August 7th, 2023 Celebrating Forty Years of Bird Photography
In mid-August 1977 I ventured out onto the mudflats at the South end of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, New York. Using possibly the world’s worst binoculars, I spotted a large, tall, cinnamon-colored shorebird with a long, slightly upturned bill. The bird’s beak was alabaster-pink with a dusky tip. I was mesmerized. At that time, I had no idea that seeing that single bird would change the remainder of my adult life. I was 31-years old then, and that is exactly what happened. All for the best.
On August 7, 1983, after consulting several friends including and especially Peter Post, I purchased my first telephoto lens, the Canon FD 400mm f/4.5 telephoto lens. I had already owned the Canon AE-1 dSLR body. The next day, with the lens mounted on a cheap Slik tripod with a pan-tilt head, I made my way to the East Pond to create my first bird photographs. (On print film!) I had zero clue as to what I was doing. I remember being stunned that the birds I photographed that day were mere specks in the picture.
Anyhoo, today is August 7, 2023, exactly forty years since the day that I began photographing free and wild birds. The rest as they say, is history. To fill in some of the blanks, read (or re-read) the introduction to The Art of Bird Photography where I wrote, in part, “I shoot simply to make art, to make photographs that please me and inspire others with their beauty.” Not a lot has changed there. It struck me this morning to note that no fewer than seven of the folks that I mentioned in the acknowledgments, have died. Another one of my many blessings has been a long and relatively healthy life, due in great measure to my long-term friendship with Dr. Cliff Oliver of San Diego, CA. Not to mention that since 1994 I have been privileged to earn a living doing the thing that I love to do most: photograph birds and teach others to do that same thing.
The Art of Bird Photography
To celebrate my 40 years of bird photography, the classic The Art of Bird Photography will be on sale for only $20.00 for one week. Yes, the book is dated and, in part, obsolete as it includes chapters on Choosing the Right Equipment and Film Choice. The majority of the book that put me on the map in 1998, is, however, still very relevant for those who would like to improve their bird and nature photography. The info in the Making Good Exposures chapter covers exposure theory that to this day has not been mastered by at least nine out of ten nature shooters. The same could be said about the priceless information in the On Matters of Light chapter. The rest of the basics are also covered: Producing Sharp Images; Designing the Image; Getting Close; and Capturing Action and Behavior. he next week only, you can get a half-price copy of the bird photography bible by clicking here.
Puzzled
In the mid-1990s, I would run three Bosque del Apache Instructional Photo Tours (IPTs) late each fall. Each would fill with sixteen photographers. My Southwest Florida IPTs would consistently sell out with 12 photographers. Lots as changed since then. Both Bosque and Ding Darling are but shadows of their former selves; in no way, shape, or form, might they still be considered “Crown Jewels of the NWR system. The number of bird photographers has grown exponentially since 1995. The number of folks leading nature photography tours has seemingly grown at an even faster pace. Without going into any detail, it is safe to say that the quality of instruction on most of those trips has declined precipitously. In short, you get what you pay for.
So, what confuses me is the fact that for the past four years the number of folks signing up for and participating in BAA Instructional Photo-Tours has dropped by approximately 90%. The few folks who have attended have been beyond thrilled with the experience, all stating that they never dreamed that there was so much that they did not know and that they were stunned at how much their images improved in just a few days.
I’d love to hear from each and every one of you by e-mail to learn why you have not attended an IPT in recent years. Please click here to send me a short note. Perhaps I might be able to help.
JBWR/Nickerson Beach Sessions
As I am not flying to Ecuador for 2023 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime until 27 August, I made arrangements yesterday to visit Long Island leaving this Thursday (10 AUG) and returning the following Friday (18 AUG). Nickerson should be rife with Black Skimmer chicks and fledglings and lots of flight photography. Juvenile shorebird photography opportunities at my soul place, the East Pond, JBWR, will peak next week (for about three mornings). If you would like to explore the possibility of joining me for an inexpensive In-the-Field Session or two at either or both locations, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail or call or text me on my cell at 863-221-2372.
Via Text from Andrew Schonbek
Thanks for the great DeSoto IPT, Artie. It was an eye-opening experience in many ways. I have lots to work on and practice in the aftermath. Looking forward to learning more in the future. Andrew
Via Text from Stu Goz
Much love and respect to you. On the 3rd DeSoto IPT you shared a million dollars’ worth of insight for pennies.
Via e-mail from Stu Goz
Here’s cliche number one: I don’t write reviews.
Cliche number two: I’m making an exception in this one case.
I am writing this a week after my first IPT because I needed to let it all sink in properly – I needed to decompress. I’m probably not fully there yet, even now, but it’s time.
My biggest take-away is that Artie’s masterpieces are well-earned. There was never a time when I’ve seen someone work harder than he did. It was inspirational, humbling, and fascinating to watch him. Once he was in his element, the magic started immediately, and his passion was apparent for the duration of each session. My next takeaway is how unbelievably gracious, honest, and generous he is. Anyone who follows his blog already knows this (and if you don’t, you should), but Artie is an educator to the core. He is quick to explain his thought processes at any time, and leads by example.
After each session, we had a nice meal and discussed what made good photos good and bad photos bad. Enlightening. And sometimes sad. But so much better for it all. These days, more than any other time, it is the extra effort that separates the pros from the amateurs – getting low in the muck, as needed – knowing when to move, and when to stay, and doing it unwaveringly. I created so many images that I’m proud of. Artie has a great way of teaching without belittling, which keeps your mind open to his many lessons.
Artie, you are a national treasure, a never-ending source of inspiration, and a perfect mentor. I wish I could shoot right next to you every weekend.
I hope to see you again soon; your friend.
Stu Goz
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All images from SEPT/OCT/NOV at Fort DeSoto.
Click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper high-resolution version.
Clockwise from upper left to center: Piping Plover flapping after bath, juvenile Laughing Gull with feather, American Oystercatcher with sea urchins, Willet foraging in surf, American White Pelican juvenile swimming, skimmer/tern/shorebird blast-off blur, American White Pelican in flight, Black-bellied Plover stealing lugworm from Marbled Godwit, Roseate Spoonbill staring.
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The Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tours
Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #1
3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 26 September through the morning session on Friday 29 September 2023. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.
Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #2
3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 17 October through the morning session on Friday 20 October 2023. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.
Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #3
3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 14 November through the morning session on Friday 17 November 2023. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.
Fall Bird Photography at Fort DeSoto
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds, terns, and gulls in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, and night-herons that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With any luck at all, we should get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy, American Oystercatcher is pretty much guaranteed. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two. And there should be some quality Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On this IPT, all will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. Everyone will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. Most importantly, you will surely learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it). The best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever and whenever you photograph.
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Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, juvenile Tricolored Heron, Marbled Godwits, Great Blue Heron, juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Wood Stork, smiling Sea Scallop, Ruddy Turnstone scavenging needlefish, Great Blue Heron sunset silhouette at my secret spot, and southbound migrant tern flock blur.
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The Details
There will be a Photoshop/image review session during or after lunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time.
These IPTs will run with only a single registrant (though that is not guaranteed). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with Gulfport AirBnB/VRBO information. If you register soon and would like to share an AirBnB with me, shoot me an e-mail. Other possibilities including taking a cab to and from the airport to our AirBnB and riding with me for $50/day. This saves you both gas and the cost of a rental car.
A $600 deposit is due when you sign up and is payable by credit card. Balances must be paid by check one month before the trip. Your deposit is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out with six folks, so please check your plans carefully before committing. You can register by calling Jim during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand, or by sending a check as follows: make the check out to: BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, clothing, and gear advice. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions on lodging.
Up Early, Stay Out Late!
Obviously, folks attending an IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of the sweetest light and sunrise and sunset colors (when possible). The good news is that the days are relatively short in early fall. I really love it when I am leaving the beach on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving. On cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip the afternoon session. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will sometimes be on your own as well.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
August 5th, 2023 Your Call?
Which of today’s five featured images do you feel is the strongest? If you are not too busy to leave a much-appreciated comment, please let us know why you made your choice. By a narrow margin, I have a favorite that I will share with you on Monday.
My Call
In the last blog post (that gathered virtually zero interest), my favorite photo was Image #2: Marbled Godwit with lugworm and kleptoparasitic shorebirds. Why? I liked the sharply rendered action and the pink pre-dawn color of the water.
What’s Up?
Though I have been spending lots of time watching YouTube, the jetlag has not been bad. The Iceland trek was the best flight photography trip ever. By far. On Thursday, I added about 15 images to the flight guide, including 11 or so of mine from Grimsey. I made so many excellent puffin flight images that many hundreds, even thousands, of perfect flight photos, not only puffins but Razorbills and Black Guillemots, and of course, the Red-Throated Loons near Reykjavik, have been deleted. In the course of creating those images, three different lenses were used: the 600mm f/4, the 400mm f/2.8, and the 70-200mm f/2.8 II, all Sony of course. For flight I used the 1.4X TC with the 600 and the short zoom. And I learned a ton more above flight photography that I added to the new flight guide en route. I finished my work on the guide that day and sent the final final final draft to David Pugsley for his third and last review. When I get it back from Pugs, I will shoot it off to Arash Hazeghi for a last look. Lot more on this amazing guide is coming soon.
If you would like info on Greg Downing’s 2024 and/or the 2025 Grimsey Island puffin trips please shoot me an e-mail by clicking here. I enjoyed the trip so much that I just might return in 2024.
Today is Saturday 5 August 2023. I’ve been swimming two or three times a day. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
The Fact$ of Life
The market for editorial sales of natural history images has virtually disappeared. The incomes of the world’s top stock photographers are down by at least 90%. Like me, many depend on income from photo trips, the sale of educational materials, and income from this or that affiliate program.
In 2001, BAA sold the publication rights to images for nearly one-quarter million US dollars. That amount dropped to about $20,000 by 2011, and in 2017, to slightly more than $2,000.00. We’ve stopped counting. IPTs used to fill within days. Now I am happy to go with one or two folks, but I’d much rather have you along. And so it goes. In 2009, I turned to creating educational blog posts, now to the tune of 4063! Yes, 4063 educational blog posts. Please, therefore, remember to use either my B&H or Bedfords affiliate links for your major purposes. It will not cost you one cent to do either.
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. When I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
B&H Simplified
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. Thanking me for the past 4000 educational blog posts could not be any easier and will not cost you one penny. Please shoot me your B&H receipt for major purchases.
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will automatically be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your order ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Important Note
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
The Last Loon Outing
Anita North kindly rented a vehicle for the group. We headed back to the Red-throated Loon spot. Greg kindly drove. Things began very slowly with just two loons in the lake so I laid down for a short nap in the soft marsh grass. At 7:15, things began to heat up. After that, we enjoyed virtually non-stop flight, courtship, and territorial disputes action for close to two hours. We had fifteen birds in the air at one time circling, and 20 loons in the pond at one time. Whenever a bird flew over calling, the loons on the pond would go nuts, rushing about, chasing each other, and performing a variety of courtship and agnostic behaviors. We had as many as 22 loons on the pond at one time and as many as 15 in the air circling. We did of course, have many, many, many excellent chances at takeoffs and landings.
Though I am not sure, I believe that the bird in Image #1 was beginning a rush.
Skidding to a Stop
When the loons landed, they would skid across the water and throw up a nice wake. The wind was from our right and slightly in our face, but at times, not very strong. Thus, this and many other birds landed the wrong way, i.e., with the wind behind it.
Takeoffs
As loons are heavy birds with relatively short wings, they need long runways to take off. They can only do so from the water. Most need at least 90-100 feet up to a quarter-mile (depending on the wind) for flapping their wings and running across the top of the water in order to gain enough speed for lift-off. As they gain speed by running, they leave a series of splashes behind them as they accelerate. As the sun was coming over our right shoulders we needed the birds to be well to the left of us as they took off into the wind. With the wind slightly in our faces, many of the birds were angled slightly away as they left the pond.
On Final Approach
This is one of a 52-frame sequence of images created in less than three seconds. Using Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird Face-Eye detection enabled, every image was sharp on the eye. When photographing with friends, one of the best things is that you have more eyes on the sky. Someone always is first to spot an incoming bird. Shouts of high left at 10 o’clock or incoming low right at 2 o’clock filled the air along with sounds of screaming loons.
As it is impossible for me to handhold the 600 for extended shooing sessions, I began by placing the big lens on the tripod. I preferred to leave the lens on the tripod when working swimming birds that were already on the pond. One of the many advantages of the Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro is that it takes less than two seconds to remove your big lens from the clamp. When I or someone else called out an incoming red-throated, I would release the clamp and handhold for several seconds. That is how I kept all 52-images of this loon in the center of the frame without clipping a wing. As is usual, I picked up the bird with a sky only background and tracked it right until touchdown (below).
Touchdown
The bird first touched one toe down in frame 41. This is the 43rd image in the series, the first that showed the toes of both feet touching the water. The last eight frames in the series showed the developing wake as the bird skidded to a stop.
Sony AF
I was repeatedly astounded whenever I checked an image for sharpness on that great afternoon. In fear of missing something great, I try not to spend too much time looking at images on the back of the camera. I created more than 2600 images during that afternoon session and kept 198 after the first edit. As conditions were quite difficult that afternoon, it was amazing that the very great percentage of them were razor sharp on the bird’s eye. Whenever as soft image created by the a-1 is encountered, I am quick to look in the mirror and point out operator error as the problem.
The Exposure Challenge
Aside from the speed and direction of the wind, the color of the loon’s bellies was a big challenge. When the birds were swimming, you saw very little of white underparts. When they flapped or displayed or landed or took off, you saw a lot more of the usually white bellies. Note, however, that many of the bird’s bellies were stained orange-red, probably from iron oxide in the water. Because the birds with bright white breasts and bellies needed less light than the birds with stained underparts, you often needed to compromise your settings to avoid over-exposure as you never knew in advance which tone of a belly might pop up.
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Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action.
Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!
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The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)
The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. By June 1, 2022, the group was up to an astounding 146 lucky and blessed folks. (More than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive eight e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.
All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide here in the BAA Online Store.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
August 3rd, 2023 Your Call?
Which of today’s four featured shorebird images do you like best? Why?
My Call
In the last blog post, my clear favorite was image #3: Atlantic Puffin in flight in high wind with sandeels for chicks– TIGHT! Most folks agreed 🙂
Elinor Osborn/August 1, 2023 at 7:35am
#3 with the unique, creative crop is my pick. Another learning experience for me. I don’t think of trying crops often enough.
elle/August 1, 2023 at 10:02am
Though all images are great (of course!), number three is my favorite. It is intimate, with great detail. I like the gesture of the sandeel that is curving over the beak. The negative space is just right.
David Pugsley/August 1, 2023 at 10:15am
Harsh conditions, but a dream situation none the less! The OOTB crop takes it for me. If I were to pick something more traditional I’d lean towards #4.
David Policansky/August 1, 2023 at 5:23pm
Image #3 for sure, only in part because of the fish! It’s wonderful.
Ted Willcox/August 1, 2023 at 12:59pm
Image #3 for me. It is so out of the ordinary, and so sharp, and so interesting. What more can I say!
Anthony Ardito/August 1, 2023 at 9:52pm
#3 — TIGHT is RIGHT!
The Fact$ of Life
The market for editorial sales of natural history images has virtually disappeared. The incomes of the world’s top stock photographers are down by at least 90%. Like me, many depend on income from photo trips, the sale of educational materials, and income from this or that affiliate program.
In 2001, BAA sold the publication rights to images for nearly one-quarter million US dollars. That amount dropped to about $20,000 by 2011, and in 2017, to slightly more than $2,000.00. We’ve stopped counting. IPTs used to fill within days. Now I am happy to go with one or two folks, but I’d much rather have you along. And so it goes. Do consider joining an IPT. In 2009, I turned to creating educational blog posts, now to the tune of 4063! Yes, 4063 educational blog posts. Please, therefore, remember to use either my B&H or Bedfords affiliate links for your major purposes. It will not cost you one cent to do either.
What’s Up?
On Monday, after taking the ferry back to the mainland, we overnighted at a very nice hotel in Akureyri and enjoyed a late but great farewell dinner. We left at 8am the next day for the leisurely drive back to Reykjavik and arrived at 3:00pm. Anita North kindly rented a car for the four of us, Anita, Greg, Bruce, and I. We headed back to the Red-throated Loon spot. Greg kindly drove. Things began very slowly with just two loons in the lake so I laid down for a short nap in the soft marsh grass. At 7:15, things heated up. We enjoyed virtually non-stop flight, courtship, and territorial disputes action for close to two hours. Photos and additional details soon. I can tell you that my left shoulder and left elbow are hurting from handholding the 600mm f/4 GM lens with the 1.4X TC attached. I did not get to bed until nearly midnight, woke at 5:45am, 15 minutes before the alarm went off, and transferred to Keflavik Airport for my 10:00am flight to Boston. I did get a nice nap on the plane. I finished this blog post at Logan Airport. After a 4-hour layover, I will board my flight to Orlando where Jim will pick me up at about 7:30 or so. I should be home at about 9:30pm.
Door to door travel: 18 1/2 hours. It was a great trip and well worth the effort.
If you would like info on Greg Downing’s 2024 and/or the 2025 Grimsey Island puffin trips, please shoot me an e-mail by clicking here.
Today is Thursday 3 August. I am looking forward to getting back in the pool. I am not looking forward to the jet lag.
Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!
You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
The Fact$ of Life
The market for editorial sales of natural history images has virtually disappeared. The incomes of the world’s top stock photographers are down by at least 90%. Like me, many depend on income from photo trips, the sale of educational materials, and income from this or that affiliate program.
In 2001, BAA sold the publication rights to images for nearly one-quarter million US dollars. That amount dropped to about $20,000 by 2011, and in 2017, to slightly more than $2,000.00. We’ve stopped counting. IPTs used to fill within days. Now I am happy to go with one or two folks, but I’d much rather have you along. And so it goes. In 2009, I turned to creating educational blog posts, now to the tune of 4063! Yes, 4063 educational blog posts. Please, therefore, remember to use either my B&H or Bedfords affiliate links for your major purposes. It will not cost you one cent to do either.
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. When I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
B&H Simplified
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. Thanking me for the past 4000 educational blog posts could not be any easier and will not cost you one penny. Please shoot me your B&H receipt for major purchases.
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will automatically be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your order ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
Money Saving Reminder
Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.
Important Note
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Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
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This image was created on 19 September on a Fall Fort DeSoto IPT. Kneeling — rare for me, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). ISO 2500. 1/800 second at f/7.1 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual Mode. AWB at 8:26:33am on a hazy, cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect.
Tracking: Expand Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Red Knot
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Juvenile Red Knot
This young (bird-of-the-year) Red Knot is in fairly fresh juvenal plumage. Click on the image to see the whitish fringe and the black sub-terminal band on each coverts feather. The bird is almost surely less than six weeks old. Red Knots breed only above the Arctic Circle. Those that nest in North America fly south in late summer and early fall. Some winter along southern US coasts while others go as far south as the southern tip of South America. The latter birds migrate about 9,000 miles. Twice every year!
Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers was written for naturalists, birders, and bird photographers; the text tells you everything you’ve always wanted to know about North America’s sandpipers, godwits, yellowlegs, phalaropes, plovers, avocets, stilts, and oystercatchers. Topics covered include identification and aging, shorebird behavior, their incredible migrations, feeding and diet, mating and breeding strategies, eggs, nests, and young, conservation efforts, and shorebirding tips. Also included are approximately 50 species accounts covering all of the regularly occurring North American shorebird species. With 70 of Arthur’s images and 26 more by some of the world’s best nature photographers, this book contains one of the finest collections of shorebird photographs ever published in a single volume.
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This image was created on 21 September on a Fall Fort DeSoto IPT. Seated on damp sand behind my lowered tripod, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod)/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1600. 1/400 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be 1/3 stop too dark. AWB at 7:22:32am on a still morning just ten minutes before sunrise.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird/Face-Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Marbled Godwit with lugworm and kleptoparasitic shorebirds
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Lugworm City!
With their long, slightly up-curved bills, Marbled Godwits are adept at capturing lugworms from sandy or muddy substrates. Lugworms (called sandworms in the UK) and in Europe), belong in the phylum Annelida. Its coiled castings are a familiar sight on sandy beaches at low tide. Both Willets and Black-bellied Plovers are quick to attempt to steal lugworms from the larger godwits. Each fall at DeSoto we get to witness and photograph dozens of lugworm thefts in the small pools where shorebirds gather.
Getting Lucky
I got away with using a fairly slow shutter speed in the pre-dawn light. If there had been any real action, I would have been dead in the water and every image would have suffered badly from motion blur.
Bath Time
With lots of shorebirds and lots of shallow tidal pools, DeSoto is a great place to photograph many different species bathing. Aside from the shorebirds, both gulls and terns also enjoy bathing in the shallows. Join me there on an IPT and hone the understanding and skills that you need to constantly make great images of bathing birds.
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This image was created on 31 October 2022 on a Fall Fort DeSoto IPT. Seated in damp sand I used the toe-pod technique with the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens
the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 560mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 500. 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 9:19:33am on a mostly sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #4: Willet subduing fiddler crab
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Fiddler Crabs
Fiddler crabs live and breed on mudflats or in soft sand adjacent to salt marshes. The male fiddlers have one large claw and one small one; females have two small claws. They are a favorite food for many species of shorebirds and wading birds. Most of those like Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, and most species of ibises, have bills that are adapted to fit into the curved fiddler crab burrows. With their straight, medium length bill, Willets do quite well when hunting these small crabs. As does Yellow-crowned Night-Heron with its stout, saber-shaped bill. It is fun to watch a yellow-crowned hunting fiddler crabs; they approach the burrow with great stealth, barely moving at all. Then they stand stock still until fiddler crab pokes its way out of its burrow. And then, wham!
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All images from SEPT/OCT/NOV at Fort DeSoto.
Click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper high-resolution version.
Clockwise from upper left to center: Piping Plover flapping after bath, juvenile Laughing Gull with feather, American Oystercatcher with sea urchins, Willet foraging in surf, American White Pelican juvenile swimming, skimmer/tern/shorebird blast-off blur, American White Pelican in flight, Black-bellied Plover stealing lugworm from Marbled Godwit, Roseate Spoonbill staring.
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The Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tours
Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #1
3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 26 September through the morning session on Friday 29 September 2023. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.
Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #2
3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 17 October through the morning session on Friday 20 October 2023. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers.
Fall 2023 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #3
3 1/2 Days: Tuesday 14 November through the morning session on Friday 17 November 2023. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers/Openings: five.
Fall Bird Photography at Fort DeSoto
Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds, terns, and gulls in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, and night-herons that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With any luck at all, we should get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy, American Oystercatcher is pretty much guaranteed. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two. And there should be some quality Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.
On this IPT, all will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. Everyone will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. Most importantly, you will surely learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it). The best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever and whenever you photograph.
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Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, juvenile Tricolored Heron, Marbled Godwits, Great Blue Heron, juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Wood Stork, smiling Sea Scallop, Ruddy Turnstone scavenging needlefish, Great Blue Heron sunset silhouette at my secret spot, and southbound migrant tern flock blur.
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The Details
There will be a Photoshop/image review session during or after lunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time.
These IPTs will run with only a single registrant (though that is not guaranteed). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with Gulfport AirBnB/VRBO information. If you register soon and would like to share an AirBnB with me, shoot me an e-mail. Other possibilities including taking a cab to and from the airport to our AirBnB and riding with me for $50/day. This saves you both gas and the cost of a rental car.
A $600 deposit is due when you sign up and is payable by credit card. Balances must be paid by check one month before the trip. Your deposit is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out with six folks, so please check your plans carefully before committing. You can register by calling Jim during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand, or by sending a check as follows: make the check out to: BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, clothing, and gear advice. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions on lodging.
Up Early, Stay Out Late!
Obviously, folks attending an IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of the sweetest light and sunrise and sunset colors (when possible). The good news is that the days are relatively short in early fall. I really love it when I am leaving the beach on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving. On cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip the afternoon session. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will sometimes be on your own as well.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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