October 16th, 2024 Your Call?
Which of today’s four featured images do you like best? Why?
What’s Up?
Photography continues to be good in the mornings here at ILE. This morning I had a gorgeous Red-shouldered Hawk posing on The Perch II.
I will be sending SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Notes e-Mail H (15 OCT 2024): Firmware Update 2.01 and 2.20 Options to the group tomorrow. If you own a Sony a-1 and are not in the group, it would be a very good idea to get in touch with me via e-mail.
My favorite image from the previous blog post was Image #1, the square Great Blue Heron with the very small fish. Why? I loved the image design, the soft light, the sharpness, and the fine feather detail.
While the spectacular Pacific-race Brown Pelicans are surely the stars of any San Diego IPT, Wood Duck and the nesting Brandt’s Cormorants are a close second. Then throw in a variety of gulls including and especially the drop-dead gorgeous Heermann’s Gull, lots of Royal Terns in flight and perched, a variety of ducks including the handsome Ring-necked Duck, many shorebirds species including Marbled Godwit, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstones, Spotted Sandpipers, and more, one or two species of hummingbirds with Anna’s being the most dependable, at least two species of marine mammals, and some great scenic photography as well. With 2025’s single IPT half filled already, there are only three slots left. San Diego is one of my very favorite teaching laboratories.
Please e-mail with questions or to save your spot.
Note: I will be sharing educational images of lots of the San Diego back-up subjects here on the blog for the next month or two.
Today is Wednesday 16 October 2024 and I will be headed down to the lake early. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too choose to have a great day. Remember, “Happiness is a choice.” Byron Katie, www.TheWork.com.
Please remember to use the B&H 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!
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.
Supporting My Efforts Here
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If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.
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This image was created on 18 January 2024 at La Jolla, CA. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 320. 1/4000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect (ho hum). AWB at 8:10:24am on mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Brown Pelican, Pacific race breeding plumage in flight plus one more on a rock
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The Original Frame
Do you like that I left the out of focus pelican on the right side of the frame? Why or why not?
The Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM Lens
As I perused the San Diego JAN-FEB 2024 DONE file to look for some images to process for this blog post, I did not look at the gear that was used for each image. I was only a bit surprised to see that the Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens had been used to create all three. It is pretty close to the perfect lens for San Diego. It was great for the pelicans both in flight and on the sandstone cliffs. It was great at Santee Lakes for the ducks. As the winter of 2024 was atypically cloudy, the f/2.8 aperture was tremendously useful. And it killed at the Brandt’s Cormorant colony for the same reason.
Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens
Price reduced a shocking $600.00 on 13 July 2024
Used Gear Page veteran Robert Hollyer is offering a Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens in Like-New condition for a BAA record low $9398.00 (was $9,998.00). The sale includes the front lens cap, the rear lens cap, the lens hood, the lens strap, that hard case & strap, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Bob via e-mail or by phone at 1-206-359-0018 PST.
I purchased my Sony 400mm f/2.8 two years ago to complement my 600mm f/4. Robert is selling his because he rarely uses it, opting instead for the 600mm f/4! It is far easier for me to handhold the 4 ounces lighter, much smaller, and better balanced 400 f/2.8 than it is to handhold the 600mm f/4. The 400 kills for flight with or without the 1.4X teleconverter. This lens sells new right now for $11,998.00 at B&H and there are used copies going for $10998.00 as well. Act quickly to save a handsome $2,000.00 by grabbing Robert’s might-as-well-be-new 400mm GM lens. And you can’t beat the f/2.8 Bokeh! artie
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Image #1A: a square crop of Image #1: Brown Pelican, Pacific race breeding plumage in flight
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The Square Crop
I went with the square crop to eliminate the out of focus pelican on the left side of the frame. To improve the position of the bird in the frame, I needed to add a bit of canvas above. I did that with Content-Aware Crop.
How would you compare the two images, #1 and 1A? Which of the two (if any) do you like better?
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This image was created on 18 January 2024 at La Jolla, CA. Seated on the edge of a lake, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 500. 1/1000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect (ho hum). AWB at 8:26:02am on barely sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Wood Duck drake floating on lovely water
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Photographing Drake Wood Ducks
Drake Wood Ducks present a difficult exposure challenge. Why? The elongated white oval on the bill is exceedingly bright. As are the white stripes on the face and the vertical ones on the forward flanks. In the meantime, you are striving to expose as far to the right as possible to open up the very dark tones on the wings and especially, the large black patch on the face. Getting the purple cheek patch exactly right is largely a matter of light angle and reflectance.
For all of the above reasons, I prefer soft early light, cloudy-bright, or shade. Full sun exacerbates the exposure challenges. Despite that, it is possible to create excellent drake Wood Duck images in sunny conditions.
After selecting the whites and putting them on a new layer, I changed the Blending Mode to Linear Burn, reduced the Opacity of that layer to 20%, added a Regular Layer Mask, and smoothed the edges with a 50% Opacity Brush.
All of the Photoshop stuff mentioned is detailed in both Digital Basics II and in the Digital Basics III Video Series.
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This image was created on 18 January 2024 at La Jolla, CA. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1000. 1/1000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect (ho hum). AWB at 11:40:20am on a cloudy sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Brandt’s Cormorant on nest, displaying
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The Brandt’s Cormorant Colony
The Brandt’s Cormorant colony at La Jolla is an absolute treasure that is often overlooked by visiting bird photographers. Most of the nests are in the shade for the better part of the day. Understanding the wind and the sky conditions is a necessity for photographing them flying in with a load of seaweed for their nests. Consider joining us in San Diego for the action- and learning-packed 2025 Pelicans and More Instructional Photo Tour.
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San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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The 2025 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and More!) IPT
Price reduced $100.00 from last year!
2025 San Diego IPT: 4 1/2 DAYS: SAT 11 JAN 2025 thru the morning session on WED 15 JAN 2024: $2599.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6/Openings 3.
Shared AirBnB lodging is available and maximizes learning as well.
Please e-mail for information on personalized pre- and post-IPT sessions.
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
I discovered some really neat new spots on my 2024 visit. We will be visiting all of them early next year.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
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San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
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Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning, there is usually some excellent flight photography, at times with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego. Each IPT will include one or two duck sessions.
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Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five 3-hour morning photo sessions, four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and four working brunches at my AirBnb. Those will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon shoot. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
Deposit Info
A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2025 San Diego IPT. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due two months before the trip.
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Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
October 14th, 2024 Your Call?
Which of today’s six featured images is the strongest? Please leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice (or your choices if you go with two). I have a clear favorite that I will share with you in the next blog post.
What’s Up?
I had wanted to publish this on Monday morning but ran into a plethora of Word Press problems. Actually, my continuing problems kept getting worse. I quick WhatsApp call to old friend Peter Kes, now living on a farm in remote South Africa in the midst Zebras, Elephants, and extremely poisonous Mambas, resolved the situation. Thanks again, Peter! The long term prognosis is looking good as found a serious problem with the server that was quickly rectified by the hosts.
Many of you are probably aware of the nightmarish, totally embarrassing Firmware Update problems with the Sony a-1. It truly has been a fiasco. Here is a short summary:
1- Several months ago Sony announced Firmware Update 2.00. It was supposed to improve WIFI connectivity (whatever that is??) instead, it wrecked it.
2- It took Sony a while to remove the new Firmware and a while longer to correct the WiFi problems.
3- The next version, v2.01, fixed the WiFi business but many users of the very popular Sony 200-600 G lens reported that the new firmware wrecked their lens. In addition, many folks reported battery life problems with 2.01.
4- Sony finally released v2.02. The problems with the 200-600 were eliminated along with the battery life problems. Formatting a card with a 2.02 a-1 is about 80% faster than it was with previous Firmware versions.
Aware of the problems with the Firmware Updates, I cautioned my a-1 Setup and Info group not to update and advised everyone to stick with v1.32 that was at least functional.
I did just that.
When things calmed down a bit, feeling some allegiance to my a-1 group, I purchased a second a-1 from BAA friend Greg Clarkson for $3800.00 about seven weeks ago. Some time went by, and with some trepidation, I updated that body to 2.01. Everything was fine with my big lenses. The first time that I used that body with my 200-600 G lens the camera acted as if it were on crack. It refused to focus, the image was jumping around in the viewfinder, and a message popped up stating that I was in AF-S (one shot AF) even though I was in AF-C (continuous AF). I removed and re-inserted the battery, and all was fine. None-the-less, I updated to 2.02 on Sunday morning.
I headed down to the lake and as things turned out, I had my best morning since September 19, this images made with v2.01.
Battery life with 2.02 is fine. There are no issues with the 200-600. Bird Face-Eye AF seems to be somewhat improved. And formatting a card takes about two seconds as compared to 10 seconds or more with previous firmwares. But the very best news is a new feature called Focus Recall. Huge thanks to Arash Hazeghi for pointing it out to me as we worked on an update to the Sony a-1 (a9 iii) flight guide. I took what he taught me about programming Preset Focus/Zoom to a single button for flight photography and turned it into what will surely turn out to be a huge game-changer for general bird photography. Imagine, prevent AF system blindness will soon become a faint memory.
The bad news is that it only works with the Sony prime lenses, the 300mm f/2.8, the 40mm f/2.8, and the 600mm f/4.
The a-1 group folks will be hearing from me on the cumbersome updating process detailing all of their options by this Tuesday the latest.
Others might ask, If this Firmware update business is such a hassle, why do you stick with Sony?
1- Light weight.
2- Incredible Bird Face-Eye AF.
3- Simplicity of operation (using my settings).
4- Zebra technology!
5- Incredible image quality with the a-1.
6- Incredible speed with the a9 iii (120 fps with pre-capture).
7- AF performance and the resulting sharpness with the 2X TCs — no other system even makes it to second place
If you doubt me on #7 above, be sure to enlarge each of today’s featured images.
8- The lightweight Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens is un-matched in the industry and is a Godsend for older folks with either TC.
Doubt me? Check out images 4, 4A, 5, and 6 below.
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For those who did not use my link to purchase their Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens, you can order your a copy here for $209.93.
Click on the image to enlarge and to be able to read the fine print.
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The BAA Sony 300mm f/2.8 Lens Guide
Impressed by my (or Pat’s) Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) images? Use either my Bedfords or B&H affiliate link to purchase your Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens and shoot me your receipt via e-mail and request a copy of the first-ever BAA Lens Guide. I thought that it would take only minutes to create this guide, but I was dead wrong. In the process of creating it, I learned a ton about the lens. And even better, I discovered a simple yet potentially fatal flaw that was resulting in sporadically unsharp flight images. The set-up fix is simple. Just be sure to use one of my affiliate links and get the guide for free.
If not, you can purchase a copy here for $209.93. Yes, it never hurts to use my links and it never costs you one penny more. And if you contact me via e-mail before you make a major purchase, I can often save you some money.
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This image was created on 13 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1600. 1/320 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 7:53:40 am on a then partly sunny morning.
Tracking: (upper) Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Great Blue Heron with tiny fish
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Tiny Prey Items
Considering the Great Blue Herons have been seen swallowing five pound fish, large rats, and baby rabbits, it is astounding to see them capturing tiny fish like the one above. I guess part of the trick is that they need to do it often. Compositionally, a square crop was the strongest available.
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This image was created on 13 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing near the canal next to the unoccupied, tangerine painted house at the end of Palmetto Drive, I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250. 1/1250 sec. at f/11(stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:16:52am on a then partly sunny morning.
Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Osprey male on perch in (failed) nest tree
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Mr. Regular
Most male Ospreys have at most a very few tiny dark streaks on their upper breasts. This handsome bird, a male, of course, was sitting on a very nice perch above a nest that was destroyed recently by Milton. This morning — Sunday, he was sitting in nearby but a few feet to the right and a few feet below Saturday’s perch. With a NW breeze that I could not feel, the bird felt it and was facing away. So, I stopped down more than a stop and concentrated on over the shoulder look-back poses. Again I was rewarded for driving down to the end of Palmetto Drive. It pays to check the good spots repeatedly.
When working vertically, I will often move the AF point toward the top of the frame so that I do not have to move the lens much when the bird looks either left or right, or at all when it looks right at me. Overall, Bird Face-Eye tracking with a-1 Firmware v2.01 and v2.02 seems to be somewhat better than it was with v1.32.
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This image was created on 13 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1600. 1/1250 sec. at f/10 (stopped down 2/3-stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:28:51am on a sunny morning.
Tracking:Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Tricolored Heron non-breeding adult
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Elusive Till Saturday
Both a worn juvenile and an adult Tricolored Heron have been hanging out in the small bay left of the pier here at ILE. They have both been teasing me and I did not come up with a single decent image until this winter adult posed for me on Saturday morning. I had a hard time choosing which one to post so I will likely do a video soon showing my other keepers along with more from the vertical Osprey series — from which Image #1 was chosen for the down-the-lens-barrel stare.
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This image was created on 13 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Walking on the pier, I used the handheld Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/1000 sec. at f/11 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect (ho hum). AWB at 9:02:28am on sunny morning.
Tracking (upper right) Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #4: Turkey Vulture, bright adult
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The Pier Railing
On many mornings, there are Turkey Vultures lined up on the pier railings. When I (or anyone else) goes for a walk on the pier, they take flight. At times, depending on the wind, there are some good flight chances. On Saturday there were half a dozen on the railings. Four flew as I walked onto the pier. Then there was only one. I employed my very best stalking technique by moving slower than slow, moving each foot perhaps an inch at a time. And I continually whispered sweet nothings to the bird: “Be a good boy. I am not here to hurt you.” All in all, I got very close, perhaps twelve feet or so.
Notice that at such close range I stopped down one full stop for a bit of extra depth of field. I moved the Zone bracket to the upper right of the frame; when the bird looked back to my left, it tracked the eye perfectly and I had the best image of the series.
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Image #4A: An unsharpened 100% crop of the Turkey Vulture’s eyeball
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Astonishing Sharpness
More than a few folks have asked if the Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM with the 2X is as sharp as the bare 600mm f/4 or the 200-600. You tell me! If this image were any sharper I might cut myself looking at it.
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This image was created on 13 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Walking on the pier, I used the handheld Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 (stopped down two stops) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect (ho hum). AWB at 9:04:26am on sunny morning.
Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #5: Whirligig Beetles approach
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Oops!
When I first spotted these subjects scooting about on the surface, I looked at them through the lens and saw what looked like silver bellies. I assumed that they were fish. But when I got home and zoomed in, I could see that they were some type of water beetles. After a bit of surfing online, I came up with what is likely the correct identification. I had never seen them before. I saw them first on Sunday morning. They were in the same spot at 6:30pm the day when I went for my early evening walk. And they were in the same spot on Monday morning.
I wanted to call them a school of beetle. Online sources suggest a swarm or a colony. If you have something better than that, please leave a comment. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see two very small fish just above center.
Sony Zebras handled this near-impossible exposure situation with ease.
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This image was created on 13 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Walking on sand beach to the left of the pier, I used the handheld Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250. 1/4000 sec. at f/5.6 wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead solid perfect (ho hum). AWB at 9:12:59am on sunny morning.
Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #6: Osprey — female with fish
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Serendipity
After my shirtless pier walk (for Vitamin D), I walked onto the beach to check on two log perches that I had set up. I happened to glance up and saw an Osprey with a fish flying right at me very close to sun angle, I raised the lens, acquired focus, and fired off about three dozen frames. This was my fave.
Note that I had pre-determined the exposure for Osprey as it was the most likely to be encountered subject. Working in manual mode, I would have gone 3 clicks lighter had a male Boat-tailed Grackle flown by or three clicks darker had a Great Egret flown by. Notice that when you learn to adjust the exposure based on the tonality of the subject, no metering is needed.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
October 12th, 2024 What’s Up?
In the last post, I commented on Thursday morning at 8:01am as follows:
Thanks, all, (for the good wishes).
I slept through the night. I walked around the house at 6am with my iPhone flashlight; we are unscathed. We never lost power here at ILE. Jennifer did lose power at her home in nearby Babson Park.
As is often the case, the storm was pretty much a big fizzle with the usual trees and power lines down. It certainly was not the 100-year storm they were predicting. Unless you lived on the coast below Sarasota, there was not much damage. The storm surge at Tampa, St. Pete, and Clearwater was approximately “1-3 feet.” There was and is lots of local flooding.
with love, artie
ps: And yes, I will be heading down to the lake soon.
As it turns out, by pooh-poohing the storm, I spoke much too soon.
While Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Pete fared much better than they did with Helene, there was some damaging storm surge well to the south, though not as severe as predicted. The storm, however, claimed at least 17 lives, none by drowning. The deaths included at least five due to tornadoes in St. Lucie County on the East Coast (!) just 70 miles from my front door. Floodwaters rose to more than six feet in Lithia, near the Alafia River, about 20 miles southeast of Tampa. There were 3.4 million power outages, and early estimates are that Hurricane Milton caused $50 billion in damage.
While the Amazing Mets will be playing for the National League pennant soon, the roof blew off Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays’ in St. Petersburg. I had no internet for 26 hours, and Jennifer in Babson Park still has no power. But all in all, I and my friends were blessedly lucky. Again.
Even though I was amazed at the sharpness of the young Great Egret in flight at only 1/640 sec., my favorite of the two images in the last blog post was the Cattle Egret in the rain for the rain streaks, the shallow blue puddle, and the layers of color.
On Thursday, a two first-ever-for-ILE Royal Terns were flying over the pier, surely brought here by Milton. The day before, I had a first-ever-for-ILE fly-by Merlin. With north winds and cloudy skies, photography down by the lake has not been consistently good. With more of the same forecast for this morning, Saturday 12 October 2024, I will head down to the lake at about 8am. Whatever the heck you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
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This image was created on 10 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estaates, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM lens (at 15 mm) and The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera.. ISO 1600. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/250 second at f/5.6 (stopped down two stops) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:23:16am on a cloudy morning.
Lower center Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: The 2021/22 Bald Eagle nest
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The 2022/23 Bald Eagle Nest
At about 9:15am on Thursday, well after Hurricane Milton had departed to the northeast, I drove down to the lake to see what was up and about. As I turned left onto Banyan Drive, a thought entered my mind: “The two big nests are likely on the ground.” Within a minute, I learned that I had been correct. This nest, just past the boat ramp, was the first lakefront Bald Eagle nest at ILE. A single eaglet fledged there in the late winter of 2022. The next year, the adults raised two young in it.
It was huge. It fell straight down from the tree, perhaps because the very large, very heavy branch that supported it snapped in the high winds. Last season, after the eagles left for a different nest in the same field, a pair of Ospreys hung around for months, courted and copulated, but never laid eggs.
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This image was also created on 10 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Again, I used the hand held Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM lens (at 24mm) and The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera.. ISO 1600. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/250 second at f/4.5 (stopped down 1 1/3 stops) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:18:48am on a cloudy morning.
Lower center Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #2: The 2023 Bald Eagle nest
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The 2024 Bald Eagle Nest
Though the same pair fledged two eaglets from this nest in the very early spring of 2023, I don’t think that I made a single image of that family as the top of the dead pine tree was quite cluttered. Lots of branches were cleared away by winds. On two occasions over the past few weeks, I saw the birds adding branches to the nest. Things were looking good for photography. Until Milton came along.
This nest, much smaller and lighter than the original nest, was blown more than 40 feet to the west of the nest tree.
Both nest trees were practically reduced to the trunks by Milton, so I have no idea if the eagles will attempt to rebuild or will move on. Time will tell. At least two natural Osprey nests came down in the storm as well.
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This image was also created on 10 October 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat on my SUV I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/2500 second at f/4 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 9:59:11am on a cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect.
Tracking: Expand Spot AF-C AF with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Little Blue Heron juvenile on fallen log
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New Opportunities
The diagonal log in Image #3 was toppled by Hurricane Milton. I think that it is an Australian Pine, a Florida alien. I was glad that I drove down to the end of Palmetto Drive to make my u-turn in the driveway of the last house, the tangerine one, formerly owned by my late friend Bob. When I see the juvie LBH the wide shot jumped out at me.
High Level Image Design Question
Why was it vitally important to the success of this image that I moved my car up three feet before I went to work?
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Do not click on the composite image; simply scroll down for the best viewing.
While Sebastian Inlet is justifiably famous around the world for the Ospreys diving for migrating saltwater fish each fall, there are a variety of desirable avian subjects there as well in October and November. Keep reading if you would like to join me on what will surely be a memorable photographic and learning experience.
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Pick Your Own Dates Short-notice Sebastian Inlet Ospreys and More BAA Personalized Instructional Workshops
Ridiculously Inexpensive!
Dates: October 29 (arrive on the afternoon of Monday the 28th) thru the morning session on Saturday 22 November
Right now I have four folks for the last week, 17-22 NOV. So any few days (or a week!) after 28 OCT and before mid-NOV would be fabulous.
As BIRDS AS ART lost more than $100,000 in tax year 2023, I am moving forward looking more at sharing expenses than at making money. Simply put, for more reasons than I will list here, sharing an AirBnB or VRBO place maximizes learning while reducing your overall travel costs.
Consider joining me at Sebastian Inlet this fall for some great bird photography and a ton of learning. Life is short; what are you waiting for? While a 600mm f/4 lens is ideal, you could do the whole trip with a variety of other lenses including a 500mm f/4, a 400mm f/2.8, a 400mm DO, a 200-600, a 100-500, a 300mm f/2.8 with TCs, or one of the great new Nikon Z telephoto or telephoto zoom lenses.
Bob Eastman is driving from Wisconsin and doing all 26 days, from 28 OCT thru the morning session on 22 NOV, prime time for Ospreys diving and catching a variety of saltwater fish. There are four bedrooms in this great AirBnB property that is just 22 minutes from the south jetty at the State Park, 24 minutes from the northwest pool where the Ospreys spent a lot of time last year. Please note that NOV 21-22 are sold out.
Hopefully, those who come would stay for a week or ten days (or all 26 days!) to maximize the opportunities. As above, fewer days would work also. Fly to Melbourne (MEL) or Orlando (MCO) and rent a car. Local folks who would like to arrange a morning or two of In-the-Field Instruction during October should get in touch via e-mail.
Here, if you stay in the AirBnB with me, are the ridiculous low rates for the in-the-field sessions (that include the daily Image Review and Photoshop sessions).
$250 for a morning session
$150 for an afternoon session.
Brunch and dinners at the AirBnB will cost you $20/day.
If you are interested, let me know your preferred dates via e-mail and I will get back to you with the per/night price for the lodging.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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