March 18th, 2018 Stuff
On Saturday I did my usual two rounds of Postural Restoration exercises, worked on this blog post, took a nap, and got some more work done on the Nikon Focus Fine-tune Guide. And that afternoon as my range of motion and freedom of movement kept on improving, I was feeling good enough for the first time since the fall that I had realistic hopes of making a complete recovery … Time will tell. I was feeling so good that I turned into a 100% couch potato for four hours after my short nap. 🙂 I got back to work at about 6:30pm.
The Streak
Today makes two hundred thirty days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about an hour and a half to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not…), the plan right now is to try to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!
The Used Gear Page
Action on the Used Gear Page recently has been fantastic. You can see all current listings here.
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
BAA Record-Low, Shock-the-world priced
Greg Morris is offering a barely used EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in mint to like-new condition with extras for the BAA record low price of $9394.00. The sale includes the LensCoat that has protected this lens since day one, a RRS stuff foot (installed), the original foot, the lens trunk, the original box and everything that came in it: front cover, rear cap, manuals, & the rest, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your personal or certified check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Greg via e-mail or by phone at 1-580-678-5929 (Central time).
WMD: Weapon of Mass Destruction!
The 600 II is the state of the art super-telephoto for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports. When I could get it to my location, it was my go-to weapon. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. With a new one going for $11,499, you can save a cool $2,005.00 by grabbing Walt’s might-as-well-be-new lens right now. artie
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Lens
Price dropped $200 on 17 MAR 2018
Joel Williams is also offering a Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens in like-new condition for $749 (was $949). The sale includes the original box, and everything that came with the lens, and insured ground shipping via UPS, to US addresses only. The lens will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Joel via e-mail.
This versatile lens sell new for $1499 so you can save a nifty $550 by grabbing it. artie
Fujifilm XF 16-55 f/2.8 R LM WR lens
Price dropped $100 on 17 MAR 2018
Joel Williams is also offering a Fujifilm XF 16-55 f/2.8 R LM WR lens in like-new condition for only $549 (was $649). The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it and insured ground shipping via UPS to US addresses only. The lens will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Joel via e-mail.
A standard-length zoom built to handle harsh conditions, this weather-sealed lens offers the 35mm focal length equivalence of 24-82.5mm for versatile wide-angle to portrait length perspectives. With a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, it is effective in low light conditions and able to control focus placement with a shallow depth of field. Compatible with all Fujifilm X-mount mirrorless digital cameras, it features a sophisticated lens design, internal focusing and a Twin Linear Motor AF system for exceedingly fast and near silent autofocus operation. The lens sells new for $1049. B&H
Novoflex Adapter for Leica M Mount Lenses to Fujifilm X Mount Digital Cameras
Price dropped $20 on 17 MAR 2018
Joel Williams is also offering a Novoflex Adapter for Leica M Mount Lenses to Fujifilm X Mount Digital cameras bodies in like-new condition for only $79 (was $99). The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it and insured ground shipping via UPS to US addresses only. This item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Joel via e-mail.
One of the most appealing aspects of mirrorless cameras like those of the Fujifilm X series is the availability of a wide range of compatible interchangeable lenses, including non-Fuji lenses. The Adapter for Leica M Mount Lenses to Fujifilm X Mount Digital Cameras from Novoflex makes it possible to mount a Leica M lens to your Fujifilm X-Pro1, XE-1 and XM-1 Mirrorless Digital Cameras. This precision mechanical adapter does not transfer functions from the camera to the lens, such as automatic focus, however automatic exposure metering in aperture priority and stop-down metering is possible. The lens will focus to infinity using this adapter. This item sells new for $206.25. B&H
Sony Vario-Tessar T FE 16-35 f/4 ZA OSS Lens
Price dropped $120 on 17 MAR 2018
Joel Williams is also offering a Sony Vario-Tessar T FE 16-35 f/4 ZA OSS lens in like-new condition for only $629 (was $749). The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it and insured ground shipping via UPS to US addresses only. The lens will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Joel via e-mail.
A compact and weather-resistant option, the Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS lens from Sony will satisfy nearly all the wide-angle needs of full-frame E-mount shooters. It also features a constant f/4 aperture for consistent performance and illumination throughout the zoom range. Ensuring optimal image quality, the lens design incorporates five aspherical elements, including one Advanced Aspherical (AA), three extra-low dispersion elements, and the Zeiss T* anti-reflective coating. This combination delivers images that are free from aberration and flare. The lens sells new for $1248.00 B&H
Sony FE 70-200 f/4 G OSS Lens
Price dropped $150 on 17 MAR 2018
Joel Williams is also offering a Sony FE 70-200 f/4 G OSS lens in like-new condition for only $829 (was $979). The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it and insured ground shipping via UPS to US addresses only. The lens will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Joel via e-mail.
Capture more distant subjects while keeping your kit lightweight with the FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS Lens from Sony. This full-frame lens is designed for use with mirrorless E-mount cameras where it delivers an excellent telephoto zoom range. It also uses a maximum aperture of f/4 to keep size and weight down. Incorporated into the optical design are a series of specialized elements to ensure aberrations are suppressed, this includes two extra-low dispersion elements, one super extra-low dispersion element, two advanced aspherical elements, and one aspherical element. Along with these capabilities, a Nano AR coating will help minimize the appearance of flare and ghosting. The lens sells new for $1398.00 B&H
Booking.Com
Several folks on the Spoonbill IPTs used the Booking.Com link below and got great rates and saved a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks whom I see in the field, and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.
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This image was created at La Jolla Shores Beach on the afternoon of January 17, 2018. I was standing behind my Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Cloudy WB at 4:43pm.
One to the left and two rows up from the center AF point/AI Servo/Surround AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the back of the base of the bird’s neck on the same plane as the bird’s eye.
LensAlign/FocusTune AFA micro-adjustment: -1.
Western Gull on clean, grey sand
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The Situation
I love clear sunny afternoons for La Jolla Shores Beach. (Learn when and how to photograph at LJSB and the rest of the great San Diego hotspots in the San Diego Site Guide.) When we finished our Photoshop session and poked our heads out the door it was totally foggy. Several folks decided to skip the afternoon against my advice. When we first began photographing it was pretty much +3 stops everywhere in the thick fog. But not longer after we arrived the sun struggled to break through and did to some degree. With dark clouds in the east and gentle sun on the birds from the west conditions were spectacular; I love the dark grey wet sand background in today’s featured image.
My Bad Weather Strategy
- #1: Don’t even bother looking at the weather forecast the night before. I have seen many evening forecasts that guarantee horrific weather from 5 to 10am the next day only to wake to clearing or even clear skies …
- #2: Even if it is pouring rain when you head out, head out. Even if you are driving only ten minutes the weather might be better at your destination. If it is pouring rain when you get there, be patient. At times the rain may let up just enough for you to get in some photography. I always bring my laptop so that I can get some work done in the car if the bad weather continues.
- #3: It is often fun and productive to use fill flash after the rain subsides. I need to get a flash for my Nikon system … Any suggestions?
- #4: As you have seen here often, foggy conditions are great as long as you are using digital capture.
- #5: The same goes here for snow. When it is precipitating, be sure to make provisions for protecting your gear from the elements.
- #6: Likewise, strong winds, even winds from the wrong direction, can provide different and exciting photographic conditions.
- #7: If you are good with apps on your cell phone, the weather radar stuff can be helpful though I have seen that be very wrong too …
- #8: One thing is for sure, if you cancel a nature photography outing because of bad weather, you will not make any good photographs.
If you remember a time when a lousy forecast or just plain bad weather resulted in some great photography please share by leaving a comment below.
You Will Need to Put Your Thinking Caps On to Figure This One Out …
If you can figure out what is wrong with this image, please leave a comment. Note: the beach was perfectly clean in the RAW file; no shells, no pebbles, no nothing. Thus, there was no beach clean-up needed.
An Angle of Declination Note
When you are standing at full height behind your tripod and working at 840mm your angle of declination is not bad. If you pull out the leg tab on the forward-facing leg and then pull the leg out, you can get a foot or two lower quickly without have to adjust the length of the legs. Depending on your height and physique and the height of your tripod, you can now get lower by squatting down a bit, bending at the waist, or kneeling. This is a quick method of reducing your angle of declination quickly.
If you read the fine print in this blog post you can figure out why kneeling might not have been a good idea and why sitting might have been disastrous. If you do, please share by leaving a comment.
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Early Spring Photo Opportunities at ILE
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BIRDS AS ART First-ever Master Class
Master Class. Two Full and two Half Days/Friday afternoon, March 30 through lunch on Monday, April 2, 2018. Limit: 4/Openings 3.
The Master Classe will be a small group — strictly limited to four photographers — with the first folks who register having the option of staying at my home ($50/night) or at a chain motel in nearby Lake Wales. Live, think, and breathe photography from Friday afternoon through lunch on Monday (late-morning); all meals included. There will be three afternoon photo sessions (FRI – SUN) hopefully with glorious sunsets like the ones you saw one the blog in December we should have good opportunities with the cranes even in the afternoon. We will enjoy three morning photography sessions (SAT – MON) with the main subjects being tame Sandhill Cranes almost surely with chicks or colts. Also vultures and Cattle Egrets and more. Limpkins are possible. Intermediate telephoto lenses are fine for the cranes, even the chicks at times. A 500 or 600mm lens would be best for many of the situations that we will encounter.
During the day we will sit together around my dining room table and pick everyone’s keepers and enjoy guided Photoshop sessions. On Monday before lunch, folks can make a single large print of their favorite image from the weekend. If you so choose, I will micro-adjust one of your lenses (at one focal length with your #1 camera body–Canon or Nikon) during a group instructional session. All will be welcome to practice what they have learned during the breaks using my set-up and my lighting gear.
To register, please first shoot me an e-mail to check on availability. Then you will be instructed to call Jim or Jen at 863-692-0906 during weekday business hours (except for Friday afternoons) to leave you non-refundable (unless the session sells out) $500 deposit. Only the deposit may be left on credit card. Balances must be paid by check immediately after you register (unless you wish to pay by credit card plus 4% to cover our fees).
I hope that you can join me on this new adventure.
with love, artie
ps: bring your bathing suit if you would like to try my pool.
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Tame birds in breeding plumage and chicks are great fun.
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Gatorland IPT #2. Sunrise: 6:48am. Sunset: 7:58pm.
3 1/2 DAYs: THURS 26 APR through and including the morning of SUN 29 APR. $1599. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 3.
Must purchase Gatorland Photographers Pass. Click here for details. All early entry. Late stays Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Gatorland IPT #2 should have lots of chicks, and lots of birds in breeding plumage. We will get to photograph Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, and Wood Stork. The Cattle Egrets in full breeding plumage will be present in good numbers. Learn my Gatorland strategy, to get the right exposure, flight photography techniques, my secret Gatorland spots, how to see the best situations (nobody is better at that than me), and how to make great images in extremely cluttered situations.
Help Support the Blog
Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack.
Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).
March 17th, 2018 Stuff
I am still taking it easy and will be for a while longer. No photography, no swimming. The shoulder is getting better bit by bit very slowly. Not anywhere near fast enough for me but at my age, I need to be patient. Range of motion of the left arm with abduction and flexion gets a few degrees better every day. After watching me move my arm today on FaceTime, Amy Novotny is confident that I will make a complete recovery. From her mouth to …
After setting up my replacement D5 today I AF fine-tuned it with the 200-500 at 500mm. Right now it looks like +6 but I will be doing an AFC test tomorrow to confirm that. In addition, I did get to work on the Nikon Focus Fine-tune Guide.
This Just In!
By lunch eastern time there was lots to learn reading the comments and my replies; you know what to do.
The Streak
Today makes two hundred twenty-nine days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about an hour and a half to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not…), the plan right now is to try to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!
The Used Gear Page
Action on the Used Gear Page recently has been fantastic. You can see all current listings here.
Booking.Com
Several folks on the Spoonbill IPTs used the Booking.Com link below and got great rates and saved a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks whom I see in the field, and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.
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This image was created at the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch on the afternoon of Monday March 5, 2018. I was sitting behind my Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the Nikon D850. ISO 800. Matrix metering -1/3 stops: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 in A (Aperture priority mode –Av in Canon). AUTO2 WB at 5:27pm.
Group (grp) shutter button AF.
Nikon Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: -6; see the important info below. (Please see and carefully read Nikon Focus Fine-tune Guide item below). Click on the image to see a larger version.
Ring-necked Duck drake landing
baited with duck and goose blend seed and corn
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The Basics
- 1- For most folks hand holding a lens that they can easily handle will be better for flight than a heavier, tripod-mounted super-telephoto. With large, slow birds that do not fly erratically both of the previous approaches can be successful.
- 2- Practice acquiring the subject in the frame and practice keeping the selected AF point on the bird’s face, neck, or upper breast.
You can learn tons more in Jim Neiger’s Flight Plan e-Guide and Arash Hazeghi’s Bird’s in Flight Photography Guide (Basics for Canon EOS Users). I learned a lot from both of them.
Head Soft? Feet Sharp? An AF micro-adjustment focus fine-tune tip for both Canon and Nikon flight photographers …
At times with both Nikon and Canon gear you might be 100% positive that you acquired focus early and successfully tracked the subject flying directly towards you at a good clip only to learn when checking a magnified view either on the camera’s rear LCD or when reviewing your images on a computer that the bird’s face and eyes are soft but that the feet are sharply focused. If you are desperate and if you have accurately micro-adjusted your flight photography rig, you might wish to give this a try: go into your AF fine-tune (Nikon) or AFA (Canon) settings and move the focus forward 10 or 15 units if possible or at least to the negative maximum. Both Patrick and I tried this with Canon and had a modicum of success. I tried it in Cayman Brac and in Phoenix with my Nikon gear and had a good bit of success.
When today’s featured image was created, the AF Focus peaking Fine-tune value for my 600/TC-E14/D850 combo was +4 (and it has not been changed since then). But when I checked several incoming duck images at 100% magnification on the D850’s rear LCD, I noted that many were soft on the face/sharp on the feet so I moved the focus forward ten units, from +4 to -6. I had some excellent results thereafter that included today’s featured image. Do understand that there are so many unmeasurable variables in the flight photography equation that figuring anything out definitively is difficult at best. Those include skill of the operator, the AF Area (Selection) mode, the AF settings, the light, the contrast, and the speed and direction of the bird to name a few. I did use this strategy with the Brown Boobies in flight on Cayman Brac with my D850 and had some great results. My impression however is that the Nikon D5 DSLR Camera (w/Dual XQD Slots) does a better job in similar situations than the D850 and gets the bird’s eyes sharp consistently when your subject is flying right at you. Thus, I never had to move the AF forward with the D5. But please remember that I do not have a ton of experience with the D5 at this point.
One thing that I am convinced of for now is that Nikon folks whose cameras offer Group (grp) AF should use it for flight photography 100% of the time. Or not …
At this point many may have — as I did before writing this blog post — jumped to the wrong conclusions. Keep reading …
Don’t Forget!
If you try this technique, it is absolutely imperative that you set your AFA or AF Fine-tune value back to the correct number when your flight photography session is complete. If you forget that step all of your images in the next session will be considerably front-focused …
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Nikon Capture NX-D Screen Capture
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What Really Was Going On …
It would be easy to think here, “Big deal, the Nikon gear focused well behind the incoming bird, just like Canon does.” But if you study the NX-D screen capture above and note the placement of the four AF points you will see that the AF system focused where it should have, on the bird’s breast. AKA operator error. But having moved the AF point forward 10 units the image wound up more than sharp enough on the eye. As I said, there are lots of factors involved. If you are consistently making soft on the eyes/sharp on the feet images of birds flying right at you, and like me, have trouble keeping the selected AF point on the bird’s head, you might want to trying moving the Af forward at least 10 points (if possible).
Note that today’s image was significantly under-exposed.
The Nikon D850/D5 Focus Fine-tune Guide
I began work on the Nikon D850/D5 Focus Fine-tune Guide on Friday. There is lots of mis-information out there on Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune. Working with Patrick Sparkman, we developed a way of using that feature effectively. Patrick was on a roll and perfected a method for using the Focus Peaking feature available only on the D850 to quickly and accurately micro-adjust all lenses and TC-Es with your D-850. Both Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune and D850 Focus Peaking AF Fine-tune require a LensAlign Mark II kit so that you can obtain accurate results. I learned recently that the Nikon D500 DSLR does offer Automatic AF Fine-tune.
Folks who use one of my links to purchase a Nikon D850, a Nikon D5 DSLR Camera (Body Only, Dual XQD Slots), a Nikon D500 DSLR , or any Nikon gear totaling more than $2,000 will receive the new guide free. I hope to have it finished in two weeks but don’t hold me to it 🙂
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Tame birds in breeding plumage are great fun.
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Gatorland IPT #2. Sunrise: 6:48am. Sunset: 7:58pm.
3 1/2 DAYs: THURS 26 APR through and including the morning of SUN 29 APR. $1599. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 3.
Must purchase Gatorland Photographers Pass. Click here for details. All early entry. Late stays Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Gatorland IPT #2 should have lots of chicks, and lots of birds in breeding plumage. We will get to photograph Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, and Wood Stork. The Cattle Egrets in full breeding plumage will be present in good numbers. Learn my Gatorland strategy, to get the right exposure, flight photography techniques, my secret Gatorland spots, how to see the best situations (nobody is better at that than me), and how to make great images in extremely cluttered situations.
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Early Spring Photo Opportunities at ILE
|
BIRDS AS ART First-ever Master Class
Master Class. Two Full and two Half Days/Friday afternoon, March 30 through lunch on Monday, April 2, 2018: $1999.00. Limit: 4/Openings 3.
The Master Classe will be a small group — strictly limited to four photographers — with the first folks who register having the option of staying at my home ($50/night) or at a chain motel in nearby Lake Wales. Live, think, and breathe photography from Friday afternoon through lunch on Monday (late-morning); all meals included. There will be three afternoon photo sessions (FRI – SUN) hopefully with glorious sunsets like the ones you saw one the blog in December we should have good opportunities with the cranes even in the afternoon. We will enjoy three morning photography sessions (SAT – MON) with the main subjects being tame Sandhill Cranes almost surely with chicks or colts. Also vultures and Cattle Egrets and more. Limpkins are possible. Intermediate telephoto lenses are fine for the cranes, even the chicks at times. A 500 or 600mm lens would be best for many of the situations that we will encounter.
During the day we will sit together around my dining room table and pick everyone’s keepers and enjoy guided Photoshop sessions. On Monday before lunch, folks can make a single large print of their favorite image from the weekend. If you so choose, I will micro-adjust one of your lenses (at one focal length with your #1 camera body–Canon or Nikon) during a group instructional session. All will be welcome to practice what they have learned during the breaks using my set-up and my lighting gear.
To register, please first shoot me an e-mail to check on availability. Then you will be instructed to call Jim or Jen at 863-692-0906 during weekday business hours (except for Friday afternoons) to leave you non-refundable (unless the session sells out) $500 deposit. Only the deposit may be left on credit card. Balances must be paid by check immediately after you register (unless you wish to pay by credit card plus 4% to cover our fees).
I hope that you can join me on this new adventure.
with love, artie
ps: bring your bathing suit if you would like to try my pool.
Help Support the Blog
Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack.
Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).
March 16th, 2018 Stuff
The shoulder is getting a little bit better each day but abduction of the left arm is greatly restricted and when I try, the pain is a pain 🙂 Especially at night, even when I am doing nothing. My replacement D5 arrived today. Two folks have signed up for Gatorland #2 so we will have late stay for that Thursday night. More reason to join. See the details below.
The Streak
Today makes two hundred twenty-eight days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about an hour and a half to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not…), the plan right now is to try to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!
The Nikon D850/D5 Focus Fine-tune Guide
I will start working on the Nikon D850/D5 Focus Fine-tune Guide tomorrow. There is lots of mis-information out there on Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune. Working with Patrick Sparkman, we developed a way of using that feature effectively. Patrick was on a roll and perfected a method for using the Focus Peaking feature available only on the D850 to quickly and accurately micro-adjust all lenses and TC-Es with your D-850. Both Nikon Automatic AF Fine-tune and D850 Focus Peaking AF Fine-tune require a LensAlign Mark II kit so that you can obtain accurate results. I learned recently that the Nikon D500 DSLR does offer Automatic AF Fine-tune.
Folks who use one of my links to purchase a Nikon D850, a Nikon D5 DSLR Camera (Body Only, Dual XQD Slots), a Nikon D500 DSLR , or any Nikon gear totaling more than $2,000 will receive the new guide free. I hope to have it finished in two weeks but don’t hold me to it 🙂
The Used Gear Page
Action on the Used Gear Page recently has been fantastic. You can see all current listings here.
Fujifilm X-Pro2 Mirrorless Digital Camera plus two-lens package!
Top BAA Used Gear page seller Jim Keener is offering a Fujifilm X-Pro2 Mirrorless Digital Camera in like-new condition ($1699 new), a Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 R WR (Black) Lens in like-new condition ($449 new), and a Fujifilm XF 50mm f/2 R WR (Black) Lens (also $449 new) in like-new condition for the amazing low giving-it-away price of $1699.00. The sale includes the front cap, five Fujifilm batteries, the charger, the original box, the camera strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to the 48 contiguous states only. The camera will not ship until your check clears. No PayPal.
Please contact Jim via e-mail or by phone at 310-741-7435 (9am-9pm Mountain time).
The long-awaited successor to Fujifilm’s first X-series mirrorless digital camera, the X-Pro2 sports a high-resolution X-Trans CMOS III sensor and redeveloped X-Processor Pro, along with the tested rangefinder-inspired design now synonymous with the X-Pro system. Now weighing in at 24.3MP, the APS-C CMOS sensor incorporates the proprietary X-Trans technology and its randomized pixel array to afford a high degree of sharpness and accurate color reproduction, along with high expanded sensitivity to ISO 51200. When paired with the X-Processor Pro, the camera is capable of recording stills at up to 8 fps and Full HD 1080p video at 60 fps, along with quick focusing and overall performance speeds. Unique among camera designs, the X-Pro2 is also heavily characterized by its Advanced Hybrid Multi Viewfinder that blends both optical and electronic viewing methods into a single, switchable finder, giving you the best of both worlds in regard to clear viewing and the ability to preview exposure settings prior to shooting. Cementing its place as a professional tool, the X-Pro2 also features a robust, weather-sealed body design accented by a range of physical controls for intuitive handling in any condition. B&H
With this package going for $2597.00 new grabbing it now will save you nearly $1K! With the body in like-new condition it’s as if you are getting the two lenses free. artie
Booking.Com
Several folks on the Spoonbill IPTs used the Booking.Com link below and got great rates and saved a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks whom I see in the field, and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.
The Situation
The beach where these birds nested was strewn with jagged limestone rocks. Getting down on your belly was not possible. Sitting required you to clear an area of rocks to avoid puncturing your butt. But when I was seated, the background was plain ugly: green grass interspersed with white limestone rocks and boulders. Along with lots of plastic trash, more than I have seen anywhere in the world. I knew that I needed to get lower to take advantage of the gorgeous green background provided by a relatively distant beach bush. What to do?
How I Got Low When I Could Not Get Low …
I came up with a plan that involved trying something that I had never tried before. First I set my exposure manually. Then I lowered my Induro GIT 204 tripod so that the lens was about six inches off the ground. Then I pulled out the large (moveable) rear LCD screen and tilted it up. Next I turned on Live View and set up Touch Shutter by tapping the visible icons upper left. I framed the shot, tightened the tripod controls a bit, and began making photos by tapping the rear LCD where I wanted to focus. I am not sure how I wound up at f/11 but it turned out to be a blessing. For the most part the big chick was just sitting there. When it yawned, its head came up a bit so I raised the lens just a bit and tapped the rear LCD to focus and fire. I nearly clipped the upper mandible in the NEF file but was easily able to add canvas above and right using John Haedo Content Aware Fill (as detailed in Digital Basics II). The small aperture helped to ensure that the eye was sharp even though the system focused where I tapped, on the lower mandible. And the bush was far enough away to remain pleasingly out of focus. This technique is great with static subject but less than elegant or ideal when the bird moves. I got lucky with today’s featured image. I love to put on my thinking cap in the field and come up with effective new techniques. 🙂
The Induro GIT 204
I recently discovered the Induro GIT 204, the smaller, lighter cousin of the GIT 304L. The 204 folds down to 21 inches for easy packing and at 4.2 pounds (but rated to hold 44 pounds of gear), makes an ideal travel tripod for folks using intermediate telephoto lenses like the Canon 100-400 II, the Canon 300mm f/4L IS, the Nikon 80-400mm VR, and the Nikon 200-500. All of those and the rest of the versatile intermediate telephoto lenses available today do best when your tripod is topped by a Mongoose M3.6. And the GIT 204 is priced at only $525.00, $124 less than its larger, six-inch taller cousin, the GIT 304L. I brought the 204 to Cayman Brac and used it with the 200-500 most often with the TCE-14III and always once the sun had disappeared behind the taller houses each afternoon; it performed superbly. The booby chicks were so cute that we often stayed to photograph them until well after sunset. I will be bringing the 204 on my next Southern Oceans adventure, (October 2018) for the Emperor Penguin chicks — we hope. B&H does not carry the GIT 204; you can order yours by clicking here right now; there are only four left in stock.
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Tame birds in breeding plumage are great fun.
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Gatorland IPT #2. Sunrise: 6:48am. Sunset: 7:58pm.
3 1/2 DAYs: THURS 26 APR through and including the morning of SUN 29 APR. $1599. Limit 5 photographers/Openings 3.
(2 1/2 DAY option) FRI 27 APR through and including the morning of SUN 29 APR. $1199.
Must purchase Gatorland Photographers Pass. Click here for details. All early entry. Late stays Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Gatorland IPT #2 should have lots of chicks, and lots of birds in breeding plumage. We will get to photograph Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, and Wood Stork. The Cattle Egrets in full breeding plumage will be present in good numbers. Learn my Gatorland strategy, to get the right exposure, flight photography techniques, my secret Gatorland spots, how to see the best situations (nobody is better at that than me), and how to make great images in extremely cluttered situations.
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Early Spring Photo Opportunities at ILE
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BIRDS AS ART first-ever Master Class
Master Class. Two Full and two Half Days/Friday afternoon, March 30 through lunch on Monday, April 2, 2018. Limit: 4/Openings 3.
The Master Classe will be a small group — strictly limited to four photographers — with the first folks who register having the option of staying at my home ($50/night) or at a chain motel in nearby Lake Wales. Live, think, and breathe photography from Friday afternoon through lunch on Monday (late-morning); all meals included. There will be three afternoon photo sessions (FRI – SUN) hopefully with glorious sunsets like the ones you saw one the blog in December we should have good opportunities with the cranes even in the afternoon. We will enjoy three morning photography sessions (SAT – MON) with the main subjects being tame Sandhill Cranes almost surely with chicks or colts. Also vultures and Cattle Egrets and more. Limpkins are possible. Intermediate telephoto lenses are fine for the cranes, even the chicks at times. A 500 or 600mm lens would be best for many of the situations that we will encounter.
During the day we will sit together around my dining room table and pick everyone’s keepers and enjoy guided Photoshop sessions. On Monday before lunch, folks can make a single large print of their favorite image from the weekend. If you so choose, I will micro-adjust one of your lenses (at one focal length with your #1 camera body–Canon or Nikon) during a group instructional session. All will be welcome to practice what they have learned during the breaks using my set-up and my lighting gear.
To register, please first shoot me an e-mail to check on availability. Then you will be instructed to call Jim or Jen at 863-692-0906 during weekday business hours (except for Friday afternoons) to leave you non-refundable (unless the session sells out) $500 deposit. Only the deposit may be left on credit card. Balances must be paid by check immediately after you register (unless you wish to pay by credit card plus 4% to cover our fees).
I hope that you can join me on this new adventure.
with love, artie
ps: bring your bathing suit if you would like to try my pool.
Help Support the Blog
Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack.
Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).
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