Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

We had a great afternoon with the Green Iguanas at the Iguana Park in Guayaquil, Ecuador on Monday. After watching the first draft of Patrick Sparkman’s a7R iii/SONY a/9 video, I am getting much much better and feeling much more comfortable using the a7R iii. Based on his suggestions, I made several important changes to my set-up that tremendously improved the handling and performance of the camera with the 100-400 GM.

We fly to the archipelago today. I look forward to seeing you all again here in two weeks. If you would like to chime in on what photo gear you would bring on a bucket list trip to the Galapagos, please see yesterday’s blog post here.

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.

What’s Up?

I spent most of Saturday finishing packing for the Galapagos IPT. The next blog post will feature my gear bag. I fly to Guayaquil, Ecudaor on Sunday and continue on to Baltra on Tuesday. We will board the Samba that afternoon for two weeks in nature photography heaven.

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

Big Price Reduction!

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

BAA Record-low Price reduced $400.00 on 7-20, 2019

Mansoor Assadi is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for the low price of $6399.00 (was $6799.00). The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, a LensCoat, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only.

Please contact Mansoor via e-mail or by phone at 1-415-559-8027 (Pacific time).

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 $3,100.00 by grabbing Mansoor’s practically new 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.

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 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

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 :).

SONY a7R iii

Follow the link above to learn about saving $500 on a SONY a7R iii along with many dozens of incredible summer deals.

What’s Up?

I spent a good part of the day on Tuesday getting my replacement cell phone up and running. (It turned out that I had lost phone insurance with Verizon.) The process was a challenge. We spent an hour trying to get the new SIM card in until Jim turned it over and it fit like a charm. Next was getting the service re-connected; that took 1 1/2 hours on the phone. Last was restoring the iCloud back-up. That went just fine and it was good to be back in business.

Today I will be reviewing Patrick Sparkman’s SONY video. Though we pay for two DSL lines, internet here at ILE is nothing short of slow as molasses. It took us more than six hours to download the 5MB video and close to 20 to upload it to Hightail. You gotta love that.

I slept long and well last night; it was my best night of sleep since returning from the UK.

Wanted to Buy

If you have a used Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in excellent to like-new condition that you would like to sell, please let me know via e-mail. I have a buyer lined up.

Used FlexShooter Pro

Sold instantly!

I have a barely used FlexShooter Pro head for sale for only $499.00 including the shipping. You can save $100 by getting in touch asap via e-mail.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We are sold out on the newly-arrived FLN-60 BigFeet 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.

This image was created on March 2, 2019 at Lakeland, FL. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and my souped-up Nikon D850. AUTO ISO: 500. Matrix metering plus 2/3 stop as framed: 1/2000 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode was right on. AUTO1 WB at 8:37pm am with light clouds. One array up from the center Group (grp) Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) was active at the moment of exposure. The array was centered on the base of the bird’s upper mandible. Today, I would have used d-9 or d-25 AF for this image. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +1. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. American White Pelican vertical head and bill portrait

I’d Only Dreamed of a Place Like This for American White Pelicans …

The first time that Joe Przybyla guided me around Lakeland, I was floored. Amazed. Stunned. There were tame Limpkins. And tame White Ibises. And tame moorhens. And tame Anhingas in killer breeding plumage. But most of all, there were tame American White Pelicans. Many dozens of them! With a relatively careful approach, tight face shots were possible even without a super-telephoto lens. With the beautiful early morning light and lots of nice backgrounds to choose from, I visited many times during the later winter and early spring of 2019. And in the early morning, flight photography can be pretty decent as well.

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

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide

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

Purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

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

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

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

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

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 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

I have been able to stay up every day till between 8 and 9pm with only a short nap and I have been able to get lots of work done during the day without feeling like a zombie. The problem remains that I have been getting up between 2:30 and 3:00am. You gotta love jet lag.

I am starting to think about packing for the upcoming 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. So far, my cell phone has not been turned in to the EDI (Edinburg, Scotland Airport) lost and found.

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 both below and on the Used Gear Page.

New Listing

Canon EF 400mm f/4 IS DO II Lens

BPN-friend Robert Kimbrell is offering a Canon EF 400mm f/4 IS DO II lens in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $4199.00. The sale includes the tough front lens cover, the rear cap, the lens strap, the lens trunk, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Robert via e-mail.

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

Price Reductions!

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Price Reduced $100.00 on July 13, 2019.

IPT veteran Mark Overgaard is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II (92,170 shutter count) in excellent plus to near-mint condition (but for a few small scratch marks on the rear LCD) for the BAA record-low price of $649.00 (was $749.00). The sale includes the front body cap, a RRS L-plate, one LP-E6N Battery Pack, the battery charger, the camera strap, the original box and user documents, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US lower 48 addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Mark via e-mail.

The 7D Mark II is Canon’s top of the line crop factor body. If you doubt the image quality, do a search in the little white box on the top right of each blog post for “Dan Cadieux” or check out his incredible work in the Avian Forum on BirdPhotographer’s.Net. Or you can check out his opera-singing 7D II Virginia Rail image here. Not to mention that I made a slew of great images with this best-value-ever in a digital camera body … artie

Four-lens Canon EF-S Bundle

Price Reduced $150.00 on July 13, 2019.

IPT veteran Mark Overgaard is also offering a four-lens EF-S bundle, all in near-mint to like-new condition for the crazy-low price of $799.00 (was $949.00). EF-S lenses work only with Canon crop sensor bodies such as the 7D, the 7D Mark II, the 70D, and the 80D.

Here are the lenses:

• Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
• Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
• Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM
• Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM

The sale includes all front and rear lens caps and hoods and insured ground shipping by UPS or FedEx to the lower 48 states only. For all but the 18-135mm lens, the original Canon box is also included.

Please contact Mark via e-mail.

If you are sold on Canon crop factor bodies like the 7D Mark II (see the work of Dan Cadieux), and are looking for some supplementary lenses, this package represents an incredible deal. These four lenses sell new for $1796.00 so you can save $997 by grabbing this great collection 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 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 is a crop of an image that was created on the morning of June 5, 2019 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. For the uncropped original, matrix metering at about +2/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode was perfect with the histogram pushed all the way to the right. AUTO1 WB at 7:45am on a sunny morning with a very light cloud in front of the sun. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: a very significant +9. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. One up and two to the left of center Dynamic 9 points (d-9) Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. In the original frame, the selected AF point was on the bottom right of the bird’s neck. Tight crop showing detail on the back of a young Osprey’s neck Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

How Large a Crop?

The JPEG above represents an unsharpened 100% crop of the full-frame original image.

What percentage of the original pixels do you think have been cropped away?

• a: 98.3%
• b: 88.3%
• c: 78.3%
• d: 68.3%
• e: none of the above — please indicate your percentage

The FlexShooter Pro From the Car

Working with the FlexShooter Pro from the car or anywhere else is a dream. It’s a ballhead that thinks its a gimbal head. After one simple adjustment, all of your images will be square to the world. Your big lens will stay right where you point it. And I have done lots of flight photography from the driver’s seat of my Sequoia. It is simply amazing. Learn more about working off the FlexShooter Pro from your vehicle in the blog post here.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock 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.

i-Phone 8+ image in Portrait Mode by Jim Litzenberg Setting the Tripod Up in the Vehicle/Best by far with the FlexShooter Pro

The Setting up a Tripod in your Vehicle MP4 Video

$10 here in the BAA Online Store or free with your purchase of the life-changing FlexShooter Pro Head.

This seven-minute video will teach you exactly how to set up a tripod in most vehicles. You can do this with pretty much any tripod that does not have a center post. It is just one of the many reasons that I do not like or use a tripod with a center post. As I did for more than two decades, you can use this strategy with any ballhead or with a Wimberley V2 head or a Mongoose M3.6 action head, but the FlexShooter Pro has several huge advantages. First and foremost you are able to level the large silver ball. This enables you to pan with moving subjects and shoot action and even flight from the driver’s seat of your vehicle all while the camera remains 100% square to the world, aka “level.” The second big advantage is that the FlexShooter Pro has a lower profile than either of the other two heads mentioned so that you can be low enough to work subjects on the ground that are relatively close to your car.

You can order your copy of this MP4 video here in the BAA Online Store. It is free with the purchase of a FlexShooter Pro head. Those who have previously purchased the FlexShooter Pro from us can e-mail to request their free copy.

Bosque del Apache 2019 IPTs 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 IPTs

Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT #1. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 7. Introductory Meet and greet at 7pm on MON 25 NOV.

Return to Bosque IPT #2. NOV 29 (afternoon session thru DEC 4 (morning session) — 5 DAYS (4 full and two half): $2249.00. Limit: 10/Openings: 9. Introductory Meet and greet at 2:00pm on FRI 29 NOV.

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.

Both trips will run with only a single registrant. Lunch is included on all full days of each workshop.

Free Morning Session

Sign up for either IPT and enjoy a free morning session on Friday, 29 NOV.

$500 Multiple IPT Discount

Join me for both IPTs and we will be glad to apply a $500 multiple IPT discount.

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 three 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.

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 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

We had a bit of bad weather luck (it was sunny) on our last two days at Seahouses and our first gannet boat trip that was scheduled for Monday afternoon was weathered-out — the swells were too big. But we finished with a huge bang and great fortune on a slightly drizzly morning photographing baited diving gannets at point-blank range near Bass Rock, Scotland. It was 100% shop to you drop fantastic. Most of the boys and girls fly home tomorrow, Wednesday, July 10, 2019.

BirdPhotographer’s.Net is back online after nine days of web darkness, our longest outage ever. Thanks to Peter Kes for solving a very thorny problem.

Coming Soon

I will be announcing the Fort DeSoto Fall Sandbar Secrets IPT soon. Both Bosque IPTs and the San Diego IPT are wide open. Click here to see the IPT listings.

Publication Delay 🙁

Publication of the The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide, co-written and co-illustrated by Joe Przybyla and yours truly has been delayed as yours truly screwed up the PDF. Once that new e-Guide is released, the publication of Focus on Frogs – An Illustrated Guide to Great Photography was written and illustrated by Andrew McLachlan and edited for readability by yours truly will follow. Each of these new e-Guides is lavishly illustrated with images that will educate and inspire. Both will sell for $50.00 via electronic download.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We are sold out on the newly-arrived FLN-60 BigFeet 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.

This image was created on July 7 at Staple Island on the 2019 UK Puffins and Gannets 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 420mm) and the mega mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO: 1000. Exposure set via the Zebra feature with Multi Metering: 1/640 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 2:36pm on a variably cloudy day. (Continuous) AF was active at the moment of exposure. Expand Flexible Spot (S) was placed somewhere on the bird’s head. Unfortunately, there is no software that allows users to determine either the AF pattern or the selected AF point. This is quite unfortunate. If I am incorrect, please let me know by leaving a comment with a reference. Image #1: Black-headed Gull — large chick Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Great Opportunity!

Thanks to first-time IPT participant Shonagh Adelman and multiple IPT participant Anita North for opening my eyes to the great opportunities to photograph Black-headed Gulls of all ages at the left-center path pond on Staple. I’d seen the young birds there for years without realizing how many great chances were there for the taking and making. The bird in Image #1 is a large fat unfledged chick.

My Current Sony Strategy

As you see clearly when studying today’s featured images, my current SONY approach is to use the a9 mostly with the 1.4X TC for flight and action and to switch to the a7R iii with the 1.4X TC for static or for slowly moving subjects. Again, this is somewhat of a pain in the neck, but the results are well worth it. If you are st up with the a7R iii and a flight or action opportunity develops suddenly you just have to go for it. Flight photography with the a9 is light-years better than with the a7R iii while a7R iii image quality is — as expected — much better than a9 IQ. As expected, the more I use the SONY gear the more familiar and adept I become at handling and working with the camera. And last but not least, using the 2X TC to get to 800mm with the 100-400 GM is a viable option (as see in the previous blog post).

This image was also created on July 7 at Staple Island on the 2019 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT with the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 560mm) and the mega mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO: 800. Exposure set via the Zebra feature with Multi Metering: 1/640 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 2:37pm on a variably cloudy day. (Continuous) AF was active at the moment of exposure. Expand Flexible Spot (S) was placed somewhere on the bird’s head or neck. Unfortunately, there is no software that allows users to determine either the AF pattern or the selected AF point. This is quite unfortunate. If I am incorrect, please let me know by leaving a comment with a reference. Image #2: Black-headed Gull — fledged juvenile swimming Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Changing the Background

For most of the afternoon at this spot, I was able to change the background from grey or an ugly greenish-grey to a rather pleasant blue — the reflection of a small bit of clear blue sky. It was fun working these birds with the very pleasant first-timer from Denmark, Carsten Andersen.

The young fledged and flying gull in Image #2 is about ten days older than the large chick in Image #1.

This image was also created on July 7 at Staple Island. For this one I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 428mm) and the blazingly fast AF king, the Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera ISO: 1000. Exposure set via the Zebra feature with Multi Metering: 1/2000 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 3:10pm on a variably cloudy day. Continuous center Zone AF. Image #3: Black-headed Gull — fledged young landing Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

SONY 9 Initial Focusing Acquisition

The speed of initial focusing acquisition with the SONY a9 slays any camera that I have ever worked with including the Nikon D5 and the Canon 1DX II. Absolutely slays. And center Zone AF works superbly for birds in flight, especially as we saw in the last blog post, with birds flying right at you. That true even with the 1.4X teleconverter.

This image was also created on July 7 at Staple Island. Again I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 416mm) and the blazingly fast AF king, the Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera ISO: 1000. Exposure set via the Zebra feature with Multi Metering: 1/2000 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 3:25pm on a variably cloudy day. Continuous center Zone AF. Image #4: Black-headed Gull — adult in flight Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Flight Photography Tip: The Importance of Guess-timating the focal length, Esti-Zooming, or Zoom-stimating

When photographing birds flying towards you at fairly close range with a zoom lens, guess-timating the focal length, esti-zooming, or zoom-stimating to a wider focal length than the maximum (of 560mm in this case), is an important skill to and develop and to practice. What am I talking about? You see a bird turning towards you or flying right at you and you realize that it will be much too big in the frame at some point, so you make an educated guess and zoom out quickly to a focal length of your choosing. Once you get good at it you will find that lots of birds fit nicely into the frame. With slow-flying birds, it is possible to zoom out slowly as they approach, but that strategy does not work with fast-flying birds

SONY a9 ii?

I am enjoying the rumors concerning a SONY a9 ii “before the Olympics.” If it has 35 megapixels or so, I want the first one 🙂

Your Favorite?

Please leave a comment letting us know which of today’s four featured images is your favorite and why you made your choice.

Bosque del Apache 2019 IPTs 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 IPTs

Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT #1. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8. Introductory Meet and greet at 7pm on MON 25 NOV.

Return to Bosque IPT #2. NOV 29 (afternoon session thru DEC 4 (morning session) — 5 DAYS (4 full and two half): $2249.00. Limit: 10/Openings: 9. Introductory Meet and greet at 2:00pm on FRI 29 NOV.

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.

I go with one registrant. Lunch is included on all full days of each workshop.

Free Morning Session

Sign up for either IPT and enjoy a free morning session on Friday, 29 NOV.

$500 Multiple IPT Discount

Join me for both IPTs and we will be glad to apply a $500 multiple IPT discount.

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 three 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.

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 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

Tuesday on the puffin boat was mega. We could not land on Wednesday morning because of a nasty swell and that afternoon was lousy with an east wind against bright sun. Thursday on the puffin boat was mega-mega. We have been eating well (and too much), learning a ton, and having fun. I went 100% SONY on lousy Wednesday and fabulous Thursday; I have lots to share on that, some of it quite surprising.

BPN is still down, with apologies. We suffered a phishing attack that is so bad that right now not even the service provider had been able to get into the back-end to do the clean-up. My understanding is that progress is being made.

Coming Soon

I will be announcing the Fort DeSoto Fall Sandbar Secrets IPT soon. Both Bosque IPTs and the San Diego IPT are wide open. Click here to see the IPT listings.

Publication Delay 🙁

Publication of the The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide, co-written and co-illustrated by Joe Przybyla and yours truly has been delayed as yours truly screwed up the PDF. Once that new e-Guide is released, the publication of Focus on Frogs – An Illustrated Guide to Great Photography was written and illustrated by Andrew McLachlan and edited for readability by yours truly will follow. Each of these new e-Guides is lavishly illustrated with images that will educate and inspire. Both will sell for $50.00 via electronic download.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We are sold out on the newly-arrived FLN-60 BigFeet recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FL SH Pro story.

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.

This image was created on July 2 on the first of our puffin boat trips on the 2019 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT. Again, I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850 AUTO ISO: 400. Matrix metering at about -2/3 stop as framed: 1/1250 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AUTO1 WB at 12:15pm on a cloudy-bright day. Center d-9 AF was active at the moment of exposure. The center point was squarely on the puffin’s eye. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #1: Atlantic Puffin with sand eels — flapping in place Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Anticipation

On Tuesday morning we landed at an alternate site. There were lots of close puffins on the rocks with nice backgrounds, but the sun was shining just a bit too much in our faces. “Let’s pass on those for now and get them on the way back after it clouds up.” So we did. There is a single location on Staple Island where you can consistently enjoy jet-black backgrounds. But you need a west wind and cloudy skies. I got lucky when the isolated bird with sand eels in its bill flapped.

This image was created on July 2 on the first of our puffin boat trips on the 2019 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT. Anita North used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and her souped-up Nikon D850 AUTO ISO: 1600. Matrix metering at about -1/3 stop as framed: 1/2500 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. AUTO1 WB at 12:15pm on a cloudy-bright day. One up from the center Group (grp) Continuous AF was active at the moment of exposure. Image #2: Atlantic Puffin with sand eels — vertical portrait. Image courtesy of and copyright 2019: Anita North Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Math Quiz

Which settings let in more light, Image #1 or Image #2? No guessing — please share your math.

600VR

I have yet to use my Nikon 600 VR. And prospects for doing so are not looking good …

Comments?

Any and all questions and/or comments on today’s two images are of course welcome.

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 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

Friday afternoon was not as good as Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning was not as good as Friday morning. That will almost always be the case after a truly sensational start. That said, we had lots of good chances on Friday afternoon and lots of good chances on Saturday morning — bless the fog and the clouds! We did the Red Kites at Harewood on Saturday afternoon; pretty much everyone wound up with better images than I did.

Canon user and BPN-friend Mikey Poole used my 500 PF on Friday afternoon and was totally blown away by the AF performance. After the session, he said, “You just cost me a lot of money …” On Sunday morning, we were facing the bright sun in our faces winds from behind us conditions that plagued our mornings at Bempton Cliffs in late June 2018. The Brits loved those summer days but for morning bird photography you are up against is with those conditions. Make soup from a stone, I came up with two pretty good situations despite the extremely difficult conditions. I will be sharing my two best images from that morning with you here. On that morning, Mikey played around handholding Anita North’s 600 VR and said, “Wow, it is much better balanced and lighter than my old Canon 500mm f/4L IS.” I replied, “Way expensive.” His answer, “In for a dime, in for a dollar.I’ll be divorced soon. ” I love that live-life-now attitude.

Coming Soon

I will be announcing the Fort DeSoto Fall Sandbar Secrets IPT soon. Both Bosque IPTs and the San Diego IPT are wide open. Click here to see the IPT listings.

Publication Delay 🙁

Publication of the The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide, co-written and co-illustrated by Joe Przybyla and yours truly has been delayed as yours truly screwed up the PDF. Once that is released, the publication of Focus on Frogs – An Illustrated Guide to Great Photography was written and illustrated by Andrew McLachlan and edited for readability by yours truly will follow. Each of these new e-Guides is lavishly illustrated with images that will educate and inspire. Both will sell for $50.00 via electronic download.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We are sold out on the newly-arrived FLN-60 BigFeet recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FL SH Pro story.

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.

Full frame vertical Photo Mechanic screen capture

The Little-Know Schmutz (Lint) Removal Filter in Photoshop

When I first saw this image during the editing (picking my keepers) session in Photo Mechanic, I loved the bird, the soft light, and the spectacular bill color; the schmutz on the bill pouch? Not so much. There is — of course — no Schmutz (Lint) Removal Filter in Photoshop. The bill clean-up took about four minutes; I used the Patch Tool, the Spot Healing Brush, and lots of Content-Aware Fill. To save time, I used the Lasso Tool, set to Add to selection, to eliminate most of the schmutz in one fell swoop. Do that by circling many or most of the small bits of lint (or whatever the white specks might have been), and then hitting Shift + Delete to execute the Content-Aware Fill operation. That takes a few moments to render but you save lots of time in the long run as compared to dealing with each speck individually. You can see the results below in the optimized version.

A Neat Photo Mechanic Feature

When editing a session folder, I simply hit the space bar to view the images large and use the right arrow key to advance to the next frame. I hit T (tagged) to mark my keepers. When I am finished, I go to Untagged, hit Command A (select all), and then hit Command-delete to move the rejects to the trash. There is nothing faster than Photo Mechanic for viewing your images. When and if you want to share a vertical image on the laptop, you can really impress folks by hitting one of the two rotation arrows (upper right, in blue above) and then turning your laptop on end. I only do this during an editing session when I need to see the whole image as large as possible. I use the fabulous Zoom feature to check for critical sharpness with most images.

Click here to learn more about viewing, editing, and ingesting images with Photo Mechanic.

This image was created on January 20, 2019 on the first afternoon of the 2019 San Diego IPT. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850. AUTO ISO: 6400. Matrix metering at about zero as framed: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AUTO1 WB at 5:47pm on a cloudy afternoon. One up from the center Group (grp) Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) was active at the moment of exposure. The array was centered on the base of the pelican’s bill on the same plane as the razor-sharp eye. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Big, Bad Pacific race Brown Pelican — tight vertical head and bill portrait

Image Color Quiz

What single change during the RAW conversion resulted in the totally different look of the color in the optimized image as compared to the original image?

ISO 6400

This image was created on the same afternoon as my favorite pelican blur. Right before I created today’s featured image I had been shooting flight at 1/1000 second at ISO 6400. When the bird in today’s photo distended it bill pouch I fired without attempting to change any settings. A shutter speed of 1/500 sec. at ISO 3200 (half the shutter speed equals half the ISO) would likely have done just fine. Noise reduction with Neat Image worked superbly. Many folks feel that high ISO performance with the D5 is far better than high ISO performance with the D850; in my opinion, this is a myth.

The Optimized Image for Big Bad Pelican

The NEF file for today’s image was converted in Capture One. I was and am quite satisfied with the image color, the bill clean-up, and the optimized image as a whole.

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.

• The Wingtip Repairs MP4 Video here.
• The MP4 Crow Cleanup Video here.

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.

Though I have become more proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw, 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. 🙂 The RAW conversions for all three of today’s featured images was straightforward once I entered my camera/ISO specific recipes (as detailed in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide).

More recently, I have begun converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One. Learn more about Capture One Pro 12 and Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here. Note: C-1 Pro 12 Works great with SONY ARW (RAW) files too!

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.

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 relocated) 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 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

I should surely be in the UK by the time that you read this. Photographing gannets at Bempton Cliffs.

Two brand new BAA publications will be released soon. The first will be The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide, co-written and co-illustrated by Joe Przybyla and yours truly. Focus on Frogs – An Illustrated Guide to Great Photography was written and illustrated by Andrew McLachlan and edited for readability by yours truly. Each of these new e-Guides is lavishly illustrated with images that will educate and inspire. Both will sell for $50.00 via electronic download.

Coming Soon

I will be announcing the Fort DeSoto Fall Sandbar Secrets IPT soon. Both Bosque IPTs and the San Diego IPT are wide open. Click here to see the IPT listings.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We are sold out on the newly-arrived FLN-60 BigFeet recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here to access the pretty much complete FL SH Pro story.

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.

The Photo Mechanic Screen Capture for Image #1 (below) Click on the image to see a larger version and read the fine print.

The Photo Mechanic Screen Capture for Image #1 (below)

Thoughts on Cloudy Day Underexposures …

So here we have another well-underexposed image. Why does this happen so often to all of us?

• 1- We forget that in low light conditions (cloudy, late-in-the-day, etc.), the great majority of photographers fail to add enough light. This is usually done by either by raising the ISO or lowering the shutter speed.
• 2- To avoid working at a higher ISO with close calls, we subconsciously opt to go with an ISO that is too low.
• 3- A cloud (momentarily and often temporarily) covers the sun.
• 4: We accidentally bump the shutter speed wheel.
• 5: We followed this oft-given advice, When unexpected action occurs, press the shutter button; do not attempt to change any settings …
• 6- We simply screw up, often by being in too much of a hurry.

The reality is that all of us will — at least on occasion — have to deal with underexposed RAW files. The image above was quickly and easily converted with Capture One Pro-12. You can see exactly what I did in the Two Eagles Capture One & More MP4 Video. See more on that below.

This image was created on June 16, 2019, at Basket Lake Camp near Dryden, Ontario. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850. AUTO ISO: 1000. Matrix metering plus one off the grey sky: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was about 2/3 stop under. AUTO1 WB at 7:20pm on a cloudy-dark afternoon. Center Group (grp) Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) was active at the moment of exposure. The array was centered on the eagle’s breast, pretty much on the same plane as its eye. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Imge #1: Bald Eagle lifting off with Walleye in talons Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Image Optimization for the Cloudy Day Eagle

The Exposure slider at 1.23, the Highlight slider to 19, and the Shadow slider to an almost-insignificant 7 (be careful not to overdo your Shadow adjustments), the White Balance was reduced from 5778 K to 5085 K using click White Balance. This resulted in RGB values of R = 233, G = 234, B = 233, perfect for cloudy day WHITEs. After those adjustments to the RAW file, I did not even need to play with the end-lines in Levels. Not only does C-1 Pro 12 provide higher image quality for your Nikon and SONY images, but the process is also fast and easy to learn. Again, see the item on the Two Eagles Capture One & More MP4 Video below.

This image was created on June 11, 2019, at Basket Lake Camp near Dryden, Ontario. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850. AUTO ISO: 800. Matrix metering plus 2/3 stop off the low blue sky: 1/5000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was a perfect exposure. AWB 7:20pm on a cloudy-dark afternoon. Center Group (grp) Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) was active at the moment of exposure. The array was centered on the base of the near-wing. With the eagle angling somewhat towards us, the array was pretty much on the same plane as the bird’s eye. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Imge #2: Bald Eagle lifting in flight with Walleye in talons Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

The Sunny Day Eagle

With a pretty much perfect exposure right out of the box, setting up to optimize the RAW file in C-1 Pro 12 took less than one minute. And crunching the TIFF file took well less than that. Notice that in some sunny day flight situations I have started working at ISO 800 and maximizing the shutter speed, as with image #2.

Your Thoughts?

Which is the stronger image? Why? In what ways is Image #1 better than Image #2? Is Image #2 better in any way than Image #1?

Leaving a comment here is always greatly appreciated by yours truly.

The Two Eagles Capture One & More MP4 Video Cheap: $5.00. Click here to order.

The Two Eagles Capture One & More MP4 Video

I thought that it would be interesting and educational to do an MP4 video showing the Capture One conversions and the Photoshop optimizations of a cloudy day under-exposed Bald Eagle as compared to a properly exposed sunny day Bald Eagle. In the Two Eagles Capture One & More MP4 Video I have done just that. The topics covered include using Click White Balance to determine a pleasing Color Temperature, adjusting the Highlights and Shadows sliders, setting the Black and White points using the end-lines in Levels, Capture One Noise Reduction, adjusting the other important sliders, converting the image to a TIFF, and bringing the TIFF into Photoshop. Once there we crop the image, level and fill in canvas if needed (as was necessary with the cloudy eagle), do some background and bill cleanup using the Patch Tool, the Spot Healing Brush, the Clone Stamp Tool, Content-Aware Fill, and a small Quick Mask modified by a Regular Layer Mask, sharpen selectively with a Contrast Mask, do some Eye Doctor work with Tim Grey Dodge and Burn, flatten and save the master file, and create and sharpen a JPEG. All of that plus lots more in an easy to follow format — you can pause the tape or rewind as needed.

The best news is that this video costs only $5.00, in other words, cheap. You can have a link for this 29-minute video sent to you via e-mail by clicking here. If you enjoy this inexpensive video and would like to learn more about Capture One, check out the Capture One Pro-12 Simplified MP4 Video immediately below. If you are new to Capture One Pro-12, please click here to order. Understand that C-1 Pro 12 is expensive for good reason … Are your photos worth it?

The Capture One Pro-12 Simplified Video Click here to order.

The Capture One Pro-12 Simplified Video

$15.00 via electronic download

When I first heard about doing RAW conversions in Capture One Pro 12 I purchased the somewhat pricey program and tried to figure it out on my own. I was totally lost. So I did some reading online and was still very confused. Then I consulted Arash Hazeghi’s comprehenisve The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide and while Arash does a great job of covering the fine points, I still had some difficulty getting started. I thought Who needs Sessions and who wants to have to Import images? So I consulted Patrick Sparkman, the BAA technical advisor. Patrick had been using C-1 Pro 12 for a while. We spent a good deal of time on FaceTime simplifying things. That video is a direct result of those conversations.

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

If you are new to Capture One Pro-12, please click here to order. Understand that C-1 Pro 12 is expensive for good reason … Are your photos worth it?

Here are some of the things you will learn in this 33+ minute video as we convert nine different RAW files (eight Nikon and one SONY) from soup to nuts, from Photo Mechanic through the RAW conversion in Capture One to Photoshop:

• 1-How to quickly and easily find your images while working in a simple file folder format.
• 2-How to customize your Exposure and Details tabs to streamline your workflow.
• 3-How to set the White and Black points using Levels.
• 4-How to adjust set the values for the relevant sliders including Exposure, White Balance, High Dynamic Range (the Highlight and Shadow sliders), and Clarity and Structure.
• 5-How to work at 100 or 200% and fine tune your settings for Noise Reduction and Sharpness.
• 6-How to work with the Color Editor

If you are trying to get a handle on how to use this great RAW conversion engine for your Nikon and SONY images, this video is just what you have been looking for. It is meant to serve as an adjunct to Arash’s comprehensive The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide. For Canon shooters, Arash and I both recommend using DPP 4.

Don’t Forget

Do not forget that the Nikon 500 PF and a souped-up Nikon D850 are absolutely deadly for photographing birds in flight. And please do not forget to either use my B&H affiliate links for your purchase or to get in touch with Steve Elkins at Bedford’s as noted near the beginning of this blog post. Do understand that these lenses are still very difficult to come by; the sooner you place your pre-order the sooner you will have this great lens in your hands.

Two Eagles Capture One & More MP4 Video

What’s Up?

As soon as this blog post is published on the early morning of Tuesday, June, 25, I will begin packing in earnest for my trip to the UK. It has been hotter than heck here every day and I have been swimming a half-mile plus each afternoon. Thanks for all the kind comments on my new cue-ball haircut.

Two brand new BAA publications will be released soon. The first will be The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide, co-written and co-illustrated by Joe Przybyla and yours truly. Frog Pond Adventures/A Guide to Photographing Frogs and Toads was written and illustrated by Andrew McLachlan and edited for readability by yours truly. Each of these new e-Guides is lavishly illustrated with images that will educate and inspire. Both will sell for $50 via electronic download.

Please take a good look at the turtle image below and see if you can come up with the answer I am looking for in the Image Design Quiz.

Coming Soon

I will be announcing the Fort DeSoto Fall Sandbar Secrets IPT and one or two Bosque IPTs soon.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We are sold out on the newly-arrived FLN-60 BigFeet recently re-designed to perfection for the Nikon 600 VR.

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 both below and on the Used Gear Page.

New Listings

Canon EOS 7D

Doug Rogers is offering a Canon EOS 7D in excellent condition for the bargain price of $299.00. The sale includes the front body cap, the strap, the battery charger, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only.

Please contact Doug via e-mail or by phone at 1-434-409-8156 (Eastern time).

This is a great body for anyone wishing to get started with digital photography, nature or not. artie

Canon EOS 7D Mark II (with grip)

Doug Rogers is also offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II in like-new condition for only $849.00. The sale includes the BG-16 battery grip in like-new condition, the front body cap, the strap, the battery charger, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only.

Please contact Doug via e-mail or by phone at 1-434-409-8156 (Eastern time).

I loved my 7D II and to this day I am often amazed by many of the images that I created with it. It is the first choice camera body of highly skilled bird photographer and BPN Avian Moderator Dan Cadieux (whose work has been featured here often — do a search in the little white box at the top right of each blog post for “Cadieux”), and more recently Ravi Harekatur (see the recent blog post here if you missed his great macro shots). artie

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

Doug Rogers is also offering a Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens in near-mint condition for a ridiculously low $249.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only.

Please contact Doug via e-mail or by phone at 1-434-409-8156 (Eastern time)

This ideal, all-around and travel EF-S-Mount lens is designed for APS-C Format (crop factor) Canon bodies like the 7D Mark II. It yields a 28.8-320mm equivalent zoom range that makes this image stabilized lens extremely versatile; it covers focal lengths from wide-angle to short telephoto. It sells new for $699.00. artie

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens

Doug Rogers is also offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $1197.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the tough fabric carrying case, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only.

Please contact Doug via e-mail or by phone at 1-434-409-8156 (Eastern time)

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 is selling new right now for $1799.00. artie

Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (1.4X teleconverter)

Doug Rogers is also offering a Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (1.4X teleconverter) in like-new condition for the BAA record-low price of $263.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the carrying pouch, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only.

Please contact Doug via e-mail or by phone at 1-434-409-8156 (Eastern time)

Canon Extender EF 2X II (2X teleconverter)

Doug Rogers is also offering a Canon Extender EF 2X II (2X teleconverter) in like-new condition for only $179.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the carrying pouch, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only.

Please contact Doug via e-mail or by phone at 1-434-409-8156 (Eastern time)

I used the 2X II TC for about eight years and made a zillion sharp images with my Canon 500mm and 600mmm f/4l IS lenses. artie

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.

Nikon Capture NX-D screen cature for Brown Pelican pan blur Click on the image to see a larger version and read the fine print.

The Nikon Capture NX-D Screen Capture

The only reason I have downloaded Nikon Capture NX-D is that I use it to access the focus point and AF Fine-tune information. Seeing the AF point with Canon is easy in DPP 4. It is not possible to see the AF point after the fact with either the SONY a9 or the a7R iii. With today’s featured image, you can see the large over-exposure. I converted this image in ACR before I began using Capture One Pro-12. The conversion values were quite interesting to say the least: Exposure: +2; Highlights: -100; Shadows: +68; Whites: +5; Blacks: -28; Clarity:+7; and Vibrance: +66. The (color) temperature was raised from 6940K to 8900. Whatever works. The above values prove the often-made point: there is considerable artistry and personal taste involved in doing RAW conversions. And the same is true about the image optimization process that follows. During both of these processes, you need to think creatively while using the tools that you have mastered previously.

So how did Mr. Professional Photographer wind up so under-exposed? At times, the birds were flying against dark areas of the cliff on the other side of the cove so I went with zero to protect the bright YELLOWs and WHITEs on the pelican’s heads. While those images were a bit underexposed when the birds flew past the buff-colored parts of the cliffs, the underexposure was a lot more severe when the light yellowish tones caused the meter to select an ISO that was much too low. In retrospect, I would have been much better off working in Manual mode.

Exposure Quiz

Using the data supplied above and assuming the same shutter speed and aperture, what should the ISO have been if I had been working in Manual mode?

This image was created on January 20 on the first afternoon of the 2019 San Diego IPT. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850. AUTO ISO: 640. Matrix metering at zero: 1/15 sec. at f/6.3 in Shutter Priority (S) mode (Tv in Canon) was at least a stop underexposed in a no-light situation with the light buff cliff in the background. AUTO1 WB at 6:14pm on a cloudy dark afternoon. Center Group (grp) Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) was active at the moment of exposure. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +3. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Brown Pelican pan blur Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

My Very Favorite San Diego 2019 IPT Image. Having Pre-visualized the Image Makes it Even Sweeter!

Patrick Sparkman had joined us for the afternoon and we wound up at a somewhat unusual afternoon location late on a dark afternoon. This location proved to be quite excellent for the remaining two weeks of my San Diego visit. With birds flying in and out of the cove, trying to create some nice pleasing blurs made a lot more sense than trying to create sharp images at ISOs of 6,400, 12,800, or higher.

I said to the group, The winning image here will be made when a bird is flapping in front of the buff-colored portion of the cliff. Intentional blurs of gliding birds are almost always less successful than images of birds that are actively flapping their wings. Despite the big underexposure, I was thrilled with the optimized image. Learning to pre-visualize what you want on your final canvas will help you to grow as a photographer by leaps an bounds. Do consider joining me on the San Diego IPT to do just that and more. Details immediately below.

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: 7)

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 relocated) 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 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up

Two brand new BAA publications will be released soon. The first will be The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide, co-written and co-illustrated by Joe Przybyla and yours truly. Frog Pond Adventures/A Guide to Photographing Frogs and Toads was written and illustrated by Andrew McLachlan and edited for readability by yours truly. Each of these new e-Guides is lavishly illustrated with images that will educate and inspire. Both will sell for $50 via electronic download.

Please take a good look at the turtle image below and see if you can come up with the answer I am looking for in the Image Design Quiz.

Coming Soon

I will be announcing the Fort DeSoto Fall Sandbar Secrets IPT and one or two Bosque IPTs soon.

FlexShooter Pro Update

We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here. We are sold out on the newly-arrived FLN-60 BigFeet recently re-designed to perfection for the Nikon 600 VR.

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.

This image was created on June 15, 2019, at Basket Lake, near Dryden, Ontario Canada. Lying on the road I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 400mm) and the high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1000: 1/125 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial … AWB at 6:47pm on a clear afternoon. Flexible Spot (S) C (tracking) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was placed on the subject’s eye. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Painted Turtle sunning

Tame Stuff …

When I sent this image to my friend Andrew McLachlan to confirm the ID, he replied: They are usually rather skittish …. Anita North and I were exploring some back roads around Basket Lake driving a very noisy four-wheeled gas-powered cart. When we passed this turtle sunning itself on the side of the road, I called out, “Stop.” We got our lenses and approached with great caution assuming that most turtles would be very shy. This one was not. We started at about 15 feet and once we realized that it was quite content and unafraid, I was easily able to approach within four feet (at which point today’s featured image was created). Anita was using her 500 PF and needed to stay well back as the minimum focusing distance (MFD) is 3.0 meters, about nine feet, ten inches. That as compared to an incredible .98 meters for the SONY (and the Canon) 100-400 lenses. Note: .98 meters is about 3 feet, two and one-half inches.

More than a decade ago I came across a Texas Horned Toad on a dirt road. It was silly-tame. I picked up and posed it on various branches on the weathered branches of a dead tree. I used my Canon 180mm macro lens and — over the course of an hour — made a zillion images varying my perspective and framing every few minutes. And re-positioning the creature. When I showed the images to some friends in Texas and told them the story, they were astounded: “Those buggers always run and hide whenever you even look at them.” Over the years I have run into more than my share of incredibly tame creatures that are supposed to be very shy … Scroll down to see two of the horned toad images and an excerpt from ABP II.

The toad that I mentioned in yesterday’s short blog post was another in what has been a long series of wonderfully lucky encounters.

SONY a7R iii for Close Work

As seen here often on the blog, the a7R iii/100-400 GM is superb for close work be it avian, flowers, reptiles and amphibians, or any other medium-sized or tightly framed subjects. On the UK Puffins and Gannets and Red Kites IPT it will always be on my shoulder via the Black Rapid Curve Breathe Strap. I will have the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon 600 VR along for most of our sessions. The SONY rig will again be on my shoulder as above but my “big” lens will be the Induro GIT 204L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon 500 PF. With the lighter lens, I may go to the FlexShooter Mini; more on that here soon.

Image Design Quiz

In what way would this image have been improved if I had pointed my lens 3/8 of an inch to my right (sorry — “left” was a confusing my-bad error). Please be very specific. There would be two benefits to re-framing this image slightly; I am looking for the really big reason.

ABP II excerpt Click on the image to see a sharper version if you wish to read the fine print.

ABP II Excerpt

The screen capture above is an excerpt from the Setups and Backyard Photography Gallery in The Art of Bird Photography II (ABP II: 916 pages, 900+ images on CD or by electronic download.) Every time I scroll through ABP II, I marvel at the quality and the amount of both information and images. I think to myself, “So many folks could learn so much from ABP II; it is the most under-utilized resource in the wonderful world of bird photography. Along with BPN … For those who read the fine print an online search seemed to indicate that Johnny Cozad’s ranch is no longer open to visiting photographers. If I am wrong, please let us know.

Note: overseas folks or those who wish to enjoy the convenience of an electronic download can do so by clicking here.

Bosque del Apache 2019 IPTs 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 IPTs

Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT #1. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8. Introductory Meet and greet at 7pm on MON 25 NOV.

Return to Bosque IPT #2. NOV 29 (afternoon session thru DEC 4 (morning session) — 5 DAYS (4 full and two half): $2249.00. Limit: 10/Openings: 9. Introductory Meet and greet at 2:00pm on FRI 29 NOV.

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.

I go with one registrant. Lunch is included on all full days of each workshop.

Free Morning Session

Sign up for either IPT and enjoy a free morning session on Friday, 29 NOV.

$500 Multiple IPT Discount

Join me for both IPTs and we will be glad to apply a $500 multiple IPT discount.

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 three months before the IPT. If you cancel, all but your deposit will be refunded only if the IPT sells out.

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 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

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 :).