Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

Wednesday 25 MAR 2020 dawned dark and gray here at Indian Lake Estates. I plan on getting back to work on the almost finished SONY guide this afternoon now that things here are settling down (at least here at ILE). If you missed yesterday’s blog post here, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the tricolored juxtaposition image.

Things brightened up here by 9am so I headed down to the lake. With a southwest wind, I gave up on the idea of doing some flight shooting at the low Osprey nest but did make lots of (yet-to-be-edited) images of foraging Cattle Egrets from the car with the handheld SONY 200-600 and the a9 ii.

Be smart and be safe.

Today’s Entertainment

The Johnny Cash train runs on. I discovered another YouTube Johnny Cash superbly crafted retrospective gem, CMT Inside Fame: Johnny Cash 2003. While watching and listening to that one, I heard a snatch of Drive On. I did a search, found it here, and listened in awe, grateful again for drawing 356 in the first draft lottery … I am very glad that I never got to hear the men and the monkeys in the jungle scream. The complete lyrics are below.

Thanks to Ted Willcox for sharing his favorite Johnny Cash song, Flesh and Blood. I tracked that down and loved it. Discovering great Cash songs that I have never heard before is quite rewarding. The incrediblde greatness of Johnny Cash is hard to fathom.

Drive On
Johnny Cash

Well, I got a friend named Whiskey Sam
He was my boonierat buddy for a year in Nam
He said I think my country got a little off track
Took ’em twenty five years to welcome me back
But, it’s better than not comin’ back at all
Many a good men I saw fall
And even now, every time I dream
I hear the men and the monkeys in the jungle scream
Drive on, it don’t mean nothin’
My children love me, but they don’t understand
And I got a woman who knows her man
Drive on, don’t mean nothin’, and don’t mean nothin’
Drive on
What I remember one night, Tex and me
Rappelled in on a hot L.Z.
We had our sixteen’s on rock and roll
And with all that fire, I was scared and cold
I was crazy, and I was wild
And I have seen the tiger smile
I spit in a bamboo viper’s face
And I’d be dead, but by God’s grace
Drive on, it don’t mean nothin’
My children love me, but they don’t understand
And I got a woman who knows her man
Drive on, it don’t mean nothin’, and don’t mean nothin’
Drive on
It was a slow walk in a sad rain
And nobody tried to be John Wayne
I came home, but Tex did not
And I can’t talk about the hit he got
But I got a little limp now when I walk
And I got a little tremolo when I talk
But my letter read from Whiskey Sam
You’re a walkin’ talkin’ miracle from Vietnam
Drive on, it don’t mean nothin’
My children love me, but they don’t understand
And I got a woman who knows her man
Drive on, it don’t mean nothin’, it don’t mean nothin’
Drive on

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The Nikon 500mm PF Lens

Steve Elkins at Bedfords asked me to let folks know that he has two of these hard-to-get-your-hands-on lenses in stock. The 500 PF was my very favorite Nikon lens. Save $50 by getting in touch with Steve as noted below.

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 over $1000.00, 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. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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… 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.

This image was created on 10 MAR 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1600. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — I went with lots of Zebras on the sky: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:36am on a cloudy bright morning. Zone AF-C was the ticket. Click on the image to enjoy a larger sharper version. Image #1: Purple Martin female in flight

Martin Flight Photography

Wikipedia, on Purple Martins: They are known for their speed, agility, and their characteristic mix of rapid flapping and gliding flight pattern. . Martins like swifts and swallows are fast, darting, erratic flyers. Twenty minutes of trying in a neighbor’s yard left my arms fatigued and my spirit broken; I have not been back since …

One thing is for sure, strong folks with high-level hand-eye coordination and superior fine motor skills would surely do better than I do.

With SONY gear in my hands, even I have a chance; I was thrilled to get one sharp one. Heck, I was thrilled to get one in the frame!

This image was created on 10 MAR 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1600. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — I went with lots of Zebras on the sky: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:36am on a cloudy bright morning. Zone AF-C was the ticket. Click on the image to enjoy a larger sharper version. Image #2: Purple Martin female in flight

Difference?

Can you see a difference betweeen Image #1 and Image #2? If yes, what is it? If yes, which one do you prefer?

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit 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.

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 :).

What’s Up?

I had a nice 1/2 mile swim on Sunday afternoon and will be headed down to the lake this morning. I was successfully able to order some hard-to-get stuff on Amazon Business, stuff that had been showing as “currently unavailable.” Those included toilet paper, Clorox bleach spray, and elderberry syrup. — another immune system booster.

The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash fans looking to kill 90 minutes of free time will enjoy the moving and revelatory YouTube offering here. Those like me who had hard-to-please Dads — most of WW II vintage — should hear what Cash had to say about his Dad beginning at the 8:36 mark. Check out the smile on Johnny’s face and the energy when he became drug-free in 1968 and got together with June Carter (at the 52:58 mark). He relapsed into drug addiction in the early-1980s. I watched this from start to finish on Monday evening. I cried a lot.

What’s your favorite Jonny Cash song? Mine — Guess Things Happen That Way — was not a big hit.

An E-mail from Craig Elson

Hey artie, I finally shot for first time this morning with my new SONY a9 ii and the 600mm f/4 GM. I just went through all the images and all that I can say is “Wow!” Your quote about the AF being “science-fiction-like” is exactly right. Every … single … frame … drop-dead sharp! Tracking Zone slayed it for flight and Tracking Flex Medium was also amazing with flying birds. I can see how the latter, as you spend more time with the system, will become the go-to AF Area in many situations.

And the best part of all? I brought my tripod and didn’t use it. Not for one minute. I handheld the rig the whole time. A 600! So, so light. And everything sharp. I’ve been smiling all day since!

I just wish I could go back and take every trip over past five years again with the Sony gear. Hmmm … maybe I will. But not quite yet 🙁

Hope you are staying safe. The last version of e-guide looked good. I found a couple of typos and well let you know on those. The content was great, especially many of the new additions.

Craig A. Elson
Instagram: @craigelsonphotography

From Fred Innamorato via e-mail

Hi Artie,

I want to thank you for making the Sony e-Guide and videos available and for the work you put into the blog as well as for your books that teach us how to photograph birds and also for your camera User’s Guides. There is just no possible way I would have been able to get my Sony a9 ii camera settings so technically correct for doing birds in flight on my own without this guide. in my opinion, Sony should pay you for taking on the task of educating their customers. Sony has created an amazing camera but they fail to explain to their customers how to take full advantage of it. I appreciate that you know and have access to some very competent people with the technical backgrounds to assist you in your field experimentation to come up with the best and most practical and useful Menu Settings for bird photography. We all will benefit from your unique ability to pull this together. I am especially happy with your instructions on how to use the Zebra Settings for getting proper exposures. I really can’t thank you enough Artie for making my bird photography hobby so much more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise. My photography brings me great satisfaction. Sharing quality photographs with my family and friends has generated lots of interest in my hobby and why I do it. Life is good!

I highly recommend the purchase of your Sony e-Guide and Video(s). This information is just not available anywhere else. Even from Sony …

Fred Innamorato

The Sony Camera Videos and Pre-publication e-Guide Costs and Discount Info

I recently sent aa link to the March 19 Version of the SONY e-Guide to the 31 folks who have purchased it. It will siureely be the next-to-last pre-publication version.

The cost of the SONY e-Guide is $100.00 US and will include one of the camera set-up videos — we offer one video each for the a7r iii, the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii — and the written guide with the galleries. The guide is now 98% done and you will — of course, receive the final version when it is completed. I sent out the third draft today to those who have purchased the Guide with or without the discount.

Folks who have used my B&H links or purchased their SONY gear from Bedfords will receive said discount based exactly on how much they spent. If you spent more than $10,000 you will receive one free video and the e-Guide. Additional camera videos are $25.00 each. If you spent $2400, you will receive a 24% discount, and so on and so forth. And again, additional camera videos will be $25.00 each.

I will need time to verify your B&H purchases so folks will need to send their receipts and then be a bit patient. It is much easier to verify Bedfords’ purchases but I need those receipts as well.

If you have not used BAA links, please do so in the future. If that is the case and you would like the e-Guide now, please send a Paypal for $100 US to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words “SONY Pre-publication Guide” in the Paypal e-mail along with the name of your camera or cameras so that you can receive the correct video or videos. Please add $25 for each additional camera video. Be sure to send a copy of the Paypal transaction to me via e-mail.

Folks who have used BAA links to purchase their SONY gear should send their receipts to me via e-mail asap and let me know which camera videos they need. I will verify their purchases as quickly as possible and send a quote to be paid via Paypal as above.

Thanks to all who have properly used my B&H links or gone through the fabulous Steve Elkins at Bedfords, and thanks to everyone for having faith in the information that I provide, knowing that it will be the best available anywhere.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Used Gear Page Price Drops!

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens

BIRDS AS ART record low price!
Price reduced $800.00 on 23 MAR 2020!

Rob Heifner is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens in mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $9,999.00 (was $10,799.00). The sale includes the original product box, the lens trunk, the rear lens cap, the lens strap, the tough front lens cover, an Aquatech soft rubber front lens cap, a Realtree Max-5 LensCoat, a Really Right Stuff dedicated lens plate (LCF-53B), 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 Rob via via e-mail or by phone at 1-281-967-9178 (Central time zone).

The 600 III is the latest Canon version of my favorite weapon of mass destruction for bird photography. With its super balance, light weight, incredible sharpness, and a five-stop Image Stabilization system, the 600 III is a technological marvel. The lens tips the scales at a relatively svelte 6.71 lb — about one ounce heavier than the SONY 600mm f/4GM OSS lens. It is a fraction under two pounds lighter than the 600 II. Thus, it is eminently hand-holdable for many folks. As this lens sells new for $12,999.00, you can save a neat $3,000.00 by being the one to grab Rob’s pretty much new lens (plus extras!) right now. This lens is super-sharp with either TC, one of the great advantages of Canon over Nikon. artie

Canon EF400mm f/4 IS DO II USM Lens

BIRDS AS ART record low price!
Price reduced $500.00 on 23 MAR 2020!

Rob Heifner is offering a Canon EF 400mm DO f/4 IS II USM lens in mint condition for a BAA record-low $3499.00 (was $3999.00). The sale includes the original product box, the lens trunk, the tough front lens cover, the rear lens cap, the lens strap, an Aquatech soft rubber front lens cap, Realtree Max-5 LensCoat, a RRS lens plate (LCF-52B), 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 Rob via via e-mail or by phone at 1-281-967-9178 (Central time zone).

I owned and used and loved the 400 DO II when I shot with Canon and found a way to take it on most trips. I took it to Scotland and Nickerson Beach and San Diego. It served me well as my (lighter!) big gun several Galapagos and Southern Ocean (the Falklands and South Georgia) trips. It is a killer for flight photography with or without the 1.4X III TC. It is razor-sharp with the 2X on static subjects and skilled folks have had amazing success hand holding it with the 2X III TC for flight and for action. artie

Canon Macro EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $50.00 on 23 MAR 2020!

IPT veteran Dane Johnson is offering a Canon EF 180mm f/3.5 L Macro Lens in near-mint condition for the crazy low price of only $599.00. There are no scratches, scuffs, or marks of any kind on the glass, lens or hood. The only sign of age is a slight graying of the rubber on the focusing ring. The sale includes the lens, front and rear lens caps, tripod collar, Lens Hood ET-78II, Canon’s fabric Lens Case, lens case shoulder strap, original user documents, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US lower 48 addresses only. Photos are available upon request. Your lens will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Dane via e-mail or by phone at 1-559-593-0989.

The Canon 180 Macro was my mainstay macro lens for more than a decade. I loved the extra reach that it provides over the various 100mm macro lenses. And, assuming that you will be working on a tripod, the Canon EF Extender 1.4X is perfectly compatible. The lens is great for flowers, bugs, butterflies, frogs, toads, and snakes among lots more. This lens — still in production — sells new for $1,399.00. You can save a smooth $800.00 on Dane’s practically new lens. artie

Support Bedfords

Many here on the blog have purchased their camera gear from Bedfords Camera. All have received stellar service. Many in the south-central states visit one of the seven Bedford stores regularly. Many Bedfords associates know their customers on a first-name basis. Your passion has been their passion since 1974. Each shirt ordered through the link below helps an employee at a local Bedford Camera & Video store. Pre-order your shirt now. We don’t have an ETA on delivery, but our goal is to have these available in mid- to late April. Every shirt purchased will go to help one of Bedford’s 80+ employees. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local store if there’s anything you need! Orders can be placed online and be shipped directly to you. All of thee stores are working with customers for drive-thru or curbside delivery. Thank you for your support, we hope to see you in our store once things return to normal.

Sean and Steve

Sean Kaiser/Director of Business Development
Steve Elkins/Executive Vice President

You can order your shirt here.

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 over $1000.00, 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. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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… 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.

This image was created on 20 MAR 2020 at Alafia Banks, Tampa Bay, FL I used the Induro GIT 404/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and the blazingly fast Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body) that features incredibly accurate AF. AUTO ISO: 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with exposure compensation on the rear wheel: 1/1250 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:52am on a clear sunny morning. Center Zone AF-C. The area of sharpest focus was on the bird’s cheek barely in front of the spooonbill’s right eye. SONY 1200mm down-the-lens-barrel Roseate Spoonbill Flight Insanity Click on the image to see a larger, sharper version.

1200mm down-the-lens-barrel Roseate Spoonbill Flight Insanity

I was photographing this and another spoonbill preening and flapping after bathing. I got into position and made a few images at 840mm with the 1.4x TC in place. Wanting to get closer optically, I removed the 1.4X, added the 2X, and created a few nice images of the closer bird flapping. I had dropped down from 1//3200 second to 1/1250 second to do the flapping bird when suddenly they both took flight right at me. I framed and acquired focus on one of the birds — I do not recall which one, and fired off about a dozen frames. Probably seven of the images were framed decently with the bird’s head in the center of the frame. Once I got the images into Capture One, I was astonished to see that most were sharp on the eye; one or two were slightly front-focused. This was not a surprise considering that long bill pointed right at the lens.

Getting 99% sharp flight shops with the 600 GM with our without the 1.4X TC and with the handheld 200-600 is one thing, getting sharp on the eye images on birds flying right at you at close range with a 1200mm focal length is another. Simply put, it is indeed hard to believe for those who have been getting sharp-on-the-feet images in this situation for years … If the shoe fits, wear it.

Capture One-12 screen capture from the unsharpened master file Click on the image to see a larger version.

Picking Your SONY Keepers

Picking your SONY keepers in Photo Mechanic is not possible because the small embedded JPEGs cannot be enlarged enough to critically judge image sharpness. Bridge in Photoshop takes several seconds to render each RAW file for viewing — much too long for me especially considering the 20-fps frame rate of the a9 ii. Capture One, on the other hand, is fast and has the fabulous Loupe that allows users to check sharpness easily. And don’t forget that the Capture One raw conversions produce the most detailed low noise files in town. For me as a SONY user, Capture One is the only game in town.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit 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.

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 :).

What’s Up?

DAY 1 on the spoonbill boat was fair at best. In the morning, we had a very few good chances despite perfect conditions — lovely early light, low tide, and an east wind. In the afternoon we enjoyed the wind shift to the southwest, lots of flying Brown Pelicans (many carrying and landing with nesting material), and some pretty neat White Ibis blastoffs. We head back out this morning, Friday 20 MAR 2020.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

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 over $1000.00, 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. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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… 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.

This image was created on 1 MAR 2020, the last day of the 1st Homer IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 312mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1250. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 2:25pm on a cloudy afternoon. Wide AF-C performed surprisingly well. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #1: Northwestern Crow on snow, the original version

Comments are Always Appreciated

In the What Kind of Nut Photographs Crows on a Mega-Epic Bald Eagle Trip? And Getting the Right Exposure for Black Birds on Snow in Soft Light blog post here, Steve left this comment:

Regarding today’s shot of the crow — the snow behind the bird looks like featureless white, and the bird itself is a dark charcoal-gray rather than black. You don’t think it’s a bit overexposed?

First off Steve, thanks for leaving the comment. All are appreciated. Apologies for not responding sooner but I had a plan for today’s blog post feature and needed a bit of time to execute it.

With regards to the snow, snow, in soft light will rarely show any detail. While it is often possible to pull out some detail using NIK Color EFEX Pro Detail Extractor, even fresh soft snow will wind up looking a bit crunchy. In most cases, I want to avoid that. In addition, I love the detail-less, white background studio-look. Call that artistic license if you would.

With regards to the tonality of the crow, it is very possible that in an effort to reveal detail in the darkest feathers I went a bit too far. That said, interpretations may vary widely due to personal tastes and differences in monitor brightness and viewing conditions. The latter includes the level of ambient light that falls on the monitor being used to view the image … Please scroll down to see a much blacker version.

This image was created on 1 MAR 2020, the last day of the 1st Homer IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 312mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1250. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 2:25pm on a cloudy afternoon. Wide AF-C performed surprisingly well. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #2: Northwestern Crow on snow, a blacker version

The Blacker Crow

There are lots of options for making a crow’s feathers darker. I used just a bit of three different methods to come up with Image #2, the blacker version (immediately above). First, working on a separate layer, I pulled the Curve down. The darkened the bird and the snow a bit. Next, again working on a separate layer, I ran Image > Adjust > Auto Color and reduced the opacity to about 15%. This darkened the BLACKs and the MIDTONEs and lightened the snow. The last step was to add a layer of Selective Color, go to the BLACK and the NEUTRAL channels, and add 2-3 points of BLACK.

The breast of the bird in Image #2 looks a bit too BLACK for me with no detail at all. Perhaps the perfect version of this image lies somewhere between the two presented here today.

What Do You Think?

What do you think? Please be so kind as to share your thoughts on the two versions of Northwestern Crow in Snow by leaving a comment.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a Paypal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

All the techniques mentioned above and tons more — along with all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my Macbook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.

You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About two years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12 and continue to do so today.

To purchase Capture One, please use this link. Then you can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here.

You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and edited by yours truly. Please use this link to purchase NeatImage.

To introduce folks to our MP.4 videos and the basics involved in applying more NeatImage noise reduction to the background and less on the subject, I’d be glad to send you a free copy of the Free Noise Reduction Basics MP.4 Video. Simply click to shoot me an e-mail to get your free copy.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit 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.

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 :).

What’s Up?

I am hoping that everyone is staying safe and in good health.

As seemed likely, the Georgia Nature Photographers Association Annual Expo Conference at Villas by The Sea Resort & Conference Center, Jekyll Island, GA has been canceled.

I am heading over to Fort DeSoto today for two days of photography and following that up with three days on the Hooptie Deux for spoonbills and more.

Please Take a Moment …

Please take a moment and let us know your choices for the two strongest images and the two weakest images along with your reasons. All it all, it turned out to be a pretty productive day at Gatorland.

From Fred Innamorato via e-mail

Hi Artie,

I want to thank you for making the Sony e-Guide and videos available and for the work you put into the blog as well as for your books that teach us how to photograph birds and also for your camera User’s Guides. There is just no possible way I would have been able to get my Sony a9 ii camera settings so technically correct for doing birds in flight on my own without this guide. in my opinion, Sony should pay you for taking on the task of educating their customers. Sony has created an amazing camera but they fail to explain to their customers how to take full advantage of it. I appreciate that you know and have access to some very competent people with the technical backgrounds to assist you in your field experimentation to come up with the best and most practical and useful Menu Settings for bird photography. We all will benefit from your unique ability to pull this together. I am especially happy with your instructions on how to use the Zebra Settings for getting proper exposures. I really can’t thank you enough Artie for making my bird photography hobby so much more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise. My photography brings me great satisfaction. Sharing quality photographs with my family and friends has generated lots of interest in my hobby and why I do it. Life is good!

I highly recommend the purchase of your Sony e-Guide and Video(s). This information is just not available anywhere else. Even from Sony …

Fred Innamorato

The Sony Camera Videos and Pre-publication e-Guide Costs and Discount Info

The cost of the SONY e-Guide is $100.00 US and will include one of the camera set-up videos — we offer one video each for the a7r iii, the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii — and the written guide with the galleries. The guide is now 98% done and you will — of course, receive the final version when it is completed. I sent out the third draft today to those who have purchased the Guide with or without the discount.

Folks who have used my B&H links or purchased their SONY gear from Bedfords will receive said discount based exactly on how much they spent. If you spent more than $10,000 you will receive one free video and the e-Guide. Additional camera videos are $25.00 each. If you spent $2400, you will receive a 24% discount, and so on and so forth. And again, additional camera videos will be $25.00 each.

I will need time to verify your B&H purchases so folks will need to send their receipts and then be a bit patient. It is much easier to verify Bedfords’ purchases but I need those receipts as well.

If you have not used BAA links, please do so in the future. If that is the case and you would like the e-Guide now, please send a Paypal for $100 US to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words “SONY Pre-publication Guide” in the Paypal e-mail along with the name of your camera or cameras so that you can receive the correct video or videos. Please add $25 for each additional camera video. Be sure to send a copy of the Paypal transaction to me via e-mail.

Folks who have used BAA links to purchase their SONY gear should send their receipts to me via e-mail asap and let me know which camera videos they need. I will verify their purchases as quickly as possible and send a quote to be paid via Paypal as above.

Thanks to all who have properly used my B&H links or gone through the fabulous Steve Elkins at Bedfords, and thanks to everyone for having faith in the information that I provide, knowing that it will be the best available anywhere.

IPT Udpates

You can access the full listings and all IPT details here.

• The 2020 Fort DeSoto Spring Sandbar Secrets IPT/April 22 through the morning session on April 25, 2020. 3 1/2 DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 8/Openings: 6.

The Greatest-ever Bald Eagle Experience IPTs:

• IPT #1: SAT 20 FEB 2021 through the full day on THURS 25 FEB MAR 1, 2021. Six full days: $5499.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4.
• IPT #2: SAT 27 FEB 2021 through the full day on WED 3 MAR 2021. Five full days: $4599.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4
• The 2020 Hooptie Deux/Roseate Spoonbill Boat 3 1/2 DAY IPT — MAR 19 thru the morning session 22 MAR 2020: $2599.00. Sold out.
• The GALAPAGOS Photo Cruise of a Lifetime IPT/The Complete Galapagos Archipelago Photographic Experience. August 17-31, 2021 on the boat. 13 FULL and two half-days of photography: $14,999.00. Limit: 12 photographers/Openings: 5.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

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 over $1000.00, 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. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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… 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.

This image was created on March 14, 2020 at Gatorland. I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter, and the the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:59am on a then partly cloudy in the east morning. Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Anhinga dawn silhouette

Better Late …

I was late leaving ILE and got to watch a spectacular eastern sky from seven to seven-fifteen am :). For those with a Photographer’s Pass, Gatorland opens at 7:00am. I arrived at about 7:30 🙁 But with a few clouds on the eastern horizon, I managed a single nice silhouette.

With the number of nests down 90% and the number of birds down even more, it took some effort to find a few decent situations in these worst of times. Me-thinks that I did OK.

This image was also created on March 14, 2020 at Gatorland. Again I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter, and the the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/320 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:08am on a then sunny morning. Tracking Zone AF-C. The point of sharpest focus is on the spot where the forehead meets the base of the upper mandible. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Tricolored Heron displaying

Spiffy

On my walk-in, I noted several quite spiffy Tricolored Herons. I was lucky to find one in a decent spot with a decent background and began by creating some nice horizontal head portraits. When the bird began displaying, I went to vertical, clipped the crest on the first two, re-composed and got two with the bird’s bill pointing straight up but turned slightly away. As it ended the display and began to lower its head I got lucky as the bird turned its head toward me. Image #2 waas th result of my good fortune.

This image was also created on March 14, 2020 at Gatorland. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 565mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel (I went with lots of Zebras on the backlit white crest): 1/640 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:49am on a sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #3: Tricolored Heron backlit

Backlit

With very few front-lit subjects on the west side of the Swamp Boardwalk, I began searching for backlit subjects and was lucky to find two nice ones, this tricolored and the Great Egret immediately below. The trick with backlit subjects is generally to be able to come up with a dark background; sky backgrounds for strongly backlit subjects. For both images, one of the great tips from The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide enabled me to do just that.

This image was created on March 14, 2020 at Gatorland. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel (I went with lots of Zebras on the brightest sunlit WHITEs): 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:52am on a sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #4: Great Egret backlit preening

Flash for Backlit Subjects

In the process of creating the two backlit images here, I realized that using flash at zero or +1 in such situations is a big plus. You can lowerr the ambient exposure while allowing the flash to light the shaded side of the subject. In addition, it is much easier to come up with a pleasing and natural color balance. Doing that with Image # 3 required lots of fancy stepping during post-processing.

Exposure Question

Why did I aim to over-expose the brightest highlights in Images #3 and #4?

This image was also created on March 14, 2020 at Gatorland. I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 400mm) with the 61MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body ISO 1600. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel (I went with faint Zebras on the highlights): 1/125 sec. at f/16 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:09am in the shade of a shelter a sunny morning. Flexible Spot (S) AF-C. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #5: Great Egret aigrettes on back

The Right Tool for the Job

Neither the 600/1.4X TC/a7r iv combo or the 2-6/a9 ii rig would have worked for Image #5. I went to the 100-400 for its great close-focus that allowed me to fill the frame with feathers. Remember, you want to go for additional depth-of-field (f/16 here) when you are working at close range.

This image was also created on March 14, 2020 at Gatorland. Again I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by calculation with with ISO on the rear wheel. 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:24am on a sunny morning. Zone AF-C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #6: Anhinga male landing in tall tree

Exposure on the Fly

I had been hoping to photograph an incoming Great Egret or a stick-gathering Snowy Egret in flight so I was set up at ISO 400: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 (the equivalent of the oft-recommended ISO 400, 1/2000 sec. at f/8 for bright whites in full sun). When I saw this pretty much black subject flying in, I spun the Control Wheel three clicks clockwise to increase the ISO from 400 to 800 thus doubling the exposure.

This image was also created on March 14, 2020 at Gatorland. I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and the 61 megapixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/80 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:46AM in the shade on a sunny morrning. Image #7: Captive parrot head portrait

Subject in Shade, Background in Sun

I have long loved situations where the subject is in the shade and the background is in full sun. Here the parrot was in the shade of its own personal shelter and the background — actually light-toned vegetation — was in full sun. I made sure to go to total Zebra’s on the background to ensure a correct exposure for the subject. The “over-exposed” background was easily recovered using the Highlight slide in Capture One.

This image was also created on March 14, 2020 at Gatorland. Again I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by calculation with with ISO on the rear wheel. 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:57am on a sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #8: Great Egret head portrait with dead-tree branches background

Different Usually Works Well …

Again, following advice from The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide, I was able to come up with a totally atypical Gatorland background of dead (or at least leafless) trees.

This image was also created on March 14, 2020 at Gatorland. Again I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by calculation with with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 400: 1/250 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 10:05am on a sunny morning. Flexible Spot (S) AF-C performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #9: Fern backlit

Good Images are Where You See Them

As I have explained here often, and especially in the original The Art of Bird Photography, after years of using long telephoto lenses for years I began to view the world in small rectangular boxes. So when I see snatches of light or color or anything else that I find of interest, it is not a big step from there to envision a strong image …

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide

126 pages, 87 photographs by Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.

Purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back and forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Here are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide:

• Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
• Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
• The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
• Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
• Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
• Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
• West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here you will have a chance for two difficult birds, Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
• Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.

Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.

You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit 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.

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 :).

What’s Up

On Friday morning I headed to Circle Bar B Preserve in hopes of creating some pleasing blurs. I arrived way before sunrise but — on a completely windless morning — was quickly driven back to my vehicle by swarms of angry, biting mosquitoes. My next stop was Lakeland where there were still hordes of White Pelicans. They should be heading north quite soon. The light was sweet and the photography was excellent.

The next stop was Fields Auto Group where I arranged to lease rather than buy my new vehicle. Then home for a nap and a quick swim.

As I type this morning, Saturday 14 MAR 2020, I am on my way to Gatorland which at present, remains open while all Disney and Universal theme parks in central Florida are closed …

Circle Bar B, Gatorland, and Lakeland are among the many great central Florida bird photography hotspots covered in The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide. See the details below.

GNPA Programs

I was all set to announce that I am scheduled to be presenting at the Georgia Nature Photographers Association Annual Expo Conference at Villas by The Sea Resort & Conference Center, Jekyll Island, GA. They were putting me to work big time. But when I got online this morning, I learned that the even will likely be canceled. C’est la vie.

From Fred Innamorato via e-mail

Hi Artie,

I want to thank you for making the Sony e-Guide and videos available and for the work you put into the blog as well as for your books that teach us how to photograph birds and also for your camera User’s Guides. There is just no possible way I would have been able to get my Sony a9 ii camera settings so technically correct for doing birds in flight on my own without this guide. in my opinion, Sony should pay you for taking on the task of educating their customers. Sony has created an amazing camera but they fail to explain to their customers how to take full advantage of it. I appreciate that you know and have access to some very competent people with the technical backgrounds to assist you in your field experimentation to come up with the best and most practical and useful Menu Settings for bird photography. We all will benefit from your unique ability to pull this together. I am especially happy with your instructions on how to use the Zebra Settings for getting proper exposures. I really can’t thank you enough Artie for making my bird photography hobby so much more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise. My photography brings me great satisfaction. Sharing quality photographs with my family and friends has generated lots of interest in my hobby and why I do it. Life is good!

I highly recommend the purchase of your Sony e-Guide and Video(s). This information is just not available anywhere else. Even from Sony …

Fred Innamorato

The Sony Camera Videos and Pre-publication e-Guide Costs and Discount Info

The cost of the SONY e-Guide is $100.00 US and will include one of the camera set-up videos — we offer one video each for the a7r iii, the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii — and the written guide with the galleries. The guide is now 98% done and you will — of course, receive the final version when it is completed. I sent out the third draft today to those who have purchased the Guide with or without the discount.

Folks who have used my B&H links or purchased their SONY gear from Bedfords will receive said discount based exactly on how much they spent. If you spent more than $10,000 you will receive one free video and the e-Guide. Additional camera videos are $25.00 each. If you spent $2400, you will receive a 24% discount, and so on and so forth. And again, additional camera videos will be $25.00 each.

I will need time to verify your B&H purchases so folks will need to send their receipts and then be a bit patient. It is much easier to verify Bedfords’ purchases but I need those receipts as well.

If you have not used BAA links, please do so in the future. If that is the case and you would like the e-Guide now, please send a Paypal for $100 US to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words “SONY Pre-publication Guide” in the Paypal e-mail along with the name of your camera or cameras so that you can receive the correct video or videos. Please add $25 for each additional camera video. Be sure to send a copy of the Paypal transaction to me via e-mail.

Folks who have used BAA links to purchase their SONY gear should send their receipts to me via e-mail asap and let me know which camera videos they need. I will verify their purchases as quickly as possible and send a quote to be paid via Paypal as above.

Thanks to all who have properly used my B&H links or gone through the fabulous Steve Elkins at Bedfords, and thanks to everyone for having faith in the information that I provide, knowing that it will be the best available anywhere.

Homer IPT Kudos from Greg Ferguson via e-mail

I received this e-mail this morning from multiple IPT veteran Greg Ferguson. It was his second trip to Homer with me.

Artie, you really knocked the ball out of the park on the recent Homer IPT. I had high hopes before I arrived; you exceeded my expectations in every area. I wanted to get my new Sony A9II set up and we did that even before we left the dock the first morning. It seemed that we had better and better opportunities every day after that. I also appreciated your announcing aloud why and how you were changing your settings, effectively thinking out loud, As we went through the week we shot eagles flying, banking, backlit silhouettes, and perched head shots. We shot eagles flying, in trees, on snow, on rocks, and on ice. We got all that and more. Thanks so much for the amazing journey! I had a blast.

Greg Ferguson

IPT Udpates

You can access the full listings and all IPT details here.

• The 2020 Fort DeSoto Spring Sandbar Secrets IPT/April 22 through the morning session on April 25, 2020. 3 1/2 DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 8/Openings: 6.

The Greatest-ever Bald Eagle Experience IPTs:

• IPT #1: SAT 20 FEB 2021 through the full day on THURS 25 FEB MAR 1, 2021. Six full days: $5499.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4.
• IPT #2: SAT 27 FEB 2021 through the full day on WED 3 MAR 2021. Five full days: $4599.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4
• The 2020 Hooptie Deux/Roseate Spoonbill Boat 3 1/2 DAY IPT — MAR 19 thru the morning session 22 MAR 2020: $2599.00. Sold out.
• The GALAPAGOS Photo Cruise of a Lifetime IPT/The Complete Galapagos Archipelago Photographic Experience. August 17-31, 2021 on the boat. 13 FULL and two half-days of photography: $14,999.00. Limit: 12 photographers/Openings: 5.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Another SONY 600 GM Available

Steve Elkins asked me to let everyone know that he has another Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens in stock right now with your name on it. His contact info is below. Grab the 600 GM right now and you earn a free copy of the new Sony e-Guide and Video.

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 over $1000.00, 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. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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… 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.

This image was created on 13 MAR 2020. I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the blazing fast Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body) that features incredibly accurate AF. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/250 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:14am on in on a sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot M AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version. American White Pelican juxtaposition

To Isolate or Not to Isolate? That is the Question.

When I work in Lakeland, I set up and use the 600 GM with the 1.4X TC and keep thee 200-600 with an a9 ii on my shoulder via a Black Rapid Curve Breathe Strap. I usually go with the a7r iv on the big glass but yesterday I used my second a9 ii on the 60omm in hopes that with the nice east wind I would have some good flight opportunities but they never came to pass. Next time.

The more that I work with Tracking Flexible Spot M (or S) and practice using it, the more proficient I become. When mastered, it is is an incredible feature that enables you to create perfect image designs without once ever having to move the AF point around … Learn how to use it correctly and your compositions will improve dramatically. I am getting there.

I work at 840mm at Lake to make isolating these relatively large, relatively tame subjects easy. I made dozens of head and bill portraits — both horizontals and verticals depending on the bird’s posture — with a variety of gorgeous backgrounds. But this one with the second bird placed perfectly in the lower-left corner was my favorite image of the day. Placing the main subject in the upper right corner without having to switch the AF point was done using Tracking Flexible Spot M!

So while clean, tight, and graphic is usually my preferred style, there are times when sublime juxtapositions are the way to go.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide

126 pages, 87 photographs by Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.

Purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back and forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Here are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide:

• Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
• Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
• The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
• Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
• Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
• Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
• West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here you will have a chance for two difficult birds, Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
• Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.

Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.

You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit 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.

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 :).

What’s Up?

I did well on my flights home. Door to door the journey took 25 hours as we left the hotel at 7am Alaska time and arrived at ILE at exactly 12 noon on Monday. I was able to sleep about 3 1/2 hours on the Seattle to Atlanta leg and another 45 minutes on the flight to Orlando. With last-minute aircraft and gate changes in ATL, one of my two checked bags did not make my Delta flight to MCO. It was delivered to my home at about 8pm the same day. I got into the pool on Monday afternoon and did a slow and chilly half-mile. And I slept well in my own bed on Monday and Tuesday nights. On Tuesday, I got a ton of work done on the Sony Camera e-Guide and Camera User’s Videos project. After eating too well and too much in Homer, I had gained 1 1/2 pounds. Today is Wednesday 11 MAR 2020 and I will continue working on the SONY e-Guide.

From Fred Innamorato via e-mail

Hi Artie,

I want to thank you for making the Sony e-Guide and videos available and for the work you put into the blog as well as for your books that teach us how to photograph birds and also for your camera User’s Guides. There is just no possible way I would have been able to get my Sony a9 ii camera settings so technically correct for doing birds in flight on my own without this guide. in my opinion, Sony should pay you for taking on the task of educating their customers. Sony has created an amazing camera but they fail to explain to their customers how to take full advantage of it. I appreciate that you know and have access to some very competent people with the technical backgrounds to assist you in your field experimentation to come up with the best and most practical and useful Menu Settings for bird photography. We all will benefit from your unique ability to pull this together. I am especially happy with your instructions on how to use the Zebra Settings for getting proper exposures. I really can’t thank you enough Artie for making my bird photography hobby so much more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise. My photography brings me great satisfaction. Sharing quality photographs with my family and friends has generated lots of interest in my hobby and why I do it. Life is good!

I highly recommend the purchase of your Sony e-Guide and Video(s). This information is just not available anywhere else. Even from Sony …

Fred Innamorato

The Sony Camera Videos and Pre-publication e-Guide Costs and Discount Info

The cost of the SONY e-Guide is $100.00 US and will include one of the camera set-up videos — we offer one video each for the a7r iii, the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii — and the written guide with the galleries. The guide is now 98% done and you will — of course, receive the final version when it is completed. I sent out the third draft today to those who have purchased the Guide with or without the discount.

Folks who have used my B&H links or purchased their SONY gear from Bedfords will receive said discount based exactly on how much they spent. If you spent more than $10,000 you will receive one free video and the e-Guide. Additional camera videos are $25.00 each. If you spent $2400, you will receive a 24% discount, and so on and so forth. And again, additional camera videos will be $25.00 each.

I will need time to verify your B&H purchases so folks will need to send their receipts and then be a bit patient. It is much easier to verify Bedfords’ purchases but I need those receipts as well.

If you have not used BAA links, please do so in the future. If that is the case and you would like the e-Guide now, please send a Paypal for $100 US to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words “SONY Pre-publication Guide” in the Paypal e-mail along with the name of your camera or cameras so that you can receive the correct video or videos. Please add $25 for each additional camera video. Be sure to send a copy of the Paypal transaction to me via e-mail.

Folks who have used BAA links to purchase their SONY gear should send their receipts to me via e-mail asap and let me know which camera videos they need. I will verify their purchases as quickly as possible and send a quote to be paid via Paypal as above.

Thanks to all who have properly used my B&H links or gone through the fabulous Steve Elkins at Bedfords, and thanks to everyone for having faith in the information that I provide, knowing that it will be the best available anywhere.

Another SONY 600 GM Available

Steve Elkins asked me to let everyone know that he has a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens in stock right now with your name on it. His contact info is below. Grab the 600 GM right now and you earn a free copy of the new Sony e-Guide and Video.

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 over $1000.00, 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. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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… 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.

On Selling Used Canon Gear

Craig Elson recently enlisted my help in selling his Canon gear while in the process of switching to SONY. I was glad to learn of the recent sales of his Canon 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in near-mint condition for $5496.00 (was $5,996.00), a Canon 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition for $5001.00 (was $5,299.00), a Canon 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4X Extender in very good condition for a BAA record-low-by-far price of $4750.00 (was $5,699.00), and Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with 14,004 actuations in excellent plus condition for $3,000.00 (was $3,299.00), all in late FEB/early MAR 2020.

Over a period of three-weeks, Craig sold the following items: a Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens, the Canon 500mm f/4L IS II lens, the Canon 200-400mm f/4 L IS with Internal Extender lens, a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II dSLR, his Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO II lens, the Canon 300mm f/4 L IS lens, a Canon Extender 1.4X III, a Canon Extender 2X III, a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, and a Canon EOS 7D Mark II. These items were originally listed for $26,938.00. After reducing the prices on all of the higher-ticket items, the entire gear bag brought in $25,488.00. He sent us a commission check for $1,346.90. That left him with $24,141.10 in his pocket. The B&H offer for the entire lot was $17,540.00. And my understanding is that when they get your stuff they almost always downgrade the condition and reduce their offer. IAC, Craig wound up with $6,601.10 (less a few hundred for his shipping costs) more in his pocket than if he would have garnered if he sold the stuff to B&H …

The Moral of the Story

The moral of the story for folks selling used Canon gear in the present market is that they should price it to sell asap because the prices are only going one way: down.

Big Price Reductions

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

Brand-new-in-the box/Incredible Low Price!
$600.00 Price Drop: 10 MAR 2020

Anthony Sakal is offering a brand-new-in-the-box Canon EOS-1D X Mark II body for an incredibly low price of $3099.00 (was $3,699.00). The camera is still in the unopened box along with everything that comes with a new camera. Why? Because it is brand-new! The sale includes 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 Anthony via e-mail or by phone at at 1-516 902-6997) (Eastern time zone).

The EOS-1DX Mark II is Canon’s flagship professional camera body. I made many fine images with mine. It is rugged and fast and features Canon’s best AF system. The 1DX II sells new for $5499.00 so you can save a very cool $2,400.00 by grabbing Anthony’s new-in-the-box camera body. artie

Canon 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4X Extender with Extras!

$1000.00 Price Drop on 11 MAR 2020!

Multiple IPT veteran Larry Master is offering a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with internal 1.4X Extender in excellent condition for $4,999.00 (was $5999.00). The lens has very minor nicks and other blemishes on the finish and the lens foot. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the front lens cover, an Aquatech SoftCap, a Realtree Max4 LensCoat, an Arca-Swiss lens plate, the lens strap, the lens trunk, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Photos are available upon request. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 (Eastern time zone).

This is the world’s best lens for a trip to Africa. It kills also in the Galapagos and in South Georgia, the Falklands, and Antarctica. And I used mine a lot at Bosque and other dusty places where the built-in TC helps to keep your sensor clean. And I love it in the Palouse for its versatility. At one point, I found myself wishing that I had taken the 200-400 rather than my 500 II on the Bear Boat Cubs IPT. Many nature photographers use this lens as their workhorse telephoto as it offers 784mm at f/8 with an external 1.4X TC added. The lens sells new at B&H right now for $10,999; can save an amazing $6000.00 by grabbing Larry’s excellent lens along with all the great extras right now. artie

What’s Up?

After a fantastic beginning, it is difficult to believe that the opportunities to create great Bald Eagle images have continued to be varied and excellent. We are delaying our sailing today in hopes of getting some images of perched and flying eagles in the falling snow predicted for this afternoon. Today, Saturday 7 MAR 2020 will make fourteen out of fifteen days of traveling by boat to Kachemak Bay to photograph our national symbol. As Scott Van Pelt might say, it is day 15 and I am not tired yet. In fact, I am as energized and excited about going out today as I was on day one.

I was glad to learn that Craig Elson, after following my pricing advice, made deals with prospective buyers and was able to finalize the sale of three high=-dollar Canon items by further reducing his already low prices he sold his Canon 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in near-mint condition for $5496.00 (was $5,996.00), a Canon 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition for $5001.00 (was $5,299.00), and a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with 14,004 actuations in excellent plus condition for $3,000.00 all in early March 2020.
Rob Heifner sold his Canon EOS-1D X Mark II in mint condition (<29,000 Shutter Actuations) plus a mint condition Canon Speedlite 580EXII (with the original soft case) for an incredibly low $2799.00, all on the first day of listing in early MAR 2020. With Canon prices tanking, my advice is to sell your Canon gear at almost any price ASAP ...

Canon 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4X Extender

$800.00 price drop on 7 MAR 2020: BAA Record-low Price by far!.

Craig Elson is offering a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens in very good condition for a BAA record-low-by-far/shock the world price of $4899.00 (was $5,699.00). Other than some paint blemishes, the lens is in great condition. The glass is in mint condition and it has been cleaned and checked by CPS. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the original tough front lens cover, the lens hood, the lens strap, the original lens foot, a 4th Generation replacement foot, RealTree Lenscoat covering, the original product box, manual and warranty card, 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 Craig via e-mail or by phone at 1-704-904-7953 (Pacific time zone).

This is the world’s best lens for a trip to Africa. It kills also in the Galapagos and in South Georgia, the Falklands, and Antarctica. And I used mine a lot at Bosque and other dusty places where the built-in TC helps to keep your sensor clean. And I love it in the Palouse for its versatility. At one point, I found myself wishing that I had taken the 200-400 rather than my 500 II on the Bear Boat Cubs IPT. Many nature photographers use this lens as their workhorse telephoto as it offers 784mm at f/8 with an external 1.4X TC added. The lens sells new at B&H right now for $10,999 so you save a substantial $5300.00 by grabbing Craig’s lens today. artie

The Sony Camera Videos and Pre-publication e-Guide Costs and Discount Info

The cost of the SONY e-Guide is $100.00 US and will include one of the camera set-up videos — we offer one video each for the a7r iii, the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii — and the written guide with the galleries. The guide is now 98% done and you will — of course, receive the final version when it is completed. I sent out the third draft today to those who have purchased the Guide with or without the discount.

Folks who have used my B&H links or purchased their SONY gear from Bedfords will receive said discount based exactly on how much they spent. If you spent more than $10,000 you will receive one free video and the e-Guide. Additional camera videos are $25.00 each. If you spent $2400, you will receive a 24% discount, and so on and so forth. And again, additional camera videos will be $25.00 each.

I will need time to verify your B&H purchases so folks will need to send their receipts and then be a bit patient. It is much easier to verify Bedfords’ purchases but I need those receipts as well.

If you have not used BAA links, please do so in the future. If that is the case and you would like the e-Guide now, please send a Paypal for $100 US to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words “SONY Pre-publication Guide” in the Paypal e-mail along with the name of your camera or cameras so that you can receive the correct video or videos. Please add $25 for each additional camera video. Be sure to send a copy of the Paypal transaction to me via e-mail.

Folks who have used BAA links to purchase their SONY gear should send their receipts to me via e-mail asap and let me know which camera videos they need. I will verify their purchases as quickly as possible and send a quote to be paid via Paypal as above.

Thanks to all who have properly used my B&H links or gone through the fabulous Steve Elkins at Bedfords, and thanks to everyone for having faith in the information that I provide, knowing that it will be the best available anywhere.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

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 over $1000.00, 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. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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… 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.

Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, many in full breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull landing on head of Brown Pelican, Laughing Gull in flight, Reddish Egret sunrise silhouette, Great Blue Heron with needlefish, Yellow-crowned Night Heron with ghost crab, Roseate Spoonbill, Sanderling in breeding plumage, and white morph Reddish Egret in glorious breeding plumage.

The 2020 Fort DeSoto Spring Sandbar Secrets IPT/April 22 through the morning session on April 25, 2020. 3 1/2 DAYS: $1499.00. Limit: 8 photographers/7 openings

An inexpensive add-on day is available.

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for breeding terns and gulls and wading birds in spring. Migrant shorebirds are in abundance, and many are exceedingly tame. We should have great chances on Royal and Sandwich Terns and both white- and dark-morph Reddish Egrets. 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 along with some American Oystercatchers. We will enjoy lots of great flight photography.

Again, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull in flight, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Sandwich Terns copulating, Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egret with reflection, breeding plumage Short-billed Dowitcher, American Oystercatcher, Royal Tern, white morph Reddish Egret, and Snowy Egret in marsh.

We will also get to photograph a variety of other shorebirds including Black-bellied, Semipalmated, Wilson’s, and Piping Plovers, Willet, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, most especially, Red Knot with many individuals in their handsome breeding plumages. In spring the T-shaped peninsula and the newly formed sandbar, Outback Key, are literally packed with avian treasures.
With luck, we might get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable species: Roseate Spoonbill. And we will almost surely get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. With luck, they will have Laughing Gulls landing on their heads. And though not guaranteed, 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.

Yes, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: breeding plumage Dunlin, dark morph Reddish Egret displaying, Laughing Gull vertical front-end portrait, Laughing Gull with prey item, landing on head of Brown Pelican, breeding plumage Royal Tern displaying, Royal Terns — pre-copulatory stance, Laughing Gulls copulating, Laughing Gull head portrait, breeding plumage Sandwich Tern with fish, and a rare treat, a breeding plumage White-rumped Sandpiper.

On the IPT you will learn:

• 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
• 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
• 3- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 4- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
• 5- To age and identify many species of shorebirds including sandpipers, plovers, dowitchers, and possibly yellowlegs.
• 6- To spot good situations and to choose the best perspective.
• 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
• 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography.
• 10- How and when to access the magical sandbar safely.
• 11- More than you could ever imagine.

You got it by now! Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Roseate Spoonbill, immature Brown Pelican in flight, the heron/egret hybrid, American Oystercatcher feeding, immature Royal Tern on railing, Great Egret morning silhouette, Black Skimmer in surf, and underside head portrait of Great Blue Heron.

Morning sessions will run at least three to 3 1/2 hours, afternoon sessions 2 1/2 to 3 hours. There is never a set schedule on an IPT — we adapt to the conditions. There will be a Photoshop/image review session after lunch (included) each day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. This IPT will run with only a single registrant (though that is not likely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area (rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away).

Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:30am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We will be getting wet.

Payment in full is due now. Credit cards are OK for your $500 deposit. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. If you leave a deposit you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check. If you wish to pay in full right off the bat, you can make your check out to BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice in mid-August. Please remember that we will meet early on Saturday morning. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together are urged to e-mail for discount information.

This image was created at Fort DeSoto on the 2019 Spring Sandbar Secrets IPT. I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR AF lens and the Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 800. Matrix metering +1 /2/3 stops: 1/2500 sec. at f/5. Auto WB at 8:20am on a hazy morning. Center Group AF. Click on the image to see a larger version. Royal Tern with fish for mate.

Royal & Sandwich Terns

Royal and Sandwich Terns, in their handsome breeding plumages, will be two of our top targets species on the 2020 Fort DeSoto Spring Sandbar Secrets IPT. We should have lots of chances to photograph them in flight, on the beaches — tight head portraits should be fairly easy, and courting and copulating.

This image was created at Fort DeSoto on the 2019 Spring Sandbar Secrets IPT. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and my favorite Nikon camera body, the Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 1250. Matrix metering +2/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/10. Auto WB at 6:04pm oon a sunny afternoon. D-9 C-AF with the selected pointt on the face of the sharper bird. Click on the image to see a larger version. Shorebirds molting into breeding plumage

Breeding Plumage Shorebirds

From mid-April through mid-May you have a great chance to see a variety of artic nesting shorebirds either molting into or in full breeding plumages. Thsoe include the two birds seen in image #2 above. If you can identify one or both of them, please leave a comment.

Shorebirds: Beautiful Beachcombers

If you are interested in learning to identify and age all of the common North American shorebirds and learn about their amazing migrations, their breeding biology, their feeding habits, and everything else you might have wanted to learn on the way to the nearest mudflats, get yourself a copy of my softcover book, Shorebirds: Beautiful Beachcombers.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit 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.

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 :).

What’s Up

Homer continues to offer consistently astounding photographic opportunities. After a delayed start on Wednesday — one of the two big outboards on our watercraft refused to start — we wound up having a totally fantastic day. During the delay, I seized the teachable moment by reviewing in detail all of my My Menu items and explained why and how to use each one. Just as in the Sony Camera Videos and e-Guide. In the morning, everyone got some tight Bald Eagle head portraits and some great eagle-striking shots against green or black water backgrounds In the afternoon we worked on the eagles-banking-in-front-of-snow-covered-mountains images and finished off with a slew of great sunset silhouette opportunities. The moisture in the air provided the color despite a relatively clear sky.

Those who can’t wait to get their Canon EOS-1DX Mark III bodies after reading Clemens’ review are advised to contact Steve Elkins at Bedford Camera rather than spending six to twelve months on the B&H waiting list … Clemens was thrilled that Steve got him his 1DX III just in time for the Homer trip. Steve’s contact info is below.

Homer IPT group 2 will be heading out for DAY 3 early today, Thursday 5 MAR 2020. I head back to Florida on Sunday arriving in Orlando next Monday morning.

The Sony Camera Videos and Pre-publication e-Guide Costs and Discount Info

The cost of the SONY e-Guide is $100.00 US and will include one of the camera set-up videos — we offer one video each for the a7r iii, the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii — and the written guide with the galleries. The guide is now 98% done and you will — of course, receive the final version when it is completed. I sent out the third draft today to those who have purchased the Guide with or without the discount.

Folks who have used my B&H links or purchased their SONY gear from Bedfords will receive said discount based exactly on how much they spent. If you spent more than $10,000 you will receive one free video and the e-Guide. Additional camera videos are $25.00 each. If you spent $2400, you will receive a 24% discount, and so on and so forth. And again, additional camera videos will be $25.00 each.

I will need time to verify your B&H purchases so folks will need to send their receipts and then be a bit patient. It is much easier to verify Bedfords’ purchases but I need those receipts as well.

If you have not used BAA links, please do so in the future. If that is the case and you would like the e-Guide now, please send a Paypal for $100 US to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words “SONY Pre-publication Guide” in the Paypal e-mail along with the name of your camera or cameras so that you can receive the correct video or videos. Please add $25 for each additional camera video. Be sure to send a copy of the Paypal transaction to me via e-mail.

Folks who have used BAA links to purchase their SONY gear should send their receipts to me via e-mail asap and let me know which camera videos they need. I will verify their purchases as quickly as possible and send a quote to be paid via Paypal as above.

Thanks to all who have properly used my B&H links or gone through the fabulous Steve Elkins at Bedfords, and thanks to everyone for having faith in the information that I provide, knowing that it will be the best available anywhere.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II Lens with tons of extras! Australian Sale Only

$500.00 AUD Price Drop on 4 MAR 2020

Barry Barfield is offering a Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II in near-mint condition for a very low $4999.00 AUD(was $5,499.00 AUD). The sale includes the 1.4X III and 2X III teleconverters, the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the original tough front lens cover, the lens strap, a RRS Arca-Swiss foot, the Canon drop-in polarizer, a Realtree LensCoat, the original product box, and insured courier shipment to anywhere in Australia. In addition, the lens will be covered by the remainder of the Canon Australia Factory warranty until May 30, 2020. Barry is located in Brisbane. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Barry via e-mail or here: MOB: 0418780575.

I owned and used and loved the 400 DO II when I shot with Canon and found a way to take it on most trips. I took it to Scotland and Nickerson Beach and San Diego. It served me well as my (lighter!) big gun several Galapagos and Southern Ocean (the Falklands and South Georgia) trips. It is a killer for flight photography with or without the 1.4X III TC. It is razor-sharp with the 2X on static subjects and skilled folks have had amazing success hand holding it with the 2X III TC for flight and for action. With all the great extras and the super low price of about $3753.00 US you might wish to contact Barry and explore the possibility of shipping the lens outside of Australia … artie

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 over $1000.00, 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. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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… 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.

This image was created at Kachemak Bay, AK on 25 FEB 2020. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens (at 200mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body) that features incredibly accurate AF. ISO 1600. Exposure determined via Zebras on the rear wheel: 1/1600 sec. at f/3.2. AWB at 11:45am in a snowstorm. Image copyright 2020: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. Please note that all of the rest of the images in this blog post were created by Clemens Van der Werf. Clemens Van der Werf at Homer in a blizzard — the man in black!

Clemens van der Werf and BIRDS AS ART

I first met Clemens van der Werf — long-time friend and surely my most accomplished student — on the 2010 Southwest Florida Presidents Week IPT. Clemens had had an interest in black and white photography as a teenager when he bought his first serious camera — an Olympus OM 2, and began photographing on local bicycle trips. In addition, he photographed sailboat regattas when he was not racing himself. He even sold a few prints to the sailors to finance his hobby. When he entered college he developed other interests and shelved photography. In 2006 he was in Newport, Rhode Island for work when he came across a beautiful gallery that featured the work of a Dutch photographer, Onne Van der Wal.

Onne, a Canon Explorer of Light, got him to sell all of his by-then Nikon gear and switch to Canon. In 2007 Clemens bought an EOS-5D, the 70-200/2.8 IS, the 300/2.8 IS, and the 24-105 f/4 IS. From 2007 through 2009 Clemens casually photographed his family and some more sailboat races. For the sailboats, he used the Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS lens. Early in 2008 he bought an EOS-1Ds Mark III and in April 2009 added the 500mm f/4 IS. Soon thereafter he drove to the St Augustine Alligator Farm with his daughter for a day trip; it was the first time he used the 500mm f/4. He remembers that he photographed during the middle of a bright sunny day! All handheld as that is how he and Onne did it when photographing boats from the water. Clemens thought that tripods were for dummies. He was not happy with the results. Coincidentally, Onne had attended a program that I did in Newport, RI in the fall of 2008. I gave him an ABP II CD and in early 2009, Onne passed it along to Clemens who gleaned it for the technical information. Clemens had no interest in birds at all. Still in search of good technical information, he googled “Arthur Morris” and subscribed to and devoured our free Bulletins. Still, he rarely got out to photograph.

This image was also created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the handheld Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens (at 255mm) and his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 2000: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Bald Eagle landing on The Perch. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

The First IPT …

In late 2009 Clemens thought it would be a good idea to do a workshop with me. He figured that he could learn a lot. The workshop that caught his eye was scheduled for February 2010 close to his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He did not care at all for the subjects that we would be photographing: birds. His only goal was to learn about the technical side of photography. His knowledge of birds was pretty close to zero at that time, as was his interest in them. When all the workshop participants got together on the first evening he seriously wondered if he had made a mistake and thought that he might not make it through the week. The average age of the participants was well above retirement age and they all were avid birders; there seemed to be no connection at all.

This image was created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf on our big blizzard day. He used the handheld Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens (at 145mm) and his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 2000: 1/3200 sec. at f/4.5 Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Bald Eagles in near-whiteout conditions. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

Clemens continues the story

How deceiving my first impression of the workshop had been! It turned out to be a fun week during which I started to appreciate birds and their behaviors. The information exchange during the week was close to overload as I had to deal with lots of new things such as manual mode, flash, Photoshop, Artie’s rules of art, etc. But the bottom line was that I became hooked on bird photography and wanted more. During March/April of 2010, I went out on Tampa Bay twice with artie and Captain James Shadle to photograph Roseate Spoonbills and visited Sanibel Island with my family. That August, I joined Artie again at Nickerson Beach, NY. In November I joined him again at his beloved Bosque del Apache. I attended the San Diego IPT that January and visited Homer on an IPT later that year. After a Florida IPT, I bought an EOS-1D Mark IV and borrowed the new 800mm lens for the Florida and Nickerson Beach IPTs. I purchased that great lens just before the Bosque IPT.

This image was also created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the handheld Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II (now replaced by the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III (at 125mm) with his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 2000: 1/3200 sec. at f/4.5. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #3: Bald Eagle landing in snowstorm with conifers in the background. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

The Challenge as Clemens See It

The challenge is to combine one’s creative eye and the techniques of digital photography to create pleasing image captures. Creating technically perfect images is by no means equal to capturing images worthy of being hung on your wall or ones that leave you with the constant urge to look at them again and again. Once you have created an image that gets and keeps your attention, you know that you will have met the challenge and hit the jackpot. Now there are two subjects that have my special attention: birds and boats.

This image was also created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the handheld Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens (at 135mm) and his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 1600: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #4: Bald Eagle with talons extended. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

You Too Can Learn a Ton on a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT)

From the September 8, 2014 blog post here:

Interestingly enough, when Clemens came on his first IPT he had no interest in bird photography. He just wanted to learn photography. As noted above, Canon Explorer of Light Onne van der Wal recommended that Clemens study with artie. He did that in spades, having attended well more than a dozen IPTs, Photo- Cruises, Expeditions, and Bear Boat trips in all.

This image was created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf on our big blizzard day. He used the handheld Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens (at 135mm) and his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 800: 1/2500 sec. at f/4.5 Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #5: Bald Eagles tussling. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

The New EOS-1DX III as Clemens sees it; Part I.

The Canon 1Dx bodies have been solid performers under challenging conditions for many years. The autofocus performance of the 1Dx and 1Dx MkII had been lacking as compared to Nikon or lately Sony (A9) especially when it comes down to dynamic focusing using the whole sensor array or specific zones. on the 1DX Mark II, the Automatic AF area selection never did a great job of acquiring and tracking the subject; thus, that mode was pretty much useless for photographing birds in flight. Single-point AF or AF Expand (4 or 9 points) with the tracking sensitivity set at -2 often produced good results for me with flying birds, but the fact that you were limited as far as image design always bothered me. Nikon’s dynamic focusing and Sony’s tracking capabilities provided extra compositional flexibility. As a result, many bird photographers decided to leave Canon and switch to Nikon or a Sony a9 series body. I decided to stay the course with Canon for two reasons: my collection of great Canon lenses, and the fact that the development of sensor and AF technology is like an arms race: one day Nikon is ahead, the next day Canon is ahead. I was lucky enough to get the new Canon 1Dx MkIII camera body from Steve Elkins just in time for my trip to Alaska to photograph the bald eagles. It was the perfect place to test the improved AF capabilities of the new Canon flagship body, the EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader.

This image was also created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the handheld Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens (at 340mm) and his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 2000: 1/800 sec. at f/8. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #6: Bald Eagles: juvie/adult head shot juxtaposition. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

The New EOS-1DX III as Clemens sees it; Part II

The new Canon 1Dx MkIII is a hybrid camera with an Optical Viewfinder (OVF) and Live-View shooting making it a mirrorless camera at the same time. There are a ton of other great new features, but I focused primarily on testing the new enhanced AF system. I was especially interested to see if the new dynamic 191-point Automatic AF selection and the AF zones would perform better than the previous versions of the 1Dx. The conclusion is that even under difficult circumstances — the first two days with heavy winds and heavy snow) — the camera had no issue focusing on the subject and keep tracking it with the Automatic AF selection mode. I used the center point to acquire focus and as soon as it locked the focus on the bird, it did a great job keeping multiple AF points on the subject and tracking it through the frame and through the snowflakes. The same applied for the Zones — smaller AF areas with multiple AF points active. Even with busy backgrounds, the AF stayed locked on the subject. The AF modes have been reduced to 4 compared to 5 in the previous 1Dx models. I primarily used Mode 2 (Continue to Track Subjects, Ignoring Possible Obstacles) and Mode 4 (For Subjects That Accelerate or Decelerate Quickly) but was not able to see a significant difference between the modes. Even with trying the “Deep Learning” Automatic setting (Tracking Automatically Adapts to Subject Movement) I did not notice a significant difference. They all performed really well. The conclusion is that Canon has produced a camera that is now on-par or even better than its competitors with respect to AF performance. Although I did not test the mirrorless capabilities yet, other tests show that this function is also equal to or better than the Sony A9 performance, the only difference is that you can not use the OVF in mirrorless-mode with the 1DX III and have to use the display on the back of the camera (the rear monitor) instead. Due to the fact you have to keep the camera away from your eye, this is somewhat awkward for photographing birds in flight. I am very happy with the AF performance as compared to the previous Canon models and am looking forward to testing it further on Florida birds this coming spring.

This image was also created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the handheld Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II (now replaced by the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III (at 382mm) with his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 1250: 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #7: Bald Eagles juveniles squabbling. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

Canon EOS-1DX Mark III versus the SONY a9 ii

First off, I am glad for my many Canon friends — including and especially Clemens — that they now have a body that features a consistently accurate AF system that can track birds flying right at them and maintain accurate focus with birds flying against backgrounds other than sky. Here is my take on comparing the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III with the Sony Alpha a9 II.

The 1DX III weighs 2.75 pounds. The SONY a9 ii weighs 1.49 pounds. For many of us, that is game over.

For bird photographers, the “mirrorless” capabilities of the 1DX III simply do not exist. When photographing birds in flight you cannot use the rear monitor and — with the mechanical shutter — you suffer from viewfinder blackout.

At 24.2MP the SONY a9ii images files are approximately 20% larger than the Canon EOS-1DX Mark II files (20.1MP). Nineteen point 52381 percent larger to be exact.

I know for a fact that when creating uncompressed RAW files and using AF-C, the a9 ii maintains its advertised 20 frames per second frame rate. I am not sure if the same is true of the 1DX III. All previous Canon (and Nikon) dSLRs — all with mechanical shutters — have slowed down from their advertised frame rates when using AI Servo (Canon) or C (Nikon).

The a9 ii offers the amazing Zebras technology that enables even SONY beginners to consistently come up with perfect or near-perfect exposures (after five minutes of instructions. And the a9 ii features Tracking Flexible Spot AF that enables folks to easily perfect their image designs when photographing static birds with every image sharp on the eye.

Like Clemens new 1DX III, my a9 ii has performed superbly in Homer. I have had it covered in wet snow and continued shooting without a problem. Despite creating as many as 2,500 images in a single session, I have not had to change a battery once in temps as low as 13 degrees F. And best of all, well more than 98% of the flight images that I have created in Homer are razor-sharp on the eye.

This image was also created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the handheld Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens (at 227mm) and his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 2000: 1/800 sec. at f/8. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #8: Bald Eagle banking in front of snow-covered mountain. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

The Clemens Advantage

Folks who are strong, who have excellent reflexes, who have excellent stamina, whoo have superior hand-eye coordination and fine-motor-skills will always have an advantage over the rest of us when it comes to handholding relatively heavy gear, especially when doing flight photography. Period.

This image was also created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the tripod/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens (now replaced by the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III (at 1200mm), and his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 2000: 1/640 sec. at f/8. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #9: Bald Eagle — tight face-shot of adult. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

It is Quite Obvious …

It is quite obvious that Clemens is a highly-skilled, highly-motivated photographer who works very hard at his craft. And it is equally obvious that he created a slew of great images with his new Canon dSLR. Thank you, Clemens, for allowing me to share your images and your thoughts on the 1DX Mark III here on the blog. Folks can be inspired by more of Clemens’ great work here.

While picking your favorites, be sure to study the composition of each image; one of Clemens’ great strengths is creating carefully and superbly designed photographs.

This image was also created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the handheld Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II (now replaced by the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III (at 170mm) with his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 800: 1/3200 sec. at f/4. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #10: Bald Eagle striking at breaking wave top with sunset color. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

Your Two Favorite Clemens’ Images?

I have two very clear favorites from the wonderful collection of images presented here today on the blog. I will share my two favorites with you here soon along with my reasons. All are invited to do the same. I’d be totally shocked if anyone’s choices matched mine …

The Greatest-ever Bald Eagle Experience IPTs

IPT #1: SAT 20 FEB 2021 through the full day on THURS 25 FEB MAR 1, 2021. Six full days: $5499.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4.

IPT #2: SAT 27 FEB 2021 through the full day on WED 3 MAR 2021. Five full days: $4599.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4

Please note the slightly revised dates for IPT #2 above.

From Homer, Alaska

We will do two 2-hour or one 4-hour photographic boat trips at Kachemak Bay each day (weather permitting). Our schedule will be flexible and driven by the wind and sky conditions. We will have numerous and varied mind-boggling opportunities to photograph Bald Eagle, a hugely popular species. We will be feeding the eagles to attract them into photographic range. The trip is costly because chartering the boat is expensive, the fish are very expensive at $1.25/pound (all on me), the costs of in-room breakfasts and one sit-down meal/day are included, hotel to dock transfers are included, as is lodging (double-occupancy). The cost of a single supplement is $90.00/night. I need to mention that two other Bald Eagle trips led by North American photographers include only breakfast and do not include lodging; this makes my trips an even greater value.

We will do lots of flight photography from the boat and on land until you can no longer lift your lens. We will get off the boat on various islands to photograph the birds both perched and in flight. It would be entirely possible to do this entire trip with just a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens and a 1.4X teleconverter. Bald Eagles take five years to reach maturity; we will get to photograph birds of all age-classes from juvenile plumage to full adults with their gleaming white heads (and everything in between). There will be numerous informal Image Editing, Photoshop, and Image Review sessions throughout each trip. As I am conversant in Canon, Nikon, and SONY I can help you better understand your gear no matter what you are shooting.

Going up earlier than all other tours this year proved to be fantastic with tons of snow on the ground to light up the eagle’s underwings. You will usually not enjoy those conditions on the March tours (unless you are very lucky). In addition, the eagles are more ravenous early in the season. In FEB 2020 we often had 30-40 or more eagles in the air around the boat with as many as 75 perched in trees or resting on the black sand beaches. Folks who want to do some photography locally during downtime may wish to rent a vehicle.

It is best to register right now to save your spot. Register for both trips and apply a $300 discount. If you have been on a previous IPT, a $100.00 discount will be applied to your balance.

A $2000 credit card deposit is required to hold your spot. Call Jim ASAP at the office weekdays at 863-221-2372 to leave your deposit. Your balance will be payable only by check no later than July 31, 2020. If you fail to pay your balance, your spot will be forfeited to someone on the waiting list and you will lose your deposit. If you plan on joining me, please e-mail immediately or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372 with any questions or to let me know of your plans. First come, first served.

Not included: your round-trip airfare from home to Homer, AK through Anchorage and back. Your second sit-down meal each day. Alcoholic beverages at our sit down meal.

On these IPTs you will learn:

• 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
• 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
• 3- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
• 4- To spot good situations and to choose the best perspective.
• 5- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
• 6- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 7- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography.
• 8- More than you could ever imagine.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

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Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

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 :).

What’s Up?

Sunday past, the last day of the first Homer IPT, was yet another fantastic one. All but two folks from the first group are on their way home. One is staying for the second IPT, the other flies to Anchorage this afternoon, Monday 2 MAR 2020. Everyone was thrilled and sated with great eagle images. Two folks from this year’s IPT have already signed up for three sessions next year between them! I will be picking up the rest of the second IPT gang this afternoon and early evening.

With my lone day off today, I have been working a ton on the big SONY e-Guide. We get closer to completion every day.

The Sony Camera Videos and Pre-publication e-Guide Costs and Discount Info

The cost of the SONY e-Guide is $100.00 US and will include one of the camera set-up videos — we offer one video each for the a7r iii, the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii — and the written guide with the galleries. The guide is now 98% done and you will — of course, receive the final version when it is completed. I sent out the third draft today to those who have purchased the Guide with or without the discount.

Folks who have used my B&H links or purchased their SONY gear from Bedfords will receive said discount based exactly on how much they spent. If you spent more than $10,000 you will receive one free video and the e-Guide. Additional camera videos are $25.00 each. If you spent $2400, you will receive a 24% discount, and so on and so forth. And again, additional camera videos will be $25.00 each.

I will need time to verify your B&H purchases so folks will need to send their receipts and then be a bit patient. It is much easier to verify Bedfords’ purchases but I need those receipts as well.

If you have not used BAA links, please do so in the future. If that is the case and you would like the e-Guide now, please send a Paypal for $100 US to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words “SONY Pre-publication Guide” in the Paypal e-mail along with the name of your camera or cameras so that you can receive the correct video or videos. Please add $25 for each additional camera video. Be sure to send a copy of the Paypal transaction to me via e-mail.

Folks who have used BAA links to purchase their SONY gear should send their receipts to me via e-mail asap and let me know which camera videos they need. I will verify their purchases as quickly as possible and send a quote to be paid via Paypal as above.

Thanks to all who have properly used my B&H links or gone through the fabulous Steve Elkins at Bedfords, and thanks to everyone for having faith in the information that I provide, knowing that it will be the best available anywhere.

An e-mail conversation with Fred Innamorato

AM: Hi Fred,

Re:

FI: There is no need for a discount on your new SONY e-Guide. Your help over the years is so greatly appreciated.

You are most kind.

I am sure you put a lot of time and thought into making the instructional video and the e-Guide. I am also grateful for what you do.

AM: 🙂

FI: I really don’t know how I would have gotten to the level of making quality photographs that I currently am at without you … Two years ago I knew absolutely nothing about bird photography. Your book, The Art of Bird Photography is a classic that a good friend recommended. He advised me that any serious bird shooter needs to read it. Wow, that was excellent advice! It is the best and most effective instructional bird photography book I have ever read.

AM: Many thanks for your kind words and thoughts.

FI: Your Blog has educated and informed and explained the best camera equipment to purchase. From Canon to Nikon to SONY! I would have never known to make the switch from Canon to SONY. You were way ahead of the curve on this call. All my more experienced photographer friends are now moving to SONY. Who knows what you will recommend doing in the future but I completely trust your expertise and sincerity. I am lucky and grateful to have access to such knowledge and experience on a daily basis.

M: Thanks again. I just try to use the best gear for me at any given moment … Be sure to let your friends know to visit the blog to learn about SONY and to use my affiliate links.

FI It is a privilege to have the ability to email you with my questions.

That’s my job!

I will be purchasing the new guide for the full price when it is available for purchase …

AM: Please see my last mail.

FI: I also really enjoyed the fun Zebra Video you made. It was a classic artie production. It offered excellent technical advice on setting up Zebras that is not publicly available as far as I know. SONY doesn’t even offer this technical insight that you provide.

AM: You are correct sir. And know that your kind words are greatly appreciated.

FI: Anyway, I just wanted to offer some words of appreciation and thanks artie!

AM: Huge thanks again. You made my day!

With love, artie

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens (with extras!)

Price Dropped $400.00 on 2 MAR 2020

Barry McKenzie is offering a Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition for a very low $2,999.00 (was $3,399.00). The sale includes the hood, the rear cap, the lens trunk, a LensCoat, the CD, two front lens covers, the Canon PL-C52 polarizer, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Photos available on request. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Barry via e-mail.

The 300mm f/2.8 lenses have long been the favorites of the world’s best hawks-in-flight photographers. And since they perform superbly with both teleconverters, they make a great workhorse lens for bird photographers who wish to handhold, especially those with crop factor bodies like the 7D Mark II or those with some of the newer Canon bodies likee the very popular Canon EOS 90D… artie

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 over $1000.00, 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. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

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… 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.

Capture One Screen Capture: Bald Eagle landing RAW file representation

Capture One Screen Capture

I cannot recall whether this bird was landing on a lower perch or on the ground. But in the original image capture above, the image design is not very well balanced; it certainly does not seem as if the bird would be landing on the perch … So after converting the image in Capture One, I brought the TIFF into Photoshop and decided to move the bird up and to the left in the frame after adding canvas top, left, and right. Even though the sky looks fairly even-toned it is not; there are gradations. When I tried to move the bird up and left in one fell swoop, the edges of the darker and lighter sky were obvious. Such edges are difficult to deal with. So, using the tools at my disposal, I simply moved the bird up and left in five small steps and had zero problems with the darker/lighter sky edge lines. I used techniques from ATATS 1 & 2 and from Digital Basics II and did not have to use a single Layer Mask or a single Quick Mask. I used the Patch Tool to eliminate the various wingtips that showed after each small move.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a Paypal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

Everything mentioned above (except for Capture One RAW conversions) and tons more — including all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — is covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my Macbook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.

You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About two years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12 and continue to do so today.

To purchase Capture One, please use this link. Then you can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here.

You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and edited by yours truly. Please use this link to purchase NeatImage.

To introduce folks to our MP.4 videos and the basics involved in applying more NeatImage noise reduction to the background and less on the subject, I’d be glad to send you a free copy of the Free Noise Reduction Basics MP.4 Video. Simply click to shoot me an e-mail to get your free copy.

This image was created at Kachemak Bay, AK on 25 FEB 2020. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 280mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body) that features incredibly accurate AF. ISO 2500. Exposure determined via Zebras on the rear wheel: 1/1600 sec. at f/4. AWB at 2:52pm on a cloudy afternoon. Wide AF-C performed beautifully. Click on the image to see a larger version. Bald Eagle landing

The Perch

While on my busman’s holiday last week photographing with friends Clemens Van der Werf and Greg Gulbransen, we discovered — in a seldom-visited lagoon — what surely must be the most beautiful perch in all of Kachemak Bay. The green and yellow lichens are to die for. I visited several more times with my first Homer group when the wind, the sky conditions, and the tides were just right. In today’s featured image, only the very top of that perch is visible in the image. More of the perch is visible in Image #1 in the last blog post here, and the whole perch can be seen in Image #2 in the same blog post. We will be visiting again with my second Homer group — we just need to make sure that we are not being followed …

The Greatest-ever Bald Eagle Experience IPTs

IPT #1: SAT 20 FEB 2021 through the full day on THURS 25 FEB MAR 1, 2021. Six full days: $5499.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4.

IPT #2: SAT 27 FEB 2021 through the full day on WED 3 MAR 2021. Five full days: $4599.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4

Please note the slightly revised dates for IPT #2 above.

From Homer, Alaska

We will do two 2-hour or one 4-hour photographic boat trips at Kachemak Bay each day (weather permitting). Our schedule will be flexible and driven by the wind and sky conditions. We will have numerous and varied mind-boggling opportunities to photograph Bald Eagle, a hugely popular species. We will be feeding the eagles to attract them into photographic range. The trip is costly because chartering the boat is expensive, the fish are very expensive at $1.25/pound (all on me), the costs of in-room breakfasts and one sit-down meal/day are included, hotel to dock transfers are included, as is lodging (double-occupancy). The cost of a single supplement is $90.00/night. I need to mention that two other Bald Eagle trips led by North American photographers include only breakfast and do not include lodging; this makes my trips an even greater value.

We will do lots of flight photography from the boat and on land until you can no longer lift your lens. We will get off the boat on various islands to photograph the birds both perched and in flight. It would be entirely possible to do this entire trip with just a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens and a 1.4X teleconverter. Bald Eagles take five years to reach maturity; we will get to photograph birds of all age-classes from juvenile plumage to full adults with their gleaming white heads (and everything in between). There will be numerous informal Image Editing, Photoshop, and Image Review sessions throughout each trip. As I am conversant in Canon, Nikon, and SONY I can help you better understand your gear no matter what you are shooting.

Going up earlier than all other tours this year proved to be fantastic with tons of snow on the ground to light up the eagle’s underwings. You will usually not enjoy those conditions on the March tours (unless you are very lucky). In addition, the eagles are more ravenous early in the season. In FEB 2020 we often had 30-40 or more eagles in the air around the boat with as many as 75 perched in trees or resting on the black sand beaches. Folks who want to do some photography locally during down-time may wish to rent a vehicle.

It is best to register right now to save your spot. Register for both trips and apply a $300 discount. If you have been on a previous IPT, a $100.00 discount will be applied to your balance.

A $2000 credit card deposit is required to hold your spot. Call Jim ASAP at the office weekdays at 863-221-2372 to leave your deposit. Your balance will be payable only by check no later than July 31, 2020. If you fail to pay your balance, your spot will be forfeited to someone on the waiting list and you will lose your deposit. If you plan on joining me, please e-mail immediately or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372 with any questions or to let me know of your plans. First come, first served.

Not included: your round-trip airfare from home to Homer, AK through Anchorage and back. Your second sit-down meal each day. Alcoholic beverages at our sit down meal.

On these IPTs you will learn:

• 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
• 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
• 3- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
• 4- To spot good situations and to choose the best perspective.
• 5- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
• 6- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 7- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography.
• 8- More than you could ever imagine.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

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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 :).

What’s Up?

Bald Eagle photography at Kachemak Bay has continued to be phenomenal. On Thursday afternoon we took the boat to a seldom-visited bay and with a brisk southwest wind we found a relatively sheltered spot; it was an absolute slaughter as we had birds diving right at the boat and banking in front of a spectacular snow-covered mountain. Everyone photographed until they could no longer raise their lenses. Photos soon!

The first sign-up for the DeSoto IPT (below) can share my AirBNB two-bedroom place with me if that works for them.

The Greatest-ever Bald Eagle Experience IPTs

IPT #1: SAT 20 FEB 2021 through the full day on THURS 25 FEB MAR 1, 2021. Six full days: $5499.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4.

IPT #2: SAT 27 FEB 2021 through the full day on WED 3 MAR 2021. Five full days: $4599.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 4

Please note the slightly revised dates for IPT #2 above.

Click here for complete details.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. Please understand that e-Bay prices are bogus. And the same is true of the prices of used gear including my dear friends at B&H and the other mega-outfits. They offer you pennies and then try to sell the stuff to ignorant folks for ridiculously high prices. With their huge international exposure, they occasionally find someone …

The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the 5Ds and 5Ds R, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, the Canon 200-400 with internal extender, and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. The prices garnered for used Canon gear has tanked completely as demand has dropped tremendously. It is ironic that for decades Canon gear had very strong resale value …

Note: all BAA Used Gear sales include insured ground shipping via UPS to lower 48 US addresses only. Others who live elsewhere are invited to e-mail the seller for shipping surcharge info. Sellers should charge you only the difference between shipping to the farthest US location from their home and the charge to a non-lower-48 address.

Recent Sales

IPT veteran Cris Hamilton sold her Canon EF 600 f/4L IS III USM Lens in mint condition for $10,899.00 (was $11,499.00) to a local buyer and is kindly sending me a check for 4% as per the recently-revised Items for Sale Info e-mail.
Paul Mckenzie sold his Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens in mint condition (but for a very few minor blemishes on the lens hood) for the BAA record-low-by-far price of 9,999.00 (was $10,999.00) and a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II dSLR in very good condition with 95,000 actuations for the very low price of $2499.00 (was $2,899.00).
Karl Schneck sold his Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens in excellent plus condition for a very low $5399.00 and a Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II in excellent plus condition for a very low $3799.00, both on the second day of listing in mid-FEB 2020.
Tim McCreary sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Telephoto lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $2399.00 on the first day of listing.
Multiple IPT veteran Larry Master sold his Canon EF Extender 1.4X III (teleconverter) in excellent condition for $229.00 in mid-FEB 2020.
Craig Elson sold his Canon 400 f/4 DO IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition for $3,599.00, a Canon 300 f/4L IS USM lens in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $499.00, a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with 13,140 actuations in excellent to near-mint condition for $1,698.00, a Canon 7D Mark II with only 7,169 actuations in near-mint condition for $649.00, a Canon 1.4x Extender EF III in mint condition for $249.00, and a Canon 2.0x Extender EF III in mint condition for $249, al on the first day of listing in mid-FEB 2020.
Joe Randle sold his Canon Speedlite 430EX II in near-mint condition for $50.00 (was $75.00) and his Canon Fisheye EF 8-15 1:4 L USM zoom lens (the “circle lens) in near-mint condition for a crazy low $549.00 (was $749.00) both in mid-FEB 2020.
Bob Lester sold his Sony A7r iii Mirrorless camera body in Very Good Plus condition (shutter count < 14,000) for only $1698.00 in mid-FEB 2020. Jim Lewis sold his Fujifilm X-T2 Mirrorless Digital camera body in-near mint condition for an incredibly low $449.00 (was $699.00) in early FEB 2020. I learned in FEB 2020 that Joe Randle sold his EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens in excellent condition for $149.00 in mid-JAN 2020. Multiple IPT participant Sheldon Goldstein sold his Sigma Contemporary 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG Lens for Canon in like-new condition for $675.00 (was $725.00) in early FEB 2020. IPT veteran Richard Russ sold his Nikkor 105mm Micro f/2.8G AF-VR lens in near-mint condition for the very low price of $496.95 and a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Special Edition Lens lens in near-mint condition for the silly low price of $106.95. Barry McKenzie sold his Canon 2X III TC in excellent plus condition for a very low $219.00 and a Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens for Canon EF in like-new condition for a very low $449.00, both in early FEB, 2020. Paul Mckenzie sold his Canon EOS 5DS R dSLR in very good condition for only $799.00 (was $999.00), a Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens in good plus condition for an amazingly low $1,099.00 (was $1,499.00), and a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II dSLR in very good condition with 95,000 actuations for the very low price of $2499.00 (was $2,899.00), all on 9 FEB 2020. Barry McKenzie sold a Canon 1.4X III TC in very good condition with a single "ding" for a very low $160.00 in early February 2020. Paul Mckenzie sold his Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens in good plus condition for an amazingly low $1,099.00 and his Canon EF Extenders (teleconverters) 1.4X III and 2X III in excellent condition for $200 each on 6 FEB 2020. Paul Mckenzie sold his Canon EF 100-400mm L IS II USM Zoom lens in very good plus condition for $999.00 on 5 FEB 2020. BAA friend and multiple IPT veteran Paul Reinstein sold his Canon 600mm f/4L IS III lens in absolutely like-new condition (with extras) for $11,499.00 in mid-December 2020. IPT veteran Steve Leimberg sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II Lens in near-mint condition for a BAA Record-low $5400.00 (was $5,989.00) in mid-JAN.

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

BAA Record-low Price!

Kevin Spencer is offering a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II body in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $2,699.00. The body has only 25,914 shutter clicks. The camera was cleaned and checked by CPS on 2-20-20 and the firmware was updated as well. The sale includes the front lens cover, the strap, the CDs, cables and manuals, the original product box, one extra battery with the charger, 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 Kevin via e-mail or by phone at 1-410.984.3361 (Eastern time zone).

The EOS-1DX Mark II is Canon’s flagship professional camera body. I made many fine images with mine. It is rugged and fast and featured Canon’s best AF system for years. The 1DX II sells new for $5499.00 so you can save a very cool $2800.00 by grabbing Kevin’s camera right now. artie

Canon 800mm f/5.6L ISUSM Lens/with extras!

BAA Record-low Price!.

Kevin Spencer is offering a Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $6,799.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk and key, the original tough front lens cover, a Real Tree LensCoat, drop-in polarizing filter (PL-C52), and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. The lens was cleaned and checked by CPS on 2-12-20. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Kevin via e-mail or by phone at 1-410.984.3361 (Eastern time zone).

I used this lens, often with a 1.4X TC, as my main super-telephoto lens for close to five years. It is a superb lens that offers lots of reach for those working with birds that are skittish. It is great from the car. I was astounded that about 15 of the 67 images in the San Diego exhibit (and in the 100 Best CD as well) were created with my 800. I missed it terribly for years. As the lens sells new at B&H for $12,999, Kevin’s lens is a superb buy; grab it now and save a very sweet $6200.00! artie

Canon 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4X Extender

Multiple IPT veteran Larry Master is offering a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with internal 1.4X Extender in excellent condition for $5999.00. The lens has minor nicks and other blemishes on the finish and the lens foot. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the front lens cover, an Aquatech SoftCap, a Realtree Max4 LensCoat, an Arca-Swiss lens plate, the lens strap, the lens trunk, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Photos are available upon request. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 (Eastern time zone).

This is the world’s best lens for a trip to Africa. It kills also in the Galapagos and in South Georgia, the Falklands, and Antarctica. And I used mine a lot at Bosque and other dusty places where the built-in TC helps to keep your sensor clean. And I love it in the Palouse for its versatility. At one point, I found myself wishing that I had taken the 200-400 rather than my 500 II on the Bear Boat Cubs IPT. Many nature photographers use this lens as their workhorse telephoto as it offers 784mm at f/8 with an external 1.4X TC added. The lens sells new at B&H right now for $10,999; can save $5000.00 by grabbing Larry’s excellent lens along with all the great extras right now. artie

The Last One

Good friend, the incredibly talented and oft-major international-photo-contest-honored Paul Mckenzie, is switching to SONY and has sold all of his Canon gear but for the item below. As you saw in yesterday’s blog post, the 70-200 f/2.8 lenses can be deadly on flying birds, with and without the 1.4X TC.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens

Paul Mckenzie is offering a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens in good plus condition for $700.00. This lens, the first IS version, shows lots of wear but the front element is perfectly clean. The sale includes the lens hood, the soft carrying case, and insured shipping via FedEx. Your item will ship upon receipt of your wire transfer. This sale is subject to the restrictions noted here.

The 70-200 f/2.8 lenses are extremely versatile. I have a hundred uses for mine including bird-scapes, scenics, and dance recitals! They perform superbly with both teleconverters. artie

This image was created at Fort DeSoto on May 6, 2019. I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at at 560mm) and the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 500. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1000 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:00am on sunny morning. Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and did a fine job of getting the eye sharp. The sharpest focus was at a point just behind and below the eye, pretty much on the exact same plane as the eye. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Snowy Egret in mega-breeding plumage — head portrait

DeSoto in Spring

There are many stunning birds in full breeding plumage in April and in early May at Fort DeSoto each year, perhaps none more beautiful than the cherry-red lored Snowy Egrets. Many species of wading birds attain their brightly colored lores (the skin in front of the eye) and other soft parts like the legs and feet when actively breeding, those changes due to increased hormonal levels. While many species like Great Egret may show the super-bright lores for a week or more, Snowy Egrets hold the brightest color only for a day or two before it begins to fade to pink.

SONY AF Tip

While center Zone AF-C worked to perfection here, understand that if I had been using Tracking Expand Spot M I could have slowly moved the lens left and created an image that included the entire raised crest … The more Patrick and I use our SONY gear, the more we love it and the more we learn about using it effectively and efficiently. We will, of course, be sharing everything that we have learned with you in the nearly-finished SONY e-Guide and Videos fairly soon. If you cannot wait and would like to purchase a pre-publication copy, please e-mail for purchase details.

If …

If you have purchased a SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens (or more than $10,000 worth of SONY gear) using a BAA link and have not received your free SONY e-Guide and Videos, please shoot me an e-mail with a copy of your receipt so that I can send it along.

Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, many in full breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull landing on head of Brown Pelican, Laughing Gull in flight, Reddish Egret sunrise silhouette, Great Blue Heron with needlefish, Yellow-crowned Night Heron with ghost crab, Roseate Spoonbill, Sanderling in breeding plumage, and white morph Reddish Egret in glorious breeding plumage.

The 2020 Fort DeSoto Spring Sandbar Secrets IPT/April 22 through the morning session on April 25, 2020. 3 1/2 DAYS: $1499.00. Limit: 8 photographers

An inexpensive add-on day is available.

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for breeding terns and gulls and wading birds in spring. Migrant shorebirds are in abundance, and many are exceedingly tame. We should have great chances on Royal and Sandwich Terns and both white- and dark-morph Reddish Egrets. 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 along with some American Oystercatchers. We will enjoy lots of great flight photography.

Again, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Laughing Gull in flight, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Sandwich Terns copulating, Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egret with reflection, breeding plumage Short-billed Dowitcher, American Oystercatcher, Royal Tern, white morph Reddish Egret, and Snowy Egret in marsh.

We will also get to photograph a variety of other shorebirds including Black-bellied, Semipalmated, Wilson’s, and Piping Plovers, Willet, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, most especially, Red Knot with many individuals in their handsome breeding plumages. In spring the T-shaped peninsula and the newly formed sandbar, Outback Key, are literally packed with avian treasures.
With luck, we might get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable species: Roseate Spoonbill. And we will almost surely get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. With luck, they will have Laughing Gulls landing on their heads. And though not guaranteed, 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.

Yes, Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: breeding plumage Dunlin, dark morph Reddish Egret displaying, Laughing Gull vertical front-end portrait, Laughing Gull with prey item, landing on head of Brown Pelican, breeding plumage Royal Tern displaying, Royal Terns — pre-copulatory stance, Laughing Gulls copulating, Laughing Gull head portrait, breeding plumage Sandwich Tern with fish, and a rare treat, a breeding plumage White-rumped Sandpiper.

On the IPT you will learn:

• 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure.
• 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
• 3- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 4- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
• 5- To age and identify many species of shorebirds including sandpipers, plovers, dowitchers, and possibly yellowlegs.
• 6- To spot good situations and to choose the best perspective.
• 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
• 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography.
• 10- How and when to access the magical sandbar safely.
• 11- More than you could ever imagine.

You got it by now! Fort DeSoto in spring is rife with tame birds, most in breeding plumage. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left around to center: Roseate Spoonbill, immature Brown Pelican in flight, the heron/egret hybrid, American Oystercatcher feeding, immature Royal Tern on railing, Great Egret morning silhouette, Black Skimmer in surf, and underside head portrait of Great Blue Heron.

Morning sessions will run at least three to 3 1/2 hours, afternoon sessions 2 1/2 to 3 hours. There is never a set schedule on an IPT — we adapt to the conditions. There will be a Photoshop/image review session after lunch (included) each day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. This IPT will run with only a single registrant (though that is not likely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodiing information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area (rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away).

Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:30am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We will be getting wet.

Payment in full is due now. Credit cards are OK for your $500 deposit. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. If you leave a deposit you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check. If you wish to pay in full right off the bat, you can make your check out to BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice in mid-August. Please remember that we will meet early on Saturday morning. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together are urged to e-mail for discount information.

If In Doubt …

If you are 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 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 or Bedfords, 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 or Bedfords 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 regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

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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 :).