Please remember that the BIRDS AS ART blog is designed to be interactive. The more answers and comments that a post garners, the more you and I will learn. When there are few or no responses, I often ask myself, Why am I doing this?
Your Calls?
Which two of today’s eight featured images are your favorites? Why?
Which is the weakest image? Why?
Which two otherwise fabulous images feature less than ideal head angles?
I will share my thoughts on the above here soon.
Blessed at Indian Lake Estates
Unless it is sunny and cold with a northwest wind, I drive to the lake most mornings when I am home. Then I head back to Granada Drive for brunch at about 9:00am. Sometime near mid-morning, I get back to the lakeshore for my Vitamin D (no shirt) 1 1/2 mile walk. I get in a half-mile swim pretty much every day that I am home (15 days in a row, right now), and do my bursts most days as well. I have dinner no later than 4pm and then head down to the lake if the wind is right and there looks to be some chance of sunset color in the western sky. Understanding the wind and the sky conditions not only allows me to determine in advance the likelihood of success, but influences my choice of gear.
Today’s eight featured images were created at Indian Lake Estates during the last two weeks. As you view the images, consider the variety of subjects, the various lighting conditions, and the gear that I used to create the images. Thanks to Sony’s Zebra technology, all of the raw file exposures were either perfect or dead solid perfect. Ho hum.
Of course, if you are lucky enough to live in (or close to) a spot where the bird photography is pretty good, the following is always true:
1- The more time you spend in the field (even when conditions are poor or worse), the more you will learn.
2- The more time you spend in the field (even when conditions are poor or worse), the more great chances you will have.
3- When working with basically the same subjects most days, you will, by necessity, look for ways to create new and different images, to become more creative. A good part of that comes from exploring different perspectives.
4- When working with basically the same subjects most days, you will learn to use all of the lenses and teleconverters at your disposal.
At ILE, I know that Sandhill Crane, two species of vulture, and Cattle Egret can be easily photographed during most sessions. Boat-tailed Grackle, Savannah Sparrow, Killdeer, Double-crested Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Osprey, Great Egret, Anhinga, Limpkin, and right now, Crested Caracara, are present most days. The challenge is to create something different; capturing images that show birds in flight or in action, or bird behavior (including and especially courtship, other breeding behaviors, nesting, and raising young), always get me excited. And even at 30 fps, pretty much every frame is different. (In that vein, I can’t wait to get my hands on a Sony a-9 III (with the option to shoot at 120 fps!)
There are many species that I see occasionally but have never photographed or had a good chance on. Those include Palm Warbler, American Kestrel, Mourning Dove, Common Ground Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Common Moorhen, and Purple Gallinule. At my feeders, there are White-winged Dove, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Bobwhite, and rarely Yellow-throated Warbler and Painted Bunting.
When a new species shows up to have its photo taken, I get really excited. Can you say Sharp-shinned Hawk? Over the years, I have tried and failed more than a few times to make a decent image of Northern Harrier. Also in that category is breeding plumage Glossy Ibis. I had one superb chance on that species several years ago in May. I had the shot in focus in the viewfinder. But I waited for something more perfect and wound up with nothing.
The highlights have been many — a Whooping Crane when I first moved to ILE, strutting tom Wild Turkeys, the banner Osprey spring of 2021 with two or three chicks fledging in each of eight nests, the Bald Eagle nest two seasons running, the low-water-level spring Black-necked Stilt nests, and the 2020 Mother’s Day crane nest with chicks!
So yes, I am extremely blessed to be able to get out most days with a reasonable chance of creating a Family Jewel or two.
What’s Up?
Today is Tuesday 12 December 2023. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
Well, with a sunny morning with a NW wind predicted, my plan was to finish this blog post, have my brunch, and answer lots of e-mails. But when I walked out onto the pool deck to check the weather, there was a large cloud in the eastern sky so I drove down to the lake. Here is what I saw: more than 100 Turkey Vultures, 30 cormorants, more than 20 Killdeer, two small shorebirds, most likely Least Sandpipers, three Forster’s Terns, a Ring-billed Gull, at least two dozen Black Vultures, many dozens of Boat-tailed Grackles, six Cattle Egret, three White Ibis, several Mourning and Common Ground Doves, 100 Tree Swallows, three Osprey, one Pied-billed Grebe, about a dozen American Kestrel, and the caracara pair foraging in someone’s front yard.
I am pretty sure that I did not create anything really special but I learned a lot and brain-catalogued some info that might pay off in the future.
This image was created on 29 November 2023 down by the lake near my home. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial. Multi-metering +2 stops in Shutter Priority mode. AUTO ISO set ISO 2000: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 5:24:24pm minutes before sunset.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Turkey Vulture in flight/sunset silhouette
Right Place, Right Time
The wading bird winter roost at the North Field is no longer. And I have not had a bird on The Perch at sunset in many months. My new spot is a short dirt road that leads out to the lake at the south end of the South Peninsula. With some sky color and a bit of luck, it can be productive as there is a big vulture roost right across the canal. The 200-600 allows you to move quickly into place as compared to working with the 600mm f/4 on a tripod (with either TC).
Tracking: Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version.
Image #2: Black Vulture on ground with wings raised
Road-kill Cafe
I have been putting out road kill for the vultures for several years often with great success. More recently I have been putting out rotten, smelly fish, the rottener and the smellier, the better. By setting up along the edge of a canal I am pretty much at eye level with the birds. I replaced the head on this bird with the sharp head from the next frame.
This image was also created on 2 December 2023 near the boat ramp at Indian Lake Estates. While standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter (at 388mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 12:20:43pm on a sunny afternoon.
Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Spatterdock seed capsule
Spatterdock Seed Capsule
The base of knowledge of the combined BAA blog audience is astounding. Thanks to Larry Master for sending me a link that enabled me to properly identify the seed capsule of this common aquatic plant, Yellow Pond Lily, AKA Spatterdock. The actual flowers are round and yellow. Click here to learn more about Yellow Pond Lily (Nuphar luteum).
The bare Sony 70-200 II is an amazingly versatile lens. Adding either teleconverter increases the usefulness of the lens exponentially. Imagine a small, lightweight rig, the 70-200/2X TC/a-1 combo, that is great for birds in flight, great for tight head shots of tame birds, great for photographing bird behavior, and can also be used for medium-sized and large flowers (or seed capsules). The Spatterdock seed capsule above is less than one inch in diameter.
This image was created on 2 December 2023 near the pier at Indian Lake Estates. While standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter (at 400mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 12:30:20pm on a then cloudy afternoon.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #4: Sandhill Crane with dried grasses in bill
Loving the Peashooter Rig on Cloudy Day Walks
As noted here previously, I recently began taking my Vitamin D (no shirt) walks with the Sony 70-200 f/2.8 II/2X TC/a-1 rig in hand. It is light and amazingly versatile. The powers that be at ILE recently spent at least a few thousand bucks to construct a small beach just left of the pier. So far, no human has made use of the new “recreational area.” The birds — mostly cranes, vultures, and Killdeer, however, spend lots of time there. And the sand makes a nice background.
The cranes have been courting for about a month now. Grabbing a mouth full of dried grasses and then tossing the grass up in the air is part of their ritual.
When this happens, the pair will begin to dance, jumping into the air and flapping, all toward the end of cementing the pair bond.
This image was created on 3 December 2023 on the pier at Indian Lake Estates. While standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter (zoomed out to 294mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial. Multi-metering +2.3 stops in Shutter Priority mode. AUTO ISO set ISO 12800: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 9:11:02am on a cloudy morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #5: Boat-tailed Grackle — dorsal view of male in flight
High ISO, Dorsal View, Spread Tail Flight
It would be hard to imagine a more dynamic flight pose. Working in Shutter Priority with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial and AUTO ISO, enables me to point and shoot, having only to adjust the EC. It does take some experience to get close on the exposures. The small size and light weight of the peashooter rig is a godsend when you are attempting to photograph small, fast songbirds in flight.
Tracking Expand Spot/AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper, high-res version.
Image #6: Cooper’s Hawk on The Perch
Thanks to Ryan Sanderson for suggesting that my original ID — Sharp-shinned Hawk, was incorrect.
First-Ever
As I mentioned last week, I had my first-ever Sharp-shinned Hawk on The Perch, the perch that I erected several years ago with the help of my ILE-neighbor, Ralph. Long story’s short, I realized after I began my approach that I had “only” the 1.4X TC on the lens and that the 2X TC was in the rear hatch. Nonetheless, I was happy with the result and loved the right-down-the-lens barrel stare showing both eyes. And the superb a-1 image quality allowed for about a 50% crop.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version.
Image #7: Sandhill Crane gaining altitude just after taking flight
Accidental Crane
I was surprised when a pair of cranes walked up to the thirty or so Black Vultures feeding on a rotten Black Drum carcass. I missed several interactions as the cranes gave the vultures “what for.” Then I missed the first crane taking off, but was ready for the second one. Though the vanes of the vulture feathers and the legs have some bright highlights, the adult crane’s white cheek patch is brighter still; thus, I reduced the ISO by 1 click, 1/3-stop an round up with another perfect exposure.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper, high-res version.
Image #8: Crested Caracara taking flight
Handheld at 840mm
With the pair of caracaras on the ground, I was working with the 600 and the 1.4X TC off the BLUBB. When I saw several Black Vultures flying in to grab the fish skin that the caracaras were ripping up, I anticipated that they would take flight into the southeast wind. As I was fairly close to the birds and it is difficult for me to handhold the 600 for more than a few moments, I clipped wings in all but three images in the 15-frame sequence. One, however, is all it takes 🙂
The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide
You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.
The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide
126 pages, 87 photographs by Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.
I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back-and-forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Below are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide. Please note that last season, Gatorland did not offer a Photographer’s Pass.
Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here, if you are lucky, you will have a chance for two difficult birds: Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.
Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.
You can purchase a copy 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.
The sunny morning NW winds finally quit on Friday, replaced by a gentle breeze from the northeast. I almost did not head down to the lake, thinking I’ve got enough vulture and Snail Crane images already. But then I thought, You can’t find anything great to photography in your office. My morning began with a first-ever Sharp-shinned Hawk, a juvenile, on The Perch. Next I worked the nesting pair of Crested Caracara and created a single family jewels of the pair copulating — just fitting both birds into the frame at 1200mm.
I was glad to learn that many multiple IPT veteran Warren Robb will be joining me on the Morro Bay IPT. And coincidentally — in view of today’s post, that Mike De Rosa is considering the same trip.
Today is Saturday 9 December. I will be heading down to the lake early to set up another road kill cafe. Wherever you are and whatever you choose to do, I hope that you too have a great day.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
B&H Simplified
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. B&H will reopen on Fri April 14. Thanking me for the past 4000 educational blog posts could not be any easier and will not cost you one penny. Please shoot me your B&H receipt for major purchases.
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. When I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Single Bird Horizontal Image Design
Learn the basics of designing horizontally oriented images of singles bird in this 11-minute video. Be sure to stay to the end to learn to about clipping the virtual feet.
The Mike De Rosa Rule
The Mike De Rosa Rule
Mike and Norma De Rosa have joined me on many IPTs. To help Mike better design his images, I created the Mike De Rosa Rule. You can see this rule in action in the YouTube video above (and in many blog posts).
This image was created on 17 January 2009 with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS 50D! Aperture Priority +1 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 3:34pm on a sunny afternoon.
Be sure to click on the image to view a larger, sharper high-res version.
Great Egret with bill in water — sunset silhouette
Keep the Bird Back in the Frame!
You can simplify the Mike De Rosa by remembering to keep the bird back in the frame when creating horizontal images of single birds. The AF systems of the top of the line mirrorless camera bodies make doing that easier than ever before. If you are using any type of back-button focus, check out what I have to say on the video.
Clockwise from the upper left: in pink/purple predawn reflections; squabbling over feeding territory; with wings raised; with sand flea; ruffling after bath; on the edge of the surf with one foot raised.
Be sure to click on the composite image to view a larger, sharper high-res version.
Morro Bay Long-billed Curlew Images
2024 Morro Bay 3 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT): WED 7 FEB through the morning session on SAT 10 FEB 2024: $1999 (Limit: 6 photographers/Openings: 5).
There will be a short Meet and Greet after dinner on your own at 7:00pm on TUES 6 FEB 2024.
Join me in one of the most beautiful and scenic places on the planet to photograph a large variety of birds of sea and shore. As above, the star of the show will be Long-billed Curlew. There will be lots of Marbled Godwits, Whimbrels, and Willets as well, and lots of the smaller shorebird species like Black and Ruddy Turnstone. Black Oystercatcher is likely and we should get to photograph large flocks of Western Sandpipers in flight over the bay. With any luck we should enjoy some colorful sunrises and sunsets. There are lots of gulls including Western, California, and Mew. There is one location where we may get to photograph Western, Clarke’s, Eared, and Pied-billed Grebe, Lesser Scaup, and Common Loon. We may run into some passerines including Anna’s Hummingbird, Brewer’s Blackbird, and White-crowned Sparrow. And we have a chance for several species of raptors. Yikes, I almost forgot California Poppy, California Ground Squirrel, and Sea Otter.
The Details
This IPT will include four 3-hour morning photo sessions and three 2-hour afternoons (all times are approximate and dependent on conditions, most especially the weather), three working (image review and Photoshop) brunches (included), and of course tons of great in-the-field instruction photographic instruction. Each working brunch will be followed by Instructor Nap Time (INT). On cloudy days with a poor afternoon forecast, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a single long session and skip the afternoon. To ensure very early starts and that you get some sleep, breakfasts and dinners will be your responsibility. This IPT will run with only a single registrant as I do not like disappointing anyone.
Your $699 deposit is due now. Credit cards are OK for that. You can register by calling Jim during weekday business hours before noon Eastern time at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. Once you leave a deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance and instructions for sending your check two months before the trip begins. If you wish to pay in full right off the bat, you can make your check out to BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions and clothing and gear advice two months before the trip. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together may e-mail for discount information.
Clockwise from the upper left: Great Egret fishing at sunset; pair of Western Gulls; Bird-Sh_t Rock at sunset; pan blur of the beach north of the rock on a foggy morning; shorebird flock over bay at sunset; Wild Turkey tom strutting.
Be sure to click on the composite image to view a larger, sharper high-res version.
Morro Bay Miscellaneous
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field as early as possible and stay out late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors as is pretty much the case on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty sleep and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving. Or watching folk leave the beach just before the western sky lights up.
What You Will Learn
I short, you will learn more than you could ever have dreamed of. All will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. Everyone will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. Most importantly, you will surely learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode. The best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever and whenever you photograph.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Clockwise from the upper left: in pink/purple predawn reflections; squabbling over feeding territory; with wings raised; with sand flea; ruffling after bath; on the edge of the surf with one foot raised.
Be sure to click on the composite image to view a larger, sharper high-res version.
Morro Bay Long-billed Curlew Images
2024 Morro Bay 3 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT): WED 7 FEB through the morning session on SAT 10 FEB 2024: $1999 (Limit: 6 photographers/Openings: 5).
There will be a short Meet and Greet after dinner on your own at 7:00pm on TUES 6 FEB 2024.
Join me in one of the most beautiful and scenic places on the planet to photograph a large variety of birds of sea and shore. As above, the star of the show will be Long-billed Curlew. There will be lots of Marbled Godwits, Whimbrels, and Willets as well, and lots of the smaller shorebird species like Black and Ruddy Turnstone. Black Oystercatcher is likely and we should get to photograph large flocks of Western Sandpipers in flight over the bay. With any luck we should enjoy some colorful sunrises and sunsets. There are lots of gulls including Western, California, and Mew. There is one location where we may get to photograph Western, Clarke’s, Eared, and Pied-billed Grebe, Lesser Scaup, and Common Loon. We may run into some passerines including Anna’s Hummingbird, Brewer’s Blackbird, and White-crowned Sparrow. And we have a chance for several species of raptors. Yikes, I almost forgot California Poppy, California Ground Squirrel, and Sea Otter.
The Details
This IPT will include four 3-hour morning photo sessions and three 2-hour afternoons (all times are approximate and dependent on conditions, most especially the weather), three working (image review and Photoshop) brunches (included), and of course tons of great in-the-field instruction photographic instruction. Each working brunch will be followed by Instructor Nap Time (INT). On cloudy days with a poor afternoon forecast, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a single long session and skip the afternoon. To ensure very early starts and that you get some sleep, breakfasts and dinners will be your responsibility. This IPT will run with only a single registrant as I do not like disappointing anyone.
Your $699 deposit is due now. Credit cards are OK for that. You can register by calling Jim during weekday business hours before noon Eastern time at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. Once you leave a deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance and instructions for sending your check two months before the trip begins. If you wish to pay in full right off the bat, you can make your check out to BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions and clothing and gear advice two months before the trip. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together may e-mail for discount information.
Clockwise from the upper left: Great Egret fishing at sunset; pair of Western Gulls; Bird-Sh_t Rock at sunset; pan blur of the beach north of the rock on a foggy morning; shorebird flock over bay at sunset; Wild Turkey tom strutting.
Be sure to click on the composite image to view a larger, sharper high-res version.
Morro Bay Miscellaneous
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field as early as possible and stay out late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors as is pretty much the case on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty sleep and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving. Or watching folk leave the beach just before the western sky lights up.
What You Will Learn
I short, you will learn more than you could ever have dreamed of. All will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. Everyone will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. Most importantly, you will surely learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode. The best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever and whenever you photograph.
This image was created on 15 January 2009 with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Aperture Priority +1 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 3:34pm on a sunny afternoon.
Be sure to click on the image to view a larger, sharper high-res version.
Long-billed Curlew with tiny fish
Getting Back to Morro Bay
I am excited about getting back to Morro Bay, especially considering that I will have my Sony Gear with me. All of the images in today’s post were created about ten or more years ago. The AF systems on the Canon gear I was using then were crude at best as compared to the AF systems of today’s amazing mirrorless bodies. The Sony a-1, IMHO, is the best of the lot by far. If you would like to know why I am positive that the Sony a-1 is the best camera for bird photography, click here to shoot me an e-mail request.
The Stars of the Morro Bay Show!
The target species for nearly all avian photographers visiting bird-rich Morro Bay, CA at any season but summer is North America’s largest most spectacular shorebird, Long-billed Curlew. With their long decurved bills, these birds are adept at grabbing sand crabs on the edge of the surf and probing deeply into wet sand and mud to extract fiddler crabs from their burrows. The bills of the females, which often exceed nine inches in length, are longer than the bills of the males. At Morro Bay, this species is common in fall, winter, and early spring and are often easily approached. And best of all, there is tons of action — flight, feeding on sand crab, squabbles with other species, and bathing.
This image was created on 14 January 2015 with a handheld Canon 100-400mm lens and the EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 800. Aperture Priority +1/3-stop: 1/100 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at just before sunset on a partly cloudy afternoon.
Be sure to click on the image to view a larger, sharper high-res version.
Long-billed Curlew at sunset
Image Quality Then and Now
As I re-processed most of the images use here today, I quickly came to realize how inferior the raw files are as compared to the raw files that I create today with my Sony a-1. As mentioned above, the older AF systems were simply not capable of consistently creating sharp-on-the-face-and-eye images. Today, image sharpness is taken for granted by competent shooters most of the time. Exacerbating the soft focus problem is the fact that the image quality of the files rendered by the older cameras is dismal when compared to what is routine today. The larger files sizes — 51 MP with the Sony a-1, for example — and the huge improvement in sensor technology makes it painfully obvious that we are living in a dream world today. Don’t get me wrong, processed following my latest BIRDS AS ART digital workflow, many of the older images made with my Canon gear stand up just fine for web use and many would surely make fine prints. When taking a close look by zooming in in Photoshop, however, the differences in image quality are obvious and huge (even to someone like me who does not have a good eye for fine detail). Not to mention that the vast superiority of today’s best mirrorless camera bodies in all three major system includes their hard-to–believe high ISO renderings.
The Digital Basics III Video Series
The Digital Basics III Video Series
I realized about a year ago that my digital workflow had changed significantly and was toying with the idea of writing a Digital Basics III. More recently, I have learned and begun working with two great new Photoshop Tools, the Remove Tool and the Luminance Targeted Adjustment Tool. The former is like a smarter Spot Healing Brush Tool on steroids and the latter is a huge step up from the fabulous Color Mixer Tool. During that same time frame, I came up with a new and improved 2-step noise reduction technique. I still use Divide and Conquer, Quick Masks, Layer Masks, an expanded array of personalized keyboard shortcuts, and tons of other stuff from both versions of Digital Basics.
As soon as I realized that I did not want to take on another large writing project, I realized that by creating a series of videos I could much more easily share all the details of my current digital workflow and much more easily incorporate additional new tips, techniques, and tools as I went. And so, The Digital Basics III Video Series was born. You can check out Volume I/#1 here and Volume I/#2 here.
You might opt to purchase single videos or to subscribe to Volume I and save $26 by ordering the first five videos in one fell swoop. You can purchase the five videos in Volume I by clicking here. The videos will be most valuable for folks using the latest version of Photoshop (2024) or Lightroom along with Topaz DeNoise AI and Topaz Sharpen AI.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
