleconverter. The 1-4 II currently sells new for $2,049.00 so you can save a very handsome $900.00 by grabbing Jim’s lens asap. artie
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent condition (there are some tiny paint chips here and there) for only $849.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the lens hood ET-87, the Lens Case LZ1326, the CD, the manual, the warranty card, the original packing including the 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
The amazingly versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses are the world’s most popular mid-range telephoto, I made zillions of great images with my Canon 70-200 f/2.8 lenses. It works well with both the 1.4X and the 2X teleconverters, even with a crop factor body. They are easily hand-holdable and are great for tame birds, landscapes, urbex, indoor stuff like concerts and recitals, and just about anything you want to photograph. As new one sells for $1,799.00 you can save an amazing $850 by grabbing Jim’s lens right now. artie
Canon 580 EX II Speedlite
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a Canon 580 EX II Speedlite in excellent condition for only $199.00. The sale includes the manual, the warranty card, the case, the stand, the original packaging including 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
This is Canon’s second most powerful flash; I owned several of them and used them often when I was using Canon. artie
Canon 430 EX II Speedlite
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a rarely-used, refurbished Canon Speedlite 430EX II (flash) in near-mint condition for $99.00. The sale includes the case, the stand, the manual, the original packaging including the generic Canon refurbished 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
A basic Canon flash at a giving-it-away price. artie
Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (teleconverter)
Sold in two hours!
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (teleconverter) in very good condition for $199.00. The sale includes the front lens cap, the rear lens cap, the warranty card, the guide, the case, the original packing including the 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
As regular readers well know, teleconverters are an important part of my photography gear; when I shot Canon I always traveled with back-up TCs. artie
Canon Extender EF 1.4X II (teleconverter)
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a Canon Extender EF 1.4X II (teleconverter) in very good condition for $169.00. The sale includes the front lens cap, the rear lens cap, the warranty card, the guide, the LP811 case, the original packing including the 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM L Zoom Lens
BAA record-low Price!
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM L zoom lens in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $449.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the EW-83H lens hood, the lens pouch, 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
The 24-105mm focal length is my all-time favorite for B-roll stuff: bird-scapes, quasi-macros, photographers and people, scenics, and just about everything else on the planet. Whenever I would decide to leave it in the car I would not get far before I was wishing that I had taken it along for the ride. artie
Canon EOS 5D Mark III Camera Body
Multiple IPT veteran. Jim Miller is offering a refurbished Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera body in excellent condition with a few small, faint rubs on the body for a ridiculously low $699.00. The sale includes the front body cap, the strap, the cables, the L6-E6 charge and one LP-E6 battery, the manual, the generic Canon white refurbished box with the packing, 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
I owned and used this superb, full-frame, 22mp digital body for several years. It was always my first choice for scenic, Urbex (urban exploration), and flower photography until I fell in love for a while with the 5DS R (for a lot more money!). Then I switched to the 5D IV body. In addition, I loved my 5D III body for birds with my big lenses and both TCs. I used mine to create many dozens of high-quality images. Then I switched to Nikon. Jim’s body can be yours for a bargain price. artie
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens in excellent condition for $129.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
Offering a natural perspective along with a fast maximum aperture, the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM from Canon is a versatile normal-length prime characterized by its bright f/1.4 aperture to suit working in low-light conditions and for producing shallow depth of field imagery. This lens also features a Gaussian optics design, along with two high refractive index elements, to control spherical aberrations and distortion for high sharpness and clarity. A Super Spectra coating has also been applied to suppress flare and ghosting for improved contrast and color accuracy when working in difficult lighting conditions. Complementing the optical design is a micro USM, which enables quick and quiet autofocus performance along with full-time manual focus control. B&H
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Camera Body
BAA record-low Price!
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV body in excellent condition for the BIRDS AS ART record-low-by-far price of $1549.00. The sale includes the front body cap, the battery charger, one LP-E6N battery, the strap, the cable, the manuals, the CD Solution disk, the CD Software manual, the warranty card, the original box and packing, 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
The high-megapixel 5D Mark IV was my favorite Canon camera body. The AF system was superb and the files large, detailed and luscious. I used mine with all of my favorite Canon lenses including the 100-400 II, the 500 f/4L IS II, and the 600 f/4L IS II. With the two super-telephotos, I consistently made sharp images with both the 1.4X III and the 2X III TCs. artie
Canon EOS 5DS R DSLR Camera
BAA record-low Price!
Multiple IPT veteran Jim Miller is offering a rarely used Canon EOS 5DS R in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $1799.00. The sale includes the front body lens cap, the manual, the strap, the battery charger, one LP-E6N battery, the CD, 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 Jim via e-mail or by phone at 1-850-445-5042 (Eastern time zone).
Providing the full resolving power of its new sensor, the EOS 5DS R DSLR Camera from Canon is a variant of the 5DS with the sensor’s low-pass filter rendered neutral. By canceling the effect of the filter, the 50.6MP sensor is enabled to deliver an even higher resolution with more intricate details. The potential downside to this is that the cancellation function brings with it the greater possibility of moiré and other color artifacts. This is a camera for those interested in the utmost resolution from the sensor and the ability to control color artifacts either in-camera or with post-processing software. B&H
Canon EOS-1D X Professional Digital Camera Body with Extras!
Jim Lewis is offering a Canon EOS-1D X in near-mint condition with extras for a very low $1,895.00. The sale includes the original box, the CD’s, the strap, the cables, the manual, the front body cap, the charger w/LPE4N battery and an extra Canon LPE4N battery, 2 Lexar 1066X CF cards (one 32GB & one 64GB), a Canon RS-80 N3 remote switch, 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 Jim via e-mail.
Several rugged 1D X bodies served as my workhorse cameras for about four years. I made many hundreds of family jewels images in all types of weather all around the world. artie
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II Lens with Extras!
Jim Lewis is offering a Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II lens in like-new condition for a very low $3,198.00. The sale includes the original shipping box and the original product box with everything that came in it including the lens trunk plus a RealTree LensCoat, two LensCoat hoodies, a Canon PL-C 52 (W II) drop-in polarizer, and insured ground shipping via major currier to lower 48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Jim via e-mail.
The 300mm f/2.8 autofocus lenses have long been the first choice of the world’s best hawks-in-flight photographers with and without a 1.4X TC. When teamed up with either the 1.4X or 2X TC, they make a great hand-holdable walk-around lens. For folks with a 7D Mark II, the 300 II would make a great workhorse lens for bird photography. Grabbing Jim’s lens will save you an incredible $2,901.00 as new ones are going for $6099.00 from B&H. I owned and used several versions of the 300 f/2.8 lens for many years until finally replacing my 300 f/2.8 II with the 400 DO II several years ago. That said, the 300 f/2.8 II represents a great value as the 400 DO II sells new for $6,899.00.artie
Canon Extender EF 1.4X III Teleconverter
Jim Lewis is offering a Canon Extender EF 1.4x III (teleconverter) in like-new condition for only $223.00. The sale includes the original box, the soft lens pouch, a LensCoat, 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 Jim via e-mail.
As regular readers well know, teleconverters are an important part of my photography gear; when I shot Canon I always traveled with back-up TCs. artie
Canon Extender EF 2X III Teleconverter
Jim Lewis is offering a Canon Extender EF 1.4x III (teleconverter) in like-new condition for only $223.00. The sale includes the original box, the soft lens pouch, a LensCoat, 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. Photos are available upon request.
Please contact Jim via e-mail.
As regular readers well know, teleconverters are an important part of my photography gear; when I shot Canon I always traveled with back-up TCs. artie
Fujifilm X-T2 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body with Great Extras!
Jim Lewis is offering a Fujifilm X-T2 Mirrorless Digital camera body in-near mint condition with some great extras for an incredibly low $699.00. The sale includes the original box, the strap, the manual, the charger and battery, the VPB-XT2 Power Booster with 2 batteries (3 batteries total), the MHG-XT2 hand-grip, the RR-90 remote release, 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 Jim via e-mail.
Offering a more conventional form factor and packing in UHD 4K video recording, FUJIFILM’s X-T2 Mirrorless Digital Camera certainly aims to fill the needs of many working professionals and serious amateurs. Equipped with a 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS III image sensor and the X-Processor Pro Engine, users will be able to capture finely detailed imagery quickly and with low noise at sensitivities up to ISO 51200. The powerful combination permits rapid image capture at up to 8 fps with full AF tracking or at up to 14 fps using the silent electronic shutter. In terms of AF, the X-T2 uses an Intelligent Hybrid system with 325 points that ensures accurate, fast tracking of subjects in all modes. B&H
Fujinon XF100-400 mm F/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS Lens w/ 1.4X TC
Jim Lewis is offering a Fujinon XF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS lens is in excellent condition for $899.00; the lens hood has some light rub marks. on it. The sale includes a like-new FUJIFILM XF 1.4x TC WR Teleconverter (a $449 value!), the front and rear lens caps, the original box, the manual, and insured ground shipping via major currier to lower-48 US addresses only.
Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Jim via e-mail.
A long-reaching zoom optimized for use in harsh climates, the XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR Lens is designed for FUJIFILM X-series mirrorless cameras and provides a 152-609mm equivalent focal length range. Ideally suited for wildlife and sports applications, the versatile telephoto range benefits photographing distant, moving subjects, and is reinforced by a twin linear AF motor for fast performance, as well as five stop-effective optical image stabilization to Minimize the appearance of camera shake. Further benefitting its use outdoors, this 100-400mm lens also sports a weather-sealed construction and fluorine-coated front element to guard against dust and moisture from affecting the lens’ performance. B&H
As the lens alone sells new for $1699.00 the lens plus the TC represents an incredible value. When teamed with the XT-2 body above you will have a great travel and general nature kit. artie
|
|
