June 20th, 2021 What’s Up?
There was not a lot going on on Saturday morning. I saw both two-young crane families, but did not stop to photograph them. I did photograph a goldenrod blossom that I had spotted on an afternoon walk. I headed home and photographed a somewhat strange, green and reddish brown Sea Grape leaf that I picked up off the sidewalk on my trip to Southeast Florida.
I answered a ton of e-mails, got started on e-mail #17 for the SONY a1 Info and Updates Group, did more than a dozen critiques and posted the Least Tern chick Food Fight image here in the Avian Gallery on BirdPhotographers.Net (Honest critiques done gently: It ain’t just birds!) BPN is the best place on the planet to improve your nature photography.
Today is Sunday 20 June 2021. I hope to finish the aforementioned e-mail #17 and will be working on a Photo Mechanic Picking Your Keepers video after I get back from the lake. The forecast is for cloudy with a southwest breeze so it is likely to be a short trip. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
This blog post took more than an hour to prepare and makes 176 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 if you 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.
Only at BAA: Levered-Clamp FlexShooters in Stock!
We have just three Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Minis left in stock. They are available in the US only from BAA.
Folks with a big lens should, of course, be working with the Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro. This new head on just about any decent tripod like the Induro GIT 304L or the Induro 204L (for travel), is dead-solid-perfect for those whose intermediate telephoto or telephoto zoom lenses are their workhorse lenses for bird and nature photography, for all macro lenses with a tripod collar, and for wide angle lenses with a Wimberley P-5 Plate on the camera body. The levered-clamp is super-fast and secure. Though it weighs only 1lb., 2.4 ozs, this elegantly manufactured head is rock-solid. It takes only seconds to level all FlexShooter heads for smooth, square-to-the-world panning, and these innovative and patented spring-counterbalanced double ballheads will completely eliminate ballhead-flop.
We have lots of Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro heads in stock. B&H does not even carry them! I use and rely on mine most ever day that I am out there.
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.
Bud Strategy …
Last year in the marsh, I tried to photograph down-the-throat of some of the large, somewhat floppy Swamp Rosemallow blossoms. But they would not stay still even on a windless morning. And as soon as they open, they are covered inside and out with all manner of small bugs.
In the Hey Bud, Does Viveza Work? And lots more on exposing to the right … blog post here, I shared an image of a picked and Plamped bud that was improved nicely by Viveza. Anyhoo, I brought the bud home and stuck it in a glass of water. It opened the next day in pristine condition with not a bug anywhere in sight. I placed the glass on the arm of a deck chair and went to work. Zero wind and nice cloud cover made things a pleasure.
It almost goes without saying that you should pick buds (or flowers) only from places where such activity is permitted and then only when the plant is abundant. Or from your own garden.
What Do You Think?
What do you like about this image?
What don’t you like?
Depth-of-Field
Note: I bracketed the exposures here while shooting the bud at f/3.5, f/5, f/7.1, and f/14 without moving the lens. I am still not sure which one I like best … If you’d like to see the four raw files as screen captures, shoot me an e-mail requesting same.
What Do You Think II?
Now that you’ve seen what the raw file looked like, what do you think of the image processing (as seen in Image #1 above)? Please be as honest as you wish.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 19th, 2021 What’ Up?
I headed down to the lake yesterday not expecting to do many birds. I wound up sitting in the wet grass for almost an hour with the latest crane family at the end of Palmetto. I can no longer call the two young “chicks” as they are more than half as tall as the adults.
When done with the colts, I went to check on the remaining Black-necked Stilt nest, the beautiful nest with two eggs. As we have had some heavy rains for the past week, the water level was up about six inches. Not good. The nest was flooded and both eggs were gone. The birds, however, were still hanging around. And there was still another pair just to the left of the pair. If they had a nest, it is very doubtful that it is still there. As noted earlier, the breeding success of this species in the shallows of fresh water lakes in Central Florida is precarious at best because of predation and fluctuating water levels …
I think that Steve Elkins may have a Canon R5 or two in stock, and as of yesterday, there was no waiting list for the Sony Alpha a1! Either way you go, be sure to use the BIRDSASART code at checkout to save 3% and enjoy free second-day air Fed-Ex. And the same goes for lenses and for accessories.
Today is Saturday 19 June 2021. The forecast is the same as yesterday’s: early sun followed by clouds. They were wrong both days. When I peeked out the back door at 6:30am yesterday and today, it was totally cloudy. There is less wind today than there was on Friday. I will head down to the lake at about 7:15am to see what I see. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
This blog post took more than two hours to prepare and makes 175 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 if you 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.
Levered-Clamp FlexShooters in Stock!
We have just three Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Minis left in stock. They are available in the US only from BAA.
Folks with a big lens should, of course, be working with the Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro. This new head on just about any decent tripod like the Induro GIT 304L or the Induro 204L (for travel), is dead-solid-perfect for those whose intermediate telephoto or telephoto zoom lenses are their workhorse lenses for bird and nature photography, for all macro lenses with a tripod collar, and for wide angle lenses with a Wimberley P-5 Plate on the camera body. The levered-clamp is super-fast and secure. Though it weighs only 1lb., 2.4 ozs, this elegantly manufactured head is rock-solid. It takes only seconds to level all FlexShooter heads for smooth, square-to-the-world panning, and these innovative and patented spring-counterbalanced double ballheads will completely eliminate ballhead-flop.
We have lots of Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro heads in stock. B&H does not even carry them! I use and rely on mine most ever day that I am out there.
New Listings
Nikon AF-S 80-400mm/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens with Extra
Paul Sher is offering a Nikon AF-S 80-400mm/4.5-5.6G ED VR in like new condition for $1396.95. The sale includes a Wimberley P-10 plate (a $52.00 value), the front and rear lens caps, the lens case, the original Nikon box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Paul Sher via e-mail or by phone at 1-503-248-9870 (Pacific time zone).
I owned and loved this super-sharp and very versatile lens when I shot Nikon. It was my go-to lens on my bucket-list Emperor Penguin trip to Snow Hill Island, Antartica. It complements either the 500 PF or the 600 f/4 VR lenses perfectly. As it sells new for $2,296.95, you can save a very handsome $900.00 on Paul’s pretty much new lens. artie
Nikon AF-S VR Micro Nikkor 105mm F2.8 G IF-ED Lens
Paul Sher is offering a Nikon AF-S VR Micro Nikkor 105mm F2.8 G IF-ED in like new condition for $496.95. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the lens bag, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Paul Sher via e-mail or by phone at 1-503-248-9870 (Pacific time zone).
This super-sharp macro lens is the longest in the Nikkor line-up. It is a must-own for anyone doing flowers and/or bugs. It sells new for $896.95. Save $400.00 by getting in touch with Paul ASAP. artie
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Image #1:The RawDigger screen capture for the Osprey landing with outstretched talons image
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Oops: Over-exposed Leggings!
It is rare that I over-expose an image to this degree. The pink OvExp warning on the legs are all in the two GREEN channels. In addition, note that the G channel in the adapted histogram is pegged against the Y-axis on our right. Why was I trying so (too?) hard to expose to the right in low light? There were two reasons:
1- To reveal as much underwing detail as possible.
2- To reduce the noise in the dark tones.
Via e-Mail from Geri George
Hi Artie, Thanks for the RawDigger e-Guide. With many of my flower images, DPP 4 shows lots of over-exposure on the petals, but RawDigger shows only a smattering (less than a hundred). They all converted perfectly in DPP 4 simply by pulling down the Highlight slider a bit. RawDigger has some really cool stuff!
Thanks and best, Geri
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RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
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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. It is not for the faint-of-heart who are happy to go through life under-exposing every raw file they create.
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 puzzled as to why the Max G values for different cameras were different. 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 prompted three complete beginning to end re-writes.
The point of the guide is to teach you to truly 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.
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Be sure to click on the screen capture for a better look at the sliders.
Image #1A:The Camera Raw screen capture for the Osprey landing with outstretched talons image
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Trying to Save the Toasted Whites During the Raw Conversion
In the RawDigger e-Guide you will learn that when all of the OvExp pixels (14,000 in this case), it is sometimes possible to restore detail during the raw conversion. Be sure to click on the image to see how I changed the sliders toward that end. Note: I experimented by moving the Highlights slider to -100 but even that did not help. Even though there was not a single pixel greater than 254 in the master TIF file, it was obvious that many of the white feathers on the legs were completely without detail. Neither NIK Color EFEX Pro nor a Linear Burn can bring back detail when there is none. In this case, the WHITEs were truly toasted.
Worth Saving!
This sharp frame, with the Osprey barely fitting into the frame, and the bird’s talons just about to grab the perch, was well worth saving. To repair the over-exposed areas on the leggings, I used a series of small, transformed Quick Masks refined by Regular Layer Masks. I began by grabbing the a section of detailed feathers near the bottom of the bird’s left leg, the one on our right. Then it was rinse and repeat.
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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.
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The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
The clean-up techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all 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.
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This image was created on 2 May 2021 on Lake Blue Cypress working from Clemens Van der Werf’s flats boat. I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 2500. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:17am with a cloud in front of the rising sun.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1C: Osprey landing with outstretched talons
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The Optimized Image
Yes, for me, this one was well worth saving. Note also, the neat clean-up job on the moss in the lower left corner and the small pano crop. The image from side-to-side represents the full frame original.
The Key Question
Compared today’s featured Osprey landing image with yesterday’s featured Osprey landing image and then leave a comment that answers this question: Why did I hand hold the much heavier 600mm f/4 GM lens for today’s image? (Note that for yesterday’s featured image I used the lighter, easier-to-hand hold 200-600 G lens …)
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 18th, 2021 What’s Up?
I enjoyed one last session at the thriving Least Tern colony on Thursday morning. I was home just before 1pm with 7609 raw files to edit. I got through 4758 of those, keeping 362 after the first edit. I will be doing a Picking-Your-Keepers video on the last file of 2851 images soon. Understand that the photography was neither great nor easy; it was beyond extremely challenging as the adults with fish in their bills would land for an instant while searching for their chick. (Don’t ask me how they know which one is theirs …) When they do find the right chick, the fish is passed to the young in a fraction of a second. Then that lucky chick is attacked by several others unless another adult has swooped in and stolen the fish. In the meantime you are trying to find the action at 840 or 1200mm, acquire focus, and make a series of in-focus images. So at times, I may be able to go through a long series of 50-100 images without tagging a single one.
At times, you are focused on a single chick in a nice situation hoping that it will begin to beg. That takes intense concentration. After a minute or two, you really want to take your eye from the viewfinder. And with all the white sand, you are squinting to begin with. In short order, your temples hurt, as do the eye muscles that help you focus. As I said, challenging. BTW, Clemens killed me on the classic begging chick images; I will be featuring some more of his work here soon.
As the Sony Alpha a1 is becoming more readily available, the Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group has grown to an astounding 58 folks! Most folks have earned free entry into the group by getting their bodies from Bedfords or from B&H. Two BAA folks got their a1-s yesterday!
The Mini-JAX IPT is now a sell out. I expect to be visiting this site regularly each summer. Though this will be my first visit I am very confident that we will have an amazing trip. As long as I do not get my X5 stuck in the sand …
Today is Friday 18 June 2021. The weather is calling for a brief period of sunshine at dawn quickly turning cloudy. I will be heading down to the lake to check things out. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes 174 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 if you 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.
Levered-Clamp FLexShooters in Stock!
We have just three Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Minis left in stock. They are available in the US only from BAA.
Folks with a big lens should, of course, be working with the Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro. This new head on just about any decent tripod like the Induro GIT 304L or the Induro 204L (for travel), is dead-solid-perfect for those whose intermediate telephoto or telephoto zoom lenses are their workhorse lenses for bird and nature photography, for all macro lenses with a tripod collar, and for wide angle lenses with a Wimberley P-5 Plate on the camera body. The levered-clamp is super-fast and secure. Though it weighs only 1lb., 2.4 ozs, this elegantly manufactured head is rock-solid. It takes only seconds to level all FlexShooter heads for smooth, square-to-the-world panning, and these innovative and patented spring-counterbalanced double ballheads will completely eliminate ballhead-flop.
We have lots of Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro heads in stock. B&H does not even carry them! I use and rely on mine most ever day that I am out there.
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.
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This image was created on 23 May 2021 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 489mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1250. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:28am on a sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed as expected: perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Osprey braking to land with nesting material
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Wind and Sun Together
This image was possible because I knew exactly how the bird would approach the nest with a brisk northeast wind: birds will always fly and land into the wind. I positioned myself right on sun angle to the nest. The bird had to fly past some telephone wires and past another telephone pole to get to its platform nest. There was a very small zone of success, but everything worked out as planned. Learning to read the wind and the light is a hugely important skill for bird photographers. For a landing shot at this nest only good northeast wind will work. The bird only had one way to go. And with the sun rising in the northeast in May, conditions were dead-solid perfect.
Superb When the Sun Shines: the Hand Held SONY 200-600
As noted here recently and often, when the sun is shining, the SONY 200-600 is at its best, even doing well with the 1.4X TC. In low light, I will often turn to the 600mm f/4 GM to save 1 1/3 stops of ISO. See tomorrow’s blog post for a great example of that.
A 200-600 Relevant e-Mail Conversation with Multiple IPT Veteran Geri Georg
AM: gg,
Is there an “e” at the end of your last name???
gg: No!
AM: Re:
gg: I just got my order confirmation for a Sony a1 and 200-600mm lens from Bedford’s. I’ve attached a pdf of the email receipt. Can you please give me access to the a1 information group?
AM: Huge thanks, and yes. I will send the first 16 e-mails today. I will be working on and sending #17 this weekend.
gg: Bedford didn’t have the metabones lens adapter you use with your Canon 180mm macro, so I had to order that from B&H.
AM: I hope that you used the link 🙂
gg: Neither of them have the 1.4x teleconverter in stock, so I just ordered it from Bedford and hopefully it will come soon.
AM: Great and thanks and good luck.
gg: I was looking through several screens of your older blogs, and none of the images seemed to use the 2x teleconverter with the 200-600mm lens. I assume that this is because of losing 2 f-stops, but in bright sun (most of our hiking falls in this category), do you think a 2x might be useful with the 200-600mm lens?
AM: Yes, the wide open aperture at 1200mm drops to a rather penal f/13. I have, however, posted a least a few images made with that combo. One was a sunset silhouette (with lots of light as I was pointing near the setting sun), and the other — I think, was a head shot of a Red-shouldered Hawk made from Clemens’ flats boat. In bright light, it is a viable combination. The optics are sharp — the problem is getting a fast-enough shutter speed and properly framing the image. Though both of the images that I mentioned were hand held, a decent Induro tripod with a Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Mini would be much better. Folks with a big lens should, of course, be working with the Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro.
gg: If you’ve covered this question in the a1 info group, I’ll look for it there.
AM: I will include this conversation in the next mail.
With love, and huge thanks for using my affiliate links.
artie
Sony Alpha a1 AF
Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including at 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In recent SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mails, I shared what I have learned as to when and it what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome. In addition, recent e-mails have detailed the best program to use to pick your a1 keepers and the big problem with the Camera Set. Memory menu item.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
For me, today’s featured image would not have been possible without my Sony Alpha a1. The speed of initial focusing acquisition is amazingly quick as is the tracking accuracy. And all of that will be even truer for tomorrow’s featured image.
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 57 blessed folks! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. 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.
June 17th, 2021 Your Fave?
Which is the strongest flight shot? If you leave a comment, please let us know why you made your choice.
What’s Up?
I got to the beach at 6:30am on Wednesday. Clemens was off biking with his group; they did a tidy 25 miles. Then Clemens had a Zoom meeting. It was pretty dark at first — I started photographing Least Tern chicks standing still on the beach at eye level at 1/250 sec. at f/4 at ISO 3200. As I said, it was pretty dark. Things got better as far as light was concerned but I was pretty much not feeling it. Every time I tried for a flight or action shot I was too late. So I concentrated on photographing the adults that landed on the beach for more than a second with all manner of fishes and other sea creatures for their chicks. It was cloudy-bright and the wind was shifting from the southwest to the east so I called Clemens, and he did indeed drive to the beach with his wife Audrey. We wound up leaving the beach at 1:30pm, that after I filled a large flash card (160GB) for the first time ever: 2950 a1 images. I tried garbage-canning a bunch of mis-framed images in the field — I have never had to do that before, but I could barely make a dent and quickly re-filled the card.
It had been like a pressure cooker — super high humidity and zero breeze. At about 1:00pm a front came through with a cool onshore breeze soon followed by thunder, lightning, and rain. We got off the beach at just the right time. After shooting for seven straight hours, I was beyond knackered. We drove back to Clemens’ place where I ate my first meal of the day. And then I took a long nap. Clemens worked on some images and then headed back to the beach for more Least Tern chick action.
As the Sony Alpha a1 is becoming more readily available, the Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group has grown to an astounding 57 folks! Most folks have earned free entry into the group by getting their bodies from Bedfords or from B&H.
Today is Thursday, 17 June 2021. The forecast for Southeast Florida for this morning is for an east wind with clouds and scattered thunderstorms. I will head home after the morning shoot. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 173 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 if you 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.
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This image was created on 27 May 2021 at Fort DeSoto Park. 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: 1/3200 sec. at f/7.1 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:20pm on a dead-clear afternoon.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed as expected: perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Least Tern — wings down, facing flight
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A Whole New World: Picking Your Flight Keepers
While picking my keepers from a good afternoon of Least Tern flight photography on Thursday afternoon past, I had some thoughts that I wanted to share with you here. I created more than 1600 images in a 90 minutes session. The wind was strong from the west and there was lots of action. The vast majority of the images were sharp or razor-sharp on the eye or eyes. Less than a handful of my a1/200-600 images were totally out-of-focus, all of those due to operator error. I kept less than 50 on the first edit. Editing the relatively huge file took me about 15 minutes, in part because I know exactly what I am looking for: I know what works and what does not. And in part because of the great speed that Photo Mechanic attains with a1 raw files; if you keep the button down, it’s like watching a movie.
Many of the images were mis-framed with various parts of the bird cut off by the frame-edge (operator error again).
What struck me was that I deleted well more than a thousand sharp, well-composed, well lit images of the fast tiny birds in flight, was that each one of those would have been a solid keeper just a year or two before. Well more than a thousand. Now we are looking for those special images, ones that stand out as relatively spectacular, usually because of the wing position or the flight pose. And sometimes because of the size of the bird in the frame and/or outstanding sharpness. As always, and as discussed here recently, we are looking for those images that are different and special. Super-sharp and in the center of the frame no longer cuts it …
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This image was created on 27 May 2021 at Fort DeSoto Park. 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: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:28pm on a dead-clear afternoon.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed as expected: perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #2: Least Tern flight looking serious
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Pugnacious!
This one made it as a keeper because of the pugnacious look on the bird’s face. If you see anything strange about the processing of this image, please leave a comment.
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This image was created on 27 May 2021 at Fort DeSoto Park. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1250. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:47pm on a clear afternoon.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed as expected: perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #3: Least Tern point-blank flight
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Super-tight Flight
This one survived the cut because the bird was so large in the frame and so sharp that I needed to crop in just a bit for a pleasing image design.
SONY 200-600 G Lens
As discussed yesterday, when the sun is shining, the SONY 200-600 G lens can be deadly, especially for bird in flight when the wind is coming from somewhere behind you.
Sony Alpha a1 AF
Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including at 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In recent SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mails, I shared what I have learned as to when and it what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome. In addition, recent e-mails have detailed the best program to use to pick your a1 keepers and the big problem with the Camera Set. Memory menu item.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
For me, today’s featured image would not have been possible without my Sony Alpha a1. The speed of initial focusing acquisition is amazingly quick as is the tracking accuracy. And all of that will be even truer for tomorrow’s featured image.
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 57 blessed folks! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. 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.
June 16th, 2021 What’s Up?
On Tuesday morning Clemens and I enjoyed another challenging morning of Least Tern photography in Southeast Florida. Mostly cloudy bright sky conditions were just about perfect. A breeze from the west/southwest? Not so much. But again, we both made some very good ones. The Nikonians webinar went very well, in part thanks to Clemens killer internet.
Today is Wednesday 16 June. I will be on my own at the beach as Clemens has an early morning 30-mile bike ride with his regular cycling group scheduled that followed by a Zoom meeting. The forecast is for more of the same mostly cloudy skies with a breeze from the south. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
This blog post took more than an hour to prepare and makes 172 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 if you 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.
Still Need One for Jax In-the-Field
If you are interested in four days (two 1/2 days and three full days) of In-the-Field Instruction at a great new spot in the Jacksonville, FL area — the afternoon of Sunday 27 June through the morning session on Thursday 1 July 2021, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail for details, or call me on my cell at 863-221-2372. If you have a four-wheel drive truck or an SUV that would do well on the beach, that would be an amazing plus. Inexpensive lodging at a gorgeous AirBnB just 25 minutes from our shooting location is available. We only have room for one more in the 4 bedroom home.
We will be going to the beach in my vehicle (unless you have a 4WD vehicle) for all eight sessions at Huguenot Memorial Park. We will have thousand of birds to photograph. Mainly nesting Royal Terns with chicks of all sizes and Laughing Gulls with large chicks and fledglings. There are nesting Brown Pelicans as well. We will have tons of flight photography. The terns will be carrying all sorts of fish and shrimp and other prey items for the young. There may be less action for the afternoon sessions, but with any luck at all we will have the larger Royal Tern chicks (and possibly recently fledged young) swimming in the surf (along with lots of handsome young laughing gulls).
An Interesting Comment here.
Duncan Groenewald/June 9, 2021 at 8:59pm
Hi Artie, just looking at some of the images you post from the 600f4/a1 and they don’t appear to be that sharp on my monitor (LG 5K Display), well no significantly more so that ones I take with the a1/200-600 combo – do you post the full resolution images or are they downsampled ? Just interested in seeing the difference in feather detail between the 600f4 and say the 200-600. Obviously lots of benefit in f4 over v6.3 in terms of background blur and shutter speeds but I would have expected a reasonable step up in fine detail/sharpness as well. Is this the case ? Perhaps you can show some comparative examples – or link to the page if you have done so previously. More often than not I find I am shooting the 200-600 at 840mm to better fill the frame and that seems to still deliver pretty sharp images with not too much loss of IQ. Nevertheless I would have thought the primes would deliver a considerable improvement in sharpness.
Best regards and stay safe – we’re all back in lockdown here in Melbourne!
My Reply
Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART/June 13, 2021 at 9:03am:
Hi Duncan, Sorry for being tardy on responding. Your comment has been on my to-do list for a while 🙂
#1: The JPEG that I use on the blog are 1200 pixels on the long side. With the file limited to less than 395 KB. I would expect that they look pretty lousy on a large, quality monitor. Therefore, the stuff that you see on the blog has been downsized tremendously. So you are comparing apples with oranges. In addition, as noted in the post, that JPEG was a huge crop. Unusual for me it represented only 11% of the original images. I can assure you that the master files for everything I post are either sharp or mind-bogglingly sharp.
#2: Both Patrick Sparkman and I feel that the SONY 200-600 lens, though it is “only” a G (Good???) lens rather than a GM (Grand Master) lens, is incredibly sharp, pretty much as sharp as the 600 f/4GM. As stated on the blog often, I do not have the greatest eye for fine detail. Folks on BPN are often pointing that out with my images, and they are almost always right. Patrick on the other hand has an excellent eye for fine detail. I’ll see if I can get Arash to comment on this issue.
#3: Here is a relevant comment from Sunday’s blog post:
On a related note, if you are a serious bird photographer without any physical limitations, and can afford a top of the line 600mm or 500mm f/4 along with a high-end mirrorless body and both teleconverters, but do not presently own that gear, I can only ask, “what are you waiting for?” 1200mm and 1000mm are deadly weapons ever for those who live in areas with silly tame birds, and they have never been more effective than they have ever been before. And yes thanks, please use the links.
And here is a recent e-mail exchange with David Pugsley:
DP: Hi Artie, Hope all is well. I’m having quite the debate in my head over whether or not to pull the trigger on the Sony 600. I’ll summarize my current thoughts via bullet points, and would love your thoughts.
AM: For me it’s a no-brainer …
DP:
Advantages
Reportedly superior optics, even wide open
AM: They are both very sharp. Even wide open.
DP More light gathering allowing lower ISO and/or faster shutter speeds (I’m finding my 200-600 with the 1.4 is noticeably sharper stopped down to f/10 which is really making me push the ISO.)
AM: Yes, and that is when the sun is shining. The 600 f/4 shines when the sun is not shining. With the 200-600 and a 1.4X TC, you will yourself at ISOs from 4000 to 12800 in low light situations. That is not a nice place to be (no matter how great Topaz DeNoise is …) You will always save four clicks of ISO (1 1/3 stops) with the 600 f/4.
DPBetter bokeh
AM: Bokeh is mainly a factor of the distance from the subject to the BKRG. The Boken of the 2-6 is just fine in nearly all situations. Gorgeous, in fact.
DPPlays well with the 2x TC.
AM: Not well. Amazingly mind-bogglingly well. Imagine making razor-sharp images at 1200mm without giving it a second thought. Not to mention that you will have incredible AF across the (almost) entire frame.
DP:
Disadvantages
The MFD (Minimum Focusing Distance) of 600 f/4 GM is nearly 15′. The 200-600 focuses focuses down to less than 8 feet and will put more pixels on the subject at anything inside of 15’ which is often the case at Fort DeSoto.
AM: Almost correct. But you need to factor in focus breathing with the 200-600. That said, aside from the fishing pier, it is rare to be inside of 15 feet even with tame birds. On sunny days I will almost always grab the 200-600 when working with silly tame birds.
DP: The million dollar question is whether all the advantages outweigh the MFD concern.
AM: For a serious photographer that is not even a question. See all of my a1 stuff on the blog at 1200mm. Hell, Arash kills on flight with small shorebirds and raptors at 1200mm.
Your call.
Much Love, a
FYI: David ordered his SONY 600 GM and saved 3% by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. He should have the lens in six to eight months…
with love, artie
ps: Thanks for the good wishes!
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Like yesterday’s featured This image was created on 14 June 2021 on a beach in Southeast Florida. Standing at full height, I used the Induro GIT 304L/ Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 2000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:37am in cloudy, fairly bright conditions.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed very well by nailing tern’s cap. As this is another healthy crop, about, the depth-of-field was provided by the distance to the subject. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Adult Least Tern with halfbeak for chick
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The Quest for Different: Birthday Gift #2
As we discuss here often, the big challenge in nature photography is to create something different, to create something unique. It is fairly easy to create perfect field guide type portraits of the tern chicks in sweet light (though we did not have any on Monday morning). The challenge is to make sharp images of the birds in action. With that standard in mind, the image above works very well for me. I am adding it to tomorrow webinar program.
Least Tern Adult in flight with halfbeak for chicks
Trying to make images of adults in flight with food for the chicks concentrating on portraits and action shots of the chicks of all sizes is beyond a huge challenge. Most of the background is condos. The adults fly in, land briefly, and then take flight again all in an effort to find their chick. Today’s featured image was a 100% grab shot. I had told myself, this is so difficult that if you see even part of the bird in the frame press the shutter button. I got on the bird late, just after it took off, so the first two images had the bird in the frame but were not sharp. Remarkably, the next few frames in the series were razor sharp on the eye without my having bumped the focus!
Bumping the focus is a technique where you release the shutter button so that the camera stops focusing and the press it again to acquire (hopefully sharp) focus. I have never had any camera do that before. Score another one for the Sony Alpha a1. And chalk up a second birthday gift for me.
Thanks to Dr. Fish, blog regular David Policansky for identifying the prey item as a halfbeak. To be absolutely sure, he sent the image to his friend Kate Bemis for confirmation. It just so happens that Kate is one of the co-authors of Part 10 of The Fishes of the Western Atlantic: Order Beloniformes: Needlefishes, Sauries, Halfbeaks, and Flyingfishes. From Yale University Press by Bruce B. Collette, Katherine E. Bemis, Nicolay V. Parin, and Ilia B. Shakhovskoy. You can check it out here.
Thanks again, David and thanks, Kate! Don’t you love it when you can find great help?
The Relevance of the Conversation with Duncan Groenewald to Today’s Featured Image
The smaller, lighter 200-600 would make it easier to get on the action more quickly and to move in position to be on sun angle (if it had been sunny). But when you are shooting action in cloudy conditions using the 200-600 is usually just not feasible. Had I been using the 200-600 with the 1.4X teleconverter, I would have needed to raise the ISO from 2000 to 5000 in order to attain the fast-enough shutter speed used to create today’s sharp image: 1/2500 second. ISO 5000 is not a place where you want to spend a lot of time … In addition, initial focusing acquisition would be quite a bit slower at f/9 with the 2-6/1.4X TC combo than at f/5.6 with the 600 GM/1.4X TC rig. But, you need to be able to afford the 600 GM (or any 600mm f/4 lens) and you need to be able to manage it in the field …
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You must click on the image here to see the stunning sharpness and fine detail.
200% crop of the Adult Least Tern with halfbeak for chick image
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Razor-sharp on the Eye!
After seeing that the first two images in this series were not sharp, I pretty much gave up hope. When several sharp ones followed, I pretty much jumped for joy and sang happy birthday to myself! The a1 came through in a situation that was rife with operator error. The master file for this image included about half the pixels in the original image capture. As we have seen here before, sharp a1 raw files allow for substantial crops.
Sony Alpha a1 AF
Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including at 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In recent SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mails, I shared what I have learned as to when and it what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome. In addition, recent e-mails have detailed the best program to use to pick your a1 keepers and the big problem with the Camera Set. Memory menu item.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
For me, today’s featured image would not have been possible without my Sony Alpha a1. The speed of initial focusing acquisition is amazingly quick as is the tracking accuracy. And all of that will be even truer for tomorrow’s featured image.
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 56 blessed folks! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. 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.
June 15th, 2021 What’s Up?
My 1 1/2 hour drive was not too bad. Since I left early, I was able to grab a 30–minute nap at a 7-11 ten minutes from the spot were I met Clemens on Monday morning. The Least Tern colony we visited is thriving. I think there are more than 100 young birds including chicks of all sizes and lots of fledged and flying young. And there are still birds on eggs. Learn more about our great but very challenging morning below.
Thanks to all for the birthday good wishes and to those who commented on the Black-necked Stilt images as well.
Today is Tuesday 15 June 2021. the forecast for Southeast Florida is for light southwest winds with isolated thunderstorms early followed by clouds. Just like it was Monday. We will be headed back to the beach again to try to make some more magic. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
This blog post took more than an hour to prepare and makes 171 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 if you 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.
Still Need One for Jax In-the-Field
If you are interested in four (two 1/2 and three full) days of In-the-Field Instruction at a great new spot in the Jacksonville, FL area — the afternoon of Sunday 27 June through the morning session on Thursday 1 July 2021, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail for details, or call me on my cell at 863-221-2372. If you have a four-wheel drive truck or an SUV that would do well on the beach, that would be an amazing plus. Inexpensive lodging at a gorgeous AirBnB just 25 minutes from our shooting location is available. We only have room for one more in the 4 bedroom home.
We will be going to the beach in my vehicle (unless you have a 4wD vehicle) for all eight sessions at Huguenot Memorial Park. We will have thousand of birds to photograph. Mainly nesting Royal Terns with chicks of all sizes and Laughing Gulls with large chicks and fledglings. There are nesting Brown Pelicans there as well. We will have tons of flight photography. The terns will be carrying all sorts of fish and shrimp and other prey items for the young. There may be less action for the afternoon sessions, but with any luck at all we will have the larger Royal Tern chicks (and possibly recently fledged young) swimming in the surf (along with young laughing gulls).
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This image was created on a beach in Southeast Florida. Standing at full height, I used the Induro GIT 304L/ Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 2500. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:20am on mostly cloudy, sometimes stormy morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly by nailing the beak of the bird on our right. As this is a healthy crop, the depth-of-field was provided by the distance to the subject. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Least Tern Chicks fighting over immature flying fish
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The Quest for Different: Birthday Gift #1
As we discuss here often, the quest in nature photography is to create something different. It is fairly easy to create perfect field guide type portraits of the tern chicks in sweet light (though we did not have any on Monday morning). The challenge is to make sharp images of the birds in action. With that standard in mind, the image above works very well for me. I am adding it to tomorrows webinar program.
Least Tern Chicks Food Fight!
There is lots of color variation in Least Tern chicks. There are blonde ones, tan ones, brown ones, grey ones, and as they get older, many are starkly black, white and silver. The day dawned mostly cloudy so we did not have a lot of light early on. Going with the 2X TC and the 600s left us fighting for shutter speed using too high ISOs. So I switched the 2X TC for the 1.4X. Much better. Faster and more accurate AF with manageable ISOs. By exposing to the right — RawDigger showed that this image could have gone 1/3 stop lighter, the noise at ISO 2500 was negligible. The sun came out very briefly and then came the rain and the thunder and lighting. We took shelter at the rest rooms and chatted with some campers who were not happy about getting rained out on their first day of camp.
It let up and we headed back for more. Today’s featured image was made after our break. The adults land with a fish and every chick within ten yards comes running. Almost instantly either a chick is fed or the adult takes flight in search of its own young. Usually by the time you are pointing your lens at the subject the action is over and you are looking at sand. Once a chick has a fish, it is often mobbed by others. In this case the upside down brownish–grey chick was fed the fish, and I can assure you that it did not get to swallow it. Anyhoo, when I saw this series I was thrilled on all counts.
Thanks to Dr. Fish, blog regular David Policansky for verifying the identify of the prey item.
Sony Alpha a1 AF
Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including at 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In recent SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mails, I shared what I have learned as to when and it what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome. In addition, recent e-mails have detailed the best program to use to pick your a1 keepers and the big problem with the Camera Set. Memory menu item.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
For me, today’s featured image would not have been possible without my Sony Alpha a1. The speed of initial focusing acquisition is amazingly quick as is the tracking accuracy. And all of that will be even truer for tomorrow’s featured image.
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 49 blessed folks. Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. 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.
June 14th, 2021 What’s Up?
I left the house at 6:00am on Sunday morning and headed west on SR 60 in hopes of some color sunrise tree silhouettes. That fizzled quickly so I gassed up at Jimmy’s and headed back to ILE and down to the lake. As expected, I came across the crane family at the north end of the North Field. But there was only one chick with the two adults … The young cranes often nestle down to rest in the grass where they are well camouflaged. But they had mowed that field the other day … When my careful search came up empty, it seemed that one of the two chicks had perished. I walked to end of Palmetto to check on a huge dead oak to see if there were any photo possibilities. There were not.
It was not yet seven am and I was ready to head home. But when I turned around to head back to the car, there were the adults feeding their two chicks! Hooray. I got out the 600 and the tripod and made images of the chicks — now almost half as large as their parents, for about 45 minutes working off the rear monitor and the splayed, ground-level tripod. No matter how much I practice that technique, I know that I still need lots more practice to get the perfect framing every time … IAC, I was home well before eight.
Today is Monday 14 June, 2021. Happy Flag Day to you. And a happy 75th birthday to me. To celebrate, I got to bed at 6:30pm, set the alarm for 3:00am, but woke at 1:55am. I packed the car and was headed to Clemens Van der Werf’s home in Fort Lauderdale by 2:55am. I’ll have time for a short nap if I need to stop on the way down. I will be staying two nights. We will be photographing at a Least Tern colony in Southeast Florida for three mornings. I will head home after the morning shoot on Wednesday.
Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes 170 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 if you 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.
Still Need One for Jax n-the-Field
If you are interested in four (two 1/2 and three full) days of In-the-Field Instruction at a great new spot in the Jacksonville, FL area — the afternoon of Sunday 27 June through the morning session on Thursday 1 July 2021, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail for details, or call me on my cell at 863-221-2372. If you have a four-wheel drive truck or an SUV that would do well on the beach, that would be an amazing plus. Inexpensive lodging at a gorgeous AirBnB just 25 minutes from our shooting location is available. We only have room for one more in the 4 bedroom home.
We will be going to the beach in my vehicle (unless you have a 4wD vehicle) for all eight sessions at Huguenot Memorial Park. We will have thousand of birds to photograph. Mainly nesting Royal Terns with chicks of all sizes and Laughing Gulls with large chicks and fledglings. There are nesting Brown Pelicans there as well. We will have tons of flight photography. The terns will be carrying all sorts of fish and shrimp and other prey items for the young. There may be less action for the afternoon sessions, but with any luck at all we will have the larger Royal Tern chicks (and possibly recently fledged young) swimming in the surf (along with young laughing gulls).
Sony a9 ii Mirrorless Digital Camera Body
Price reduced $103.00 12 JUNE 2021
BAA Record-low Price
Multiple IPT veteran Larry Master is offering a Sony a9 ii mirrorless digital camera body in near-mint condition (with a very low shutter count of 2340) for $2895.00 (was $2998.00). There is a single, almost microscopic scratch on the rear monitor. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, along with insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your new camera will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 (Eastern time zone).
As things turned out, the a9 and then the a9 ii turned out to be life-changers for me. From the moment I tracked that first incoming Brandt’s Cormorant, I knew that SONY a9 series bodies featured the world’ best AF. I upgraded to the a9 ii as soon as it was released for the slightly larger body size. At one point I owned two a9 ii bodies. A new a9 ii sells for $4,498.00 so you can save a very nice $1603.00 by grabbing Larry’s a9 ii ASAP. Not to mention that the new Sony A1 sells for $6498.00 … artie
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This image was created on 2 June 2021 in the marsh on the edge the lake near my home. While seated in the wet mud, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 524mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/12500 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. (I had been set up for a potential fly-by Osprey.) AWB at 7:08am on a dead-clear morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed as expected: perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Black-necked Stilt female on vegetation-covered mud bar
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Mommy Long-legs
The stilts liked the vegetation-covered mud bar seen in today’s featured image. And they visited it often. It was midway between the two original nests. The day before, when neither bird had been on eggs (I always check with my binoculars before heading down), I took ten minutes to clean up the bar. I picked up several dozen clam and mussel shells along with more than a few shed feathers. The next day my clean-up efforts paid off in spades. I often do the same thing at the beach. If there is a nice stretch of sand with a few distracting shells, I will tidy up, take a seat, and wait for the shorebirds to return to that stretch of beach.
If anyone knows the name of the fresh-water ground-cover vegetation — it grows below the water and does well as things dry up — please leave the name in a comment. Comments on the image are welcome as well. BTW, how did I do on sun angle?
Lastly …
Do you think that this image needs some to be leveled? If yes, CW or CCW? And if yes, how did you know?
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Image #1A: AF point for the Black-necked Stilt female on vegetation-covered mud bar image
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More of the Same a1 AF Magic
Nothing new here as far as a1 AF is concerned.
The Image Optmization
The screen capture above shows you what the original looked like. Despite my previous in-the-field clean-up efforts, I needed to do a bit more in Photoshop. The clean-up was one with my usual cadre of clean-up tools. Those include the Patch Tool, the Spot Healing Brush, and Content Aware Fill. Note that I did not use the Clone Stamp at all. I rarely do. A small crop from the left and below eliminated some crud along the lower frame edge. In addition, I eliminated all of the larger specular highlights and then smoothed the upper background with a Gaussian blur painted in after applying an Inverse (Black, Hide-all) Layer Mask.
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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.
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The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
The clean-up techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all 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.
June 13th, 2021 What’s Up?
Monday’s blog post was published by mistake on Sunday morning (13 June 2021). Please enjoy the Get on Line Now for the Canon EOS R3! Clemens Van der Werf & the Canon EOS R5 — Not Bad At All at 1200mm … The 600 mm f/4 + a 2xTC Rocks with Canon and SONY Systems blog post here. I am sorry for any inconvenience.
with love, artie
June 13th, 2021 Your Fave?
Please be so kind as to leave a comment and let us know which of Clemens four featured images you think is the strongest. And why.
What’s Up?
I never made it down to the lake on Saturday morning. I worked on flowers in the butterfly garden for an hour, and then beat my way through the bushes to the creek behind the house and did some more. It was gloriously still with not even a hint of breeze and for that I was thankful. I spent a good part of the day doing image critiques in the Avian Forum at Bird Photographer’s.Net. BPN, where honest critiques are done gently.
I was about to get into the pool for my almost daily swim at about 3:15pm on Saturday afternoon. As I walked out onto the pool deck there was a loud thunderclap so I decided to postpone for a bit. Ten minutes later a huge blast of thunder and lightning shook the house violently. We lost lights and TV. It poured so hard that in two minutes the pool deck was flooded. Neither Jim nor I had ever seen anything like that before. I was able to get safely into the pool at 5:00pm. By the time I finished, the sun was out.
Today is Sunday 13 June 2021. The forecast for today is for mostly cloudy with a light southwest breeze, isolated and scattered thunderstorms, and an afternoon high of 90 degrees. I’ll probably go down to the lake and wind up doing flowers again. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
If you are interested in four (two 1/2 and three full) days of In-the-Field Instruction at a great new spot in the Jacksonville, FL area — the afternoon of Sunday 27 June through the morning session on Thursday 1 July 2021, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail for details, or call me on my cell at 863-221-2372. If you have a four-wheel drive truck or an SUV that would do well on the beach, that would be an amazing plus. Inexpensive lodging at a gorgeous AirBnB just 25 minutes from our shooting location is available. We only have room for one more in the 4 bedroom home.
This blog post took well more than an hour to prepare and makes 169 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 if you 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.
Get on Line Now for the Canon EOS R3!
How to be one of the first to get yours. Seriously.
The specs below are quite impressive. If you are a serious Canon shooter who loves your R5 but are not enthralled by it, you will surely want to be among the first on your block to get your hands on the new Canon EOS R3. Right now this body is not available for pre-order. That tells us that it will be a while till it gets here. So what’s the secret, shoot Steve Elkins of Bedfords an e-mail and let him know that you would like to be placed on his R3 list and will be using the BIRDSASART discount code to save 3%. Act now and you will be #2 on his list; today’s guest photographer, Clemens Va der Werf, is #1.
The Canon EOS R3 will soon join the current lineup of EOS R full-frame mirrorless series cameras. This camera will usher in a new category to the EOS R system, positioned squarely between the EOS R5 and EOS-1D X Mark III cameras. The camera will put great emphasis on superb AF performance and speed with fast-moving subjects. It is being designed to meet the reliability and durability demands of professionals, even when working in challenging conditions.
Stacked Sensor and Electronic Shutter
At the heart of the EOS R3 camera’s performance will be an EOS camera first, a Canon-developed, full-frame stacked CMOS sensor with a back-illuminated design, providing substantially faster read-out speeds during still-imaging recording. This completely new sensor is designed to produce less “rolling shutter” distortion during Electronic Shutter operation and offers continuous Electronic Shutter still-image shooting at speeds up to 30 fps with full Dual Pixel CMOS AF and auto exposure. Also, the electronic shutter function will even support flash sync when working with Canon Speedlites.
Updated Autofocus and Eye Control AF
The AF system will leverage technology and performance from the well-received EOS R5 and EOS R6 cameras using Deep Learning technology to further enhance eye and body detection for even better performance for portrait and action-type shooting. In addition, the EOS R3’s subject detection AF will offer new recognizable subjects for its AF system, bolstering its focusing capabilities during challenging shooting conditions.
The Electronic Viewfinder of the EOS R3 will offer photographers the ability to select the initial area for AF tracking by simply looking directly at the viewfinder location where they want to begin AF. With Eye Control AF and Servo AF activated, the camera will focus on and track moving subjects at that location in the frame. When Face Detect + Tracking is active, the camera will continue to follow moving subjects around the entire active AF area.
4K Video Recording
With the EOS R3, you will be able to shoot in high-quality 4K with Canon Log3 and oversampled 4K, and raw movie internal recording. AF tracking for people, animals and motorsports will be possible while recording video as well.
Low-Light Performance
Able to autofocus in light as low as EV -7 or more, along with up to 8 stops of Coordinated IS control when used with RF lenses featuring Optical Image Stabilization, the EOS R3 will deliver amazing performance even in remarkably dark areas.
Rugged Body Design
The EOS R3 features a solid yet lightweight magnesium alloy body and carries forward the integrated vertical grip similar to the 1D series cameras, emphasizing both horizontal and vertical handling for challenging shooting situations. Weather-resistance and durability will equal Canon’s top-of-the-line EOS-1D X Mark III camera, and power will be delivered by the same Canon LP-E19 battery pack, too. And, the EOS R3 will have three primary input dials, giving familiar operation to current Canon EOS users. In terms of memory card support, a dual slot configuration will offer one CFexpress Type B slot and one SD slot.
The camera will also feature a multi controller to help you easily select the AF point, quickly change Menu settings, and more. And, the R3 will also be equipped with a smart controller-similar to that on the EOS-1D X Mark III, which lets you quickly shift AF point locations, or a starting point for Servo AF tracking. A vari-angle LCD will make it easy to compose shots at virtually any angle, and the touchscreen will enable you to access menus, change settings, and more, all on the fly.. Canon USA
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Cover Image courtesy of and Copyright 2021 Brian Sump (Sump scores!)
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The BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide: $75.00
The first thing that Clemens did when he got his R-5 was to set it up exactly as detailed in the R5 e-guide. The guide is 82 pages long: 21,458 words. There are 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.
From the late Luis Grunauer via e-mail
I’ve watched the R5 gallery video. I LOVE THE PHOTOS and the stories behind them, not to mention that the EXIF data is displayed in Photo Mechanic. Your explanations of the settings and the processes are very helpful. Your comments on framing and composition (both the great ones and the ones you refer to as “created by operator error”) were enlightening. It gives folks a chance to learn from someone with lots of in-the-field hands on experience with the R5! Well done and thanks so much for sharing it with me. There is some awesome teaching in the video to say the least!
From Ron Santini via e-mail
I have an R5 and purchased your “The BAA R5/R6 AF Guide” about a month ago. It has been a game-changer for me. I previously used back button focus (BBF), but after following your guide, that is a thing of the past. You truly simplified the process and I just want to thank you.
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This image was created on 29 May 2021 at Fort DeSoto by Clemens Van der Werf. Lying flat on the ground, he used the tripod-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (now replaced by the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens), the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 800: 1/2000 sec. at f/10 (stopped down 2/3-stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:29am on a slightly overcast morning.
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 #1: Snowy Plovers squabbling
Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf
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The 600 mm f/4 + a 2xTC Rocks with Canon and SONY Systems
Both Canon and SONY now offer amazing, astounding, science-fiction-like, nearly full frame autofocus at 1200mm with their 600mm f/4 lenses and a 2X TC. Skilled, young, strong photographers are even shooting hand held flight at 1200mm. With small subjects. And sharp 1200mm images from both the R5 (45MP) and the a1 (51MP) can easily stand up to healthy crops. We are indeed living in a world that is vastly different from even two years ago.
On a related note, if you are a serious bird photographer without any physical limitations, and can afford a top of the line 600mm or 500mm f/4 along with a high-end mirrorless body and both teleconverters, but do not presently own that gear, I can only ask, “what are you waiting for?” 1200mm and 1000mm are deadly weapons ever for those who live in areas with silly tame birds, and they have never been more effective than they have ever been before. And yes thanks, please use the links.
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This image was also created on 29 May 2021 at Fort DeSoto by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the tripod-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (now replaced by the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens), the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 500: 1/2000 sec. at f/9 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:12am on a then fairly bright overcast morning.
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: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron with ghost crab
Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf
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Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Fort DeSoto
This species used to be quite common at DeSoto but I have seen very few over the past few years and none on many visits this year. On the morning of the 29th I mentioned to Clemens that it was strange that we had not seen one at North Beach or anywhere else. An hour later, Clemens ran into the holy grail yellow-crowned with a whole ghost crab. That’s what happens when you work hard. As the bird was uncharacteristically on the timid side, 24X magnification was just the ticket.
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This image was created on 3 June 2021 on Lake Blue Cypress by Clemens Van der Werf while we were aboard his flats boat. He used the hand held (yes, hand held!) Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (now replaced by the much lighter Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens), the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 1000: 1/1600 sec. at f/11 (stopped down one-stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:13am on a then fairly bright overcast morning.
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 #3: Baby Osprey staring
Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf
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Tall and Taller, Strong and Stronger …
Here Clemens was standing precariously on the rear platform of his flats boat and thus, was pretty much at eye level with the very low Osprey nest. In addition to his height (6′ 6″), Clemens’ strength is a huge asset. The Canon 600 II is a beast to hand hold.
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This image was created on 4 June 2021 at Fort DeSoto by Clemens Van der Werf. Lying flat on the ground, he used the tripod-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (now replaced by the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens), the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 640: 1/2000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:44am on a slightly overcast morning.
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 #1: Snowy Plover chick
Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf
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Perseverance Helps Too!
Blessed by a somewhat cloudy morning, Clemens set out in search of a Snowy Plover chick. He lay on his belly for close to two full hours and was eventually rewarded with some very good chances. I love that he caught the little guy on top of the beach vegetation.
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Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images
A Video Webinar: $30 by electronic download
Order your copy by clicking here.
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Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images
A Video Webinar
In this 1 hour 28 minute plus video you will learn and be inspired. We cover everything from the very basics to the fine points. After a brief bio, the topics include Behavior, Action, Diagonal Lines, and the Cuteness Factor; Birds in Flight — The Holy Grail of Bird Photography; Mis-Framing!; Basic Image Design/HORIZONTALS: Get the subject out of the center of the frame. Basic Image Design/VERTICALS: The center of the frame is generally fine; The Importance of BACKGROUND; Isolating the Subject; Other Elements of Composition; On Getting Low; Going Wide for Bird-scapes; Super-tight!; Working in Sunny Conditions; Working in Cloudy Conditions; Working in Foggy Conditions; Working in the Shade; Working in Bad Weather; Creating Back-lit Images; Creating Silhouettes; and Creating Pleasing Blurs.
Each segment of the program consists of an average of about 15 images that will drive home the points being made, educate you, and inspire. The instructions and advice, given clearly and concisely, are based on my near-38 years of experience photographing birds with telephoto and super-telephoto lenses. And on several decades of creating educational blog posts.
This presentation is based on the webinar that I did for the South Shore Camera Club in April. You can find some of the comments below along with comments from two of the folks who viewed the webinar the night before the DeSoto IPT began.
You can order your copy of Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images/A Video Webinar by clicking here or by calling Jim with your credit card in hand at 863-692-0906.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 12th, 2021 What’s Up?
I did drive down to the lake for a short visit, but there was not much going on so I headed back home and did some flowers from our butterfly garden. I pretty much finished the Nikonians webinar program and spent an hour critiquing images in the Avian Forum at Bird Photographer’s.Net. BPN, where honest critiques are done gently. It ain’t just birds. If you want to learn about dealing with over-saturated REDs, check out the learning that occurred in the Eric Patdu Macaw post here.
Today is Saturday 12 June 2021. The forecast for today is for partly sunny turning cloudy early with scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and a high of only 89 degrees. I’ll be heading out without any great expectations as soon as I hit the Publish button. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
If you are interested in four (two 1/2 and three full) days of In-the-Field Instruction at a great new spot in the Jacksonville, FL area — the afternoon of Sunday 27 June through the morning session on Thursday 1 July 2021, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail for details, or call me on my cell at 863-221-2372. If you have a four-wheel drive truck or an SUV that would do well on the beach, that would be an amazing plus. Inexpensive lodging at a gorgeous AirBnB just 25 minutes from our shooting location is available. We only have room for one more in the 4 bedroom home.
This blog post took more than an hour to prepare, and makes 168 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 if you 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.
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Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco
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LSMFT
Lucky Strikes were the popular cigarette brand of my childhood. They, along with Schaefer Beer, were the main sponsors of the Brooklyn Dodgers, my favorite team. My late-Dad, Private First Class Robert Edward Morris, picked up the smoking habit in WW II while serving in the Aleutians. It was cold and the troops did not have proper gloves or boots, so they took up smoking in part to keep warm. Ironically, the Red Cross supplied smokes by the boatload. My Dad became a four-pack a day man for several decades after he returned home less his right arm. He survived the smoker’s daily double: throat cancer and lung cancer. Even more ironically, my late-Mom, Hazel Louise Morris, died at 94 of COPD. From second-hand smoke.
To learn more about baseball and beer, read the very interesting and nostalgic Ballpark Digest article by Kevin Reichard here.
When I was about ten years old, my Dad said to me, “You wanna try a puff?” I said sure. I put the cigarette to my lips and sucked in. Then I almost choked to death. I never even thought about taking a second puff. It was one of the best things my Dad ever did for me. To learn a lot more about the amazing life of Bob Morris, check out the Honoring My Dad, Private First-Class Robert Edward Morris. And the rest, in the blog post here.
In any case, when I thought about how lucky I was with the shrike (as detailed below), the phrase from my childhood came to mind and I couldn’t shake it. LSMFT indeed! And thus, the very confusing title of today’s blog post…
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North Beach story board map
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It’s Much Better to Try and Fail Than Not to Try at All…
It had been a pretty good morning at DeSoto. Though I had taken things fairly easily, I had walked about two miles and was tired and hot as I made my way back to the parking lot at North Beach. I was walking roughly east with the sun in my face. The broad sand paths are shown in white. When I got to C, I spotted a Loggerhead Shrike in the middle of the hard sand road at A. I’ve seen a zillion shrikes in Florida, but have never come close to making a good photograph of even one of them. They are usually quite shy. So when I saw this bird, I thought, “I’ll try, but my chances of getting close and on sun angle are less than one in a hundred.”
I needed to get to B, but rather than heading directly there, I continued straight ahead to D and stopped to set the exposure. Then I put tripod down and moved slowly towards B. On the way in, I noticed that the shrike was trying to dig up a prey item. I raised my chances success to one in ten. The best news was that the black circle was a depression from a small seasonal pond that fills after heavy rains; it was totally dry but more than a foot deep. When I got to B, I was getting excited but still managed to sit down slowly without scaring the bird away. Using the knee-pod technique, I bent my left knee, placed my left forearm atop the distal portion of my thigh, and went to work. I never saw the beetle until I looked at the images.
So yes, it’s far better to try even when the odds are against you. And who knows? You just might succeed.
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This image was created on 4 June 2021 at Fort DeSoto Park. While seated in a depression (as detailed above), I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:22am on a clear sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly by nailing and tracking the shrike’s eye. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Loggerhead Shrike with beetle
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The Optimized Image
Like all of my current a1 images, this raw file was converted in Adobe Camera Raw. The optimized image is a relatively small crop from the left and from above, and a bit of canvas was added behind the bird. I did some beach clean-up using my usual cadre of Photoshop tools: the Patch Tool, the Spot Healing Brush, and Content Aware Fill. I created about 70 images of this bird before it flew off. I kept nine of those after the first edit, and just deleted six more, leaving me with three.
Could the beetle be a cockroach?
The short story is that I am very glad that I tried.
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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.
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The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
The clean-up techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all 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.
June 11th, 2021 What’s Up
Thursday morning was another beauty at ILE. I took an exploratory walk along the edge of the marsh and took some pretty bad images of White Ibis. And I fanned on a micro-second chance on two river otters as well. I am sure that a third pair of stilts has a nest, this one somewhere close to the boardwalk. I could not find it, but they were acting very nesty — yipping and yapping at my distant approach so I stayed well back. When a Fish Crow flew by, both adults rose into the air to drive it away. One stilt at the pretty nest — still with only two eggs, has been on its nest incubating for the past week. The nest is now high and dry as the water levels continue to drop.
Today is Friday 11 June 2021. It will be clear in the morning with the wind out of the southwest for the first time in weeks. I will be out early looking for more flowers (or buds). Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
If you are interested in four (two 1/2 and three full) days of In-the-Field Instruction at a great new spot in the Jacksonville, FL area — the afternoon of Sunday 27 June through the morning session on Thursday 1 July 2021, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail for details, or call me on my cell at 863-221-2372. If you have a four-wheel drive truck or an SUV that would do well on the beach, that would be an amazing plus. Inexpensive lodging at a gorgeous AirBnB just 25 minutes from our shooting location is available. We only have room for one more in the 4 bedroom home.
This blog post took more than an hour to prepare, and makes 167 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 if you 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.
Washed Out Raw Files
Even before I began learning from RawDigger, I advised often that your properly exposed-to-the-right raw files should look washed out and lousy on the back of your camera and on your computer monitor, just like Image #1 above. If your images look great with rich color as captured, that means that nearly all of them are seriously under-exposed. Once I began using RawDigger I learned how to truly expose-to-the-right; now most of my raw files look even worse and look completely washed out. Keep reading to see what you can do with a crappy looking raw file.
o use
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Image #1A: The RawDigger adapted histogram for the Swamp Rosemallow Hibiscus grandiflorus image.
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Getting Perfect Exposures with Flowers
Getting dead-solid perfect exposures — like the one above — every time, is child’s play once you learn to use RawDigger. Why? You bracket your exposures in 1/3 stop increments and examine the raw files after-the-fact with Raw Digger. Note that a good deal of the G channel data goes right up to the 16000 line. There are actually a total of 157 OvExp pixels out of 51,000,000. All of those are in the specular highlights of the moisture on the bud. We take you through the entire process in the flower video that is included with the RawDigger e-Guide.
Via e-Mail from Geri George
Hi Artie, Thanks for the RawDigger e-Guide. With many of my flower images, DPP 4 shows lots of over-exposure on the petals, but RawDigger shows only a smattering (less than a hundred). They all converted perfectly in DPP 4 simply by pulling down the Highlight slider a bit. RawDigger has some really cool stuff!
Thanks and best, Geri
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RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
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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. It is not for the faint-of-heart who are happy to go through life under-exposing every raw file they create.
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 puzzled as to why the Max G values for different cameras were different. 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 prompted three complete beginning to end re-writes.
The point of the guide is to teach you to truly 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.
The Optimized Master File
The washed out, seemingly faded Image #1, was — as compared to the untouched raw file, actually darkened during the raw conversion, and the color was juiced up a bit as well. But the converted .TIF file that I opened in Photoshop looked nothing like the beautiful, richly colored bud that I photographed. So I brought it into Nik Color Efex Pro’s Viveza plug-in and went to work. Thanks to several lessons from Clemens Van der Werf and lots of practice, I am getting comfortable with using Viveza. In this great plug-in, you are easily able to make targeted adjustments based on color. It as easy to jazz up the pinks and greens of the bud while leaving the lovely yellow background unchanged. Note: subject in shade/background in sun works great for flowers as well as it does for birds.
Today’s blog photo will be one of the featured images in the Viveza Basics tutorial video that I will create soon after mid-month; I will be working on the Nikonians webinar presentation until then.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 10th, 2021 Your Fave?
Which of today’s featured images is your favorite? Please leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.
What’s Up?
Conditions were perfect on Tuesday morning, but again, there were few birds around but for two of the three crane families. So I made a long series of images of a (picked and Plamped) false foxglove flower. I was home early, finished Wednesday’s blog post, had a nice brunch, and spent lots of time working on the Nikonians webinar presentation. I did my swim and my bursts in the afternoon.
Today is Thursday 10 June 2021. The weather for the morning is once again looking perfect so it is likely that I will be looking for some wildflowers in bloom. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took more than an hour to prepare, and makes 166 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 if you 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.
FlexShooter Pro News
Along with the FlexShooter Pro and the FlexShooter Mini, the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro is finally back in stock. Here. Tomorrow the brand new Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Mini will, by popular demand, be in the BAA Online Store. We only have six Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Minis in stock. To be sure of getting one, it would be best to order yours right now by calling Jim in the office at 863-692-0906. They will sell for $669.00. The Levered-Clamp Mini will be perfect for all mid-range telephotos and telephoto zoom lenses, and the levered-clamp is a huge improvement over the original versions with a knob.
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.
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This image was created while seated at my favorite afternoon spot at Fort DeSoto. I used the versatile, hand held 200-600 (at 535mm) and the a1.
Image #1: 600 GM & 2X TC with the SONY a1 on the Panning Ground-Pod
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Getting Sand and Mud on Your Expensive Camera Body
Yes, when working at ground level I routinely get sand and mud on my camera bodies, expensive and otherwise. When I am at the beach, I always have a soft paint brush in my fanny pack for quick but effective clean-ups. Getting your camera dirty is included in the price of admission for those wishing to create intimate, ultra-low perspective images of birds on the ground (or in the water). You can always keep your gear clean by standing up and shooting down at your subjects …
How Low Can You Go?
On a flat beach, nothing beats the Panning Ground-Pod for getting low. The ground pod is not more than 1 1/2 inches tall and as its name implies, you can pan (smoothly and easily) with a moving subject.
Now you have two options:
- 1: Lying flat on the ground or the mud or the sand, allows you the greatest control as you have your eye to the viewfinder. For some — like me, this involves back and neck muscle strain. And you will get dirty for sure.
- 2- Sitting, and working on the tilted rear screen does not involve much strain or pain and the only thing getting dirty will be your butt unless you are sitting on some sort of pad or a plastic sheet. If you are sitting on something, it will be much more difficult to change your position either to follow the birds or to get on sun angle. I do not recommend sitting on a milk crate when using the Panning Ground-Pod (as opposed to when working off a fully-splayed, flattened tripod. Why? It will be a long way down to the camera body and it will thus be difficult to see the rear screen.)
Sitting and working off the tilted rear screen has opened up whole new worlds for me. Wearing my reading glasses makes it a lot easier to see the rear monitor well. That said, you need to be able to trust your AF system. Panning with a moving subject and properly framing the image takes practice. Lots of practice. But the rewards are well worth it.
Note: as detailed in our SONY e-Guide and in the a1 Info and Updates e-mails, the high-end SONY body’s allow you to toggle the electronic level off and on. I do that quite often when working super-low to try and ensure that my images are square-to-the-world.
Working a Subject
While following this bird as it fed, I must have gotten up and down at least half a dozen times in an effort to stay relatively square to the subject and to stay on sun angle. My strategy involves sitting down a few yards in front of sun angle and then letting the bird come to me. Once the bird is past sun angle it is up and down again. There is sometimes a lot of work to be done when working a subject.
It requires lots of practice panning to keep the bird back in the frame. In addition, I am constantly toggling the level on and off to ensure that I am square to the word. Sometimes I rotate the lens in the tripod collar to get level, and sometimes I re-seat the ground pod in the muck to get level. Heck, I did not even mention that finding the bird in the viewfinder can be quite difficult, especially when working at 1200mm, and especially considering that one of the disadvantages of working off the ground pod is that there is no up and down panning; you control the elevation of the lens when you set the ground pod on the beach.
That said, I made more than 200 images of this bird in just over six minutes. I kept 14 after the first edit.
Less Work!
As this bird stood in the same spot for five minutes after bathing, I made more than 300 images as it scratched, preened, flapped, and eventually yawned (if indeed birds actually do yawn). I kept 25. The yawning began after a short scratching sequence and comprised of 12 frames. There were three fabulous yawning frames; I had a very tough time picking the best one. I went with this one in part because of the still raised foot and in part because we can see both eyes before it turned away. For me, there are no negatives with the 30 fps frame rate of the Alpha a1. Sure, I have lots of work to do when picking my keepers, but with the viewing speed of Photo Mechanic and almost 39 years of looking at photos, I am able to fly through the images at break-neck speed. And each instant created during action and behavioral sequences is potentially priceless. With bird photography, more is always more.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 9th, 2021 What’s Up?
Tuesday morning was lovely with clear skies and a breeze from the east. Aside from the crane families, there was not much around. Again, one of the adults was sitting on the pretty Black-necked Stilt nest (as seen through my Leica 8×32 Trinovid HD binoculars while in my car on the South Peninsula). You know that bird photography at ILE is starting to slow down when I start looking for flowers, and that is exactly what I’ve been doing for the past few mornings …
I spent all of yesterday creating — and finally, late in the day, sending e-mail #16 for the SONY a1 Info and Updates group. The following topics were covered: Monitor and Viewfinder Display options, all Custom Key Settings, Manual Focus Magnification, and Focus Peaking. I you own or have decided to get the world’s best bird photography camera body, scroll down to learn about getting into the group. And yes, using my one of my affiliate links is the way to go as it includes a free pass into the group.
Be sure to scroll all the way down to see the final image. It is entitled, The scene of the carnage.
Today is Wednesday 9 June. The forecast for ILE is for mostly sunny with a gentle east/southeast breeze in the morning and afternoon temps in the low nineties. Accompanied by the usual high humidity. I will head down to the lake for a bit after I finish this blog post and then continue work on the Nikonians webinar slide program. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about two hours to prepare, and makes 165 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 if you 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.
FlexShooter Pro News
Along with the FlexShooter Pro and the FlexShooter Mini, the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro is finally back in stock. Here. Tomorrow the brand new Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Mini will, by popular demand, be in the BAA Online Store. We only have six Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Minis in stock. To be sure of getting one, it would be best to order yours right now by calling Jim in the office at 863-692-0906. They will sell for $669.00. The Levered-Clamp Mini will be perfect for all mid-range telephotos and telephoto zoom lenses, and the levered-clamp is a huge improvement over the original versions with a knob.
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.
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This image was created from the driver’s seat of my SUV at ILE on 6 June 2021. I used the BLUBB-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1600. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:06am on a cloudy-dark morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure performed perfectly by nailing and tracking the bird’s eye. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Crested Caracara with turtle egg
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Perfection?
I drove past the caracara, made a u-turn, and saw the bird with an egg in its bill. My first thoughts were that it had raided a bird’s nest and that I needed to make an image as quickly as possible. With the big lens alone (i.e., no TC) in the very low light, I placed the lens on the BLUBB on the lowered driver’s side window before approaching so that I would not flush the bird by raising the lens and sticking it out the window.
I had pre-set the shutter speed to 1/500 second and the aperture to the wide open f/4. Driving at all less than 1 mph, I stopped the car so that reflection of the tree on the other side of the canal would act as a frame on the left. I dialed the ISO up until there were lots of Zebras on the water. I acquired focus instantly; the bird seemed as curious about what I was doing as I was about what it was doing. Miraculously, it posed for an eight-frame sequence (all with a perfect head angle) before taking flight.
I followed it to the North Field and watched it enjoy its breakfast. When it was done, I got out of the car, found the small bit of egg shell, and picked it up. It was wet and leathery so I quickly realized that it was a turtle egg.
I returned to the scene of the crime. The caracara had beaten me back to the spot and proceeded to stick its head deeply into what I thought was the nest hole. The bird did not come up with another egg and flew off.
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Image #1A: AF point screen capture for the Crested Caracara with turtle egg image
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FWIW
As regular readers know, I used the Canon R5 extensively for several months. For what it’s worth, I can say that the Face Detection and Bird Eye Tracking system of the Sony Alpha a1 (when set up properly) is second to none. It is interesting to note that the next Canon mirrorless body, promises less “rolling shutter” distortion during Electronic Shutter operation, still-image shooting at speeds up to 30 fps, enhanced eye detection AF that will offer new recognizable subjects for its AF system, and with Face Detect + Tracking active, a camera that will follow moving subjects around the entire active AF area. Pardon me for saying that all of that very sounds familiar to Sony Alpha a1 users …
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Image #1B: Topaz DeNoise on the Crested Caracara with turtle egg image
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Low Light Amazing!
As with pretty much every image that I process, this image was run through Topaz DeNoise AI as the first step after the raw conversion. I’ve gotten to the point where I have so much confidence using Low Light on Auto for images made in low light at relatively high ISO settings, that I no longer check out the Comparison View. This saves me time. Be sure to click on the image to see the complete elimination of noise (especially in the BKGR) with no loss of fine detail in the feathers or the scutes on the caracara’s leg.
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.
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This image was also created from the driver’s seat of my SUV at ILE on 6 June 2021. I used the BLUBB-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1600. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/640 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:28am on a cloudy morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure performed perfectly by nailing and tracking the bird’s eye. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #2: Fish Crow scavenging egg shells at predated turtle nest
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Clean-up Artist
When the caracara left, several fish crows came in to tidy up and scavenge the eggshell scraps.
Exposure Question
The light levels had increased by the time I got back but it was still plenty cloudy. Despite the similar conditions, I went with a lot more Zebras on the water for the crow image than I had for the caracara image. Why?
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Image #2A: AF point screen capture for the Fish Crow scavenging egg shells at predated turtle nest image
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You-Gotta-Be-Kidding-Me Eye Detection AF
How can an AF system detect a black eye on a black head in low light conditions? Beats me, but the a1 does it consistently and easily. As long as the camera body is set up correctly and you understand how to use it.
One Amazing Thing …
One amazing thing — as explained in the a1 Info and Updates e-mails, is that the AF system of the a1 — when set up correctly, will actually detect a bird’s eye before you half-press the shutter button . And to think that I’d always dreamed of science-fiction-like autofocus …
Sony Alpha a1 AF
Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In the next SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mail, I will be sharing what I have learned as to when and in what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 46 lucky folks. 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.
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This image was created on 6 June 2021 at ILE. I used the hand held Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 lens at 24mm and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only). AUTO ISO 800. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/60 sec. at f/8 (stopped down to stops) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:34am with on a cloudy morning.
Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version
Image #3: The scene of the carnage
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The Scene of the Carnage
When I got out of the car to view the scene of the carnage, I wondered if the circular hole, about two inches in diameter and at least six to eight inches deep, was a result of the turtle nest hatching. So I called BAA Blog turtle expert Matthew Milnes, a biology professor who has spent most of his career studying the physiology of reptiles. He grew up in FL. His response opened my eyes: “The hole is the classic sign of predation by a ground mammal such as a raccoon, an opossum, a fox, or a skunk.” As I have never seen (or smelled a road-killed) skunk here at ILE, it is likely that the nest was predated in the dark by one of the other three — probably by a raccoon as they are very common here. Once it began to get light, the birds flew in to join in the feast. I got in on the show at the tail end of things.
Noting the large numbers of eggshells scattered about, Matt thinks that this nest was likely from a Peninsular Cooter, a Common Snapping Turtle, or a Florida Soft-shelled Turtle. As I have said here before the breadth of the knowledge of folks here on the blog and their willingness to share it is staggering. Thanks again, Matt!
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 8th, 2021 What’s Up?
It was indeed cloudy on Monday morning. I checked on and saw all three crane families but did not stop for any photography. I got out late as I was trying to solve a manual focus/magnification riddle with the SONY a1 body. Once I did that, I was hot to find a good macro subject. I went to my favorite Baton Rouge (pink lichen) oak tree but did not find anything interesting so I never got the camera out of the car. Nearby, I found a nice Sabatia blossom. I picked one flower and set it up in the lee of my SUV with two Plamps to keep it still in the breeze. No worries, the ILE Highway Department is constantly mowing and dredging all of the canals with and without flowers.
In any case, my solution worked perfectly. I will be sharing it (and lots more) with the SONY a1 Info and Updates group via e-mail today.
Speaking of which, today is Tuesday 8 June 2021. The forecast for ILE this morning is for clear skies with an east breeze. I will head down to the lake to see what I shall see. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took more than two hours to prepare, and makes 164 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 if you 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.
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This image was created while seated at my favorite afternoon spot at Fort DeSoto. I used the versatile, hand held 200-600 (at 535mm) and the a1.
Image #1: 600 GM & 2X TC with the SONY a1 on the Panning Ground-Pod
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Getting Sand and Mud on Your Expensive Camera Body
Yes, when working at ground level I routinely get sand and mud on my camera bodies, expensive and otherwise. When I am at the beach, I always have a soft paint brush in my fanny pack for quick but effective clean-ups. Getting your camera dirty is included in the price of admission for those wishing to create intimate, ultra-low perspective images of birds on the ground. You can always keep your gear clean by standing up and shooting down at your subjects …
How Low Can You Go?
On a flat beach, nothing beats the Panning Ground-Pod for getting low. The ground pod is not more than 1 1/2 inches tall and as its name implies, you can pan (smoothly and easily) with a moving subject.
Now you have two options:
- 1: Lying flat on the ground or the mud or the sand, allows you the greatest control as you have your eye to the viewfinder. For some — like me, it may involve back and neck strain. And you will get dirty for sure.
- 2- Sitting, and working on the tilted rear screen does not involve much strain or pain and the only thing getting dirty will be your butt unless you are sitting on some sort of pad. If you are sitting on a pad it will be much more difficult to change your position either to follow the birds or to get on sun angle. I do not recommend sitting on a milk crate when using the Panning Ground-Pod (as opposed to working off a fully-splayed, flattened tripod. Why? It will be a long way down to the camera body and it will be difficult to see the rear screen.
Sitting and working off the tilted rear screen has opened up whole new worlds for me. Wearing my reading glasses makes it a lot easier to see the rear monitor well. That said, you need to be able to trust your AF system. Panning with a moving subject and properly framing the image takes practice. Lots of practice. But the rewards are well worth it.
Note: as detailed in our SONY e-Guide and in the a1 Info and Updates e-mails, the high-end SONY body’s allow you to toggle the electronic level off and on. I do that quite often when working super-low to try and ensure that my images are square-to-the-world.
Picking a Subject
There were several Black-bellied Plovers on the beach. Some were in basic (winter) plumage, some were molting into breeding plumage, and one was in full breeding plumage with a complete jet-black belly. The black bellies of the females are splotchy. There is no way to know whether or not this individual bird made it up to the sub-Arctic to breed this season, but given the date — 10 May, it had plenty of time. Shorebirds can fly many thousands of miles in just several days.
In any case, this is the bird I chose to go after. First, I watched the bird from a distance and noted the pattern of his movements. Working at 1200mm (today’s featured image is un-cropped), I picked a spot with a nice stretch of relatively clean mud, got right on sun angle, sat well back, and waited for the subject to come to me. It did. And I had lots of great chances. After the second edit, this was the best of four similar keepers.
If you are going to do some work when going after a quality image, it only makes sense to go after the best-looking bird.
The Fort DeSoto Site Guide
Though a bit long in the tooth (like me), the Fort DeSoto Site Guide will get you to my two favorite morning spots and to my favorite afternoon spots as well. DeSoto is the rare location that has the potential> to offer great photography any day of the year.
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Image #1B: The RawDigger adapted histogram for the Black-bellied Plover — male in full breeding plumage image
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Dead-Solid-Perfect Always Works Well
Recently, we have been discussing the difference between perfect exposures, with the G channel ending at the line 2/3rds of the way from the 8000-line to the 16000-line, and dead-solid-perfect exposures where the G channel makes it all the way to the 16000 line. Dead solid perfect is always to be preferred with subjects with large dark or black areas to maximize the detail in the dark tones.
The tiny spikes in each channel represent exactly 406 OvExp pixels (out of 51,000,000), all those from the specular highlights on the bird’s bill and legs, and in the eye highlight. In addition, there is a very faint smattering of OvExp pixels on the brightest WHITEs of the bird’s breast. In the RawDigger e-Guide, we teach you why you want to ignore the over-exposed pixels in the specular highlights.
Via e-Mail from Geri George
Hi Artie, Thanks for the RawDigger e-Guide. With many of my flower images, DPP 4 shows lots of over-exposure on the petals, but RawDigger shows only a smattering (less than a hundred). They all converted perfectly in DPP 4 simply by pulling down the Highlight slider a bit. RawDigger has some really cool stuff!
Thanks and best, Geri
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RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
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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. It is not for the faint-of-heart who are happy to go through life under-exposing every raw file they create.
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 puzzled as to why the Max G values for different cameras were different. 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 mega-Expose-to-the-Right so that you will minimize noise, maximize image quality, best utilize your camera’s dynamic range, and attain the highest possible level of shadow detail in your RAW files in every situation. In addition, your properly exposed RAW files will contain more tonal information and feature the smoothest possible transitions between tones. And your optimized images will feature rich, accurate color.
We teach you why the GREEN channel is almost always the first to over-expose. We save you money by advising you which version of RawDigger you need. We teach you how to interpret the Max G values for your Canon, Nikon, and SONY camera bodies. It is very likely that the Shock-your-World section will shock you. And lastly — thanks to the technical and practical brilliance of Patrick Sparkman — we teach you a simple way to quickly and easily evaluate your exposures and raw file brightness using an Adapted RawDigger histogram.
The flower video takes you through a session where artie edits a folder of images in Capture One while checking the exposures and Max-G values in RawDigger. The Adapted Histogram video examines a series of recent images with the pink histograms and covers lots of fine points including and especially how to deal with specular highlights. The directions for setting up the Adapted Histogram are in the text.
If we priced this guide based on how much effort we put into it, it would sell it for $999.00. But as this guide will be purchased only by a limited number of serious photographers, we have priced it at $51.00. You can order yours here in the BAA Online Store.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 7th, 2021 What’s Up?
I had an interesting morning photo session on Sunday. It was a bit cloudy with not much going on. As I drove south on the road next to the South Field, I saw a Crested Caracara digging around. I hung a u-turn, put the 600 f/4 on the BLUBB, and approached slowly. The caracara had an egg. Thinking “egg,” I wondered, “What type of bird’s egg?” I made some very good images in very low light. When the bird flew off, I followed and found it eating the egg on the ground in the North Field. When it flew off I got out of the car to investigate. I found the remainder of the shell. It felt wet and leathery. Mystery solved: the caracara had been digging up a turtle nest! Photo story here at some point.
I have been getting some work done on the Nikonians webinar, and in addition, consolidated the MAY 2021 folder. On Sunday, I began the second edit of 2258 raw files … I’ve been swimming and doing my bursts every day.
Today is Monday 7 June 2021. The forecast for this morning at ILE is for cloudy with an easterly breeze. I will be heading down to the lake for a bit. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare, and makes 163 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 if you 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.
Laughing Gull as Devil Crop Quiz
In the Laughing Gull as Devil? blog post here, this was included:
Multiple Choice Crop Quiz
What percentage of the original frame does the optimized TIF file represent (as represented by the JPEG above)?
- a- 11%
- b- 22%
- c- 44%
- d- 66%
- e- 88%
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Click on the screen capture for a better look at the histogram.
Image #1A RawDigger screen capture for the Laughing Gull as Devil? image
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RawDigger Screen Capture shows the full frame original
Checking out the full frame original in the screen capture above shows that the Laughing Gull as Devil image was indeed a very large crop. Only 89% of the original pixels were represented in the JPEG that represented the master file, Image #1 above.
Two folks nailed it:
Yves Guillot: A pour moi aussi: 11%
Mark Jordan: Hi Artie. I’ll say A. 11%.
Ho Hum …
Same old, same old: another perfect exposure thanks to studying RawDigger. Note that the G channel makes it 2/3 of the way from the 8000 line to the 16000 line. Thanks to RawDigger, that is exactly what I aim for.
Via e-Mail from Geri George
Hi Artie, Thanks for the RawDigger e-Guide. With many of my flower images, DPP 4 shows lots of over-exposure on the petals, but RawDigger shows only a smattering (less than a hundred). They all converted perfectly in DPP 4 simply by pulling down the Highlight slider a bit. RawDigger has some really cool stuff!
Thanks and best, Geri
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RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
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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 puzzled as to why the Max G values for different cameras were different. 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.
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This image was created on 4 June 2021 at Fort DeSoto Park. I used the hand held Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 200. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/5000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:21am on with a bit of fog barely covering the sun.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Great Egret backlit in sparkling golden water
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Right Place + Right Time + Vision + Good Technique Usually Works Out Just Fine
Clemens was already lying in the sand trying for Least Terns and the Snowy Plover chicks. For whatever reasons, I did not feel like getting sandy and/or wet on our getaway morning. As I lagged behind him, I noted a Great Egret to my right feeding in a shallow bay just as the sun was breaking through the fog just a bit. I had been carrying the tripod in one hand and the big lens in the other. I decided that handholding would be best as I would have lots of shutter speed and would be able to more easily get into position. If the sun had been out fully there would have been no shot at all. But with the fog, there was a swatch of sparkling golden water. As the bird was walking to the south, the trick was to move slightly ahead of the bird and let it walk into the bright water.
I made about one hundred images in all, perhaps 6-10 each time that the bird walked into the golden zone. The first thirty or forty had an ugly sandbar in the foreground that showed up as black but that was a blessing as I was fine-tuning the exposure. As the bird made its way south, I moved a bit closer. This one — with one foot raised out of the water, was the best from the last series before the bird turned around and walked back to the north in front of the sandbar. Party over. At no time did I consider getting lower because that would have brought the far shoreline of the lagoon into the top of the frame as an ugly black border.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 6th, 2021 What’s Up?
Clemens Van der Werf and I went down to the lake early. It dawned totally foggy, but the sun broke through quickly. The stilt nest with four eggs was predated. There were raccoon tracks in the mud. You could see from the South Peninsula that one of the adults was always sitting on that nest. The pretty nest with two eggs has survived so far despite some fairly heavy rains. And despite the fact that there is rarely an adult sitting on that nest. Go figure. All of the crane families are doing quite well. We photographed the two now pretty large colts early, and then found and photographed the two now pretty large chicks. Clemens headed home at about 9:30am. We had two good two days photography. I will be sharing some more of Clemens fabulous R5 images with y’all here soon.
Have I mentioned that summer has come to Central Florida with a vengeance — hazy, hot, and humid is now the norm. I have been checking the new The Perch once or twice a day when I have been home. So far, the only birds to land on it have been Boat-tailed Grackles. I do, however, have faith.
Today is Sunday 6 June 2021. The forecast for ILE is for partly cloudy with a very light breeze from the east-southeast. I will be headed down to the lake early. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about an hour to prepare, and makes 162 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 if you 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.
Estero Lagoon Least Terns?
If you have been photographing the Least Tern colony at Estero Lagoon and would like to share info with me, please LMK via e-mail.
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This image was created on 3 June 2021 at a fabulous rookery in north Tampa. Standing at full height, I used the Induro GIT 304L/ Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/640 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 6:03pm on a cloudy afternoon.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure performed almost perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Tricolored Heron — fledged chick just of the nest — begging
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The Keep-out Fence and the Rocks
At the south end of this small rookery, there are some rocks and a fence that extends into the water to keep folks out of the abutting neighbor’s backyard. On my last visit, as many as three fledgling Tricolored Herons stood on the fence for much of the afternoon. They had all disappeared when this fresher bird, looking as if it had just left the nest, landed on a rock right in front of me and began begging to be fed. I acquired focus and made about four images in less than a second knowing that the bird was not gonna stay long. It did not. You can see the full frame original in the AF point screen capture below. I am happy with the crop. In addition, there was a small white patch of over-exposed feathers as I followed my own oft-given advice: push the button now so that you do not miss the shot. See more on that in the RawDigger screen capture below.
As for me, I am glad that I pushed the shutter button pretty much instantly! And I wound up getting my best stuff ever on a just fledged Little Blue Heron that landed on the same rock and posed for me for ten minutes. You will meet that handsome bird here at some point.
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Click on the screen capture to see a larger version.
Image #1A: AF point for the Tricolored Heron — fledged chick just of the nest — begging image
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Almost Perfect
The a1’s AF system missed the eye by just a bit, the image was incredibly sharp right out of camera. See the next screen capture for proof. Folks who join the SONY a1 Info and Updates group receive a link to the great free plug-in that allows you to see the artie AF point or points after the fact from the raw (.ARW) files.
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Click on the screen capture to see a larger version.
Image #1B: An unsharpened tight crop of the face of the Tricolored Heron — fledged chick just of the nest — begging image
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Incredible Image Quality
Sharp 51 MP a1 image files will take your breath away when viewed at high magnification. If you are so impressed by the Image Quality here that you decide to purchase an a1 (they are still hard to come by), be sure to use one of my two affiliate links — B&H, or Bedfords to save 3%. Either way, you earn a free pass into the SONY a1 Info and Updates group …
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Click on the screen capture to see a larger version.
Image #1C: RawDigger screen capture for the Tricolored Heron — fledged chick just of the nest — begging image
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An Easy Save
Note the pink over-exposure warning — 2000 OvExp pixels only in the G channel, on the white feathers of the flank just above the base of the folded near-wing. Normally OvExp pixels in a single channel can easily be resolved during the Raw conversion. In this case, the WHITEs still looked a bit hot, so I painted a Quick Mask of an area of white feathers that had detail, placed the selection on its own layer, moved it over the hot spot, painted it completely away, and then — working large, painted the patch in with a soft brush.
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Click on the screen capture to see a larger version.
Image #1D: Topaz DeNoise screen capture for the Tricolored Heron — fledged chick just of the nest — begging image
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Topaz DeNoise AI
A New Trick…
As with almost every image I process, this image was run through Topaz DeNoise AI as the first step after being converted. I used DeNoise, now called Standard, with a twist. Checking the Comparison View, I liked Standard a bit better than Low Light. Just for the heck of it, I reduced the Auto setting for Remove Noise from 8 to 2. As you can see, the noise was completely eliminated.
Compare this screen capture with Image #1B and note that I eliminated the single white feather on the fledgling’s forehead using the Patch Tool and Content Aware Fill. All as detailed (plus tons more) in the hugely popular Digital Basics II.
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.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 5th, 2021 Which is the Stronger Image?
All are invited to leave a comment and to let us know which of today’s two featured images they think is the strongest, and why they made their choice.
What’s Up?
The thunderstorms at DeSoto on Friday morning –scattered or otherwise — never materialized. There was no feeding spree in the washover pool, in fact, there were very few birds at all in the pool other than some Willets. Clemens spent the morning on his belly at 1200mm working a Snowy Plover chick. I started with a backlit Great Egret in sparkly golden water and then practiced my flight photography skills on some Laughing Gulls along the dunes. It was a hazy/lazy day and I did not feel like getting wet and sandy. I did walk out into the lagoon and made a few snaps of a bathing Red Knot and then checked Hidden Lagoon on the way back to the car. I ran into a Whimbrel on the beach and made some nice ground-level images. Then I did the same with a Loggerhead Shrike on a limestone road. All in all, it was a decent morning. Especially considering the dire forecast. In general, I tend to ignore der forecasts. If they are accurate, you can always hang out in your vehicle for a bit. If you stay home, you may very well miss some good stuff.
I finished editing three sessions of images and found (and processed) some excitingly good photos that I will be sharing with you here soon. I was please to learn that Geri George sold all three of her Used Gear items within one hour of being posted.
Today is Saturday 5 June 2021. The forecast for ILE this morning is for partly cloudy skies and a gentle southeast breeze. Clemens and I will be heading down to the lake soon to check things out. He is heading home to Fort Lauderdale after brunch.Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about an hour to prepare, and makes 161 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 if you 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.
Estero Lagoon Least Terns?
If you have been photographing the Least Tern colony at Estero Lagoon and would like to share info with me, please LMK via e-mail.
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.
Low Osprey Nests
There are some low Osprey nests on Lake Blue Cypress. For Image #1, I went with 1200mm on the 404L tripod. The 304L was at home getting cleaned up by Jim. Clemens maneuvers the boat skillfully and quietly with the trolling motor. Neither the adults, nor the very two big chicks, paid us any mind. I glanced at some of Clemens’s images on his laptop and saw that hey are even more powerful than mine. Why? At 6′ 6″ tall, he was standing on the boat’s rear platform and was much more on the bird’s eye level than I was.
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Image #1A: Topaz DeNoise AI on the Osprey — grown chick in nest image
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Topaz DeNoise AI
As with almost every image I process, this image was run through Topaz DeNoise AI as the first step after being converted. I use DeNoise, now called Standard, for all images made in sunny conditions. I usually go with Low Light for images made in low light; makes sense, no?
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.
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This image was also created on 3 June 2021 at Lake Blue Cypress aboard Clemens Van der Werf’s flat boat. While standing, I used the Induro GIT 404L/ 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: 1/800 sec. at f/8 (stopped down two stops)in Manual mode. AWB at 8:16a when a faint cloud slid in front of the sun.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and again, performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #2: Osprey large chick in nest
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Going Wide 🙂
After creating a few hundred head portraits of the two chicks, I realized that I wanted to create an image that showed the complete necklace of the young female. To accomplish that, I simply removed the TC and stopped down to f/8 for more depth-of-field. Note that I added 1/3-stop more light than in Image #1, that in response to the faint cloud. Zebras make life so, so easy.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 4th, 2021 What’s Up
On Thursday morning, the forecast for Lake Blue Cypress was for a light southeasterly breeze — very good for flight photography. It turned out to be a light southwest breeze — terrible for flight photography with the birds turning away from us and the light to land. We did find some handsome large chicks in fairly low nests and did well with them.
Then it was home for brunch. Just before 2pm we were off to the North Tampa Rookery. It was hotter than Hades and the air was very still. At times it was sweltering. I did lots of close work on fledgling Tricolored and Little Blue Herons. Around 5:00pm we had some nice light and a huge black cloud in the east as our background. But very few Wood Storks flew where we wanted them too and the wind was often in our face. All in all, it could not have been a bad or boring day: I had 2950 images to go through! (6:15am update: 176 very nice keepers after the first edit. Life is good.)
We had a quick dinner at Chipotle Grill and then headed to our favorite AirBnB for Thursday night. We will photograph at DeSoto this morning (despite the somewhat dire forecast — scattered thunderstorms), We will be heading back to ILE at about eleven. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about ninety minutes to prepare, and makes 160 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 if you 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.
Wanted to Buy
If you have a Canon 600mm f/4L IS III lens sitting on a shelf and would like to sell it for a fair price, please get in touch via e-mail as I have a seriously interested buyer.
Huguenot Memorial Park and/or Jacksonville Nesting Beaches Info Requested
If you photograph regularly at Huguenot Memorial Park and/or any of the other of the publicly accessible beaches north of Jacksonville that have nesting Laughing Gull, Royal and Sandwich Terns, and possibly Brown Pelican, please get in touch via e-mail or call or text me at 863-221-2372.
Sony a9 ii Mirrorless Digital Camera Body
Multiple IPT veteran Larry Master is offering a Sony a9 ii mirrorless digital camera body in near-mint condition (with a very low shutter count of 2340) for $2998.00. There is a single, almost microscopic scratch on the rear monitor. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, along with insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your new camera will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 (Eastern time zone).
As things turned out, the a9 and then the a9 ii turned out to be life-changers for me. From the moment I tracked that first incoming Brandt’s Cormorant, I knew that SONY a9 series bodies featured the world’ best AF. I upgraded to the a9 ii as soon as it was released for the slightly larger body size. At one point I owned two a9 ii bodies. A new a9 ii sells for $4,498.00 so you can save a very nice $1500.00 by grabbing Larry’s a9 ii ASAP. Not to mention that the new Sony A1 sells for $6498.00 … artie
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.
1/500 Second???
I came across this image in the ILE JULY 2020 folder while looking for an a9 ii image to go with Larry Master’s used a9 ii body. After processing the image, I grabbed the EXIF from Photo Mechanic and was shocked to see that the shutter speed was only 1/500 sec. Upon close examination, today’s featured image showed a bit of motion blur. That we cleaned up nicely by Topaz Sharpen AI.
So how did I wind up at 1/500 second? Looking at the aperture — f/7.1, tells me that I was photographing a bird on the ground, probably an adult crane. When the Osprey came along I followed my own oft-given advice: when something unexpected happens, push the shutter button first first and ask questions later. In other words, do not try to change any of your settings because if you do, you will almost always wind up with nothing. Stick with what you have and sometimes you will get lucky.
Shutter Speeds for Flight
With film I occasionally went with 1/500 sec. for flight photography because we were really hurting for ISO … Fuji Velvia pushed one stop does not get you much shutter speed! Once I switched to digital (in late 2000), I’d go with 1/1600 sec. But as file sizes increased, I began relying on 1/2000 sec. as a minimum shutter speed for shooting birds in flight. For the past year I have been going more with 1/2500 second, and most recently — if the sun is out — with 1/3200 sec. In low light, Topaz DeNoise is so effective that you can often get away with working at ISOs in the 3200-8000 range.
After being sure that you have a fast-enough-shutter speed, the second big factor when shooting flight is your ability to pan smoothly with the subject (while keeping the bird int he center of the frame). I am usually not very good at that, but did OK with today’s Osprey. The more perfectly the pan the slower the shutter speed you can get away with.
Viveza
I used Viveza to lighten the underwing shadows and improve the sky color. I will be working on the tutorial video after mid-month.
Topaz Sharpen AI
As with almost every image I process, this image was run through Topaz DeNoise AI as the first step after being converted. I use DeNoise (now called Standard) for all images made in sunny conditions, and usually go with Low Light for images made in low light; makes sense, no? Noting a bit of motion blur with the Osprey image, I selected the head using the Quick Selection Tool, placed it on a Layer, and ran Topaz Sharpen AI on Stabilize.
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.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 3rd, 2021 What’s Up?
I did much better than expected on Wednesday morning. I made a few nice vertical frames of one of the stilts on clean green vegetation when I went to check on the plain nest; it now has a complete clutch of four eggs. The last time I checked, the beautiful nest had two eggs. I made one nice image of an Osprey with a whole fish, several of one of the two crane colts, and a few more of a preening adult.
Today is Thursday 3 June 2021. The forecast for this morning is for partly cloudy skies with a faint breeze from the southeast. It is 5:25am as I type. I am in Clemens’ truck on the way to Lake Blue Cypress. His flats boat is following closely behind on the trailer. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
Be sure to check out the foreground clean-up work by comparing Image #1 with screen capture #1B and then scrolling all the way down to the Foreground Sand Clean-up item.
This blog post took about two hours to prepare, and makes 159 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 if you 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.
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%. Please understand that e-Bay prices are bogus. And the same is true of the prices of used gear including my dear friends at B&H and the other mega-outfits. They offer you pennies and then try to sell the stuff to ignorant folks for ridiculously high prices. With their huge international exposure, they occasionally find someone …
The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested, please 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. With the pandemic and the down economy, the market had been somewhat depressed, but sales have been brisk for the past few weeks. And over the past year, we have sold many many hundreds of items. Do know that prices of many used items have been dropping steadily. The prices garnered for used Canon gear has tanked completely as demand has dropped tremendously. It is ironic that for decades Canon gear had very strong resale value … Recently, however, the Canon used gear market has shown some signs of life. Prices on used Nikon gear have also dropped as well. You can see all the current bargains here on the Used Gear Page.
Note: all BAA Used Gear sales include insured ground shipping via UPS to lower 48 US addresses only. Others who live elsewhere are invited to e-mail the seller for shipping surcharge info. Sellers should charge you only the difference between shipping to the farthest US location from their home and the charge to a non-lower-48 address.
Canon 100-400mm EF f/4.5-5.6L IS zoom lens (the “Old” 100-400)
Sale Pending at 4:53am!
Multiple IPT veteran Geri Georg is offering a Canon 100-400mm EF f/4.5-5.6L IS zoom lens (the old Canon 100-400) in good to very good condition for a silly-low $299.00 The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the tripod foot, the carrying case with strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-40 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Geri via e-mail or by phone at 1-970-219-4493 (Mountain time zone).
The original 100-400 is a sharp, amazingly versatile telephoto zoom lens. When I used Canon, I made hundreds of great and sale-able images with this lens (including the front cover of Scott Weidensaul’s book, “Return to Wild America!)” Denise Ippolito loved hers also. Geri’s lens would make a great starter lens for any beginning bird or nature photographer. artie
Canon Extender EF 2X II (teleconverter)
Sale Pending at 4:53am!
Multiple IPT veteran Geri Georg is offering a Canon Extender EF 2X II (teleconverter) in good to very good condition for a very low $79.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the carrying pouch, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-40 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Geri via e-mail or by phone at 1-970-219-4493 (Mountain time zone).
Regular readers know that I have long depended on both teleconverters for much of my bird photography. The series III TCs were designed for the series II super-telephoto lenses but if you have an older EF lens, the series II TCs will perform perfectly well for you (just as they did for me). artie
Sigma 12-24mm EX zoom lens 1:4.5-5.6 DG HSM wide angle zoom lens for Canon EF
Sale Pending at 4:53am!
Multiple IPT veteran Geri Georg is offering a Sigma 12-24mm EX zoom lens 1:4.5-5.6 DG HSM wide angle zoom lens in good to very good condition for Canon EF for a very low $199.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, a LensCoat neoprene hoodie front lens protector (small), and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-40 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Geri via e-mail or by phone at 1-970-219-4493 (Mountain time zone).
This super-wide angle has a large variable angle of view from 122° super wide-angle (at 12mm/diagonal axis) to 84.1°. The low dispersion glass elements enable effective correction of color aberration, a common problem with super-wide angle lenses. For use with Canon cameras. This lens sells used on Amazon for $399.00. artie
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This image was created on 1 June 2021 down by the lake at ILE. While seated, 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: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:59am on a dead-clear morning.
Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed as expected: perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Sandhill Crane, large colt resting — looking at bee
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The Situation and the Strategy
There is one large hill adjacent to the parking lot to the right of the pier. I have made some very good images of cranes on that hill. And there is also a small mound adjacent to the parking lot. I was in the driver’s seat of my SUV when I saw this young crane resting on the small rise. Rather than shoot it from the car, I opened the driver’s side door very slowly so as not to scare the bird and have it stand up. I got on the ground with the 2-6 and scootched to my right on my butt to get on sun angle. I was not thrilled with the pier in the upper background but I did not want to get higher to eliminate it (in fear of causing the bird to stand up). I was pleasantly surprised to see the bee in the frame as I edited the folder, i.e, picked my keepers. And I am pretty sure that the crane colt did not see it either.
Why are even small hills, mounds, rises, and ridges ideal for bird photography? Because they often allow you to effectively move the background far from the subject thus throwing the background nicely out of focus. As was the case with today’s featured images. Be on the lookout for birds on small rises or edges. Then get low and go to work. You can control the look of the background by carefully choosing your perspective.
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Image #1A: RawDigger adapted histogram for the Sandhill Crane, large colt resting — looking at bee image
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The RawDigger Adapted Histogram
Note here that the bulk of the G channel data makes it 2/3rds of the way from the 8000 line to the 16000 line. The tiny spikes right at the 16000 line in all three channels, R, G, & B depict the 27 OvExp pixels, those from the specular highlights in the bird’s eye. Those out of 51,000,000. This histogram shows what I would call a perfect exposure. If the bulk of the data makes it right to the 16000 line without any significant numbers of OvExp pixels, that would be a dead-solid perfect exposure. I try to aim only for “perfect” to be sure of avoiding any serious over-exposures.
Via e-Mail from Geri George
Hi Artie, Thanks for the RawDigger e-Guide. With many of my flower images, DPP shows lots of over-exposure on the petals, but RawDigger shows only a smattering (less than a hundred) of over-exposed pixels. They all converted perfectly in DPP 4 simply by pulling down the Highlight slider a bit. RawDigger has some really cool stuff!
Thanks and best, Geri
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RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos
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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 puzzled as to why the Max G values for different cameras were different. 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.
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Image #1B: AF point for the Sandhill Crane, large colt resting — looking at bee image
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One Amazing Thing …
One amazing thing — as explained in the a1 Info and Updates e-mails, is that the AF system of the a1 — when set up correctly, will actually detect a bird’s eye before you half-press the shutter button . And to think that I’d always dreamed of science-fiction-like autofocus …
Sony Alpha a1 AF
Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In the next SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mail, I will be sharing what I have learned as to when and in what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 46 lucky folks. 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.
Foreground Sand Clean-up
The small areas of white sand in the foreground were distracting. I went with my usual cadre of clean-up tools in Photoshop. Those included the Patch Tool and Content Aware Fill. Note that I did not use the Clone Stamp at all. To smooth out the results, the final step was a 64 pixel Gaussian blur painted in as needed using an Inverse or Black Layer Mask.
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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.
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The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
The clean-up techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all 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.
June 2nd, 2021 Your Favorite?
Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? Why?
What’s Up?
Same old, same old. Conditions were perfect on Tuesday morning, but there was not much to photograph. Both pairs of Black-necked Stilts are incubating their clutches now. The pretty nest has a second egg. With one adult sitting on the eggs, the other feeds at quite a distance from their nest. The crane families are all doing fine.
Today is Wednesday 2 June 2021. The forecast for this morning is for cloudy with a good chance of drizzle. I may try to do some flowers … Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great day.
This blog post took about an hour to prepare, and makes 158 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 if you 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.
Huguenot Memorial Park and/or Jacksonville Nesting Beaches Info Requested
If you photograph regularly at Huguenot Memorial Park and/or any of the other of the publicly accessible beaches north of Jacksonville that have nesting Laughing Gull, Royal and Sandwich Terns, and possibly Brown Pelican, please get in touch via e-mail or call or text me at 863-221-2372.
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.
In the It’s a Start — Limpkin with Chick blog post here, I shared an image of a Limpkin chick huddled below one parent waiting to be fed. The next day I returned hoping to do better. I did. Much. One of the images that I wanted was one of a single Limpkin chick all by its lonesome. Since the Limpkin families, including and especially this one, are notoriously shy I started and ended my quest at 1200mm. In any case, mission accomplished.
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Image #1A: AF point for the Limpkin chick image
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You Gotta-Be-Kidding-Me AF Performance
Perfect eye-tracking at 1200mm is something I could not even have dreamed of. Coming soon: the things I hate about the world’s best bird photography camera body.
Viveza
I am continuing to use Viveza and am getting better at it. I will be doing a basics video on it soon. With both of today’s featured images, I used it to juice up the BLUEs in the water. You can see that best by comparing the color tone of the water in Image #1 with the color tone of the water in the screen capture (in #1A). The latter reflects the original.
In the second image, I used Viveza to tone down the YELLOWs and the GREENs in the BKGR.
Wearing My Glasses
When I am sitting on the milk crate working off the rear screen with the lens just inches above the water, wearing my reading glasses enables me to get a fairly good look at the screen. But from a distance of about 18 inches I cannot see the tiny, green Eye AF box. But a1 AF is so good that I have no trouble trusting the system.
I will be sharing several additional images from the Great Limpkin Morning here at some point.
Sony Alpha a1 AF
Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including at 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In recent SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mails, I shared what I have learned as to when and it what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome. In addition, recent e-mails have detailed the best program to use to pick your a1 keepers and the big problem with the Camera Set. Memory menu item.
SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 49 blessed folks. Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. 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.
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