October 29th, 2023 Your Call ?
Which of todays’ five featured flight images is the strongest image? Why?
My Call
At the previous blog post, blog regular David Policansky left this comment:
Weakest: Image 3. Distracting OOF birds and weak composition. Strongest: Image 1. Beautiful bird in beautiful light doing something interesting.
As always, different strokes for different folks. I feel that Image #1 is the weakest in part because the godwit’s head is turned slightly away. And I liked the o-o-f juxtapositions in Image #3.
BPN Avian Moderator Dan Cadieux correctly identified the three shorebirds in Image #3 when he wrote:
Willet, Semipalmated Plover, and Least Sandpiper. I love the incoming plovers; they are placed perfectly!
As for my favorite image, I agree with Dan on #4, the three incoming Wilson’s Plovers.
What’s Up?
Friday morning at Sebastian Inlet was fabulous with lots of fishing and catching Ospreys and terns. The wind was from the east (pretty good) with a touch of north at times (not great), and rarely a touch of south (very good). I quit at 10:30, checked out of my AirBnB at 11, and was home at 12:30. When I looked at my images I was stoked — I had done much better than I thought. I was so excited that I woke at 3:30am on Saturday and decided to drive the 90 minutes back to the inlet. The tide was just a bit later than it had been on Friday and the wind and sky conditions were pretty much identical. And there were no birds. None, zero, nada.
That’s nature photography in a nutshell.
Today is Sunday 29 October 2023. My plan is to head down to the lake for a bit this morning. Wherever you are a whatever you are doing, 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.
|
|
|
Clockwise from the upper left back around to center: Osprey gaining altitude after missed strike; school of mullet under attack from below; Wood Stork with Southern Whiting; Osprey with Menhaden; Wood Stork with small lobster; Royal Tern with large baitfish; Osprey with Menhaden; juvenile Osprey directly overhead “t-shot”; Osprey taking flight with freshly caught Mullet.
|
Sebastian Inlet In-the-Field Sessions
Join me for 3 hours of morning In-the-Field Instruction at Sebastian Inlet for only $300.00/session. The main target will be Ospreys fishing for a variety of migrating saltwater fish that visit the inlet each fall. Back-up subjects include fishing gulls, terns, and Brown Pelicans, Wood Stork, a variety of herons and egrets, sunrise cloud-scapes, and the occasional sea turtle or manatee.
November Dates: 6-11 & 20-25, 2023.
Please get in touch via e-mail to book one or more sessions.
Early Exposures
Noting the relatively high ISO, you realize that when the sun is first breaking through the clouds early in the morning, the light levels are but a fraction of what they will be in an hour or two providing that the sky continues to clear.
Remember also that white birds need less light to be properly exposed than middle toned birds. Lastly, remember that most young terns are grayer, not as white, as the adult of the same species.
Yes, Sony’s Zebra technology makes duck soup of complex exposure situations involving changing and early light and subject of varying tonalities. With your camera set up properly, simply dial up the ISO (conveniently assigned to the Thumb Dial) until you see faint Zebras on the highlights.
Looking for Different Flight Poses
When the Ospreys at Sebastian are fishing, they spend lots of time flapping their wings and either remaining relatively in place or moving slightly forward into the wind. This behavior is usually (but incorrectly, I believe) called hovering. Hovering, in the strictest sense, is when a bird flaps in place and maintains its position when there is no wind. Most raptors, especially the larger species, can remain in place only on windy days; this behavior is more properly termed kiting. Larger birds are not capable of hovering because the energy expenditure would be too great.
There are some interesting comments, several by career biologists and ornithologists, in an old Bird Photographer’s.Net thread here.
Anyhoo, when Ospreys are kiting, that is, flapping into the wind while hunting, it is difficult to create dramatic images. Recently, I have been trying to create pleasingly blurred images of this behavior, but have not come up with anything spectacular. Yet.
The trick is to get on and stay on a kiting Osprey until it begins to drop or dive and then hammering the shutter button while striving to keep the bird in the middle of the frame. Photos depicting different and often spectacular flight poses are often the result. Other neat poses can be captured by staying on an Osprey that dives, misses, and then turns back into the wind.
Different always wins.
Tripod versus Handholding
It is much easier to track a diving raptor or tern when handholding than it is when on a tripod. But when I need additional focal length, the 600mm f/4 with the 1.4X TC is often the only way to go. While some can handhold a 600mm f/4, I simply cannot. So the best option for me is to work on the tripod with the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro.
After you have picked your spot based on the sky conditions, light, and wind direction, the great beauty of the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro is that once you take a moment to level the head, you can point your lens in any direction and have the camera remain square to the world.
That said, I was barely able to keep up with this bird as it dove. Ospreys often attain speeds of 50mph as they rocket down toward an unsuspecting fish. Though the bird in Image #3 was not clipped, it was very close to the bottom frame edge. So, I needed to add canvas and crop the image to come up with something pleasing.
Why Underexpose?
It pays to get into the habit of underexposing kiting and diving Ospreys so that if they do come up with a bright silver fish, you do not toast (severely overexpose) the Osprey’s prey.
Head Angle Question
Which of today’s five featured images features a bird with a poor head angle?
Bright Whites
Knowing that the whites on a Snowy Egret are much brighter than the whites of an Osprey, I lowered the ISO two clicks when I saw it flying to sun angle. The result? A dead solid perfect exposure.
|
|
|
Click on the composite to view a larger version and be even more impressed.
|
by Arash Hazeghi and Arthur Morris
First of all, if you use Nikon or Canon (or Olympus or Fuji) gear, do not be put off by the title. While a portion of the guide deals with the Sony α-1, there is a ton of priceless information, tips, and techniques that can help you become a better flight photographer. No matter what system you are using. If you do not use an α-1, be sure to read down to the bottom to save a few bucks.
Arash Hazeghi and Arthur Morris have created the definitive and most comprehensive ever treatise on photographing birds in flight. With more than sixty years of experience photographing birds, they know what you need to know but have not figured out yet! You will be astounded by the depth of their knowledge and the tips they have to offer. More than six months in the making, the guide contains 229 pages, 24,321 words,97 exceptional and inspirational flight images — each with a legendary, enlightening BIRDS AS ART caption, and 22 screen captures. The guide contains a wealth of useful, practical, and for the most part — never-before-available information.
Purchase
Click here to purchase your copy in the BAA Online Store.
What Everyone Will Learn
We will teach you the basic concepts that you need to master to become a great flight photographer along with the techniques used by the world’s best flight photographers.
You will learn that most any telephoto lens can be perfect for flight photography in a given situation; focal lengths for the images in the book range from 200mm to 1200mm and everywhere in between.
We discuss the merits of various lenses in depth, including and especially comparing the 400mm f/2.8 lenses with the 600mm f/4s.
We guide you in getting your hands on the flight photography lens that will best meet your needs. We offer a variety of handholding and rest position tips and include tips on working with a big lens on a tripod when working with a flight lens that is otherwise too heavy for you.
Both authors offer their thoughts on getting the right exposure when photographing birds in flight. You will learn to get the right exposure on foggy days and even when photographing black birds in white sky conditions.
You will learn the tremendous importance of pre-focusing, of finding the bird in the viewfinder quickly, acquiring focus almost instantly (with tips on doing all three).
You will learn the role of image stabilization in flight photography and the best settings.
Both authors share their thoughts on using the focus range limiter switch. In the same vein, you will learn to use Direct Manual Focus to make your flight photography life easier.
All will learn about the best wing positions and the importance of the background with images of birds in flight. With lots of examples.
You will learn about the best shutter speeds (and the best aperture) to use when photographing flying birds.
You will learn to photograph flight while seated and the many advantages of doing so.
You will learn the best methods of controlling high ISO noise.
All will learn to format their flash cards properly and safely.
You will learn what to do when your AF system is temporarily blinded.
All will learn the huge effect that wind strength and direction has on flight photography and to evaluate the quality and direction of the light on both sunny and cloudy days.
You will learn why it is vitally important to shoot aggressively when photographing birds in flight.
You will learn to carefully observe and evaluate a variety of bird behaviors that may shine light on some excellent opportunities for photographing birds in flight. And about getting into the best position from which to photograph.
You will learn to be a much better flight photographer.
What Sony Folks Will Learn
Exactly how Artie uses Zebras to come up with perfect exposure after perfect exposure.
The fine points and recommended settings for Optical Steady Shot (OSS).
The concept of Auto-Focus (AF) tracking in the α-1.
Everything there is to know about the complex Sony autofocus system.
About all the AF patterns, how to quickly switch them, and about those favored by each author. And why.
The Tracking and Non-tracking AF patterns. When and why Arash uses Non-Tracking Zone. And why Artie uses only two AF patterns.
How to set and use Bird Face-Eye detection for flight photography.
How and why to assign various custom functions to the various programmable buttons on the α-1 body.
The perfect settings for the many, many Menu items that are vitally related to flight photography.
How and why the Sony α-1 uses both contrast and phase detection AF to determine focus (and the benefits thereof).
Which are the best memory cards for the Sony α-1.
To quickly access frequently used menu items.
Non-Sony α-1 Discount
Using the honor system, folks who do not use a Sony α-1 body are invited to click here to save $25.00 on the purchase price of the guide.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
October 27th, 2023 DeSoto #3
I will be heading back to DeSoto next Monday afternoon and returning after my Friday morning photo session. Nobody has signed up for the IPT. If you would like to join me for all or for some of it, or receive discount info, please get in touch e-mail or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Your Call?
Which is the weakest of today’s four featured images? Why? I have a clear choice.
Which is the strongest image? Why?
What’s Up?
Sebastian Inlet has been beautiful, different, and amazing every morning. On Wednesday, the cove was packed with huge schools of mullet being pursued from below by predatory fish that surely included jacks and Snook. On Thursday, there were 40 Ospreys fishing the inlet at 8am. That said, I did not come up with a single family jewels-type Osprey action image. In part because there was lots of fishing but not much catching.
Today is Friday 27 October 2023. I will have another shot at the Ospreys this morning and then drive back to ILE around midday. Wherever you are an whatever you are doing, 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.
Sexing Godwits
In general, the bills of adult male godwits are shorter than the bills of adult female godwits. While the bill lengths of some adult godwits overlap, birds with unusually short or unusually long bills can be accurately sexed. The bird in Image #1 is clearly a female.
Note — the bills of juvenile godwits may not be fully grown on their first southbound migration.
Yellow Light — Yellow/Green Water
Images 2, 3, and 4 were among the strangest I have ever optimized. When I brought the Willet image into Adobe Camera Raw, it was obvious that the bird had a strong yellow cast. I removed that easily in Color Mixer. But when I tried to make the water bluer, I was in for a surprise — the color of the water was actually somewhere between yellow and green.
I used a 40% layer of Image > Auto Tone to blue it up a bit.
What Are They?
Can you identify the three shorebirds in this image? Give it a try and leave a comment. One should be easy.
If not, get yourself a copy of my Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers.
100% Flight Miracle
You cannot win the lottery unless you buy a ticket. And you cannot create an image unless you press the shutter button, no matter how impossible the situation.
I had a nice flock of shorebirds in front of me when the all took flight suddenly and flew out over the bay. Doing flight photography while working off the rear screen is beyond difficult because you cannot get your eye to the viewfinder to acquire focus and frame the shot.
I tried but failed to get focus on a large group that was flying low. As a last ditch effort, I pointed the lens at a small group of plovers flying right at me. I fired off three frames. Amazingly, Tracking Zone acquired focus on the bird on our left and tracked it accurately. The image design was perfect but only one had the subject sharp. Bingo!
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
October 25th, 2023 My Call
In the last blog post, my favorite image was the Wood Stork sunrise silhouette because of the spectacular sky colors and the impeccable image design. I crouched to include the perfect proportion of both inlet and sky.
Your Call?
Which of today’s four featured DeSoto images impresses you the most? Leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.
Fort DeSoto #3 Late Registration Discount Info
I am offering a $500/person late registration discount for the third DeSoto Fall IPT. David Pugsley sent me a text yesterday letting me know that DeSoto has gotten hot again recently.
|
|
|
All images from SEPT/OCT/NOV at Fort DeSoto.
Click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper high-resolution version.
Clockwise from upper left to center: Piping Plover flapping after bath, juvenile Laughing Gull with feather, American Oystercatcher with sea urchins, Willet foraging in surf, American White Pelican juvenile swimming, skimmer/tern/shorebird blast-off blur, American White Pelican in flight, Black-bellied Plover stealing lugworm from Marbled Godwit, Roseate Spoonbill staring.
|
The Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tours
Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #3
3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 31 October through the morning session on Friday 3 November 2023. $1399.00 (was $1899.00) — includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.
Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #4
3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 14 November through the morning session on Friday 17 November 2023. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers/Openings: three.
Fall Bird Photography at Fort DeSoto
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds, terns, and gulls in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, and night-herons that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With any luck at all, we should get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy, American Oystercatcher is pretty much guaranteed. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two. And there should be some quality Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On this IPT, 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 single 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 (even if you’re scared of it). 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.
|
|
|
Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, juvenile Tricolored Heron, Marbled Godwits, Great Blue Heron, juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Wood Stork, smiling Sea Scallop, Ruddy Turnstone scavenging needlefish, Great Blue Heron sunset silhouette at my secret spot, and southbound migrant tern flock blur.
|
The Details
There will be a Photoshop/image review session during or after lunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time.
These IPTs will run with only a single registrant (though that is not guaranteed). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with Gulfport AirBnB/VRBO information. If you register soon and would like to share an AirBnB with me, shoot me an e-mail. Other possibilities including taking a cab to and from the airport to our AirBnB and riding with me for $50/day. This saves you both gas and the cost of a rental car.
A $600 deposit is due when you sign up and is payable by credit card. Balances must be paid by check one month before the trip. Your deposit is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out with six folks, so please check your plans carefully before committing. You can register by calling Jim during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand, or by sending a check as follows: make the 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, clothing, and gear advice. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions on lodging.
Up Early, Stay Out Late!
Obviously, folks attending an IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of the sweetest light and sunrise and sunset colors (when possible). The good news is that the days are relatively short in early fall. 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. On cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip the afternoon session. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will sometimes be on your own as well.
What’s Up?
The pre-dawn Osprey action at Sebastian has continued. On Tuesday morning, it continued for a while after the sun came up. Though the wind had switched to east/northeast (good!), and more than a few dove and came up with a decent sized fish, I did not create any family-jewels type images. Maybe this morning. The good news is that there have been a great variety of back-up subjects.
Today is Wednesday 25 October 2023. I will be headed to the inlet early again. Wherever you are an whatever you are doing, 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.
Success on a Lazy 200-600 Morning at Fort DeSoto
Sometimes when I do not feel like carrying one of the big guns, the 600mm f/4 or the 400mm f/2.8, I will leave both of those in the trunk and head out with the relatively slow (at f/6.3) but amazingly sharp and versatile Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens. I am often amazed at how well I do with this relatively inexpensive super-telephoto zoom lens. If you purchase this lens and a Sony a1, you earn free entry into the SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group. I can change your life.
|
|
|
Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action.
Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!
|
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. By June 1, 2022, the group was up to an astounding 124 lucky and blessed folks. (More than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive six e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.
All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide here in the BAA Online Store.
|
|
|
This image was created on 19 October 2023 at Fort DeSoto Park IPT. 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 using Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial. Shutter Priority +1.7 stops: 1/60 sec at f/6.3 (wide open). AUTO ISO set ISO 800. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. AWB at 7:22:31am, ten minutes before sunrise on a partly cloudy morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper, high-res version.
Image #1: Reddish Egret taking flight/blur
|
Shutter Priority with Exposure Compensation (EC) and AUTO ISO
Many skilled photographers firmly believe that if you are not working in Manual mode, you are a clown. When you are creating only sharp images, I agree 100%. However, as long as the tonality of the backgrounds are relatively consistent, I find that working in Shutter Priority mode with exposure compensation and AUTO ISO is often the best exposure mode. It allows you to go from creating blurs to creating sharp images while changing only two parameters: the shutter speed and the EC. In manual mode, you would need to change all three parameters: shutter speed, EC, and the ISO. And changing the ISO can often require many, many clicks. Again, the key is that the tonality of the backgrounds is relatively consistent so that a given EC will work in that situation.
If I had been working in Manual mode for Images #1 and #2, how many 1/3-stop clicks would be required to get from ISO 800 to ISO 12,800?
The chosen shutter speed of 1/60 second is what I call a compromise shutter speed — if the bird is static, you can create a sharp image, and if it takes flight as it did in Image #1, you can come up with a pleasingly blurred image.
|
|
|
This image was also created on 19 October 2023 at Fort DeSoto Park IPT. Again, 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 using Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial. Shutter Priority +2.3 stops: 1/1000 sec at f/6.3 (wide open). AUTO ISO set ISO 12,800. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect. AWB at 7:39:03am, seven minutes after the time of sunrise with heavy clouds on the eastern horizon.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper, high-res version.
Image #2: Greater Yellowlegs posing on sandbar
|
Two-step Noise Reduction
Whoever thought that working at ISOs of 12,000 and higher could be used to create relatively clean, detailed images? Not me for one. Yes, a good deal of credit goes to the amazingly improved sensors of the mirrorless camera bodies, but new and improved methods of noise reduction have pushed the upper limits even farther. I have been experimenting with a new, two-step noise reduction workflow; the results, as seen in Image #2, have been spectacular.
|
|
The BIRDS AS ART Digital Basics III Video Series
|
Coming Soon!
Over the past few months, I have added lots of great new stuff to my digital workflow: Color Mixer basics and the more sophisticated Saturation Targeted Adjustment Tool, 2-Step Noise Reduction, and the Remove Tool. With these changes and other improvements, I had been considering creating a Digital Basics III PDF. But recently, I realized that creating a series of videos would be a lot simpler and would make learning a lot simpler for most folks. In addition, videos will allow me to delve more deeply into the fine points of using the new (and previously used) Photoshop Tools. Each video will include two complete image optimizations, from soups to nuts. I am hoping to get the first two videos done this coming weekend. Thus, details on the BIRDS AS ART Digital Basics III Video Series should be available in early November.
|
|
|
This image was also created on 19 October 2023 at Fort DeSoto Park IPT. Again, this time seated on damp sand, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 506mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1000. 1/2000 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 8:10:55am after the sun broke through. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper, high-res version.
Image #3: Reddish Egret one-year old landing with crest raised
|
I Could’ve Been Famous!
While I was seated on the damp sand trying to photograph some scampering Sanderlings, an adult Reddish Egret flew toward me but landed well to my right. I made a few images as it fished its way to the south and wound up well past sun angle. I turned my head back to the right and to my horror, saw that a young reddish was in the process of braking to land with its crest raised. I got on the bird just as it landed, but knew that I had missed an amazing sequence. Had I turned my head to the right one or two seconds sooner, I might have been famous.
What Don’t I Like?
There are several things that bother me about this image. What bothers you? What do you like?
|
|
|
This image was also created on 19 October 2023 at Fort DeSoto Park IPT. I used the foot-pod technique with the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 500mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640. 1/4000 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 8:20:59am after the sun came out. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect.
Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper, high-res version.
Image #4: Flock of birds on sandbar
|
Sandbar Bird-scape
As I continued north, I saw a flock of terns and pelicans on a small sandbar just offshore. When I got on sun angle, I sat down and placed the lens between my feet. I zoomed out from 600mm to get the framing I wanted, set the exposure, acquired focus, and, with my reading glasses on and the level activated, I squared the shot to the world and made a few images.
Depth-of-Field Question
Despite the huge depth of field when working at a distance, the incoming Sandwich Tern is not in sharp focus. Why?
Species?
Enlarge Image #4 and leave a comment letting us know the different species that are discernible in the photo.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
|
|
