I’ve been stalled on getting my 2018 tax return info as I need Jennifer’s help with some stuff and she and Erik met Alissa and Ajiniyaz were on the Outer Banks for a week-long vacation. All four of my grandchildren were there. Jen will be back in the office today, Tuesday, September 3. Yikes to that — where did August go? So for the past two days, I got back to work on the Nikon D850 User’s Guide and made some good progress.
In the previous Back in the Saddle blog post, only two folks took a crack at the AF point question. If you have a moment, you might wish to re-visit that by clicking here . In the same vein, I would appreciate your comments on today’s two featured images as requested below.
This blog post took about three hours to prepare.
Great News!
I learned early yesterday that Mary van Deusen and her friend Patti Romano will be driving down from South Carolina to join UK Puffins and Gannets veteran Shonagh Adelman on the 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT at the end of this month. Then things got even better when DeSoto IPT veteran Jim Miller e-mailed letting me know that he would also be joining us. Everyone is excited. There are still two spots left on this great workshop.
IPT Updates
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Free Morning Session on Tuesday, October 1. Limit 6/Openings 2. Afternoon session on Friday, September 25 at 4pm, followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)
Click here for complete. IPT info. Couples, IPT veterans, and folks wishing to sign up with a friend or with a partner are asked to contact me via e-mail
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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 since the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
BIRDS AS ART friend Don Carter is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $5998.00. The sale includes the lens trunk, the rear lens cap, the original tough front lens cover, the lens strap, a Kirk replacement foot, a LensCoat cover and a LensCoat Hoodie, a Think Tank Glass Limo, 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 Don via e-mail or by phone at 1-630 390-0903 (Central time zone).
The 600 II has been the state of the art super-telephoto lens for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many years. When I was using Canon and could get it to my location, it was always my go-to weapon. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. And the Think Tank Glass Limo is a great extra; this telephoto lens backpack has helped me tremendously on many trips over the past two years, most especially, the Emperor Penguin trip.
With a new one going for $9,499, you can save a cool $3,501.00 by grabbing Don’s excellent lens now. The new, lighter 600 III goes for $12,999.00! artie
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM Lens
Sold first day!
BIRDS AS ART friend Don Carter is also offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $1196.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, an RRS replacement foot, a LensCoat, the tough fabric carrying case, the original box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. This lens was been recently cleaned by Canon Professional Services. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Don via e-mail or by phone at 1-630 390-0903 (Central time zone).
The Canon 100-400 II was one of my favorite-ever Canon lenses. I loved, loved, loved its versatility and its .98 meter (3.2 feet) close focusing distance. I rarely went into the field without my 1-4 and I used it often with the 1.4X III teleconverter. I used it for general bird photography, bird scapes, and as a quasi-macro lens. It sells new right now for $1799.00. artie
Canon EOS-1DX Mark II dSLR
BAA Record-low by far price!
Don Carter is also offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II dSLR in excellent condition for a ridiculously low $3599.00. The sale includes the body cap, the battery charger, one extra battery, the cables, DVDs, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. This camera was recently been cleaned and checked by Canon Professional Services. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Don via e-mail or by phone at 1-630 390-0903 (Central time zone).
The EOS-1DX 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. artie
This image was created on the morning of July 25, 2019 on the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850 ISO: 800. Matrix metering +2 1/3 stop off the light gray sky: 1/640 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode was perfect. Natural Light AUTO1 WB at 9:58am on a solidly overcast morning.
Center d-25 Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure. The outer assist point caught both the base of the lower mandible and the spot where the neck meets the upper breast. IAC, the image was sharp on the eye.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #1: Flightless Cormorant (calling) on nest with three eggs
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Could Not Find My SONY 1.4X Teleconverter …
On the Galapagos trips aboard the Samba, we keep our gear either on one long bench seat in the dining area/living space or behind the right-hand dining table. Before each landing, I give a briefing as to what gear you will likely need. Sometimes I refine my suggestions after breakfast as we are packing our stuff just prior to boarding the pangas. On the morning of Thursday, July 25 I could not find my SONY 1.4X Teleconverter. My plan had been to bring only the SONY 100-400 GM but when I could not find the TC I opted to go with the Nikon 500PF. I knew that I would miss the ability to zoom out to do the birds on the nests but decided to go with the extra reach.
As she often did, Anita North kindly helped me to try and find the missing TC but we were both unsuccessful. I often did the same for her — between the two of us, we were always looking for something. I wound up having one of my best mornings of the trip despite not being able to zoom out mechanically. Instead, I used the good old human zoomin’ technique: stepping back when I needed to get wider. On the Punta Albemarle (Isabela) landing, it is important to be very careful when moving about on the lava rocks; you must move slowly and pay attention so that you do not wind up falling.
This image was also created on the morning of July 25, 2019 on the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime and again I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850 ISO: 800. Matrix metering +2 1/3 stop off the light gray sky: 1/800 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode was perfect. Natural Light AUTO1 WB at 10:18am on a solidly overcast morning.
Center d-25 Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure. For this one, the selected AF point was on the base of the bill right below and on the same plane as the eye.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #2: Flightless Cormorant sitting on nest with three eggs
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
The Different Backgrounds
I am pretty sure (but not positive) that both of today’s featured images are of the same nest. I am sure that the birds had switched during the 20 minutes that had elapsed between the two photographs. One mate goes fishing or spends time in the water gathering nesting material while the other one incubates. Then they switch roles.
Note that the backgrounds in the two images are different. For the first image I was standing at full height and as a result, there are some out-of-focus rocks in the background. For image #2 I squatted down a bit for a cleaner sand background. Sitting down in this situation would have resulted in a sore butt and would have brought the distant low lava cliffs into play.
The Lesson
Small changes in your perspective can make big differences in the success of an image.
Your Call?
Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? Each has something different going for it so be sure to let us know why you made your choice.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
While I am glad that Hurricane Dorian pretty much fizzled in Florida, it looks as if the folks in the Bahamas are really going to get hit hard some time on Sunday. I hope not …
I have been swimming and walking and stretching and exercising every day and continue to feel great. I take my Leica 8×32 Trinovid HD bins on my morning walks and keep a record of everything that I see. During the past week, I have seen several first-of-season species. Thos include Belted Kingfisher, Northen Flicker, Spotted Sandpiper, and today, an Eastern Kingbird.
IPT Updates
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Free Morning Session on Tuesday, October 1. Limit 6/Openings 5. Afternoon session on Friday, September 25 at 4pm, followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)
Couples, IPT veterans, and folks wishing to sign up with a friend or with a partner are asked to contact me via e-mail
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P.
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 the morning of August 30, 2019 21 down by the lake near my home. Working while seated in the front seat of my SUV, I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 400. Matrix metering at about 1-3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode was perfect with the histogram pushed all the way to the right. AUTO1 WB at 7:42am on a clear, sunny morning.
Two to the left and two up from the center — Single Point/Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was right on the crane’s eye. See the Nikon Capture NX-D screen capture below.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: a very significant +9. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Sandhill Crane head protrait
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Back in the Saddle Again
Since I added my morning walk about a week ago, I had been thinking about doing some photography down by the lake. So I got my stuff in the car, set up the tripod in the car with the FlexShooter Pro and my big Nikon glass with the 1.4X TC. Now while ILE is not great for bird photography in the summer, the Sandhill Cranes are always cooperative. Almost always numerous. And almost usually quite tame. The light was nice early. What drew me to this image was the sweet, distant grass background. Scroll down for the AF point info and a 100% crop.
Nikon Capture NX-D Screeen capture
You might need to click on the image to enlarge it so that you can see the selected AF point that was enhanced in Photoshop.
Show Focus Point
Both Canon and Nikon offer software that allows you to view the selected AF point and mode. SONY does not. With Canon, I used DPP 4 to view the selected AF point and did most of my CR.2 conversions there as well. With Nikon, I use Capture NX-D only to view the selected AF point and check the AFA value. Right now I am using Capture One for all of my Nikon, SONY, and Canon conversions.
In the screen capture above, some might need to enlarge the image to see the selected AF point that I enhanced with the Pen Tool in Photoshop.
AF Point Question
How would selecting an AF point three to the left and two up from the center and placing that point right on the crane’s eye have changed the image design? Would you have liked the change?
Image Clean-up
Take a close look at the original immediately above and compare it with the optimized image that opened today’s blog post and you will note that I removed a fly from the crane’s neck and cleaned up the bill as well.
Unsharpened 100% crop
The Unsharpened 100% Crop
When I become confident that I can consistently make SONY images of this quality I just might sell all of my Nikon gear …
Note that setting up the tripod in the car and working with the FelxShooter Pro allows me to create the sharpest possible images when working from my vehicle.
See the Setting Up a Tripod in Your Vehicle video here.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
The big news down here is, of course, the path of Hurricane Dorian. We have gas for our generator and lots of water (and food). I am hoping of course that the storm turns out to be some sort of a fizzle. Time will tell. In the meantime, I have been swimming and walking and stretching and exercising and am feeling great.
Be sure to scroll down to see Anita North’s spectacular Green Jay image made on Roel Ramirez’s ranch last spring.
The always-smiling Roel Ramirez
In Memoriam: Roel Ramirez
Nature Photography Loses a Great Friend
I cannot remember when I first met Roel Ramirez. In the first decade of this century, I visited his ranch in Roma, TX several times, always with a group. Roel loved the birds of the Rio Grande Valley and he loved photography. He (or his ranch hand Tacho) fed them regularly for decades. He built several superb photography blinds and welcomed visiting bird photographers and tour leaders with their groups. He was as sweet and generous and sincere as anyone I have ever known. When he greeted you, the smile on his face made you feel as if seeing you was the best thing that had happened to him in years. I stayed in an apartment that he owned in Rio Grande City where he owned a Ford dealership. When he lovingly built a home on the ranch, I was welcome to stay there and did so several times.
Roel’s family has been in the Valley for eight generations. I remember him taking me on a tour of Rio Grande City and Roma and proudly showing me the streets named after his ancestors and the businesses they had owned. And he pointed out the best place to grab a breakfast burrito! He was very proud of his Mexican heritage.
After 49 years of marriage, Roel lost his beloved wife Frances in 2014. He was devastated. I had known that Roel had been diagnosed with prostate cancer seemingly forever. I learned recently that more than 25 years ago, doctors had told Roel that he had less than a year to live. The man was a fighter. His body was ravaged by the disease and the medications. Toward the end, he rarely ate and lost a ton of weight. Before I visited in April, I spoke to him several times. As weak as he was, I could hear his smile through the phone lines. Still, he hung on. I learned days ago from his son Michael that Roel passed on August 23rd. I am sure that he was glad to see Frances again and I am sure that he is still smiling.
As I read his obituary (below), I cried. Sometimes it is difficult to know if we are crying tears of sadness or perhaps, tears of love.
The Monitor is a local Rio Grande Valley newspaper based in McAllen, TX where Roel spent the last years of his life.
McAllen, TX – Roel Roberto Ramirez, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother passed away on August 23, 2019, in McAllen, Texas, following a lengthy illness. He is survived by his children Michael Ramirez (Teresa), Cynthia Ramirez, and Daniel Ramirez (Edna), all of McAllen, Texas, as well six grandchildren, and his sister, Carmen R. Guerrero. He was preceded in death by his parents, Efren and Carmen Ramirez, brothers Dr. Mario E. Ramirez and Efren M. Ramirez, Jr., granddaughter Mari Carmen Ramirez, and his loving wife of 49 years, Frances Gabelich Ramirez. Roel was 76 years old.
Roel was part of one of the founding families of Roma, Texas. He graduated from Immaculate Conception School in Rio Grande City and Rio Grande City High School, then attended The University of Texas at Austin. Roel had a car while in Austin, and, on trips home to Roma, oftentimes would stop in San Antonio to pick up his cousin, Thalia Hinojosa (Munoz), who was studying nursing at Incarnate Word College. On one of these trips home, Thalia brought along her nursing school classmate, Frances. Roel was smitten with Frances and wooed her in one of the most romantic ways possible: by taking her to the Forty Acres to see a Longhorns football game. They became the love of each other’s life and thereafter rarely were apart. They wed in 1964 and were together for the next 49 years until Frances’ passing. One has to wonder what would have happened if Roel had not had that car in college.
Roel and Frances had a wonderful life together, filled with travel and adventure the world over. They shared a tremendous love for nature and the outdoors. Roel also was passionate about photography, and nature photography in particular. He loved to spend time at his Loma Blanca ranch in Starr County, where he built water features to attract wildlife, and blinds from which to view and photograph all of the birds and creatures that came to feed and drink. He converted a modest house on the property into what surely was Loma Blanca’s first bed and breakfast, where he and Frances welcomed avid birders and photographers from all over the world who marveled at the rich biodiversity and beauty of South Texas.
The Ramirez family would like to express their sincerest thanks and gratitude to all of those who helped care for Roel during his illness, including Dr. Jesus Zavaleta & staff, Dr. Eliana Ochoa & staff, Dr. Paul Corn & staff, Dr. Benjamin West & staff, Dr. Billie Marek & staff, Agustin Cisneros, Rosie Garcia, Blanca Resendez Pruneda, Hospice Compassionate Care Service, and Father Roy Snipes. Thank you also to all of our friends and relatives for your kind words and thoughts and gestures.
In lieu of flowers, the Ramirez family suggests memorial contributions to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
Memorial service will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 31, 2019, at Our Lady of Refuge (4 S. Eugene de Mazenod Avenue, Roma, TX 78584), with burial to follow at Queen of Peace Memorial Park Cemetery (US Hwy 83 and FM 649, Roma, TX). Pallbearers will be Miguel E. Ramirez and Pablo D. Ramirez. Honorary Pallbearers will be Cecilio Barrera, Manolo Barrera, Jaime Garcia, Cesar Gonzalez, and Luis Ramirez.
IPT Updates
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Free Morning Session on Tuesday, October 1. Limit 6/Openings 5. Afternoon session on Friday, September 25 at 4pm, followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)
Couples, IPT veterans, and folks wishing to sign up with a friend or with a partner are asked to contact me via e-mail
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P.
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 the Roma, TX IPT by many-multiple IPT veteran Anita North on the morning of April 19, 2019. She used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR AF lens and her Nikon D850 ISO: 1000. Matrix metering at about zero: 1/8000 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual mode was perfect. NATURAL AUTO WB at 10:21am on a sunny morning.
One diagonally up and to the right of center Group (grp) Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure. Things worked out pretty well with the array centered on the jay’s back.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: -10. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Green Jay reaching for orange
Image courtesy of and Copyright 2019: Anita North.
The Merits of Blasting Away …
Many multiple IPT-participant and good friend Anita North likes to push the shutter button. On mornings when I have created five or six hundred images, I have seen Anita create two, three, four, or even five thousand photos. Her shooting strategy is simple: once you have acquired focus, press the shutter button and hold it down. I have tried unsuccessfully for years to get her to be more selective. Understandably, she has trouble keeping up with her editing (with picking her keepers). Several times on trips, her computer has gotten so full that it simply quit working.
That said, there are times — as with today’s featured image — when her shooting strategy allows her to create some amazing images. I was next to her in the blind shooting too selectively … She has — in fact — inspired me to adopt a more aggressive shooting strategy and I have been shooting a lot more over the past few months.
Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All of the images in this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this September.
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 6/Openings 5.
Afternoon session on Friday September 25 at 4pm. That followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
Added: a Free Morning Session on Tuesday October 1
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With luck, we may get to photograph two of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit and Roseate Spoonbill. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy. 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 may very well get to see and photograph the amazing heron/egret hybrid that has been present for four years. We should get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On 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.
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 the hotel 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 …
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.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
With just one participant signed up for the 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets DeSoto IPT — I always go with one unless otherwise noted — I have opted to add a free morning session to the workshop at no charge. See immediately below for the complete details. IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together are asked to e-mail for discount information. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All of the images in this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this September.
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 6/Openings 5.
Afternoon session on Friday September 25 at 4pm. That followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
Added: a Free Morning Session on Tuesday October 1
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With luck, we may get to photograph two of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit and Roseate Spoonbill. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy. 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 may very well get to see and photograph the amazing heron/egret hybrid that has been present for four years. We should get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On 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.
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 the hotel 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 …
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.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P.
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 Fort DeSoto Park on September 26, 2016. I used the handheld Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM lens with the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (at 560mm) and my all-time favorite Canon body, the EOS 5D Mark IV.). ISO: 5000! Evaluative metering plus about 1 2/3rd stops: 1/25 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was more than perfect. AWB at 7:09am on a very dark, cloudy morning.
Ruddy Turnstone running along the surf
Version II with the seaweed lightened in response to popular demand
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
What Bugged Me About the Turnstone Blur?
In The Final Word on Exposing to the Right. Or not? Filling Added Canvas with the Rectangular Marquee Tool. Anything Bug You? And Just How Dark Was It? blog post here, I asked what bugged me about the image above. Lots of folks commented but nobody hit the nail on the head so posted the image on BirdPhotographer’s.Net. Super-moderator Daniel Cadieux knew exactly what bothered me about the image. You can read what he had to say in Pane #4 here.
How dark was it?
BPN regular John Mack left this comment:
I would say this was before sunrise — at ISO 5000 and 1/25 sec. there is not much light yet.
He pretty much hit the nail on the head. I think that this was a bit after sunrise on a very cloudy day.
Center Group (grp) Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure. With this one, the array was centered on the gull’s shoulder but because the bird was angled slightly toward us, the image is razor-sharp on the eye. With birds on the ground, I have — for the most part — gone to d-9 rather than Group. This one is a small crop from below and behind the bird.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +6. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #2: Laughing Gull screaming in breaking wave
Unanimity
In the Watch the Breaking Waves blog post here, everyone agreed that they far preferred Image #2 above to the more static Image #1. I agree, but I did like the smaller size of the subject in the frame in Image #1. The main lesson in that post was that by simply being aware of the breaking and cresting waves you can attempt to release the shutter at just the right time.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
On Monday, I took a day off on my 2018 tax return. I am swimming walking and exercising every day. I’ve been spending too much time watching the Smithsonian channel. I’ve become addicted to Air Disasters (will I ever get on a plane again?) and Disasters at Sea. Watching the disasters is riveting and the follow-up investigations are fascinating. They almost always reveal that a series of screws-up are needed to create a disaster … While guide surfing, I happened across and recorded Hitsville: The Making of Motown.. After watching it once, I saved it and will watch it often. Berry Gordy’s story is simply amazing.
Your Favorite?
After checking out today’s seven featured Andrew McLachlan images, please leave a comment and let us know which is your favorite frog and/or your favorite image. Either way, please let us know why.
IPT Updates
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 6/Openings 5. Afternoon session on Friday, September 25 at 4pm, followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)
Couples, IPT veterans, and folks wishing to sign up with a friend or with a partner are asked to contact me via e-mail
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Canon Macro EF 180mm f/3.5L USM Macro Lens
My Favorite Canon frog lens!
BAA Record-low Price
Long-time friend Alan Levine — Alan and Sara knew Elaine! — are offering a Canon Macro EF 180mm f/3.5L USM Macro Lens in like-new condition for the BAA record-low price of $799.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens cap, the tripod collar, the original box, the tough fabric carrying case, the lens hood (ET-78), 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.
The Canon 180 Macro was my mainstay macro lens for more than a decade. I love 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. The lens, that is still in production, sells new for $1,399.00. You can save a smooth $600 on Alan’s practically like-new lens. 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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P.
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.
Focus on Frogs by Andrew McLachlan
Focus on Frogs. Text & Photography by Andrew McLachlan: $50.00 via electronic download
As you can clearly see while checking out Andrew’s amazing frog and toad images in this blog post, you will realize that his work might well appear with the credit line reading Andrew McLachlan/FROGS AS ART. That Andrew has worked long and very hard at his craft is quite evident. That Andrew has mastered the use of the gear needed for macro photography is quite evident. That Andrew has perfected the use of electronic flash for both daytime and night-time frog photography is quite evident. That Andrew is creative and has a great eye for image design and color is quite evident. That Andrew has an understanding of how important backgrounds are in nature photography is quite evident. And that Andrew has developed all the skills needed to create outstanding images of frogs and toads – both captive and in their natural habitats, is also quite evident. In short, Andrew is the Frog Whisperer.
Focus on Frogs is a comprehensive guide to photographing frogs and toads. In the wild; in the tropics; in home-made terrariums; and at set-ups. Andrew covers it all: camera systems, bodies, and lenses (of all focal lengths!), the use of polarizers and graduated ND filters, how to dress for frog photography, the essentials accessories that will save you time and money, the use of flash, keeping you and your gear safe, in-the-field tips and techniques, finding the best perspective, Photoshop tips and techniques, frog conservation concerns, all aspects of froggy habitats, getting the right exposure, frog biology and behavior, creating attractive set-ups, over-under frog photography, and artistic renderings. The book ends with a spectacular Webfoot Gallery to inspire you.
Image #1: Bullfrog in wetland/approaching storm
Focus on Frogs. Text & Photography by Andrew McLachlan
Who would have thought of using a wide-angle (or even a fish-eye) lens for frog photography? Andrew used a Singh Ray 2-Stop Graduated Neutral Density Filter to hold back the sky.
Image #2: Over-under photo of a juvenile Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeiana)
Focus on Frogs. Text & Photography by Andrew McLachlan
Andrew created this super-creative over-under image of a juvenile Bullfrog in a homemade aquarium that he built to serve as a temporary set-up. He used the Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens.
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
I’ve been getting lots of work done on my 2018 tax return. And swimming and exercising every day. I need to remember to send my SONY 100-400 in for repair on Monday … Yesterday, I spent more than an hour doing image critiques in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net. There is no better way to improve your nature photography than having your work critiqued by others and then returning the favor; you actually learn a ton and improve your skills by commenting on other folks’ images.
IPT Updates
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 6/Openings 5. Afternoon session on Friday, September 25 at 4pm, followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)
Couples, IPT veterans, and folks wishing to sign up with a friend or with a partner are asked to contact me via e-mail
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P.
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.
Center Group (grp) Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure. The array was centered on the gull’s neck.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +6. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #1: Laughing Gull calling in the surf
Watch the Breaking Waves I
For bird photographers, “watch the breaking waves” has two meanings.
When you are photographing in the ocean, facing the shore, you literally need to watch out for the breaking waves. I can distinctly remember not doing so twice. Once was at La Jolla Shores Beach. We had several Whimbrels on rocks right in front of us. I was working with the Canon 600 II on a tripod. Even without the 1.4X III TC, I needed to back up to fit the subject in the frame. I was not paying attention and wound up getting smacked in the lower back by the largest wave in a set. I stumbled and almost went down; holding on to my tripod saved me.
The other time it happened could have been fatal. And I am not exaggerating. I was somewhere on South Georgia — Gold Harbor, I believe. I was photographing some giant petrels ripping apart a penguin carcass, hand holding the Canon 100-400 II. The penguin was being pulled away from the shore by the undertow. Though zoomed out to 100mm, I was still clipping birds so I kept backing up. Then I got smashed in the back by a very large wave. Miraculously, I was able to maintain my balance. So why might it have been fatal had I gone down? I was wearing waders. Without a safety belt that would prevent the waders from filling with water. Legendary striped bass fisherman Al Reinfelder drowned that exact manner while canoeing with his son. In addition, the water was about 33 degrees Fahrenheit …
If you’ve ever fished for stripers, you might enjoy the Martha’s Vineyard Magazine article here.
What About You?
If you have ever been unexpectedly smacked in the back by a large wave while photographing birds, please share your story with us by leaving a comment below. That goes for double if you have ever been knocked down!
Center Group (grp) Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure. With this one, the array was centered on the gull’s shoulder but because the bird was angled slightly toward us, the image is razor-sharp on the eye. With birds on the ground, I have — for the most part — gone to d-9 rather than Group. This one is a small crop from below and behind the bird.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +6. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #2: Laughing Gull screaming in breaking wave
Watch the Breaking Waves II
When you are photographing along the edge of any fairly large body of water, you can vastly improve the quality of your images by noticing the position of the breaking or cresting waves or wavelets. Failing to understand the importance of watching the breaking waves can be fatal to your images (but not to you). In Image #1 note that the cresting wave in the background is positioned nicely just above the gull and that there is a smaller wavelet just below the bird on the lower right. The bird is nicely framed. The worst-case scenario occurs when a wave is breaking or cresting through the bird’s head or body thus adding a very distracting element. When critiquing images in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net, I am a stickler when it comes to the position of a breaking or cresting wave, small or large. Many folks are simply not aware of the effect that the position of a breaking or cresting wave can have on their image. With practice, you can actually time the shutter release so that a breaking wave has a positive rather than a negative effect on the image design.
When a wave breaks right at the level of a bird’s feet, the. results can be quite pleasing as seen in Image #2. I remember seeing an image of a White Ibis in the surf from Fort DeSoto, where the bird is almost engulfed by a large breaking wave; it was a spectacular photograph. As always, it is important to remember that when something unexpected happens, the best course of action is to press the shutter button without thinking of changing anything.
Your Favorite?
Which of today’s two featured images do you feel is the strongest? Why?
The Size of the Bird in the Frame …
Do you prefer the smaller-in-the-frame subject in Image #1 or the larger-in-the-frame subject in Image #2? Why?
Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All of the images in this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this September. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 6/Openings 5.
Afternoon session on Friday September 25 at 4pm. That followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With luck, we may get to photograph two of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit and Roseate Spoonbill. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy. 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 may very well get to see and photograph the amazing heron/egret hybrid that has been present for four years. We should get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On 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.
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 the hotel 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 …
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 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 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
Notice the incredible variety of images that you can learn to make by developing your skills and your creative vision on a BAA IPT.
2019 Bosque del Apache IPT
The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate IPT #1. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6. Introductory Meet and greet at 7pm on MON 25 NOV.
Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
I quit going to Bosque several years ago as conditions had worsened each year for several seasons running. My understanding is that things have improved dramatically in recent years. Photography-wise, I know Bosque better than anyone. Join me to learn how wind and sky conditions influence bird photography, how to create dramatic sunrise and sunset silhouettes, how to be in the right place at the right time, and how to create contest-winning blurs. As usual, you will learn to get the right exposure every time, to use your camera’s AF system to create pleasing, balanced image designs, and to improve your flight photography skills.
We should get to photograph many thousands of Snow Geese, more than a few blast-offs, some Ross’s Geese, and lots of Sandhill Cranes in the water, taking flight and flying. Depending on local conditions we may get to shoot some ducks: point-blank American Wigeon and Wood Duck. With any luck, we might enjoy sunrises and sunsets that leave you in tears. Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world’s premier photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. Join me to learn to think like a pro and to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather. Every time we make a move, I will let you know why. When you get home, applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable.
Lunch is included.
To Register
To register, send your non-refundable $500 deposit — check made out to BIRDS AS ART — via US Mail to PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Or call Jim weekdays at 863-692-0906 to put your non-refundable deposit on a credit card. Balances must be paid in full by check no later than two months before the IPT. If you cancel, all but your deposit will be refunded only if the IPT sells out.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.
I finally got started on my 2018 tax return on Thursday. That will be about a two-week process. I’ve been swimming every day and have added some simple stretching and strengthening stuff to my daily routine.
I was glad to learn that the sale of Phil Frigon’s Canon 600mm f/4L IS lens became pending on the first day of listing, that UK Puffins and Gannets IPT veteran Shohagh Adelman will be joining me at Fort DeSoto in almost exactly one month, and that many-multiple IPT veteran and good friend Monte Brown will be joining the growing San Diego IPT group.
IPT Updates
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 6/Openings 5. Afternoon session on Friday, September 25 at 4pm, followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 6.
The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)
Couples, IPT veterans, and folks wishing to sign up with a friend or with a partner are asked to contact me via e-mail
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Canon 200-400 f/4L IS lens with internal 1.4X Extender
BAA Record-low Price!
Gatorland In-the-Field veteran Ron Owen is offering a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS lens with internal 1.4X Extender (with extras!) in excellent plus condition for the BAA record-low price of $6599.00. The lens has a paint chip on the hood, a faint mark on the TC housing, and a ding on the plastic shield that covers the distance scale. Otherwise, it is near-mint. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the ET-120 (WII) front lens cover, a black LensCoat TravelCoat, a black LensCoat Hoodie, a Really Right Stuff LCF-53 foot, the original Canon foot, and the lens strap. Also included is a Canon Drop-In Polarizing filter, a Breakthrough 1.8 (6-stop) ND Filter with Canon Drop-in filter drawer, a Breakthrough 3.0 (10-stop) ND Filter, and insured ground shipping via FedEx (or UPS if the buyer prefers) to lower 48 US addresses only. Images of the lens are available upon request.
Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Ron via e-mail or by phone at 1-904-612-3243 (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 use 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. Most recently, I often 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 it as their workhorse telephoto lens as it offers 784mm at f/8 with an external 1.4X TC added. As you can see below, it is pretty good whenever you are working around relatively tame birds. The lens sells new at B&H right now for $10,999. You can save a slew of dollars by grabbing Ron’s lens along with all the extras right now. 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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P.
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 Fort DeSoto Park on September 26, 2016. I used the handheld Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM lens with the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (at 560mm) and my all-time favorite Canon body, the EOS 5D Mark IV.). ISO: 5000! Evaluative metering plus about 1 2/3rd stops: 1/25 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was more than perfect. AWB at 7:09am on a very dark, cloudy morning.
Photo Mechanic screen capture for Ruddy Turnstone running along the surf
Be sure to scroll down to see the optimized image
Exposing to the Right
Many folks have heard about exposing to the right too many times. And many folks do not bother to expose to the right, especially in low and soft light on cloudy and overcast days and in the very low light of pre-dawn and dusk. And that goes double for images where overall light tones predominate. Those folks say, “My photos look much better on the back of the camera when I expose in the middle. And I never burn the WHITEs.”
Your images should look washed out on the rear LCD. Especially those made in low light. Why? The size of image files with the histogram pushed far to the right (just like today’s featured image) will be dramatically larger than files with the histogram in the middle that have no data in the right-most box. Thus, properly exposed image files contain more information. In addition, when you increase the exposure of an underexposed image, you are. — by definition — increasing the noise level.
In the Photo Mechanic screen capture above, it is easy to see that I have exposed properly to the right. Both in Photoshop and in Capture One, there were no overexposed WHITEs visible prior to the RAW conversion. By simply setting the BLACK and the WHITE points during the RAW conversion, your washed-out looking image will pop.
Fast Raw Viewer screen capture
Fast Raw Viewer
Those who wish to see the actual RAW histogram rather than the JPEG histogram that we are pretty much always viewing, can use a program called Fast RAW Viewer. As you can see in the Fast Raw Viewer screen capture above, the exposure for today’s image is just about as good as it gets with zero percent overexposed pixels and a minuscule percentage of underexposed pixels only in the RED channel… Scroll down to see the optimized image.
This image was created at Fort DeSoto Park on September 26, 2016. I used the handheld Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM lens with the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (at 560mm) and my all-time favorite Canon body, the EOS 5D Mark IV.). ISO: 5000! Evaluative metering plus about 1 2/3rd stops: 1/25 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was more than perfect. AWB at 7:09am on a very dark, cloudy morning.
Ruddy Turnstone running along the surf
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
The Optimized Image
First off, note that the image created from the washed-out raw file now looks vibrant with rich colors and lots of pop. Next came some Eye Doctor work to increase the apparent sharpness of the turnstone’s eye. Note that I cropped from the top and expanded the canvas below. To fill the new canvas, I selected the area below the spot where the reflection ended with the Rectangular Marquee Tool, placed the selection on its own layer (Command + J), hit Command T to activate the Transform Tool, and then simply stretched the selection by pulling the bottom love-handle down. Last, I went Filter > Blur > Motion Blur on the same layer.
Does Anything Bug You?
While I love the look of this image, the rich vibrant colors, and the contrast and tonality, there is one thing about it that really bugs me. Does anything about it really bug you? If so, please leave a comment.
How Dark Was It?
Going by the exposure data, how dark do you think it was when I created today’s featured image?
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. Do note that you will find the RGB Curves Adjustment Color Balancing tutorial only in the new e-guide. 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.
The two most recent and many of the older MP4 Photoshop Tutorial videos releases go hand and hand with the information in DB II): Note: all of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
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.
I continue to optimize my old Canon images in DPP 4. You can learn how and why I converted (and still convert) nearly all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. And, yes, I still have many Canon images to work on. 🙂 More recently, though I had become proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw, I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12. Learn more about Capture One Pro 12 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 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.
Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All of the images in this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this September. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 6/Openings 5.
Afternoon session on Friday September 25 at 4pm. That followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With luck, we may get to photograph two of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit and Roseate Spoonbill. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy. 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 may very well get to see and photograph the amazing heron/egret hybrid that has been present for four years. We should get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On 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.
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 the hotel 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 …
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 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 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
I made it out to Nickerson (along with good buddy Tom Pfeifer) on Monday, August 21, 2019, my last afternoon, but after a short but productive session, we were forced to take shelter due to lightning and heavy rain. I got back to Lissy’s early and began packing for what turned out to be my uneventful flight back to Orlando on Tuesday. The flight got in early and after a quick stop at Publix I was home and in the pool by 3:30pm.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Canon Macro EF 180mm f/3.5L USM Macro Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
Long-time friend Alan Levine — Alan and Sara knew Elaine! — are offering a Canon Macro EF 180mm f/3.5L USM Macro Lens in like-new condition for the BAA record-low price of $799.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens cap, the tripod collar, the original box, the tough fabric carrying case, the lens hood (ET-78), 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.
The Canon 180 Macro was my mainstay macro lens for more than a decade. I love 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. The lens, that is still in production, sells new for $1,399.00. You can save a smooth $600 on Alan’s practically like-new lens. 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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.
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 Fort DeSoto Park in the late fall of 2017. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens with my all-time favorite Canon body, the EOS 5D Mark IV.). ISO: 3200. Evaluative metering at about zero as framed: 1/400 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode was perfect. AWB at 7:16am pm on a dark, cloudy morning.
Image #1: Great Blue Heron juvenile standing by derelict battery
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
I Had Forgotten
Over time, I had forgotten that I owned the Canon 500mm f/4L IS II lens. I was fortunate to have — in addition — owned both the 600 II and the 400 DO II. To this day, the Canon long lens line-up is without parallel. Neither Nikon nor Sony comes even close. So why don’t I own the Nikon 500mm f/4 lens? Because the 500 PF fills that focal length need nicely, albeit with the loss of one stop of light, but with the huge advantages of light weight and portability. Heck, on the UK Puffins and Gannets IPT I took the Nikon 600mm and rarely used it at all, opting instead for the convenience of handholding the 500 PF, my all-time favorite flight photography lens.
This image was also created at Fort DeSoto Park in the late fall of 2017. For this one I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and my all-time favorite Canon body, the EOS 5D Mark IV.). ISO: 800. Evaluative metering at about +1/3 stop as framed: 1/800 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode was perfect. AWB at 4:57pm on a sunny afternoon.
Image #2: Forster’s Tern, adult winter soaking
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
I Have Not Forgotten
I have not forgotten that when it comes to making sharp images with f/4 telephotos and a 2X teleconverter Canon slays Nikon. While I have made a very few sharp images with the Nikon 600mm f/4, Nikon AF performance with the doubler (and even with the TC-14E) suffers greatly. Considering how much I love clean, tight, and graphic, the loss of 1000 and 1200mm is not something that I will soon forget. And best of all, with Canon I was able to make consistently sharp images at those extreme focal lengths down to shutter speeds of 1/60 sec.
So will I be switching back to Canon soon? Sorry, that is a no.
Your Background Preference?
Do you prefer the patterned background in Image #1 or the pure blue background Image #2? Please leave a comment and let us know which and why.
Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All of the images in this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this September. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 6/Openings 5.
Afternoon session on Friday September 25 at 4pm. That followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With luck, we may get to photograph two of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit and Roseate Spoonbill. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy. 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 may very well get to see and photograph the amazing heron/egret hybrid that has been present for four years. We should get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On 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.
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 the hotel 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 …
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 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 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
We drove up to Hyde Park on Sunday to visit my 13-year old grandson Ilyas Reimov at the Anderson Center for Autism (ACA). He has grown more than six inches in a year and is now taller than grandpa. We enjoyed lunch at Coppola’s Italian Bistro on Route 9 in Hyde Park. The food was quite good and the wait staff is trained at ACA to deal with the wide variety of autistic children who come to dine with their visiting families. Next we all (daughter Lissy, her husband Ajiniayz, and grandson Idris hiked to the top of the hill at Drayton Grant Park at Burger Hill to enjoy the view of Rhinebeck and the mountains beyond the Hudson River. Last was a walk around Rhinebeck and a visit to the farmer’s market. The ride up took a bit more than two hours; getting back to Long Island took only a bit longer despite what seemed like some horrific Sunday afternoon traffic.
I am hoping to get out to Nickerson Beach on Monday afternoon to take advantage of the forecast SW winds. If you would like to join me, please see the In-the-Field session info in the previous blog post.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Canon 200-400 f/4L IS lens with internal 1.4X Extender
BAA Record-low Price!
Gatorland In-the-Field veteran Ron Owen is offering a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS lens with internal 1.4X Extender (with extras!) in excellent plus condition for the BAA record-low price of $6599.00. The lens has a paint chip on the hood, a faint mark on the TC housing, and a ding on the plastic shield that covers the distance scale. Otherwise, it is near-mint. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the ET-120 (WII) front lens cover, a black LensCoat TravelCoat, a black LensCoat Hoodie, a Really Right Stuff LCF-53 foot, the original Canon foot, and the lens strap. Also included is a Canon Drop-In Polarizing filter, a Breakthrough 1.8 (6-stop) ND Filter with Canon Drop-in filter drawer, a Breakthrough 3.0 (10-stop) ND Filter, and insured ground shipping via FedEx (or UPS if the buyer prefers) to lower 48 US addresses only. Images of the lens are available upon request.
Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Ron via e-mail or by phone at 1-904-612-3243 (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 use 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. Most recently, I often 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 it as their workhorse telephoto lens as it offers 784mm at f/8 with an external 1.4X TC added. As you can see below, it is pretty good whenever you are working around relatively tame birds. The lens sells new at B&H right now for $10,999. You can save a slew of dollars by grabbing Ron’s lens along with all the extras right now. artie
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
Sale Pending
Multiple IPT veteran Phil Frigon is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $5999.00. The sale includes the lens trunk, the original product box and everything that came in it, an off-brand low foot, the original foot, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only.
The 600 II has been the state of the art super-telephoto lens for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many years. When I was using Canon and could get it to my location, it was always my go-to weapon. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. With a new one going for $9,499, you can save a cool $3,500.00 by grabbing Phil’s excellent lens now. The lighter 600 III goes for $12,999.00! 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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.
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 Fort DeSoto Park in October, 2017. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens with my all-time favorite Canon body, the EOS 5D Mark IV.). ISO: 800. Matrix metering plus about 1 stop as framed, plus about two stops off the light grey sky: 1/400 sec. at f/5 in Manual mode was perfect. AWB at 3:17pm on a cloudy afternoon.
Image #1: Brown Pelican juvenile laughing
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Don’t Forget I
Fort DeSoto is the new Sanibel. The big difference is that De Soto can be great any day of the year, while Ding Darling was best in winter (until it was ruined by mismanagement at about the turn of the century.
When working while standing behind your tripod with long focal lengths, the angle of declination appears (and is) looks more shallow than if you had been using a shorter focal length while getting closer.
When working in Manual mode, there is no exposure compensation. By looking at the analog scale in the viewfinder and noting the position of the indicator, you can determine how much lighter or darker the image as framed at that instant is as compared to the exposure suggested by the camera.
The dark tones of the young pelican here influenced the meter to show only +1 as framed while it showed +2 off the all light grey sky …
As above, large dark or light areas in an image will affect the meter reading.
Canon gear is 100% capable of making excellent and even contest-winning digital images on a consistent basis.
Good photographers make good photos with whatever gear they have in their hands.
Pelicans do not laugh. When they are scooping up and swallowing small baitfish, they often look as if they just heard a good joke.
This image was created at Fort DeSoto Park in the fall of 2017. Again I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens with my all-time favorite Canon body, the EOS 5D Mark IV.). ISO: 1600. Matrix metering plus 1 2/3 stops off the light grey sky: 1/500 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode was perfect. AWB at 8:12am on a very cloudy morning.
Image #2: Sandwich Tern with Scaled Sardine (Greenback)
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Don’t Forget II
Canon gear is perfectly capable of creating sharp flight images. For me, AF tracking accuracy with both Nikon and SONY gear is more consistently accurate than it was with my Canon gear. That, in a nutshell, explains why I abandoned Canon.
The system or systems that are best for me are not necessarily what is best for you.
When working with teleconverters, especially with the 2X TCs and f/4 super-telephoto lenses, Canon out-performs Nikon hands down.
It is possible with any gear to consistently create sharp and pleasing flight images at shutter speeds as slow as 1/500 second. As with image #2 above, blurred wingtips often add to an image by implying motion.
Had I followed the oft-suggested guideline of shooting flight with a shutter speed of (at least) 1/2000 second, I would have been working at ISO 6400. That is something that I strive to avoid unless it is absolutely necessary.
The 5D Mark IV was my favorite Canon body. I sold both my 1D X and my 1D X II bodies and worked exclusively with the 5D IVs until the end of my personal Canon era.
As more and more folks are opting to get away from super-telephotos or switching in part or in whole to mirrorless or micro four-thirds gear, there are lots of great buys available on big Canon glass.
Cameras that produce relatively small image files (such as the Canon 1D X II and the Nikon D5) give the appearance of having less noise than higher MP bodies but that apparent gain is misleading. If you downsize a high megapixel image from a 5D IV or a D850 to the same pixel count as an image made with the faster frame rate/smaller file size bodies, the noise will be the same. In addition, the higher megapixel bodies offer greater dynamic range.
Thanks to Patrick Sparkman for helping me to finally understand the last item above.
Did I Forget Anything?
If I forgot anything with regards to today’s featured images, or if you have a question about anything above, please leave a comment.
Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All of the images in this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this September. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 6/Openings 5.
Afternoon session on Friday September 25 at 4pm. That followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With luck, we may get to photograph two of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit and Roseate Spoonbill. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy. 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 may very well get to see and photograph the amazing heron/egret hybrid that has been present for four years. We should get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On 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 the 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.
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 the hotel 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 …
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 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 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
I wound up with 100 keepers on the sunny morning of Thursday, August 15, 2019. I ventured out that morning with only the 500 PF and enjoyed some superb flight photography. On a partly cloudy Friday, I did well and wound up with 55 keepers. I went exploring on Saturday and found a mother lode of skimmer chicks; I have not downloaded those yet …
On Thursday night I went to see Pete Mancini and the Hillside Airmen at the Loading Dock in Patchogue. They were great again. Tom Ryan on drums was amazing. To hear some sample clips, click here and give a listen to My Hometown, Cease and Desist, DUI Blues, Flying First Class, To Be Alive, and lots more. These guys are really good and Pete’s voice, a blend of country and rock is really easy to listen to.
On Sunday I am taking my first Nickerson morning off and driving up to Hyde Park with daughter Alissa, her husband Ajiniyaz, and grandson Idris to visit Idris’s older brother Ilyas at the Anderson Center for Autism. I will photograph again on Monday afternoon. I fly home on Tuesday.
Mike Ross was thrilled to receive his SONY 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens from Bedford’s last week.
There is lots of great stuff at Nickerson Beach in August
Click on the composite to see a larger version
Nickerson Beach In-the-Field Afternoon Session
Price reduced $100.00!
You are invited to join me for an In-the-Field photo session this coming Monday, as below. We will get to photograph Black Skimmers and Common Terns in flight, the skimmers dueling in mid-air, and both species on the beach. With luck, we might get some great stuff on chicks and fledged young as the timing is perfect. We have a good chance to photograph American Oystercatcher with fledged young. We should enjoy some good gull photography with herring, great black-backed, and even lesser black-backed gulls. Gull predation of fledged young skimmers is likely. We may also have some good chances with several species of migrant shorebirds, especially Sanderling. It goes without saying that as always, you will learn a ton.
If you would like to join me on Monday afternoon, please text me at 863-221-2372 and, in addition, shoot me an e-mail as well.
Afternoon Session: 4:30pm till sunset: $200.00 (was $300.00)
With the current forecast, Monday afternoon is looking good. Available: MON AUG 19.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.
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.
One below center d-9 Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was placed on the chick’s neck as originally framed. This image was cropped a bit from behind and below.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +1. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Black Skimmer chick
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Nikon 500 PF and TC-14E
I created today’s featured image while seated using the knee-pod technique. In addition to being the world’s greatest flight lens, the 500 PF does nicely on statci subjects at 700mm. One parent was brooding this chick for a good half hour. Tom Pfeifer and I waited patiently for this cute little skimmer baby to come out from under the adult. When it finally did, it was nice enough to stand still for about 3 seconds and pose for us.
A Chick That Cleaned Up Nicely
To eliminate much of the beach debris, I used the Patch Tool, Content-Aware Fill, and the Spot Healing Brush (all as usual). To eliminate the dark spot in front of the chick’s breast and the light spot below its belly I used two small Quick Masks each refined with a Regular Layer mask. All that after doing the RAW conversion in Capture One. Lastly, I re-shaped the bit of beach vegetation right above the chick and then moved it to the upper right corner for much better compositional balance.
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. Do note that you will find the RGB Curves Adjustment Color Balancing tutorial only in the new e-guide. 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.
The two most recent and many of the older MP4 Photoshop Tutorial videos releases go hand and hand with the information in DB II): Note: all of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
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.
I continue to optimize my old Canon images in DPP 4. You can learn how and why I converted (and still convert) nearly all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. And, yes, I still have many Canon images to work on. 🙂 More recently, though I had become proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw, I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12. Learn more about Capture One Pro 12 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 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 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 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
After one seriously cloudy day and one seriously foggy morning, it dawned clear on Thursday, August 15. I got to the beach at 5:30am and noted a big red full moon hanging in the western sky. The winds started from the north/northeast so I knew exactly where to be for some great flight photography. Anticipating that, I left the 600 in the car and headed afield with only the 500 PF, the deadliest flight lens ever. For me at least. Tom Pfeifer joined me after a while and we had a great morning as the winds shifted east and then southeast. As some light clouds softened the light, a tiny skimmer chick walked out of the dunes right in front of Tom and was brooded by one of the parents. The adult bird kept digging scrapes but after resting for a while, the chick was more interested in exploring.
Though I have not looked at my images yet, I am sure that I did quite well. I will download the card and edit my images (choose the keepers) when I put the finishing touches on this blog post. I would love to have you join me at Nickerson on Friday, Saturday, or Monday morning. See the info on the In-the-field sessions below.
With the time spent on the five image optimizations, this blog post took about three hours to prepare.
Your Favorite?
Please be so kind as to leave a comment and let us know which of today’s five featured images is your favorite. And please let us know why you made your choice.
There is lots of great stuff at Nickerson Beach in August
Click on the composite to see a larger version
Nickerson Beach In-the-Field Morning Sessions
Prices reduced $100.00!
All are invited to join me for an In-the-Field photo session or two during the middle of August 2019, as below. We will get to photograph Black Skimmers and Common Terns in flight, the skimmers dueling in mid-air, and both species on the beach. With luck, we might get some great stuff on chicks and fledged young as the timing is perfect. We have a good chance to photograph American Oystercatcher with fledged young. We should enjoy some good gull photography with herring, great black-backed, and even lesser black-backed gulls. Gull predation of fledged young skimmers is likely. We may also have some good chances with several species of migrant shorebirds, especially Sanderling. It goes without saying that as always, you will learn a ton.
If you would like to join me on Friday morning, please text me at 863-221-2372. Otherwise, please contact me via e-mail or leave a message on my cell phone at 863-221-2372.
Morning Sessions: pre-dawn (about 6am) till 9:30am: $300.00 (was 400.00)
Each session includes a working brunch/Photoshop/Workflow/Image review session. Limit 3.
With the current forecasts, mornings are looking much better than the afternoons so I have eliminated the afternoon shoots.
Available: FRI AUG 16, SAT AUG 17, and MON AUG 19.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
Multiple IPT veteran Phil Frigon is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $5999.00. The sale includes the lens trunk, the original product box and everything that came in it, an off-brand low foot, the original foot, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only.
The 600 II has been the state of the art super-telephoto lens for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many years. When I was using Canon and could get it to my location, it was always my go-to weapon. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. With a new one going for $9,499, you can save a cool $3,500.00 by grabbing Phil’s excellent lens now. The lighter 600 III goes for $12,999.00! 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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.
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 the morning of August 14, 2019, on a Nickerson In-the-Field session with Greg Gulbransen. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850 Auto ISO: 900. Matrix metering +2 1/3 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode was perfect. AUTO1 WB at 6:41am on a solidly foggy morning.
Center d-9 Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #1: Snow fence in fog display
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Variety is the Spice of Foggy Mornings!
How foggy was it? It was so foggy that when I was coming down the Meadowbrook I missed the Loop Parkway! I was not at all discouraged as I have done quite well in foggy conditions over the decades. Speaking of decades, August 7 marked 36 years since I purchased my first telephoto lens, the Canon 400mm f/4.5 FD.
In any case, I photographed with Greg until he left for a shooting assignment at about 10:30. Tom Pfeifer and I kept shooting until 12:30 in the softbox of light created by the diminishing fog. All in all, it was a great morning. When shooting in fog expose far to the right so that the images look totally washed out. As always, that provides the largest image files with the most detail while minimizing noise. Simply setting the white and black points during the RAW conversion will bring your files to life.
This image was also created on the morning of August 14, 2019 on a Nickerson In-the-Field session. Again, I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850 ISO: 80. Matrix metering +2 1/3 stops off the white sky: 1/30 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode was perfect. AUTO1 WB at 7:18 am on a solidly foggy morning.
Center d-9 Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #2: Black Skimmer blur over dune grasses
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Necessity is Often the Mother of Invention
When we started, it was so foggy that I would have needed a very high ISO had I wanted to try for sharp flight images. Since I love a well-done blur, I went to work at 1/30 sec. and came up with a few that I really liked. This one is my favorite. The RAW file was (properly) 100% washed out. After converting the image in Capture One, the TIFF looked great. I brought it into Photoshop and in two steps, selected the area below the bird and then the area to our right of the bird and added a good bit of motion blur. Then I reduced the opacity of each of those layers until each looked like a perfectly natural pan-blur.
This image was also created on the morning of August 14, 2019, on a Nickerson In-the-Field session with Greg Gulbransen. For this one I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR AF lens with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and my souped-up Nikon D850 ISO: 500. Matrix metering +2 1/3 stops off the white sky: 1/400 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was perfect. AUTO1 WB at 7:39am in mostly foggy conditions.
Center Group (grp) Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #3: Black Skimmer on nest brooding two chicks
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Nesting Successes
Hundreds of pairs of both Black Skimmer and Common Tern have raised a ton of chicks this season at Nickerson. For the first time in years, the West Colony was active in 2019. There are fledged and flying young of both species. And there are still lots of very small skimmer chicks still hatching. For this image, I was seated behind my lowered tripod. I have come up with a great method of simplifying the leveling of the FlexShooter Pro when working on soft substrates like sand, mud, or soft dirt. I will share it with you here soon.
This image was also created on the morning of August 14, 2019, on a Nickerson In-the-Field session with Greg Gulbransen. For this one I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR AF lens and my souped-up Nikon D850 ISO: 800. Matrix metering +2 stops off the white sky: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode was perfect. AUTO1 WB at 9:19am in somewhat foggy conditions.
Center Group (grp) Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #4: Common Tern braking to land above dune grasses
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Working at f/4
Notice that even when working wide open at f/4 that there was more than enough depth-of-field to cover the subject because the bird was relatively distant.
This image was also created on the morning of August 14, 2019 on a Nickerson In-the-Field session. Again, I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850 ISO: 500. Matrix metering +2 1/3 stops off the white sky: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was perfect. AUTO1 WB at 11:41am on a then cloudy morning.
Center Group (grp) Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Image #5: Black Skimmers chasing juvenile Laughing Gull
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Gull Predation
Both the skimmers and the terns will attack any gull that has the audacity to fly over the colony. At Nickerson, several gull species are often seen patrolling for and easy meal. Those include Great Black-backed, Herring, Ring-billed, and Laughing. This year there are several hundred black-backeds along with small numbers of the other three species.
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. Do note that you will find the RGB Curves Adjustment Color Balancing tutorial only in the new e-guide. 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.
The two most recent and many of the older MP4 Photoshop Tutorial videos releases go hand and hand with the information in DB II): Note: all of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
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.
I continue to optimize my old Canon images in DPP 4. You can learn how and why I converted (and still convert) nearly all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. And, yes, I still have many Canon images to work on. 🙂 More recently, though I had become proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw, I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12. Learn more about Capture One Pro 12 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 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.
A Guide to Pleasing Blurs
Learn everything there is to know about creating pleasingly blurred images in A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito and yours truly. This 20,585 word, 271 page PDF is illustrated with 144 different, exciting, and artistic images. The guide covers the basics of creating pleasingly blurred images, the factors that influence the degree of blurring, the use of filters in creating pleasing blurs, and a great variety of both in-the-field and Photoshop techniques that can be used to create pleasingly blurred images.
Artie and Denise teach you many different ways to move your lens during the exposure to create a variety of pleasingly blurred images of flowers and trees and water and landscapes. They will teach you to recognize situations where subject movement can be used to your advantage to create pan blurs, wind blurs, and moving water blurs. They will teach you to create zoom-blurs both in the field and during post-processing. Artie shares the techniques that he has used and developed for making blurred images of flocks of geese in flight at his beloved Bosque del Apache and Denise shares her flower blur magic as well as a variety of creative Photoshop techniques that she has developed.
With the advent of digital capture creating blurred images has become a great and inexpensive way to go out with your camera and have fun. And while many folks think that making successful blurred images is the result of being a sloppy photographer, nothing could be further from the truth. In “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” Artie and Denise will help you to unleash your creative self.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
The B&H Event Space program went well on Monday. There were about 50 folks in the newly renovated space. DeSoto IPT veteran Muhammad Arif drove down from Ithaca, NY to attend the program. He does IT work for Cornell University. His family, originally from Bangladesh, lives in Ozone Park. So he took two days off from work and stayed with his folks on Monday evening so that he could do an In-the-Field session with me at Nickerson Beach on Tuesday morning. We lucked out with the weather; with the winds from the west/southwest, clouds were a necessity. We had them in spades and even worked around a few brief showers. We enjoyed lots o flight photography. And there were lots of young skimmers around varying in size from the tiny chicks in Muhammad’s photo below to fledged and flying young. Our morning session was followed by a great lunch at Bagel Plaza in Merrick and a long image review and Photoshop session.
As I have not done a lot at Nickerson in recent years and conditions are great, I changed my plans; instead of flying back to Orlando early on Friday, I will be heading home next Tuesday. I am now able to offer several additional In-the-Field sessions as noted below.
I am meeting Greg Gulbransen for an In-the-Field session at 6:30am today. Greg, a pediatrician from Long Island, is an incredibly talented photographer. You can see an eclectic collection of his images on his new website here.
There is lots of great stuff at Nickerson Beach in August
Click on the composite to see a larger version
Nickerson Beach In-the-Field Morning Sessions
Prices reduced $100.00!
All are invited to join me for an In-the-Field photo session or two during the middle of August 2019, as below. We will get to photograph Black Skimmers and Common Terns in flight, the skimmers dueling in mid-air, and both species on the beach. With luck, we might get some great stuff on chicks and fledged young as the timing is perfect. We have a good chance to photograph American Oystercatcher with fledged young. We should enjoy some good gull photography with herring, great black-backed, and even lesser black-backed gulls. Gull predation of fledged young skimmers is likely. We may also have some good chances with several species of migrant shorebirds, especially Sanderling. It goes without saying that as always, you will learn a ton.
Please contact me via e-mail or leave a message on my cell phone at 863-221-2372 if you would like to join me.
Morning Sessions: pre-dawn (about 6am) till 9:30am: $300.00 (was 400.00)
Each session includes a working lunch/Photoshop/Workflow/Image review session. Limit 3.
With the current forecast, mornings are looking much better than the afternoons so I have eliminated the afternoon shoots.
Available: TUES 13 AUG, THURS 15 AUG, FRI AUG 16, SAT AUG 17, and MON AUG 19.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.
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 August 13, 2019, by Muhammad Arif. He used the Induro GIT 304L/Wimberley-mounted Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens (“the old five”) and the EOS 5D Mark III. ISO:1000. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops was perfect. AWB at 7:26am on a very cloudy morning.
Center Surround (Continuous) AI Servo AF was active at the moment of exposure.
Adult Black Skimmer with three chicks
Image courtesy of and copyright 2019: Muhammad Arif
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Via e-Mail from Muhammad Arif
Tuesday was fantastic. Nickerson had been on my bucket list for a while and what better way to accomplish that goal than with an In-the-Field session with artie. I was impressed by the number of skimmers and terns and at such close range, too. The Oystercatchers were a plus as were the many tern and skimmer fledglings and chicks. I learned tons. Thanks for taking the time to explain why we want to be at 1/15th sec. vs 1/30th sec. vs 1/60th sec during the very low light of early morning, how to better position myself for flight photography, and how observing bird behavior would increase my chances of making a good picture. I really appreciated the pointers for using and carrying my tripod better and the pointers on identifying young birds, especially this year’s fledged oystercatchers. Reviewing my images with you to understand what to look for in an image and quickly discard the bad ones was invaluable and will save me from wasting countless hours. Your enthusiasm for both photographing our feathered friends and sharing your wealth of knowledge is contagious and I feel inspired to go out into the field more and try for better images. If I can remember and use half the things I learned today, my images will improve by leaps and bounds. Thanks a million; I am already looking forward to another IPT.
In Additon …
In addition to the stuff that Muhammad mentioned in his e-mail, we spent a good deal of time during lunch assessing his sharpness problems. From where I sat, I am pretty sure that proper micro-adjusting would go a long way to helping him produce sharper images.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
I have been relaxing and getting stuff done here on Long Island. I spent a few hours at the Sayville Summerfest mostly listening to music. I had no clue that my friend Tom Pfeifer was a rock star. I enjoyed his group, the Norman Bates Project. Check out their cover of Little Red Riding Hood here with Tom on guitar as lead vocalist. I arrived early to catch Pete Mancini & the Hillside Airmen; their Americana/alternative country style was right. up. my alley. You can learn more about Pete here and sample the band’s sounds by clicking on the Music tab.
Last for me — again highly recommended by Tom, were The Hideaways. Chris Laybourne was simply amazing on tenor sax; I was captivated by his skills, his energy, and his stamina. I loved their cover of Deep in the Heart of Texas; you can give that a listen here (from April of this year). To learn more about this great band, click here. You can listen to samples of their music by clicking on the Amazon, Apple Music/i-Tunes, or Spotify links at the bottom of the page.
All in all, it was a great afternoon of music and people watching (during the breaks).
Sunday: Jersey Boys (for the fifth time!)
I took the LIRR into the city on Sunday morning and walked from Penn Station to my hotel on East 52nd Street. My room was ready just after 12:00 noon. I had lunch at the Irish pub right next door; the burger was good. I walked back to the theater on the west side at 50th Street, delayed only briefly by the 37th Annual Dominican Day Parade. The off-Broadway theater, New World Stages/Stage 1 was maybe one-fourth the size of a typical Broadway theater. I first saw Jersey Boys on Broadway with understudy Dominick Scaglione playing the role of Frankie Valli. He killed it, and I fell in love with him and his co-star, Quinn van Antwerp as Bob Gaudio. I saw them together again on Broadway just weeks before they both would be leaving the show and months before it closed on Broadway.
So when I noted on Sunday that understudy Joshua Charles Skurnik would be performing the role of Frankie Valli I was not disappointed. He, Austin Colby as Bob Gaudio, and the rest of the stellar cast killed it to the tune of a rousing four-minute standing ovation. I was surprised, almost stunned, by the quality of the production.
I walked back to the hotel after the matinee and enjoyed a dish of delicious goat korma at Darbar Grill on E55th. St. just off Third Avenue. I first tired Korma at an Indian Restaurant in Dunbar Scotland and loved it then too. All in all, I walked an even five miles; amazingly, I rarely missed a traffic light the entire day.
B&H Event Space Program
I will be doing a B&H Event Space Program this afternoon, Monday, August 12, 2019, 1:00 to 3:00 PM eastern time at the NYC super-store. You can register to attend in person or to view this new version of Lessons From the Field BIRDS AS ART-Style live online by clicking here. You can clearly hear the sound in several spots on the video, below,
There is lots of great stuff at Nickerson Beach in August
Click on the composite to see a larger version
Nickerson Beach In-the-Field Sessions
Prices reduced $100.00!
All are invited to join me for an In-the-Field photo session or two, or a full day, during the middle of August 2019, as below. We will get to photograph Black Skimmers in flight, dueling in mid-air, and on the beach. With luck, we might get some great stuff on chicks and fledged young as the timing is perfect. We have a good chance to photograph Common Tern and American Oystercatcher, both with fledged young. We should enjoy some good gull photography with herring, great black-backed, and even lesser black-backed. Gull predation of fledged young skimmers is likely. We may also have some good chances with several species of migrant shorebirds, especially Sanderling. It goes without saying that as always, you will learn a ton.
Please contact me via e-mail or leave a message on my cell phone at 863-221-2372 if you would like to join me.
Morning Sessions: pre-dawn (about 6am) till 9:30am: $300.00 (was 400.00)
Each session includes a working lunch/Photoshop/Workflow/Image review session. Limit 3.
Available: TUES 13 AUG, THURS 15 AUG.
Afternoon Sessions: 4:30pm until sunset (at about 8:10pm). Limit 3: $200.00 (was 300.00).
Available: TUES 13 AUG or THURS 15 AUG.
Full-Days: $500 (was 600.00). Limit 3.
Available: TUES 13 AUG and THURS 15 AUG.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.
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 August 1, 2019 at Hood Island on the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 479mm) and the mega mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO:800. Multi-metering +1 1/3 stops was not nearly anough as the image was 2/3 stop inder at 1/800 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. Shade WB (in error) at 8:33am on a dreary morning.
Expand Flexible Spot (S) (Continuous) AF was active at the moment of exposure. As I remember, the selected AF point was placed on the bird’s face just below and in front of its eye. Unfortunately, there is no software that allows users to determine either the AF pattern or the selected AF point after the fact. This is quite unfortunate. If I am incorrect, please let me know by leaving a comment with a reference.
Waved Albatross clonk
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
The Clonk
The clonk is one of the eight distinct steps in the complex Waved Albatross courtship dance — see the video below. Others include the strut that begins the dance, bill fencing, bill clatter, sky-pointing, and hiding the bill under the wing. I had long been striving to create an image of a single bird at the clonk stage of the dance. Having a chance to create with the white sky/high key look was one of the great thrills of the 2019 voyage.
Clonk is an onomatopoeia, a word that sounds like the sound it reproduces. The sound is made just after either the male or the female (or both) freezes for a moment with their bills wide open. It can be seen — and then heard — several times in the video below.
Waved Albatross Courtship Video
Re-run by popular demand
Click on the play button above to view the Waved Albatross courtship video that was a highly honored in the 2016 Nature’s Best Photography/Windland Smith Rice International Awards Competition. If you are interested in joining me in the Galapagos in October 2019, please get in touch via e-mail.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
I enjoyed a good night’s sleep at younger daughter Alissa’s home in Ronkonkoma, NY. I had planned to head to Nickerson Beach but opted to sleep in with the forecast of clear skies and northwest winds …
I was glad to learn that Mansoor Assadi sold his used Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens in late July. The will be another one for sale very soon.
A Heart-stopping Flight Adventure
I enjoyed a heart-stopping flight adventure on my Southwest flight to Islip on Friday afternoon. I paid the $40 to upgrade my boarding position. I was happy to get A2. I boarded, removed my laptop from the Think Tank Urban Disguise bag, placed my Think Tank roller and the laptop bag in the overhead, and placed the laptop on my chosen seat along with a copy of the Southwest Magazine. I love the first emergency row aisle seat on the right side of the plane; it has lots of legroom and being on the aisle makes it easier for me to type during the flight. And as I need to get up often to stretch and visit the restroom, being on the aisle lets me do so without disturbing other passengers. Most importantly, by boarding early I am assured that I will never be forced to gate check my rolling bag.
Confident as always that my seat was saved. — I have used this same strategy on the many Southwest flights that I make — I headed to the rear lavs to stand until they shut the door. I had done enough sitting on Wednesday on the way back from Guayaquil and would be sitting for another 150 minutes. When I got back to my seat I was in for a surprise: there was a guy sitting in my seat. I called over a flight attendant and asked what had happened to my laptop. She said that she had brought the laptop to the gate agent. I gently expressed my displeasure and told her that I needed my laptop back, along with my seat. She said that she would deplane and get the laptop from the gate agent.
A few minutes later, she returned and said that the gate agent had sent the laptop to the lost and found. I stated that I was not going anywhere without my laptop so she deplaned again while I stood standing in the front of the plane that was ready to roll. The pilot understood my plight and had given her permission to try to retrieve the laptop. I spoke with another flight attendant and let hew know that if the laptop was not recovered that I would need to get off the plane and get it and catch the next flight. And take my bags off of SW 1570.
She understood. After ten minutes the first flight attendant — looking quite disheveled — rushed back on board with my laptop. I was relieved. “What about my seat?” I asked. I paid $40 for that seat.” “You’ll have to take any seat now so that we can depart. We can talk about your seat once we are airborne.” She lied. I. was stuck in 2B with a nice man to my right and an armrest-hog woman on my left.
When I got off the plane I spoke to the gate agent in Islip. He gave me a number to call to get my $40 refunded and a $100.00 voucher for my troubles. Alls well that ends well. It goes without saying that the next time I save myself a seat I will alert all the flight attendants.
I have an extra center orchestra ticket for Jersey Boys — it will be my fourth time seeing it — for the Sunday matinee off-Broadway performance at New World Stages/Stage 1, 340 West 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. I am looking for anyone who would like to see it, no charge, as my guest. My preference would be for a halfway decent-looking, personable, single female aged 50-73 but anyone who subscribes to the blog is welcome to get in touch. If you would like to join me — no strings attached — please get in touch asap via e-mail or leave a message on my cell phone at 863-221-2372. I rarely hear it ring.
There is lots of great stuff at Nickerson Beach in August
Click on the composite to see a larger version
Nickerson Beach In-the-Field Session
Prices reduced $100.00!
All are invited to join me for an In-the-Field photo session or two, or a full day, during the middle of August 2019, as below. We will get to photograph Black Skimmers in flight, dueling in mid-air, and on the beach. With luck, we might get some great stuff on chicks and fledged young as the timing is perfect. We have a good chance to photograph Common Tern and American Oystercatcher, both with fledged young. We should enjoy some good gull photography with herring, great black-backed, and even lesser black-backed. Gull predation of fledged young skimmers is likely. We may also have some good chances with several species of migrant shorebirds, especially Sanderling. It goes without saying that as always, you will learn a ton.
Please contact me via e-mail or by cell phone as above if you would like to join me.
Morning Sessions: pre-dawn (about 6am) till 9:30am: $300.00 (was 400.00)
Each session includes a working lunch/Photoshop/Workflow/Image review session. Limit 3.
Available: TUES 13 AUG, THURS 15 AUG.
Afternoon Sessions: 4:30pm until sunset (at about 8:10pm). Limit 3: $200.00 (was 300.00).
Available: TUES 13 AUG or THURS 15 AUG.
Full-Days: $500 (was 600.00). Limit 3.
Available: TUES 13 AUG and THURS 15 AUG.
B&H Event Space Program
I will be doing a B&H Event Space Program — Lessons From the Field BIRDS AS ART-Style — on Monday, August 12, 2019, 1:00 to 3:00 PM eastern time. You can register to attend in person or to view the event live online by clicking here. Here is the location: the second floor of B&H NYC SuperStore at 420 9th Avenue, New York NY 10001. Those planning on attending should register asap as spaces are limited.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.
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 the morning of August 6, 2019, on the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850 ISO: 500. Matrix metering at about +2/3 stop as framed: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode was a slight underexposure. AUTO1 WB at 7:50am on a solidly overcast morning.
Three above center Single Point Continous AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was placed on the bird’s neck, right on the same plane as its eye.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
Blue-footed Booby raised foot dance display
What a Way to Finish!
North Seymour is one of the three great sites that we visited twice on this IPT. On our too-sunny first-day afternoon visit we walked the trail along the coast and then doubled back, thus missing any chances to photograph the frigatebirds with inflated pouches. We did quite well on those on our last (blessedly cloudy morning) landing. We were headed back to the jetty to return to the Samba for the last time when we came across two Blue-footed Boobies standing on a nice rock. The pinpoint pupils indicated that the bird on our left was the male; the females of this species have distended (for lack of a better term) pupils. The male was doing a slow version of the raised foot dance showing off for his mate. Without a zoom lens, I stayed well back so that I could fit the displaying bird into a vertical frame.
With the soft light, everyone got to photograph this excellent situation to their heart’s content, or at least until the male stepped off the rock and wandered away. I cautioned everyone in front of my about getting low as that would have introduced distracting rocks and bushes into the background. Getting low is not always the best strategy. And with the birds on a fairly decent-sized boulder, the background was effectively placed well behind the subject even though I was standing at full height. I created at least 88 images of this single bird and kept 18. This one was my favorite by a small margin.
All in all, it was a great finish to a great trip. If you are interested in joining me in the Galapagos in October 2020, please let me know via e-mail
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
It is Friday, August 9, 2019, and I am freshly showered and shaved and on the way back to Orlando Airport for my 1:55pm flight to Islip (ISP). It seems as if I just left there. I tried to get a swim in on Thursday afternoon but the thunder never stopped booming so I swam a half mile this morning.
Extra Ticket for NYC Jersey Boys Sunday Matinee
I have an extra center orchestra ticket for Jersey Boys — it will be my fourth time seeing it — for the Sunday matinee off-Broadway performance at New World Stages/Stage 1, 340 West 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. I am looking for anyone who would like to see it, no charge, as my guest. My preference would be for a halfway decent-looking, personable, single female aged 50-73 but anyone who subscribes to the blog is welcome to get in touch. If you would like to join me — no strings attached — please get in touch asap via e-mail or leave a message on my cell phone at 863-221-2372. I rarely hear it ring.
There is lots of great stuff at Nickerson Beach in August
Click on the composite to see a larger version
Nickerson Beach In-the-Field Session
Prices reduced $100.00 on 7-19-2019
All are invited to join me for an In-the-Field photo session or two, or a full day, during the middle of August 2019, as below. We will get to photograph Black Skimmers in flight, dueling in mid-air, and on the beach. With luck, we might get some great stuff on chicks and fledged young as the timing is perfect. We have a good chance to photograph Common Tern and American Oystercatcher, both with fledged young. We should enjoy some good gull photography with herring, great black-backed, and even lesser black-backed. Gull predation of fledged young skimmers is likely. We may also have some good chances with several species of migrant shorebirds, especially Sanderling. It goes without saying that as always, you will learn a ton.
Please contact me via e-mail or by cell phone as above if you would like to join me.
Morning Sessions: pre-dawn (about 6am) till 9:30am: $300.00 (was 400.00)
Each session includes a working lunch/Photoshop/Workflow/Image review session. Limit 3.
Available: SAT 10 AUG, TUES 13 AUG, THURS 15 AUG.
Afternoon Sessions: 4:30pm until sunset (at about 8:10pm). Limit 3: $200.00 (was 300.00).
Available: TUES 13 AUG or THURS 15 AUG.
Full-Days: $500 (was 600.00). Limit 3.
Available: TUES 13 AUG or THURS 15 AUG.
B&H Event Space Program
I will be doing a B&H Event Space Program — Lessons From the Field BIRDS AS ART-Style — on Monday, August 12, 2019, 1:00 to 3:00 PM eastern time. You can register to attend in person or to view the event live online by clicking here. Here is the location: the second floor of B&H NYC SuperStore at 420 9th Avenue, New York NY 10001. Those planning on attending should register asap as spaces are limited.
SONY 100-400 Wrecked
On low-light landings, I had been in the habit of boarding the zodiac with the SONY 100-400 GM/a7R iii rig on my shoulder via a Black Rapid Curve Breathe Strap and then removing the strap and placing the lens on the tripod. Early on our morning landing at Puerto Egas I was working some tame Marine Iguanas with the lens on the Flexshooter Pro head but had neglected to remove the strap. When I got up, the strap, which had been entangled with my left foot, yanked the tripod to the ground. As the rig fell only about 18 inches — I had been working low — I thought that everything would be A-OK. But when I zoomed in and out the lens would stick badly between 250 and 300mm. I will send the lens in for repair when I get back from Long Island. I am guessing that it will cost me about $700.00. You gotta love it.
Waved Albatross Courtship Video
Re-run by popular demand
Click on the play button above to view the Waved Albatross courtship video that was a highly honored in the 2016 Nature’s Best Photography/Windland Smith Rice International Awards Competition. If you are interested in joining me in the Galapagos in October 2019, please get in touch via e-mail.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
As of 9:50am on Thursday, August 8, our phone and internet services have been fully restored. Jim is working on your orders and checking phone messages as I type. Thanks for your patience.
I’ve been online on my iPhone via the Verizon Personal Hotspot. I will be catching up on e-mails and Used Gear Page stuff as soon as this blog post is published.
The In-the-Field sessions at Nickerson (see below) are all wide open …
The Best Laid Plans …
The flight from Guayaquil (GYE) landed at 11:03 in Miami (MIA), exactly 20 minutes early; I had more than enough time to get through customs, claim and re-check my bags, and make my 1:29pm flight to Orlando (MCO) that was scheduled to arrive at 2:43pm. Piece of cake. After a stop at Publix on the way, I would be home at about 5pm. Then came the first bad weather delay e-mail from American Airlines. Then a second. Then a third and a fourth and a fifth. And a sixth. First, MIA was closed due to thunderstorms and when MIA re-opened, MCO was closed due to heavy thunderstorms. When MCO re-opened, they locked the doors and headed to the runway. We thought that we were good to go. Then the pilot announced that we were on hold because of inbound traffic at Orlando so we sat on the runway for another hour. The flight landed at 7:00pm, four hours and 17 minutes late. After a fast dinner at Bonefish Grill and a quick shopping stop at WalMart (Publix closes at 8;30pm), Jim got us home at 11:00ppm. As I had been awake since 1:45am Guayaquil time and had not napped on either flight, I was in bed and fast asleep by 11:03pm. And slept till seven.
There is lots of great stuff at Nickerson Beach in August
Click on the composite to see a larger version
Nickerson Beach In-the-Field Session
All are invited to join me for an In-the-Field photo session or two, or a full day, during the middle of August 2019, as below. We will get to photograph Black Skimmers in flight, dueling in mid-air, and on the beach. With luck, we might get some great stuff on chicks and fledged young as the timing is perfect. We have a good chance to photograph Common Tern and American Oystercatcher, both with fledged young. We should enjoy some good gull photography with herring, great black-backed, and even lesser black-backed. Gull predation of fledged young skimmers is likely. We may also have some good chances with several species of migrant shorebirds, especially Sanderling. It goes without saying that as always, you will learn a ton.
Please contact me via e-mail if you would like to join me. Remember that I will be offline from Tuesday, July 23 until late in the day on WED 7 AUG. Call Jim or Jen weekdays at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand to register. I will confirm on THURS 8 AUG.
Morning Sessions: pre-dawn (about 6am) till 9:30am: $400.00
Each session includes a working lunch/Photoshop/Workflow/Image review session. Limit 3.
Available: SAT 10 AUG, TUES 13 AUG, THURS 15 AUG.
Afternoon Sessions: 4:30pm until sunset (at about 8:10pm). Limit 3: $300.00.
Available: TUES 13 AUG or THURS 15 AUG.
Full-Days: $600.00. Limit 3.
Available: TUES 13 AUG or THURS 15 AUG.
B&H Event Space Program
I will be doing a B&H Event Space Program — Lessons From the Field BIRDS AS ART-Style — on Monday, August 12, 2019, 1:00 to 3:00 PM eastern time. You can register to attend in person or to view the event live online by clicking here. Here is the location: the second floor of B&H NYC SuperStore at 420 9th Avenue, New York NY 10001. Those planning on attending should register asap as spaces are limited.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.
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.
Galapagos 2019 Photo Cruise of a Lifetime Early Favorties
Galapagos 2019 Photo Cruise of a Lifetime IPT Report
It is hard to believe that I first visited the Galapagos in 2005. Until this year — about my 12th trip — 2010 had clearly been the best year for photography. The 2019 trip, however, was at least the equal of 2010. We had superb chances on sea lions hunting and catching tuna and other fish, lots of gorgeous yellow Land Iguanas, piles and piles of Marine Iguanas, two great sessions with Waved Albatross, both chicks and fledged young Blue-footed Booby, numbers of Nazca and both morphs of Red-footed Booby, great flight photography at South Plaza (can you say tropicbird ?), guava-eating Galapagos Tortoises, breeding Flightless Cormorants with nests and and small chicks, a great afternoon panga ride with penguins, an incredibly knowledgeable guide, a great crew, and a superb chef who prepared a variety of local dishes on a consistent basis. The average per-photographer-weight-gain was about four pounds …
After a few too-sunny sessions at the start of the trip, we were blessed with typical June through October weather: cloudy bright with a few light sprinkles. We snorkeled twice; the second session was mega. We saw more than 100 Pacific Green Turtles and several had King Angels and other colorful fish gleaning algae from their carapaces. The skill levels of the nine photographers ranged from experienced to novice. With two couples canceling within ten days of the departure date, we were quite comfy with only 10 passengers on a ship built to carry 14.
SONY Versus Nikon in the Galapagos …
I used my Nikon 500 PF with my souped-up D850 at North Seymour on our afternoon landing on July 23, the first day of the IPT; on the July 25 Punta Albemarle Flightless Cormorant landing — I could not find my SONY 1.4X teleconverter; on the sunny afternoon Hood Island landing; and then again at North Seymour on the visit on our last morning visit. I relied on my SONY gear for the other 16 or so landings and panga (zodiac) and ship-based photo sessions. I did skip one landing.
In low light conditions I used the Induro GIT 204L tripod topped by a FlexShooter Pro head with both the SONY and the Nikon gear. On sunny and cloud-bright days I handheld. For the most part, I used the a7R iii body with the SONY 100-400, often adding the 1.4X TC. With landings that offered good flight photography, I would bring along the a9 to maximize the opportunities. I made many SONY images that I absolutely loved. But I’d still give a slight edge to D850 images when it comes down to image quality and crazy-insane sharpness. Please don’t ask me if I could tell the RAW files from the D850 and the a7R iii apart. And many of the a9 images looked pretty darned good as well and stood up nicely to some healthy crops.
49 of the 60 images in the composite were created with my Sony gear. Why the dependence on SONY? The 0.98-meter minimum focusing distance of the SONY 100-400 was a huge advantage when photographing the tame birds and animals of the Galapagos archipelago. And the a9 killed when photographing seabirds in flight. The handheld SONY 100-400 with the a7R iii weighs 4 lbs, 12.9 oz while the handheld Nikon 500 PF with the gripped D-850 weighs 6 lbs, 4.4 oz. So my favorite SONY rig weighs 1 lb 7.5 oz less than my favorite Nikon rig. The Nikon rig has the reach advantage with and without the 1.4X TC (500mm to 400mm — both at f/5.6 and 700mm to 560mm –both at f/8). But when working with tame birds and animals, working in a group of photographers, and when restricted to often narrow trails, a zoom lens is head and shoulders above a fixed lens.
My Favorites
The early favorites composite that opened this blog post features 60 of my favorite images from the trip. I will likely wind up optimizing another 60 or so images. As I almost always process what I consider the very best images first, it is likely that most of the very best stuff is in the composite. I am hoping to find a few more family jewels during the second edit. I edit after each shooting session. Right now I am down to 1646 RAW files from the trip. One participant filled a 2-TB HD … After my second edit, I will likely get down to well less than 500 keepers.
Your Favorites
Based on viewing the admittedly small thumbnails in the composite above — it will not help to try to enlarge the image– please leave a comment and let us know which three images will prove to be the best. And of course, let us know why you made your picks.
Canon Help Needed
Info Received
If you have a good kitchen or postal scale that measures to a tenth of an ounce, please let me know via e-mail (or comment) the weights of the Canon gear below (assuming that you own it) in pounds and ounces to the nearest tenth of an ounce:
Canon 100-400 II with the hood and rear cap with the lens foot removed.
Lens foot for Canon 100-400 II without a plate.
Canon 5D Mark IV with the loaded battery grip.
This just in: Thanks to Adam Rubenstein and “Bug” Bob Allen for e-mailing me the requested weights.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
When we arrived in Guayaquil on Tuesday afternoon, I got a text from Jim at the office stating that a storm had down a tree in our backyard and left us without power, phone, and internet. Power has been restored and phone and internet services are scheduled to be up and running on August 8. Please accept our apologies for any mail order delays or other inconveniences.
On the Way Home
After a truly superb Galapagos trip rife with amazing photographic opportunities, the alarm was set for 1:45am on Wednesday morning. I arrived at the gate at 3:00am for my 5:44am flight to MIA. If I make my connection, I should arrive in Orlando at 2:45pm and then home in time for an early dinner. Lots of photos and lessons soon.
I will be aboard the Samba for two weeks beginning on Tuesday, July 23 photographing in nature photography heaven, the Galapagos archipelago. I will be offline from then until the late afternoon of Tuesday, August 6. You can reach Jim or Jen by phone weekdays at the office (863-692-0906) if you need help with mail order or IPT stuff. The blog will be published at least every other day while I am away.
B&H Event Space Program
I will be doing (another) B&H Event Space Program — Lessons From the Field BIRDS AS ART-Style — on Monday, August 12, 2019, 1:00 to 3:00 PM eastern time. You can register to attend in person or to view the event live online by clicking here. Here is the location: the second floor of B&H NYC SuperStore at 420 9th Avenue, New York NY 10001. Those planning on attending should register asap as spaces are limited.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.
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.
Image #1: Royal Tern — incoming adult with immature Western Gull looking on
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
SONY a9 Center Zone AF for Flight
With the SONY a9, I go pretty much with Center Zone AF when photographing birds in flight. Initial focusing acquisition is lightning fast, faster then with any camera body I have ever used. Tracking accuracy is also superb, especially with birds flying right at the camera at high speed. A little-realized benefit of Center Zone is that it offers lots of compositional options. It is easy to place the bird off-center while maintaining sharp focus. With today’s featured image, it allowed me to place the bird in the upper right portion of the image and still wind up with a razor-sharp eye.
Note: Patrick Sparkman uses and recommends Wide for flight witht the SONY a9 for even more compositional latitude. I will be trying that in the future.
Image #2: Royal Tern — incoming adult wtih immature Western Gull head removed
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Two Questions
Note: Image #1 is exactly as it came out of the camera with adjustments to tonality made to the RAW file in Capture One. To create a second version, I eliminated the head of the young gull using Content-Aware Fill.
1-I made one very minor change with the Spot Healing Brush on Image #2. What was it?
2-Which of the two images do you like, the one with the gull’s head or the one without? Why?
San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 6)
Introductory Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; WED JAN 7, 2020.
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.
Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.
Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not
Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and the subject of blinkies. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.
Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well. And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.
Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, four lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own.
A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 3385, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 10/11//2018. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.
Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.
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 :).
I will be aboard the Samba for two weeks beginning on Tuesday, July 23 photographing in nature photography heaven, the Galapagos archipelago. I will be offline from then until the late afternoon of Tuesday, August 6. You can reach Jim or Jen by phone weekdays at the office (863-692-0906) if you need help with mail order or IPT stuff. The blog will be published at least every other day while I am away.
B&H Event Space Program
I will be doing (another) B&H Event Space Program — Lessons From the Field BIRDS AS ART-Style — on Monday, August 12, 2019, 1:00 to 3:00 PM eastern time. You can register to attend in person or to view the event live online by clicking here. Here is the location: the second floor of B&H NYC SuperStore at 420 9th Avenue, New York NY 10001. Those planning on attending should register asap as spaces are limited.
The Blurb
Arthur Morris will present “Lessons from the Field – BIRDS AS ART” Style. This slide-illustrated lecture will feature hundreds of Artie’s spectacular photographs. As he shares images from his favorite locations around the globe, he will be telling us about the birds and other creatures that he photographs and about the gear and techniques that he uses to create his images. Topics will include getting close to free and wild birds, flight photography, getting the right exposure, and image design..
Blog regulars are invited to come up for a hug before or after the program.
In-the-Field at Nickerson
When I get back from the Galapagos on WED 7 AUG, I will be home for one full day and sleeping two nights in my own bed. That Friday, August 9th, I fly up to Islip to visit family, see Jersey Boys for the fourth time, and do some photography.
There is lots of great stuff at Nickerson Beach in August
Click on the composite to see a larger version
Nickerson Beach In-the-Field Session
All are invited to join me for an In-the-Field photo session or two, or a full day, during the middle of August 2019, as below. We will get to photograph Black Skimmers in flight, dueling in mid-air, and on the beach. With luck, we might get some great stuff on chicks and fledged young as the timing is perfect. We have a good chance to photograph Common Tern and American Oystercatcher, both with fledged young. We should enjoy some good gull photography with herring, great black-backed, and even lesser black-backed. Gull predation of fledged young skimmers is likely. We may also have some good chances with several species of migrant shorebirds, especially Sanderling. It goes without saying that as always, you will learn a ton.
Please contact me via e-mail if you would like to join me. Remember that I will be offline from Tuesday, July 23 until late in the day on WED 7 AUG. Call Jim or Jen weekdays at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand to register. I will confirm on THURS 8 AUG.
Morning Sessions: pre-dawn (about 6am) till 9:30am: $400.00
Each session includes a working lunch/Photoshop/Workflow/Image review session. Limit 3.
Available: SAT 10 AUG, TUES 13 AUG, THURS 15 AUG.
Afternoon Sessions: 4:30pm until sunset (at about 8:10pm). Limit 3: $300.00.
Available: TUES 13 AUG or THURS 15 AUG.
Full-Days: $600.00. Limit 3.
Available: TUES 13 AUG or THURS 15 AUG.
FlexShooter Pro Update
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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%. 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 dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.
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 the afternoon of August 18, 2018, at Nickerson Beach Park, Long Island, NY. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens (at 250mm) with my back-up Nikon D850 DSLR. AUTO ISO: 31. Matrix metering at zero: 1/13 sec. at f/11 in Tv (Shutter Priority) mode. AUTO0 WB at 5:52pm on a cloudy day.
Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +2. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here.
One below Group (grp) Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The array was placed below the center or the flock.
Sanderling flock running on beach
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Depicting Frenetic Energy
I grew to love shorebirds instantly after seeing large flocks of sandpipers swirling and flashing light and dark and twisting in flight above the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. Whether flying, taking flight, or simply running en masse along the beach the very best way that I know to depict the frenetic energy of large flocks of shorebirds in motion is to use a slow shutter speed.
A Guide to Pleasing Blurs
Learn everything there is to know about creating pleasingly blurred images in A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito and yours truly. This 20,585 word, 271 page PDF is illustrated with 144 different, exciting, and artistic images. The guide covers the basics of creating pleasingly blurred images, the factors that influence the degree of blurring, the use of filters in creating pleasing blurs, and a great variety of both in-the-field and Photoshop techniques that can be used to create pleasingly blurred images.
Artie and Denise teach you many different ways to move your lens during the exposure to create a variety of pleasingly blurred images of flowers and trees and water and landscapes. They will teach you to recognize situations where subject movement can be used to your advantage to create pan blurs, wind blurs, and moving water blurs. They will teach you to create zoom-blurs both in the field and during post-processing. Artie shares the techniques that he has used and developed for making blurred images of flocks of geese in flight at his beloved Bosque del Apache and Denise shares her flower blur magic as well as a variety of creative Photoshop techniques that she has developed.
With the advent of digital capture creating blurred images has become a great and inexpensive way to go out with your camera and have fun. And while many folks think that making successful blurred images is the result of being a sloppy photographer, nothing could be further from the truth. In “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” Artie and Denise will help you to unleash your creative self.
Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All of the images in this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this September. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Limit 6.
Afternoon session on Friday September 25 at 4pm. That followed by three full days. We photrograph till sunset on Monday September 30
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With luck, we may get to photograph two of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit and Roseate Spoonbill. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy. 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 may very well get to see and photograph the amazing heron/egret hybrid that has been present for four years. We should get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On 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 the 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.
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 the hotel 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 …
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.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance when you sign up for an IPT. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
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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 :).
