Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Your Call?

Which of today’s two featured avian images is best? All are invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choice.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM Lenses in Stock at Bedfords!

The personable, helpful, and always eager-to-please Steve Elkins let me know yesterday that Bedfords just received more than a few Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM lenses. Grab yours here right now to secure one. Remember that if you spend more than $7500.00 and use the BIRDS AS ART code at checkout, you earn a free copy of the R5/R6 Camera User’s Guide. Spend less and shoot me an e-mail to learn of your discount. The R5 and R6 are Canon’s best-ever bodies for flight photography and the RF 100-500 lens is a great all-around lens for bird photography. The 24-70 is the landscape photographers dream lens.

By e-Mail From Hawaii’s Best Best Photographer

Aloha Artie,

It’s been a while. I always enjoy your blog; it’s the first thing I read each morning! Better than all of the sad Covid news that’s going around.

I sold almost all my EOS cameras and lenses (except for the 500mm f/4 that I bought from you years ago 🙂 and switched to the Canon R5. I bought it through Bedfords and used the BIRDSASART code to get a great discount. Steve Elkins was wonderful to work with. Many thanks for all of this. I’m ready to order the R5 Camera Users Guide from you. Somehow I didn’t know you were giving discounts on the Guide for purchases from Bedford’s. So, what do you need as proof of purchase? I spent $7577 for my new gear at Bedfords Order #45765.

Hope to see you out here one of the days.

All the best,

Jack Jeffrey
Pepeekeo, Hawaii

(Note: Jack received his R5 Guide for free.)

What’s Up?

I spent most of Thursday packing up for my upcoming four-morning trip to Jamaica Bay. Today is Friday 20 August and I will be headed west very early. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please note that it is best to click on each blog image to view it larger. For unknown reasons, the images — even the verticals that are not rendered larger, look sharper once they’ve been clicked on.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) 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 like me, who 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.

This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes 232 consecutive days with a new one. 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. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, 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 save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — 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.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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.

Image #1: Butt-advancing image Image courteous and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf

Beach Butt-Advancing

Advancing on your butt with the lens resting across your thighs is not as difficult as the look on my face might indicate 🙁

As detailed in yesterday’s blog post:

It is always best to get on the ground sooner rather than later. Flushing a flock of birds as you approach will not help your chances. Then set the lowest shutter speed that will enable you to make sharp images and have a chance to freeze slow-developing action … For me that is 1/500 sec. or thereabouts. Next for me with my Sony gear is to dial the ISO until I see faint Zebras on the subject. With your Zebras set properly as noted in the a1 SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mails and in the SONY Camera User’s Guide, getting consistently excellent exposures is child’s play. (Note: a1 Group members receive a free copy of the SONY User’s Guide for reference.)

Next I set my AF method. For both of today’s images I went to Tracking: Spot S/AF-C. E-mail #23 to the a1 Group — coming soon — will detail recent changes I have made to further simplify how I used the AF system. Next I place the lens on my thighs and push myself forward with both of my hands (made into fists). You need to be careful that the lens does not fall off into the sand. With practice it becomes easy. One of my main goals is to isolate a single bird or a feeding situation. Such situations are most often found on the edges of the flock, so I go left or right as needed, often to stay on sun angle. On cloudy days like 15 August, you are not restricted by sun angle. Once I get into position, I brush the sand off my hands on my long-sleeved shirt.

Thanks to Clemens for allowing me to share this image with you here.

Image #2: artie Knee-podding image Image courteous and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf

Knee-podding

I use this technique often. I rest the proximal underside of my left forearm on the back of my left knee and the distal upper portion of my left thigh. It yields a relatively low perspective while enabling me to eliminate potentially distracting elements in the background that would come into play if you worked with the lens on or near the ground. And it allows for the use of shutter speeds as slow as 1/60 second as long as the subject is still.

Thanks again to Clemens for allowing me to share this image with you here.

This image was created on 29 July on one of the Jacksonville IPTs. While seated on wet sand using the knee pod technique, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 452mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1600. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 6:25pm on a cloudy afternoon. Center Zone/AF-C Bird/Eye Detection AF was active at the moment exposure and created a sharp-on-the-eye image. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, often inexplicably sharper version. Image #3: Laughing Gull, adult flapping after bath

Bathing Gull (and Tern) Tips

When you see a bird dipping its breast and head into shallow water, it will almost always flap at some point. Get closer or zoom in to create dramatic images of the splashing water, or move back and zoom out to create images of the after-bath flapping. It is best to move back or zoom out more than you think is necessary to avoid clipping the wings. I kept ten of 13 sharp images from this series with only one tiny primary tip clipped. There were so many interesting images that choosing just one was difficult.

This image was created on 29 July on one of the Jacksonville IPTs. While seated on wet sand using the knee pod technique, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 535mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1600. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 6:31pm on a cloudy afternoon. Tracking: Flexible Spot/AF-C Bird/Eye Detection AF was active at the moment exposure and created a sharp-on-the-eye image. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, often inexplicably sharper version. Image #4: Laughing Gull, juvenile preening after bath

After Bath Preening

Do you need to see a bird’s eye or eyes in order to have a successful image?

Typos

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

What’s Up?

Yesterday, we enjoyed one last morning (for now) at Nickerson Beach. Grey skies and a stiff wind off the ocean led to some great opportunities for skimmer flight and midair fights. We saw the first flying young skimmers of the season, and even managed a few good frames. Be sure to scroll down to the tight face crop and see if you can figure out what bugs me about today’s featured image.

Today is Wednesday 18 August 2021. I have lots of work to catch up on and lots of laundry to do to get ready for my JBWR weekend. I am thrilled that the Homer Bald Eagle IPT is now a go as there are now just two spots left, one on each segment. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please note that it is best to click on each blog image to view it larger. For unknown reasons, the images — even the verticals that are not rendered larger, look sharper once they’ve been clicked on.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) 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 like me, who 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.

This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 230 consecutive days with a new one. 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. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

This image was created on 10 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 280mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 3200. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 6:35pm on a cloudy afternoon. Tracking: Center Zone/AF-C Bird/Eye Detection AF was active at the moment exposure and created a sharp-on-the-eye image. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #1: Black Skimmer screaming in flight In the original — see below, the primaries of the right (upper) wing were completely clipped

Flight Photography at Nickerson Beach

Not counting my scouting walk in the rain on the afternoon of July 29, I have visited the east skimmer colony at Nickerson eleven times. During those outings, I have created somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 flight images. Though I have made many thousands of sharp flight images, my keeper rate has hovered between two and five percent. Of those, I will process only a handful of the very best, all for the primary purpose of being featured in a blog post. As detailed here previously you need to edit stringently if you are using a high frame-rate camera with a science-fiction-like AF system. If not, your storage capacity will be maxed out quite soon. Razor sharp on the eye with the whole bird (usually :)) in the frame, are just the tip of the iceberg. In addition you are looking at the light, the sky, the subject-to-sensor plane juxtapositions, and the flight poses and wing positions, along with the intangibles: the It factor. As always, different is good and really different is great. For me, today’s featured image has the It factor.

Anyhoo, when I saw the clipped wing on this one, I knew that I would get to it eventually and that it would be featured on the blog. Today is the day.

Dead-Solid Perfect?

RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness for today’s featured image was about 1/3-stop under. As you learn in the RawDigger e-Guide, under-exposing a bit with ISOs greater than 800 will not hurt you very much if at all.

The G channel here made it only 1/3 of the way from the 8000 line to the 16000 line. 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. So we can call the exposure for today’s image very good to excellent.

RawDigger — not for the faint of heart …

Nothing has ever helped me learn to create consistently perfect exposures the way 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.

AF Point screen capture for the Black Skimmer screaming in flight image

The AF Point Screen Capture

As with the Canon R5, you will run across many a1 images where the AF point is not squarely on the bird’s eye, yet the image is razor-sharp (on the eye). Sometimes the AF point is in the middle of the sky, yet your flight image is more than sharp enough. These two bodies feature fabulous eye tracking AF systems. My thoughts are that although the AF system is fast enough to track the bird’s face or eye but that the system that records the AF system is not quite fast enough to keep up with the real time AF. Perhaps …

See the screen capture below to see how well the AF tracking worked with today’s image.

An unsharpened tight crop of the face from the Black Skimmer screaming in flight image

Sharp Enough for You?

Is this image sharp enough for you? Folks who routinely view their images by zooming in to 100% and beyond will can answer this question from a good perspective. It is well more than sharp enough for me.

Eye Doctor Work

Note the neat Eye Doctor work on an image made on a dreary day. I added a catchlight and lightened the light crescent at the back of the bird’s left eye. The trick is to blow the eye up so that you can get a good idea of where the natural reflections are, and work from there. All and tons more as detailed in Digital Basics II.

What Bugs Me?

In this extreme close-up, you can see the only thing about this image that bugs me. And no, it is not the white sky. The flaw is the result of a bit of bad luck. If you think that you know what it is, please leave a comment and share your thoughts.

SONY a1 AF: Beyond Belief …

As Bird-Eye/Face Detection has gotten much better since the V1.10 firmware update that completely eliminated the EVF Blackout problems, it has become easier to trust the AF system whether doing flight photography or when working off the tilted rear screen with the tripod almost at ground level.

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 not have 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!

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. With two folks joining yesterday, we are now up to an astounding 67 lucky and blessed photographers! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. More recently, we have been in contact with folks at SONY sharing our thoughts, experiences, and frustrations with the EVF blackout problem.

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 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.

What’s Up?

I was glad to learn that the Homer Bald Eagle IPT is a near sell-out. There is just one slot left on each segment.

Today is Monday 16 August 2021. Nickerson was good again on Monday morning. It was sunny at first with a northeast wind, followed by increasing cloudiness. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) 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 like me, who 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.

This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 229 consecutive days with a new one. 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. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

All from the East Pond at JBWR in August

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge/East Pond Shorebird In-the-Field Workshops

Saturday 21 August 2021. Morning session: 6:00 until 9:00am (Limit: 6/Openings: 3)
Sunday 22 August 2021. Morning session: 6:00 until 9:00am (Limit 6/Openings 4)

For many decades, the East Pond at JBWR was the premier spot in North America to photograph southbound migrant shorebirds: small sandpipers (known affectionately as “peeps”), plovers, godwits, dowitchers, yellowlegs, and lots more. The pond, the spot were I would like my ashes to be scattered (in about two decades), has not been good for many years because of gate valve malfunction and mismanagement of the resource. Combined, these resulted in water levels that were too high; the mudflats that normally would provide roosting and feeding locations for large flocks of shorebirds were covered.

The refuge staff finally seems to have things under control this year. Water levels at the south end are reported as the best in a decade. The young birds usually arrive around 15 AUG. They are much, much tamer than the skittish adults that begin arriving around 1 July each year. The tides are perfect for 21-22 AUG. That weekend will potentially offer the best juvenile shorebird photography in many, many years. Weather and migratory patterns permitting. You will need to get your butt muddy as you cannot do the shorebirds while standing.

Consider joining me to learn the history of the pond, to learn to identify and age a variety of shorebird species, to learn how to approach the birds, and to improve your photography. I am expecting to have some very good chances for creating images of single birds in flight.

In-the-Field morning session alone: $350/session. With brunch and image review: $425/per session.

An option would be to stay over, grab a motel room, and do both morning sessions. In addition, you might want to add in a 6pm till sunset session at Nickerson Beach for only $250.00. To learn more or too register, please shoot me an e-mail.

This image was created on 9 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach. Sitting on damp sand, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 11:17am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C Bird/Eye Detection AF was active at the moment exposure and performed perfectly by tracking and nailing the bird’s eye. Click on the image to view a larger version. Image #1: American Oystercatcher swallowing mole crab

Un-banded Oystercatchers

It is difficult to find un-banded oystercatchers at Nickerson Beach in this and most years. In this situation we had a banded adult with two young, one banded and one un-banded. I concentrated on the un-banded chick 🙂

This image was created on 9 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on dry sand, I use 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 1250. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was perfect: 1/640 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 11:24am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly by tracking and nailing the bird’s eye. Image #2: American Oystercatcher adult head portrait

Eliminating the Bands

As the adult bird was super-tame, I added the 1.4X TC and scootched forward on my butt to make some head portraits. Surprisingly, this one was sharp at 1/640 even though the bird was walking briskly up the berm.

This image was created on 9 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on dry sand, 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 2000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was perfect: 1/1000 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 11:27am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly by tracking and nailing the bird’s eye. Image #3: American Oystercatcher juvenile head portrait

Super-Tame

With lots of folks enjoying the beach, walking and swimming, most of the nesting oystercatchers are completely acclimated to folks walking by at close range. Note that for each image, I first chose a shutter speed that I thought would be fast enough to create a sharp image. Then I roll the thumb dial until faint Zebras appear. From looking at the exposure data is it obvious that the light was changing quite a bit.

This image was created on 9 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach, Long Island, NY. While seated on dry sand, 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 2000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was perfect: 1/1000 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 11:28am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly by tracking and nailing the bird’s eye. Image #4: American Oystercatcher juvenile probing for invertebrates

Tracking: Spot S

I recently simplified my a1 AF set-up. The next e-mail to the a1 Group will detail the changes that I made.

Highlight Brightness Question?

Are the white feathers and the pink legs of the birds presented in today’s featured images too light for your taste? Any and all comments are welcome.

SONY a1 AF: Beyond Belief …

As Bird-Eye/Face Detection has gotten much better since the V1.10 firmware update that completely eliminated the EVF Blackout problems, it has become easier to trust the AF system when working off the tilted rear screen with the tripod almost at ground level.

AF performance for this eleven-frame sequence was science-fiction-like. It either nailed the chick’s eye or tracked the forehead even as the bird charged toward me. All eleven images were sharp on the eye. I had been working at ISO with a lower shutter speed when I remembered that I had lost lots of similar images to motion blur so I doubled the shutter speed and doubled the ISO. With excellent results. I remember making dozens of images like this with my Canon gear. All were sharp. On the bird’s feet …

Thursday’s Stats

For the day, I created 3359 images. After the first edit, I deleted 3190 of those. In other words, 94.9% were put in the trash. A large percentage of those I kept will follow on the second edit. I kept 143 image out of the 2287 from the cloudy morning session, a 6.25% keeper rate. With wind against sun in the afternoon, I kept only 26 out of 1010 image, a paltry 2 1/2% keeper ratio …

SONY and artie

Switching to SONY, first with the a9 and the a9 II, and then with the remarkable a1, has enabled me (and others, like Mike De Rosa as seen recently in the blog post here), to create images of birds in flight and in action that I could not have 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!

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. With two folks joining yesterday, we are now up to an astounding 67 lucky and blessed photographers! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. More recently, we have been in contact with folks at SONY sharing our thoughts, experiences, and frustrations with the EVF blackout problem.

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 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.

Your Fave?

Which of today’s juvie Osprey flight shots is the stronger? Please leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.

What’s Up?

Not much. I drove down to the Fish Store in Bayport to get some flounder filets and a dozen and a half Little-necked clams on the half shell for dinner. Alissa and Ajiniyaz and I enjoyed the meal greatly. Today is Saturday 14 August 2021. Again, I will be doing some serious relaxing today. And if it clouds over early, I may take a walk in the woods at Avalon Nature Preserve in Stony Brook. There are just three slots left on the Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs, two on the first trip, one on the second. Scroll down a bit for Info on the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge/East Pond Shorebird In-the-Field Workshops. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) 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 like me, who 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.

This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes 227 consecutive days with a new one. 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. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

All from the East Pond at JBWR in August

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge/East Pond Shorebird In-the-Field Workshops

Saturday 21 August 2021. Morning session: 6:00 until 9:00am (Limit: 6/Openings: 3)
Sunday 22 August 2021. Morning session: 6:00 until 9:00am (Limit 6/Openings 4)

For many decades, the East Pond at JBWR was the premier spot in North America to photograph southbound migrant shorebirds: small sandpipers (know affectionately as “peeps”), plovers, godwits, dowitchers, yellowlegs, and lots more. The pond, the spot where I would like my ashes to be scattered (in about two decades), has not been good for many years because of gate valve malfunction and mismanagement of the resource. Combined, these resulted in water levels that were too high; the mudflats that normally would provide roosting and feeding locations for large flocks of shorebirds were covered.

The refuge staff finally seems to have things under control this year. Water levels at the south end are reported as the best in a decade. The young birds usually arrive around 15 AUG. They are much, much tamer than the skittish adults that begin arriving around 1 July each year. The tides are perfect for 21-22 AUG. That weekend will potentially offer the best juvenile shorebird photography in many, many years. Weather and migratory patterns permitting. You will need to get your butt muddy as you cannot do the shorebirds while standing.

Consider joining me to learn the history of the pond, to learn to identify and age a variety of shorebird species, to learn how to approach the birds, and to improve your photography. I am expecting to have some very good chances for creating images of single birds in flight.

In-the-Field morning session alone: $350/session. With brunch and image review: $425/per session.

An option would be to stay over, grab a motel room, and do both morning sessions. In addition, you might want to add in a 6pm till sunset session at Nickerson Beach for only $250.00. To learn more or too register, please shoot me an e-mail.

Update on Canon Stuff in Stock at Bedfords!

The personable, helpful, and always eager-to-please Steve Elkins let me know that Bedfords now has a very few R5-s left along with several R6 bodies. Those along with a very few RF 100-500 lenses and a good supply of the new Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 Macro lenses. He expects the R5-s and the RF 100-500mm lenses to be gone soon. Spend more than $7500.00 and use the BIRDS AS ART code at checkout to earn a free copy of the R5/R6 Camera User’s Guide. Spend less and shoot me an e-mail to learn of your discount. The R5 and R6 are Canon’s best-ever bodies for flight photography and makes a great all around lens for bird photography. And the 100mm focal lengths, long the favorite macro focal length of Denise Ippolito, is both hugely popular and effective for small subjects like flowers, insects, and more.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, 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 save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — 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.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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.

This image was created on 10 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach. Sitting on damp sand, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) 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. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was perfect. AWB at 8:02am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Center Zone/AF-C Bird/Eye Detection AF was active at the moment exposure and created a sharp-on-the-eye image. Click on the image to view a larger version. Image #1: Osprey fresh juvenile in flight (metal band removed).

On Sitting Still

On my last few visits to Nickerson Beach, I have been trying a somewhat new (for me) approach to bird photography. Rather than chasing birds up and down the beach, I look for a nice patch of clean sand, take a seat, and wait. This has proven to be very productive both along the surf line and at the colony ropes. When sitting at the edge of the beach as I was for today’s featured images, you never know what might fly by in addition to lots of Common Terns. We’ve had lots of fly-by Ospreys, including an adult with a two-pound Bluefish. I did not spot it until it was past sun angle 🙁 In addition we have had Sanderlings, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and Ring-billed, Laughing, Great Black-backed, an Herring Gulls either fly by overhead or land in front of us. And by sitting in stillness near the colony ropes, chicks and adults, some with fish, will come and go, often landing quite close. In short, good things often come to those who wait.

I did not notice the metal band on this bird when I processed Image #1. When I processed Image #2, it jumped right out at me. I decided to remove the band from this image but left it in place for comparison purposes with Image #2. I used a series of small transformed Quick Masks refined with a Regular Layer Mask to do the repair.

This image was also and obviously created on 10 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach. Sitting on damp sand, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) 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. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was perfect. AWB at 8:02am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Center Zone/AF-C Bird/Eye Detection AF was active at the moment exposure and created a sharp-on-the-eye image. Click on the image to view a larger version. Image #2: Osprey fresh juvenile in flight looking down (metal band on left leg).

Stare Down

In the first three frames of an approximately 20-frame sequence, this handsome young Osprey was looking to its right. With most of the rest, it was looking pretty much straight ahead as in Image #1. In the last few frames, including Image #2, it looked right down at me as it flew by.

Click on the screen Capture to view a larger version. Image #3: Topaz Sharpen AI on Motion Blur with the Osprey fresh juvenile in flight (metal band removed) image.

Topaz Sharpen AI on the Young Osprey Lessons

With Image #1, I selected the darker feathers of the face with the Quick Selection Tool (W), put the selection on a layer, and ran Topaz AI Sharpen on that layer only. Auto selected Motion Blur as best. Click on the image to see the amazing improvement as AI Sharpen re-aligned the pixels. With Image #2, I ran Topaz AI Sharpen the whole image (knowing in advance that that was a very poor choice. Again, Auto selected Motion Blur as best. I hit Apply and when the changes were rendered in Photoshop and I clicked the eyeball for the AI Sharpen layer on and off, I saw an ugly green and purple halo around the edges of the bird. In a word, don’t ever apply Topaz AI Sharpen to an entire image. Select the subject before bringing the image into Topaz Sharpen AI. And yes, I know that using Topaz Mask to make the selection would do at least as good a job (if not better), but the Quick Selection Tool is quick 🙂

Topaz DeNoise

Be sure to click on the screen capture to see the complete elimination of noise in the after image on our right. And note that if anything, the fine details are sharper than in the original.

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 any more as I am confident as noted above.

Great Topaz News!

Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plug-ins), will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. If the stuff is on sale (as it usually is), you save 15% off 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.

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

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

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

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading, can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all 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.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

We did well on Wednesday morning despite the south wind as I came up with a new strategy for photographing the feeding terns on mornings with less than ideal conditions: a south wind and clear skies … Wednesday afternoon was looking good. You cannot get into Nickerson until after 6pm if you are not a Nassau County resident (even though the entry booths close at 5pm). The nearest that I can figure is that non-Nassau County residents might spread COVID between the hours of 5 and 6pm, but that after 6pm studies have shown that Nassau County residents will not spread COVID at the beach. Not to mention that the chances of catching COVID at the beach on a windy day are far less than 0.000000000001% …

Anyhoo, we got to the beach at 6:00pm sharp to find a strong southwest wind and clear skies. These are perfect conditions for doing battling skimmers in midair. At ten minutes after six, a huge black cloud appeared and blocked out the sun for the rest of the day. We tried to create some pleasing blurs but pretty much failed.

I was thrilled to learn yesterday that the Homer IPT is a near sell-out.

Today is Thursday 12 August. Private client Bill Schneider is flying home to Naples, FL this morning. The forecast is for clear skies with southwest winds, i.e., death on bird photography. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) 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 like me, who 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.

This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes 225 consecutive days with a new one. 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, and 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. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Click on the composite to view a larger version. The Homer 2020 IPTs images

Homer Bald Eagles Winter 2022

The photography on this trip of a lifetime is beyond amazing. You can do the whole trip with either the Canon 100-500 or the SONY 200-600 along with any 70-200mm lens. Flight photography until you cannot raise your arms, creative set-ups, lots of snow we hope (earlier in the season is best for that), and lots of opportunities for point-blank head portraits and talon shots. All in a variety of spectacular settings. This is an expensive (but competitively priced) trip. If you are seriously interested in joining me for the world’s best Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle trip(s) — mid-FEB thru early MARCH 2022, please contact me immediately via e-mail for dates and details. I have found a roommate for all eleven days! The trip is close to a sellout.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, 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 save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — 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.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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.

I-Phone 10 image Image #1: 180 macro shaded setup

Morning Macro Saved by a Shirt!

For several decades I have been suggested that the best way to improve your sunny day macro photography is to shade the subject. Another constant theme in nature photography is that you often need to think out of the box in the field to solve this or that thorny logistical problem. Above you see that I have used a long-sleeved shirt tied to two tripod legs to shade the subject. I’ve had three or four similar shirts. I got them almost two decades ago when filming several episodes of the Canon Photo Safari TV programs. Anyway, the shirt plus a little ingenuity solved the shade problem. (When I tried to shade the subject with my legs, some light was always creeping into the frame …)

This image was created on 11 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach. Standing at full height with the lens pointed almost straight down, I used the Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Mini-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Metabones Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Sony E Mount T Smart Adapter (Fifth Generation) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 400. The exposure was in part determined by Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the rear wheel, and then selected as best from a series of bracketed images after evaluation in RawDigger. 1/125 sec. at f/11 (stopped down 4 1/3 stops) in Manual mode. Manual Focus, Focus Magnifier, and Focus Peaking, all as detailed in the SONY Alpha a1 Info and Updates group e-mails. AWB at 8:22am on a clear, sunny morning. Be sure to click on the image to view a larger version. Image #1A: Black Skimmer chick carcass

Beach Nesting Bird Survival or the Lack Thereof …

In the modern world, beach nesting birds like skimmers, terns, and some plovers, are having a really tough time. Development has destroyed probably 80-90% of the habitat that was available to them 200 years ago. Then, there is lots of human disturbance; can you say there frisbee accidentally went into the colony? And drones! Add in increasing numbers of avian predators like crows, along with lots of ground predators like raccoons and feral cats, among others. And we’ve seen recently on the blog (here) what can happen when a skimmer chick inadvertently strays too far from its nest or into the territory of another skimmer family. Finally add in coastal storms, their numbers increasing with global warming, and life as a beach nesting bird is quite fragile, and often quite short.

I found this small, dead, skimmer chick on the beach, and quickly realized that photographing it in the sun would be a losing, too-contrasty situation. For me, the image depicts the fragility that goes along with nesting on the sand …

SONY and artie

Switching to SONY, first with the a9 and the a9 II, and then with the remarkable a1, has enabled me (and others, like Mike De Rosa as seen recently in the blog post here), to create images of birds in flight and in action that I could not have 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!

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. With two folks joining yesterday, we are now up to an astounding 67 lucky and blessed photographers! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. More recently, we have been in contact with folks at SONY sharing our thoughts, experiences, and frustrations with the EVF blackout problem.

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 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.

What’s Up?

I had another amazing morning at Nickerson Beach on Monday. It was raining when I arrived, but tapered off quickly. I began creating (hopefully) pleasing blurs of skimmers skimming. After an hour, they quit, so I headed to the beach on the basis of the north/northeast wind and the soft light and tried for Common Terns grabbing sand crabs from the surf line along with tons of flight photography. I finished off a very long morning with an oystercatcher family that included two un-banded young. Just before bed on Monday I edited the 5315 image morning folder in 56 minutes. I wound up with 236 keepers after the first edit, a 4.4% keeper rate. Those included several very good ones 🙂

I had a very crazy thing happen near the end of the session: my battery died at the exact same moment that my card was full. How did I know that? First came Battery Exhausted. I replaced the battery, and when I raised the camera it said, Card Full.

Private client Bill Schneider flew from RSW to JFK and got to the hotel at about 4pm. We headed out for a nice dinner at Bonefish Grill in Rockville Center. Today is Tuesday August 9th 2021 and the weather is looking good for the morning at Nickerson Beach: partly cloudy with a southeast breeze. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) 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 like me, who 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.

This blog post took about two hours to prepare, and makes 224 consecutive days with a new one. 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, and 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. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Click on the composite to view a larger version. The Homer 2020 IPTs image

Homer Bald Eagles Winter 2022

The photography on this trip of a lifetime is beyond amazing. You can do the whole trip with either the Canon 100-500 or the SONY 200-600 along with any 70-200mm lens. Flight photography until you cannot raise your arms, creative set-ups, lots of snow we hope (earlier in the season is best for that), and lots of opportunities for point-blank head portraits and talon shots. All in a variety of spectacular settings. This is an expensive (but competitively priced) trip. If you are seriously interested in joining me for the world’s best Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle trip(s) — mid-FEB thru early MARCH 2022, please contact me immediately via e-mail for dates and details. I am looking for a roommate who will be doing all eleven days.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, 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 save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — 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.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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.

I-Phone image at 1/2X Image #1: 600 GM setup in the muck

The Treacherous Northwest Corner

With an afternoon high tide — best for shorebirds at the East Pond, I drove in from Ronkonkoma, parked by the North Channel Bridge, and walked about a 1/2 mile to the northwest corner of the East Pond. A nice path had been cut through the phragmites, but once I got to the pond things became treacherous. The mud was soft and deep. And sticky. Carrying my lens in one hand and my tripod in the other I got stuck for a moment, lost my balance, and almost went down into a foot of deep muck. Miraculously, I did not fall.

I realized right off the bat that heading up the west shore would be unsafe at best. I had picked up a sort of rubber/felt mat on the way in. I placed it on the mud and took a seat. Scanning first to the south, I was surprised when I turned my head to see that a young Lesser Yellowlegs had landed in front of me at fairly close range. Over the course of the next 45 minutes or so, that bird was followed by an adult Lesser and then juvenile Greater. After that, having had my fill of yellowlegs, I packed up and headed to Nickerson Beach.

The iPhone Photography e-Guide To order your copy of the iPhone Photography e-Guide, please click here. The PDF is sent link by e-mail for downloading: the file is relatively huge at 216 MB.

Hard to Believe

Yes, Cliff has a great eye and wonderfully creative vision. Yet it is still hard for me to believe that he can make so many great images with “just“ an i-phone. Almost more amazingly Cliff captures with his iPhone and does all of his post-processing on the phone! In this great new e-Guide written for BIRDS AS ART you will learn to use set up you iPhone quickly and efficiently and how to use it. In addition, there are dozens and dozens of tips on Cliff’s favorite apps and his favorite gear. Scroll down to the bottom to see the Table of Contents.

The iPhone Photography e-Guide: $20.00.

To order your copy of the iPhone Photography e-Guide please click here.

Dr. Cliff Oliver

Dr. Cliff Oliver is an award-winning photographer, former photography instructor for the San Diego Natural History Museum, cutting-edge integrative health care professional, and international workshop leader. He created and taught the first 5-day immersion iPhone photography workshop at Hollyhock, Canada’s premier Leadership Learning Center. He teaches quarterly iPhone photography classes at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library School of the Arts (these include Art on the iPhone, iPhoneography, Portraits and Selfies, and Practicing in the Field). His images have been on the cover of WildBird magazine, on display at Scripps Oceanography Institute, and been honored with multiple first-place finishes in the International Exhibition of Photography Del Mar. The San Diego Natural History Museum’s, “Birds of the World” centennial exhibit featured several of his images. One of his iPhone images received an honorable mention in the Athenaeum 23rd annual juried exhibition. He has displayed images at Art Speaks: Expressions of Hope and Healing and has produced a series of books, called Zen I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII that feature original images that promote inner peace. The last 4 books feature only images taken on the iPhone. He teaches individuals and groups the skills of capturing iPhone/mobile photographs and then how to create personalized works of art.

To see some of Cliff’s iPhone images, click here. Learn more about Cliff and what he does on his Center for Balance website here. And don’t forget, if I had never met Cliff I would be pushing up daisies somewhere. To request my Health Basics File that contains the whole story, please shoot me an e-mail by clicking here..

This image was created on 2 August 2021 at the very muddy northwest corner of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. Seated on a flat pad that I had found while walking to the pond, I used the <Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/ Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only). ISO 2000. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 3:55pm on a partly sunny afternoon. Tracking: Flexible Spot AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #2: Lesser Yellowlegs — juvenile

Juvie Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs have relatively short, straight, needle-like bills. The evenly spotted patterns on the feathers of the upperparts and the rather crisp overall look, tells us that this bird is a juvenile that was hatched about 5 weeks ago — a bird of the year. Note also the finely streaked neck and upper breast. Young shorebirds are my favorites as they are usually quite tame. That in contrast to the southbound adult birds that arrive at the beginning of July, or earlier. When I did the shorebird surveys at JBWR for five seasons, we would usually see the first juvie lesser on about 10 August. So this bird is early.

Note: the raw file brightness for all three of today’s featured yellowlegs images were shown to be dead-solid perfect in RawDigger.

This image was also created on 2 August 2021 at the very muddy northwest corner of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY.Seated on a flat pad that I had found while walking to the pond, I used the <Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/ Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only). ISO 2500. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 4:06pm on a partly sunny afternoon. Tracking: Flexible Spot AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #3: Lesser Yellowlegs — worn, molting adult

Adult Lesser Yellowlegs

Note the similar structure to the bird in Image #2 and the short, straight, needle-like bill; both indicate Lesser Yellowlegs. But the plumage of the upperparts looks worn and uneven. There are some great winter feathers coming in. In addition, the breast is heavily marked with large chevrons. All of the above tells us we are looking at a worn, molting Lesser Yellowlegs. As above the usually begin arriving right around 1 July each season.

This image was also created on 2 August 2021 at the very muddy northwest corner of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. Seated on a flat pad that I had found while walking to the pond, I used the <Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/ Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only). ISO 1000. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 4:20pm on a partly sunny afternoon. Tracking: Flexible Spot AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #4: Greater Yellowlegs juvenile plumage

Juvie Greater Yellowlegs

Here we have a more robust yellowlegs with a longer, thicker, upturned bill that are indicative of Greater Yellowlegs. For a greater, this bird has a relatively short bill that will increase in length as it ages. As far as the plumage, with see the same evenly spotted pattern on the feathers of the upperparts and the rather crisp overall look. Both of those clearly indicate that this is a juvenile bird. Heres the rub: as they breed far to the north of Lesser Yellowlegs, southbound juvenile greaters do usually not appear in the NYC region until the very end of August. So this bird is way early. When I asked Richard Crossley about that he said, “global warming …”

Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers

If you would like to learn more about identifying and aging North American shorebirds, grab a copy of my Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers. The book is twice out of print and we have very few copies left.

Typos

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

Whats Up?

Private client Anke Frohlich and I enjoyed another long day at Nickerson Beach on Saturday. The morning was pretty much a bust with the sky clearing much too early and a brisk wind from the west. As always, wind against sun is a very tough situation. I took a great, short, early nap on the sand. After I awoke, we got fairly close to some young terns and a pair of oystercatchers. Working from a very low perspective, I thought that we had gotten some great stuff. Anke kept telling me that her images were not sharp. As I almost never enlarge my images in the field, I did not realize until seeing the images on the laptop that she had been 100% right; we both had been victimized by heat shimmer on a seemingly clear morning …

I have never run into a person who has learned so much so quickly. Anke has been working with an a1 and the SONY 200-600 for only a few months. She was looking for a more optimal setup of her a1 so, on the first morning, I copied my settings to her a1 and taught her to use the camera for bird photography with the new settings. I showed her how to get an excellent exposure using different Zebra settings than she had been working with. She took to the instruction like the proverbial duck to water … (Note: my a1 settings are available to all those in the Sony Alpha a1 Setup and Info group.)

As it was beginning to cloud over at 3:00pm on Saturday, we headed out to the beach earlier than usual. We wound up with a strong wind from the southwest and — for the most part, cloudy-bright skies. At times the wind was so strong that any exposed skin on our arms (or faces if we glanced to the south) was being stung by tiny sand bullets.

We took a zillion Black Skimmer flight shots and even more Black Skimmer midair fight shots. My chore for today is to choose my keepers from the August 7 2021 folder. Speaking of which, Anke is one of many frustrated by having to edit so many images from high frame rate camera bodies. At my suggestion, she had called Jim on Friday to purchase a copy of Photo Mechanic Yesterday, we got her up and running. She cannot believe how fast and easy it is to pick your keepers in this amazing browsing program. From now on, she will keep her a1 set to 30 fps …

Anyhoo, it got very dark late in the afternoon so we left a bit early. Thus, I only I tied my long-stay Nickerson Beach record of 13 hours. With rain forecast for all of today, Sunday 8 August 2021, I will be doing lots of catching up. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) 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 like me, who 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.

This blog post took a bit less than an hour to prepare, and makes 222 consecutive days with a new one. 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, and 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. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

This image was created by Anke Frohlich in Central Park in NYC on October 11, 2020. While resting the lens on a railing for support, she used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 400mm) with the super-high megapixel Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body. Exposure data: 1/800 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 1:27pm in the shade on a dark, cloudy afternoon. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020: Anke Frohlich Photography/Crop, raw conversion, and cleanup by BIRDS AS ART. You can see more of Anke’s bird photography here. Image #1: Barry, the beloved Central Park Barred Owl

ISO Question …

Thanks to Anke Frohlich for sharing the story (along with her fine image) of Barry, the beloved Central Park Barred Owl that recently met an untimely and unfortunate end. Anke was just starting to photograph birds when she created today’s featured image.

All are invited to leave a comment and take a stab at the ISO.

From the Central Park Conservancy Twitter account

Barred Owl Tragedy in NYC’s Central Park …

Anke texted me the above on Friday afternoon. She wrote, I am heartbroken. She gave us so much joy and it was so special to have her for so long.

In a later e-mail, she wrote:

I was incredibly fortunate to be able to capture my favorite image of her on October 11, 2020, shortly after she first arrived in Manhattan in the north woods of Central Park. Quickly crowds gathered and she became a celebrity, featured in news programs and articles all over the world. She had a great personality, beautiful eyes and was very special in many ways. In the past nine months, I visited her often and watched her preen and defend her perch against head butting birds. In the evenings, her devoted followers gathered almost every night to see her fly out and to observe her hunting skills. It is a huge heartbreak to hear the news of her death. She was hit by a park’s department vehicle last night while flying low to hunt. She lives on in our hearts as she brought us great joy. How fortunate to have had this wild beauty in our midst. Thank you so much, Barry, for your presence and for having chosen Central Park as your home for so long.

I had heard of this Owl, named Barry by the hordes of Central Park birders who had loved and been inspired by this young bird. It was discovered last fall at the north end of the park. The bird was thought to be a female because of her relatively large size. While this species visits the park fairly often, it was very unusual that it stayed so long. To say that the bird was very tame would be an understatement; it would often land five to ten feet from observers and would frequently swooped down to grab a mouse or a rat or some other prey item. Barred Owls are diurnal, active both during the day and night. Their diet is quite varied.

The story has been covered by dozens of newspapers and online new outlets. It even made the New York Times and the UK’s Daily Mail.

I am sending love, strength, and energy along with my sincere condolences to Anke, and to all the Central Park folks who loved and adored this very special bird.

Typos

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

Your Call?

According to you, which is the stronger image (by far)? Why?

What’s Up?

For the first time ever, I spent 13 hours at the beach. With the delayed entry time at Nickerson Beach, I had been thinking about staying all day to avoid having to re-enter at 6pm. So when private In-the-Field client Anke Frohlich suggested that we do just that, we did. With perfect cloudy/fairly bright conditions and a northwest wind, we enjoyed an incredible session (by being in the exact right spot …) We photographed until 12:15 before heading for a picnic lunch. The afternoon was far more challenging as the sun came out and the wind switched to the southeast. Not good. Our best chances were with skimmers battling in midair. With some decent sunset color late in the day, we opted to try for some sunset silhouettes. The wind switched to the southwest. Again, not good.

I created 3357 images; I will be picking my keepers after I hit Publish. When we took a peek at my morning folder during Image Review, we came across today’s featured images. To make sure that I did not accidentally screw up and delete them, I tagged them in Photo Mechanic and placed them in a TEMP sub-folder. I am not yet positive that one of them will be my very favorite image from a great day, but that is likely. Finding one that I like better would be a huge thrill.

With another sign-up and lots of interested folks, the 2022 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs are looking good. Each trip needs four to run. I am still hoping to find a roommate who signs up for all 11 days. I was glad to learn of the sale of Ron Horn’s Canon EOS-1DX Mark II.

Today is Friday 6 August 2021. With clear skies and a west wind, staying in this morning was the obvious choice. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) 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 like me, who 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.

This blog post took a bit more than an hour to prepare, and makes 221 consecutive days with a new one. 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, and 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. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Click on the composite to view a larger version. Homer 2020 IPT Images

Homer Bald Eagles Winter 2022

The photography on this trip of a lifetime is beyond amazing. You can do the whole trip with either the Canon 100-500 or the SONY 200-600 along with any 70-200mm lens. Flight photography until you cannot raise your arms, creative set-ups, lots of snow we hope (earlier in the season is best for that), and lots of opportunities for point-blank head portraits and talon shots. All in a variety of spectacular settings. This is an expensive (but competitively priced) trip. If you are seriously interested in joining me for the world’s best Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle trip(s) — mid-FEB thru early MARCH 2022, please contact me immediately via e-mail for dates and details. I am looking for a roommate who will be doing all eleven days.

This image was created on 5 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach. While standing at full height, I used the Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/3200 sec. at f/4 (wide open). RawDigger showed that the raw file was almost perfect, about 1/6 stop under-exposed. AWB at 11:33:40am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Center Zone/AF-C resulted in a sharp image. As Image #1 is a substantial crop, it was the distance to the subject that provided sufficient depth of field. At a given aperture, in this case f/4, the greater the distance to the subject, the greater the depth of field. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #1: Common Terns battling in midair

Loving White Sky Days

These images were created after 11:30am. If it had been a clear sunny day, I would have quit hours before regardless of the wind direction. The soft light on cloudy-bright days allow you to photograph in any direction — staying on “sun” angle becomes a moot point. In such conditions, you will not get the dark shadows on the bird that plague flight images made on clear, blue-sky days and decent wing positions will reveal superb underwing detail.

To drive home my point, here is more of the same from yesterday’s blog post:

I chuckle also when I think of my first decade of photography; I would not head out to do photography unless it was sunny. Such were the limitations of Velvia 50 push processed one stop to ISO 100. Cloudy-bright days are ideal as there is enough light to work at reasonable ISOs with decent shutter speeds and no shadows at all. And best of all, the “wrong” wind direction is never a problem when you are photographing when the world is a soft-box.

This image was created on 5 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach. While standing at full height, I used the Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/3200 sec. at f/4 (wide open). RawDigger showed that the raw file was almost perfect, about 1/6 stop under-exposed. AWB at 11:33:40am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Center Zone/AF-C resulted in a sharp image. As Image #2 is a substantial crop, it was the distance to the subject that provided sufficient depth of field. At a given aperture, in this case f/4, the greater the distance to the subject, the greater the depth of field. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #2: Common Terns battling in midair

The Realities of 30 Frames per Second

With your a1 set up properly, you will be able to take full advantage of 30 frames per second. Please do not be misled into thinking that you will capture every possible moment (or pose). Let’s divide one second into 4000 tiny increments. There will be 4000 different poses in one second. So when you are working 30 fps with a shutter speed of 1/4000 second, you will capture 30 of those moments. Thus, you are missing 3970 of those moments. That means that you will be missing 99.25% of the poses.

The good news is that when working at 30 fps, you will get to pick from 50% more “moments” than when working at 20 fps, and three times as many moments (or poses or frames) than you would if you had been working with a 10 fps camera body.

How Fast is a Blink?

Today’s two featured images were created consecutively in a short burst in the same second. They represent two of the thirty moments (or poses or frames) captured in that same second. Though it is difficult to see in the 1200 pixel wide JPEGs here, the bird’s nictitating membrane is covering the eye in Image #2, but the eye is fully open in Image #1. Aside from giving us 30 moments (or poses or frames) every second, we get some excellent insurance protecting against nictitating membranes. This can become very important when shooting larger-in-the-frame portraits of static subjects.

SONY and artie

Switching to SONY, first with the a9 and the a9 II, and then with the remarkable a1, has enabled me (and others, like Mike De Rosa as seen recently in the blog post here), to create images of birds in flight and in action that I could not have 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!

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. With two folks joining yesterday, we are now up to an astounding 67 lucky and blessed photographers! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. More recently, we have been in contact with folks at SONY sharing our thoughts, experiences, and frustrations with the EVF blackout problem.

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 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.

This Just In

I began work on this blog post on Tuesday evening and almost finished it, but decided to hit the sack. Then I looked at the weather for Lido Beach — cloudy with light and variable winds. I set the alarm for 5am but woke at 4:39. I headed for Nickerson Beach and when I arrived there was no sign of sunrise color so I finished this blog post. And forgot to hit Publish 🙂 I am doing that now at 9:43am after an amazingly wonderful, still, soft-box of a morning at the beach. Images and details soon.

What’s Up?

There was not much doing on Tuesday as I returned to relaxation mode. I did get over to my sister Ilene’s house late in the day for my half-mile away-from-home swim. I chose my keepers from my Monday afternoon East Pond and Nickerson Beach sessions and was quite happy. My very favorite image is featured in today’s blog post. I am anxious to get back out, but the weather for the next few days is looking less than ideal.

Today is Wednesday 4 August 2021. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) 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 like me, who 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.

This blog post took about two hours to prepare, and makes 219 consecutive days with a new one. 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, and 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. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, 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 save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — 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.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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

This image was created on 2 August 2021 on my first trip this season to Nickerson Beach. While seated on dry sand using the knee-pod technique, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 799mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 3200. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/800 sec. at f/9 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:04pm on a then-cloudy afternoon. Tracking: Wide AF-C/Bird-Eye/Face Detection AF was active at the moment of exposure and performed just about perfectly (as below) by grabbing and tracking the chick’s eye. Click on the image to view a larger version Image #1: Black Skimmer killing chick from another nest

Murder on the Beach, This Time for Real

Unlike the large Laughing Gull chick that survived a vicious attack by a Herring Gull (in the blog post here), this tiny skimmer chick was pretty much doomed a few moments after it was grabbed by an adult. It is common to see adult skimmers whack small chicks from other nests on fly-by attacks, possibly because they have intruded on their nesting territory, and possibly to eliminate competitors for the available food. This attack took that to the next step. The victim in this case might have wandered very near the nest of the attacking bird.

The entire episode lasted about six minutes; the adult bird grabbed, shook, dropped, and picked up the tiny skimmer repeatedly, most often simply holding the chick in its bill. The chick stopped struggling within half a minute. What happened next was even stranger. The adult walked back to its nest and offered the dead chick to its two chicks. Though its chicks were no more than ten days old (if that), one of them grabbed the tiny chick and attempted to swallow it for several minutes. We lost sight of that chick in the thick beach vegetation. Ten minutes later, an adult Laughing Gull swooped down and grabbed the dead chick. It happened so suddenly that none of the many photographers even had a chance to raise their lenses …

Glad That I Brought the 1.4X TC. Or Not?

When the attack occurred, I had been shooting flight with the bare 200-600. Alerted by the screams of several distraught women — sorry, I always root for the predators — I moved about five yards to my right to get into better position. I made the first hundred frames at 600mm. Then I decided to add the 1.4X TC to the mix and made an additional 700 images of the action. I kept only 13. As is usually the case, a single image from about 800 frames stood out as the cream of the crop.

So why not add the 1.4X teleconverter?

#1: By being too greedy, I clipped the tail of the adult skimmer on about 50 frames. Those included a few really good ones. The position of the chick and the head angles of the chick and the adult were important factors when it came to choosing keep or delete.

#2: In the relatively low light, working at f/9 (rather than at f/6.3) necessitated the use of either a higher ISO or a slower shutter speed. By being at 1/640 or 1/800 second rather than at 1/1250 or 1/1600 second, I lost quite a few excellent images to motion blur as the adult bird pecked at the chick or threw it up or down …

In the field when the action is hot, making the right decision — TC or no TC?, is often tough.

Click on the image to view a larger version. Image #1A: Topaz DeNoise on the Black Skimmer killing chick from another nest image

DeNoise at 400% at ISO 3200

Be sure to click on the image to see the fabulous job of noise reduction on Low Light. Understand that exposing properly for the whites leaves the blacks well under-exposed. Here, I cut the suggested Remove Noise value from 10 on Auto in half to 5. If you think that the blacks are detail-less after the NR, understand that what you are seeing in before image is noise, not detail. Blacks in soft light will never have a ton of detail at the higher ISOs.

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, like this one, I use Low Light. You can check all four methods by using the Comparison View but I rarely do that any more as I am confident as noted above.

Great Topaz News!

Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plug-ins), will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. If the stuff is on sale (as it usually is), you save 15% off 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.

Click on the image to view a larger version. Image #1b: The RawDigger screen capture for the Black Skimmer killing chick from another nest image

Ho-Hum, Another Perfect Plus Exposure

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.

Beach Clean-up

Here are some clean-up tips based on today’s featured image. I used the Patch Tool for nearly every step in the process. I did not use Content-Aware or the Clone Stamp Tool once. For the tiny specks, I used the Spot Healing Brush.

Do you think that I should have left some of the beach crud?

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

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

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

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all 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.

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

With the unusually cool August weather here on Long Island I have been leading the league in relaxing, and sleeping nine to ten hours every night. I have been taking a nice walk and doing my bursts every day, and will be hitting the community pool at my sister Ilene’s home soon.

Today is Monday 2 August 2021. It has been clear and sunny every morning since I arrived on Long Island, with a northwest wind every morning as well. With yet another wind-against-sun morning forecast, I opted to stay in again today. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) 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 like me, who 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.

This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 217 consecutive days with a new one. 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, and 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. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Homer Bald Eagles Winter 2022

The photography on this trip of a lifetime is beyond amazing. You can do the whole trip with either the Canon 100-500 or the SONY 200-600 along with any 70-200mm lens. Flight photography until you cannot raise your arms, creative set-ups, lots of snow we hope (earlier in the season is best for that), and lots of opportunities for point-blank head portraits and talon shots. All in a variety of spectacular settings. This is an expensive (but competitively priced) trip. If you are seriously interested in joining me for the world’s best Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle trip(s) — mid-FEB thru early MARCH 2022, please contact me immediately via e-mail for dates and details. I am looking for a roommate who will be doing all eleven days.

The East Pond

The East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY was the place to observe and photograph North America’s southbound migrant shorebirds. It shined from 1975 through about 2010. Then, for reasons noted in the blog post here, the place pretty much went down the tubes due to high water levels. At present, it seems that the folks at Gateway have gotten their act together; conditions at the pond are reported to be excellent this season. I have a strong connection to the East Pond. I photographed my first shorebird — a Semipalmated Sandpiper, there in August of 1983. I’ve been visiting for 45 years and have spent thousands of hours on the pond.

If you would like to learn to identify more than a dozen species of shorebirds and photograph some of them on an In-the-Field Workshop in August, please shoot me an e-mail to learn the dates and details. The East Pond is best for photography for just three specific days in a calendar year … I will be there then. Here’s hoping that the East Pond will return to its former crown-jewel glory.

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. 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%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D and 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. 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.

As used gear sales have slowed just a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now both below and on the Used Gear Page.

Canon EF 500m f/4L IS II USM Lens with lots of great extras!

Long-time-ago South Georgia shipmate Asta Tobiassen is offering a Canon EF 500m f/4 L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for a very low $4999.00. The sale includes both of the original shipping box, both of the original lens feet, the lens strap, the rear lens cap, the lens hood, the lens trunk, a LensCoat, a LensCoat TravelCoat, a LensCoat Hoodie, a LensCoat RainCoat Pro w/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 Asta via e-mail

With the success of the Canon EOS R5 and R6 mirrorless bodies, the series II super-teles are in high demand. The 500 f/4 super-telephotos have long been the world’s most popular lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. Canon’s Series II version is light, fast, super-sharp, and produces amazing images with both the 1.4X and 2X III TCs. The 500 II is relatively small, easily hand-holdable for some folks, and is much easier to travel with, focuses closer than, and costs a lot less than the 600 II!. Lastly, and you might find this amazing, the magnification for the 500 II is the same as it is for the 600 II: .15X. How is that possible? Magnification is calculated at the minimum focusing distance of the lens — 12.14 feet (3.7 meters) for the 500 II and 14.77 feet (4.5 meters) for the 600 II. Simply put, the 500 II focuses more than two feet closer than the 600 II. This lens sells new right now for $8999.00; you can save $4000.00 by purchasing Asta’s lens (with lots of extras) now: if you are seriously interested, please do not tarry. artie

Canon EF 100-400m f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Zoom Lens

Long-time-ago South Georgia shipmate Asta Tobiassen is offering a Canon EF 100-400m f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM zoom lens in excellent condition for $1399.00. The sale includes the original box, the carrying case, the front and rear lens caps, the lens hood, a LensCoat, a LensCoat TravelCoat, a LensCoat Hoodie, 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 Asta via e-mail

This incredibly versatile zoom lens — with its amazing .98 meter close focus — was my favorite Canon telephoto zoom lens ever. By far. It is easy to hand hold, great for tight portraits, birds in flight, quasi-macro stuff, and lots more. For flight, it is even better with an R5! The lens sells new for $2399.00 so you can save some hard cash by grabbing Asta’s zoom lens now. artie

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV w/BG-E20 Battery Grip

Long-time-ago South Georgia shipmate Asta Tobiassen is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with the BG-E20 Battery Grip, both in like-new condition, for just $1749.00. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, the battery grip (a $299.95 value), one extra battery, 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 Asta via e-mail

What can I say? The 5D IV was my favorite ever Canon digital dSLR. I owned and used three of them while my 1DX II sat on the shelf in my garage for the most part. A new 5D Mark IV, with its 30.4MP full-frame CMOS sensor, sell new for $2499.00. If you have been dreaming of a 5D IV (with the grip), grab Asta’s body right now with the grip and save just about $1,000.00! artie

Canon EOS 7D Mark II w/BG-E16 Battery Grip & L-Plate

Long-time-ago South Georgia shipmate Asta Tobiassen is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II in Very Good to Excellent condition with a like-new BG-E16 Battery Grip for $599.00. The sale includes the original box, the front cap, the strap, a RRS L-Plate, one extra battery, the charger, the BG-16 battery grip, 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 Asta via e-mail

Years ago, both Patrick Sparkman and I used and loved the 7D Mark II until we both committed to using full-frame Canon bodies. And we both made some truly great images with it. Two of my three 2016 Nature’s Best honored entries were created with the 7D II, one still, and one video. One thing is for sure: the 7D Mark II is the greatest value ever dSLR. artie

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens with the Canon Tripod Mount Ring B with extras

Long-time-ago South Georgia shipmate Asta Tobiassen is offering a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens with the Canon Tripod Mount Ring B (a $149.95 value) in near-mint condition for the very low price of $299.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the lens hood, the Canon Tripod Mount Ring B, a B+W circular polarizer, a B+W UV haze filter, 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 Asta via e-mail

This, the original non-IS version of this hugely popular, very sharp macro lens, was Denise Ippolito’s favorite for many years. It is great for flowers and bugs large and small. The tripod collar for this lens normally requires a separate purchase, but is included with this sale. Still in production, this lens sells new at B&H for $599.00 (though it is currently back-ordered). The IS L version II sells for $1299.00. artie

Canon EF 1.4X II Teleconverter

Long-time-ago South Georgia shipmate Asta Tobiassen is offering a Canon EF 1.4X II teleconverter for a very low $129.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the 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 Asta via e-mail

As regular readers know, I depended so much on TCs when I shot Canon that I always traveled with two spare 1.4X-s and one spare 2X TC. The Series II TCs perform perfectly with Series II or earlier lenses. he Series III TCs are better for series III lenses like the 600mm f4L IS III lens. artie

Canon EF 2X III Teleconverter

Long-time-ago South Georgia shipmate Asta Tobiassen is offering a Canon EF 2X III teleconverter for a very low $429.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the 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 Asta via e-mail

As regular readers know, I depended so much on TCs when I shot Canon that I always traveled with two spare 1.4X-s and one spare 2X TC. The Series III TCs perform well with all Canon EF lenses. This item sells new for $429.99. artie

This image was created on 16 July on the 2nd JAX IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 452mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 500. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/4000 sec. at f/7.1 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that this was a perfect exposure. AWB at 6:12pm on a sunny afternoon Wide/AF-C Bird/Eye Detection AF was active at the moment exposure and performed well enough in a difficult situation by creating a sharp-on-the-eye image. Image #1: Royal Tern blacklit against the shadowed face of the tall dune

Discovering New Situations

One of the constant themes here on the blog is that when the wind is blowing hard right at the sun on clear days, bird photography will be very challenging at best. Unless you like butt shots. Decades ago Max and Nellie Larsen taught me that when you are birding, you should always look behind you. Not to see what’s gaining on you, just to see what is there. So I have long made it a habit of glancing behind me, especially when things are tough. With the sun at our backs, the wind direction was not quite right for banking flight shots. When I took a quick glance behind me, looking to the west, I saw a Royal Tern fly in to join a scattered group of adults on the beach. When it landed, it was in the sun, but as it approached and flared to land, it was briefly in the shadow of the tall dune; its white feathers were lit strikingly from behind. So, I walked up next to the colony rope, and photographed the bird flaring to land in Image #1. I call this a “blacklit situation; a brilliant bird set against a shadowed background. Birds with white feathers generally work quite well. See the Blacklit Map below.

Anyhoo, I checked the very few frames that I had made, including Image #1, and knew that I had struck gold. I called the rest of the group over to join me, explained what we were looking for, and talked about the difficult exposure. In fact, however, SONY’s Zebra technology made getting these perfect child’s play. The end result: everyone got some very nice images.

Learning to discover and see new and different situations is one of the huge advantages of joining an IPT or an In-the-Field Workshop. I take great satisfaction from discovering the best situations and sharing them with others.

This image was created on 16 July on the 2nd JAX IPT by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the hand held Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (that he has since replaced by the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens) and the highly vaunted Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 500: 1/4000 sec. at f/7.1 (stopped down 1 2/3-stops) in Manual mode. AWB at 6:26pm on a sunny afternoon.. Face Detection + Tracking/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Royal Tern blacklit against the shadowed face of the tall dune Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf

Listen to the Leader!

I am often amazed that at times, when I call out a fabulous, newly-discovered situation, some folks hesitate to join me. Here two members of the group came over, listened carefully as I explained what we were looking to do, went to work, and made some great images. As Clemens had not yet received his 600 III or an RF 100-500 (both are still hard to come by), he went with the hand held 600 II. As you can see above, he did quite well. I love the light coming through the tern’s orange bill in his image.

Image #3: Blacklit Situation Map

Blacklit Situation Map

The red ball is the sun in the western sky. We stood as close as possible to the colony rope to have the birds coming at us as much as possible. As dark backgrounds are a necessity when attempting blacklit shots, we ignored the birds that flew in too high with sky backgrounds. The trick was to anticipate which birds would fly against the shadowed dune while still backlit by the sun. Birds that flew in while completely in the shadow of the dune were not dramatically lit, and thus, were miles under-exposed.

Both Clemens and I used Viveza as the final step in our post-processing. It is superb at darkening the dark tones and brightening the WHITEs to taste. Thanks to Clemens both for letting me share his image with you here today and for his continued Viveza tutoring. I am just about ready to do a Viveza video.

Cover Image courtesy of and Copyright 2021 Brian Sump (Sump scores!) The BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide

The BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide: $75.00

The guide is 82 pages long: 21,458 words. More than 50 DPP 4 Autofocus-depicting screen captures. And a 31 minute 44 second educational video. This guide took three and a half months of hard work and a ton of help from at least seventeen very helpful and generous folks.

The guide covers — in great detail — all Menu Items that are relevant to bird, nature, and wildlife photography. It does not cover video. The section on AF methods and the AF Gallery has been expanded from the R5/R6 AF e-guide. It remains the one of the great strengths of this guide. I share my thoughts on what I am sure is the single best AF Method for photographing birds in flight. As most of you know, the guide includes a simple and easy way to change AF Methods that was introduced to me by Geoff Newhouse. In the AF Gallery you will see exactly how Face Detection plus Tracking AF works. In the Educational R5 Gallery video, I share my favorite R5 images along with dozens of bird photography tips and techniques.

In addition, I teach you how to get the best exposures with your R5. Detailed instructions on using the great In-camera HDR and Multiple Exposure features will be appreciated by creative folks who like to have fun. The three shutter modes are explained in detail as well. Bruce Dudek solved the can’t-get-to-Auto ISO problem that had stumped everyone at Canon. This information is of course shared in the guide. You will learn how to set up your EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) and Screen toggle options. Not to mention that the mysterious performance of the Q Button is revealed and simplified. Brian Sump’s images reveal how well you can do when using the R5 with EF lenses using one of the three Canon EF-EOS R Mount Adapters (as Donna did with Image #1 below). You will learn how I use Customize Dials to put either ISO or EC on the Thumb Dial and how to set up and save Custom Shooting Modes (C1-C3) that can remember both your Customize Dial and Customize Button settings! That is something that none of the SONY bodies do. 🙁 Near the end of the guide I share my all-important MY MENU items with you.

Like all BAA educational materials, the R5 guide is written in my informal, easy-to-follow style. I am quite proud of this guide and look forward to hearing your thoughts on our hard work.

You can purchase your copy of the BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide for $75.00 here in the BAA Online Store or by calling Jim in the office weekday afternoons at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.

Typos

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