May 10th, 2023 What’s Up?
The first day of the 3rd DeSoto IPT was beyond the beyond. We were all set for the long walk to the New Far Bar when I followed my own advice in the 2023 Fort DeSoto New Cut Current Conditions e-Guide. Get your copy here for $25.00 in the BAA Online Store. For more than two hours we worked a long, small pool where many dozens of wading bird conducted a feeding frenzy. Photography was difficult at first as there were so many birds packed in: 50 Snowy Egrets, two dozen Great Egrets, six Roseate Spoonbills, one gorgeous Tricolored Heron, several White Ibis, a half-dozen adult and juvie Little Blue Herons, and several species of shorebirds including one handsome and very tame Lesser Yellowlegs.On the way back to the lot we shot a tame American Oystercatcher in a small creek. We followed that fabulous morning up by working my favorite afternoon spot with great success.
Andrew Schonbek and Stu Goz are both over-the-top thrilled. Andrew said, “I cannot believe how many tame birds there are at DeSoto.” As great as our morning was, both perhaps enjoyed the image review/selecting your keeper session that ran for several hours before and after Instructor Nap Time even more.
Today is Wednesday 10 May 2023. We are headed out for more in conditions that are once again perfect. This special edition blog post took less than an hour to create. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
Don’t Learn the Hard Way As I Did!
Regular readers may recall that it cost me $4490.00 to recover several years worth of images that were “lost” because of my failure to properly back them up. You can read the Whole Gory Story With a _ _ _ _ _ Ending blog post here. If you are not triple backing up on a routine basis, it is simply a matter of time until you too suffer a major data loss. Keep reading to learn about joining friend Tim Grey online in one week and saving your own butt (along with all of your images). As the image collection in the office is not safely protected, I will be there for sure. Tim has been the Photoshop guru for nature and travel photographers for many decades.
Live Online Event:Wednesday, May 17, 2023,1pm to 5pm Eastern Time
Join Tim Grey for a half day of live online presentations during a GreyLearning Ultimate Event focused on “Backing Up Your Photos.”
The live online event will be presented on Wednesday, May 17th, from 1pm to 5pm Eastern Time.
Photographer and author Tim Grey is a respected educator sought out by photographers for his expertise on workflow and photography. He will be presenting a half-day live online event focused on “Backing Up Your Photos” on Wednesday, May 17th, from 1pm to 5pm Eastern Time, and tickets for the event are on sale now. Click here to learn more and/or to purchase your ticket to salvation.
Far too many photographers have an inadequate (or nonexistent) backup workflow. Tim’s presentations will help you create a backup workflow that will give you the confidence that a hard drive failure can be just a minor inconvenience, not a major disaster.
Topics presented during the event will include:
– Backup Best Practices
– Synchronized Photo Backup
– Online and Offsite Backup
– Lightroom Classic Catalog Backup
– Backing Up Smartphone Photos
– Recovering from Failure
The full event will be recorded; if you purchase a ticket, you’ll be able to join live or watch the recordings later at your convenience.
You can get all the details about this great event here.
I will see you there! Don’t be shy; if you have a tragic data loss story to share, please let us all know by leaving a comment.
Typos
As with all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
May 9th, 2023 Your Call?
Which of today’s two head shaking Brown Pelican images do you like best? Why?
Sony a9 II Mirrorless camera body
BAA Record-low Price!
Multiple IPT veteran Martin Mikulas is offering a Sony a9 II body in near-mint condition for a BAA Record-low $2197.00. The sale includes one battery, the charger, the strap, the front lens cover, the manual, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 addresses only.
Please contact Martin via Please contact Martin via e-mail or by phone at 1-757-880-0428 (Eastern time).
As things worked out, the a9, and then the a9 ii, turned out to be life-changers for me. From the moment I tracked that first incoming Brandt’s Cormorant at La Jolla, I knew that (at that time), the SONY a9 series bodies featured the world’s best AF. I upgraded to the a9 ii as soon as it was released for the slightly larger body size. At one point I owned two a9 ii bodies. A new a9 ii sells for $4,498.00 so you can save an astounding $2301.00 by grabbing Martin’s a9 ii ASAP. Add a new 200-600 GM (using one of my affiliate links, of course), and you will have a superb Sony rig for bird photography. Note that a new Sony a1 sells for $6498.00. artie
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens
Tom Torget is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in near mint condition for a very low $1,099.00. The sale includes front and rear lens caps, the lens hood, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 addresses only.
Please contact Tom via e-mail or by phone at 1-830-377-5483 (Central time).
This incredibly versatile zoom lens — with its amazing .98-meter close focus — was my favorite Canon telephoto zoom lens ever. By far. It is easy to hand hold, great for tight portraits, for birds in flight, for quasi-macro stuff, and lots more. For flight, it is deadly with an EOS R, R3, R5, R6, or R7! This lens sells new for $2399.00 so you can save a handsome $1300.00 by grabbing Tom’s lens right now. artie
My Calls
I forgot to mention on Sunday that of the two Amazingly Coincidental Images I could not pick a winner. Most folks thought that Anita’s low perspective image was the stronger one, and while I loved it also, mainly for its intimacy, there were two things that I liked a lot about mine:
1- a good look at the green water reflection below the bird.
2- the color of the Gulf water is a quite a bit richer than the sky color.
So, while lower is usually much better, it is not always better. Many times, getting too low will introduce unwanted distractions in the background. And sometimes, the background might be more appealing from a higher perspective.
With Saturday’s Coyote image, Bob Eastman was the first to spot the black speck that I missed just inside the animal’s visible rear leg.
The Fact$ of Life
Right now, 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, most 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 4009. Yes, 4009 educational blog posts. So, please remember to use either my B&H or Bedfords affiliate links for your major purposes. It does 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 be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
Iceland
My decades-long dream of spending time on Grimsey Island, Iceland, with the puffins — 13 days in this case!, will be realized this coming July. I am doing back-to-back trips as a participant. If anyone would like information on the world’s greatest Iceland/Atlantic Puffin trip this coming July, please contact me via e-mail.
What’s Up?
On Monday I packed the car and drove to our VRBO in St. Pete. Stu Goz and wife Teresa, Andrew Schonbek, and I enjoyed a seared tuna and guacamole dinner and got along famously. Stu and Andrew are very eager to learn and we are all excited about Day 1 of the 3rd DeSoto IPT. Thanks to blog regular David Policansky (Dr. Fish) for pointing Andrew towards BIRDS AS ART.
Today is May 9, 2023. The weather in St. Pete is looking dead solid perfect for bird photography. This blog post took almost two hours to prepare. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
It’s Hard to Train Your Brain for These Shots …
Many species of birds, especially large waterbirds, and most especially, Brown Pelicans, often shake their heads violently. Most times, this includes a rotation of the pelican’s bill. They usually — but not always, do this after a bath. Since there are no tell-tale signs that might indicate that a head shake is coming, your reaction speed determines whether or not you will be able to consistently make some nice images of this behavior. Most folks natural instinct is to lay off the shutter button when a bird shakes its head vigorously. That’s where the brain re-training comes in. Over time, if you are aware of the possibilities, you can shorten your reaction time. Good luck!
And by the way, very fast shutter speeds in the range of from 1/1600 to 1/4000 second are best for the rotational head shakes. At 1/800 second, there was a ton of motion blur seen with the specular highlights at base of the pelican’s bill. I used the Spot Healing Brush to deal with those.
Photoshop Hanky Panky?
Does anything in either image look funky? If you see any evidence of Photoshop hanky panky, please leave a comment specifying Image #1 or #2 and include your evidence.
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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.
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The 2023/2024 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) IPTs
San Diego IPT #1. 3 1/2 DAYS: WED 27 DEC thru the morning session on Saturday 30 DEC 2023. $2099.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers.
San Diego IPT #2. 4 1/2 DAYS: TUES 9 JAN thru the morning session on SAT 13 JAN 2024: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers.
San Diego IPT #3: 4 1/2 DAYS: TEUS 23 JAN thru the morning session on SAT 27 JAN 2024: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers.
Please e-mail for information on personalized pre- and post-IPT morning sessions.
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) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler 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 and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). 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.
I discovered some really neat spots on my 2022/23 visit. As a result, the first and second IPTs may include an afternoon or two of landscape photography.
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 exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … 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.
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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.
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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, at times with 70-200mm lenses! 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 those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego. Each IPT will include one or two duck sessions.
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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.
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The San Diego Details
These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon shoot. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.
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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.
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Deposit Info
A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2023/2024 San Diego IPTs. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.
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Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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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.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
May 7th, 2023 What’s Up?
I continue to be so busy that despite the beautiful weather in central Florida, I still have not gotten down to the lake since I got home from Bonaire. I am spending lots of time working on the world’s best flight photography e-guide with co-author Arash Hazeghi.
For late registration discount offer details for the third DeSoto IPT, please shoot me an e-mail.
Spring Fort DeSoto IPT #3: Tuesday 9 May through the morning session on 12 May 2023. 3 1/2 Days: $1899.00 includes three working brunches. Limit six photographers/Openings: 4.
Today is Sunday 7 May 2023. Happy birthday to my younger daughter Alissa. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare. 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.
Please remember that 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.
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This image was created on 5 March 2023 on a Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPT. Working from the boat while standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, 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. 1/1000 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 10:40:45am on a cloudy morning.
Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Animal Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Coyote on snowy/icy hillside
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Quiet! And Move Very Slowly
When I first spotted the Coyote making its was down the hillside toward the water, I hissed, “Don’t make a sound. Let’s all stay stock-still.” Nobody, including me, so much as breathed. The handsome, usually shy, seemingly well-fed canine, would walk down a few feet, then retreat, and then come down a bit farther. When it got to a relatively clear patch of snow, we all raised our lenses and began making images. We were thrilled that this wild animal did not turn tail and head back up the hill.
The Image Optimization and Cleanup
With the icy patches on the shaded hillside rendered BLUE, the key to the successful raw conversion was to properly adjust the color temperature. As Shot was 5200K. Click White Balance on the snow was 9400K; that was much too warm. So, I went with 7400K as that made the ice gray and enriched the golden tones of the animal’s coat without making it too, too YELLOW as 9400K had done.
With the .TIF file in Photoshop, I ran Topaz DeNoise on Clear and then began the extensive cleanup of the debris on the snow. I used my usual cadre of cleanup tools. Most of the work was done with the Spot Healing Brush, the Patch Tool, and Content-Aware Fill. (I use the former to make my selections for the latter.) I used the Clone Stamp Tool to cut the large branch on our left into two pieces as part of the Divide and Conquer technique.
What Did I Miss?
While preparing this blog post, I noticed that I missed one tiny black speck. Eagle-eyed folks are invited to leave a comment denoting its exact location. Enlarging Image #1 may help …
Your Call?
Would you have left the twig on the right? Why or why not?
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All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK
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2024 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs
IPT #1: WED 21 FEB 2024 through the full day on SUN 25 FEB 2024. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings 3.
IPT #2: MON 26 FEB 2024 through the full day on FRI 1 MAR 2024. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings 3.
Register for both trips to maximize your travel dollars and enjoy a $1000 discount while you are at it.
This trip features non-stop flight photography as well as many opportunities to create both environmental and point-blank portraits of one of North America’s most sought-after avian subjects: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Other reliable subjects will include Sea Otter, Glaucous-winged and Short-billed (formerly Mew) Gulls.
In addition, we should see Common Murre, Black Guillemot, Pelagic Cormorant, two or three species of loons, and a smattering of ducks including two species of merganser, all three scoters, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Bufflehead, Harlequin, and Long-tailed Ducks. Close-range photographic chances for these species will require some good luck. Some of these species, especially when in flocks, can, however, often be used effectively when pleasing creating bird-scapes.
If we need to be out early, we will be the first boat out. If the conditions are great, we will stay out. And when there is a chance for sunset silhouettes, we will be in the right spot.
We will be traveling through gorgeous wilderness country; landscape and scenic opportunities abound.
Also featured is a professional leader, often referred to as the world’s most knowledgeable bird photography trip leader and instructor. He is conversant in Canon, Nikon, and Sony. You will learn practical and creative solutions to everyday photographic problems. You will learn to see the shot, to create dynamic images by fine-tuning your compositions, to best utilize your camera’s AF system, and how to analyze the wind, the sky conditions, and the direction and quality of the light. This is one of the very few trips Homer trips available where you will not be simply put on the birds and told to have fun. You will learn to be a better photographer. But only if that is what you want.
You will learn to get the right exposure when it is sunny, when it cloudy-bright, when it is cloudy, when it is cloudy-dark, or when it is foggy. Not to mention getting the right exposure when creating silhouettes.
You will learn to make pleasing blurs working in manual mode and to create silhouettes working in Shutter Priority mode.
Most importantly you will learn to pick your best flight photographs from tens of thousands of images.
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You will enjoy working with the best and most creative boat captain on his sturdy, photography-spacious, seaworthy, open-deck watercraft.
Only five photographers (not the usual six), plus the leader.
Small group Photoshop, Image Review, and Image Critiquing sessions.
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All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK
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What’s Included
One four hour or two two-hour boat trips every day (weather permitting), all boat fees and boat-related expenses (excluding tips), ground transportation to and from the dock and back to the hotel each day, in-the-field instruction and guidance, pre-trip gear advice, small group post-processing and image review sessions, and a thank you dinner for all well-behaved participants.
What’s Not Included
Your airfare to and from Homer, AK (via Anchorage), the cost of your room at Land’s End Resort, all personal items, all meals and beverages, and tips for the boat captain and/or the first mate.
Please Note
On great days, the group may wish to photograph for more than four hours. If the total time on the boat exceeds 20 hours for the five-day trips the group will share the additional expense at a rate of $225/hour. The leader will pay for the bait.
Some folks may wish to rent their own vehicle to take advantage of local photographic opportunities around Homer. In 2023 those included Moose, Great Grey, and Short-eared Owls.
Deposit Information
A $3000 non-refundable deposit/trip is required. You may pay your deposit with credit card or by personal check (the latter made out to BIRDS AS ART) and sent via US mail only to Arthur Morris. PO Box 7245. Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Your balance, due 90 days before the date of departure, is payable only by check (as above).
In Closing
I have been going to Homer off and on for close to two decades. Every trip has been nothing short of fantastic. Many folks go in mid-March. The earlier you go, the better the chances for snow. The only way to assure that you are on the best of these two trips is to sign up for all of them. Can you keep up with me? If you have any questions, or are good to go for one, or two of these great trips, please let me know via e-mail or give me a call on my cell phone at 863-221-2372.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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