Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Your Thoughts?

Do you like today’s featured image? Why or why not? All comments are both welcome and appreciated.

What’s Up?

I forgot to mention that on Sunday morning, while photographing with Peter Dominowski, I had an American White Pelican on the ground here at ILE for the first time ever. It landed several times on the South Peninsula but was very shy.

I enjoyed an excellent Monday morning session. The potential crane mom continues to sit on her two eggs. I keep hoping to spot some orange fluff on her back or tucked under her, but so far, nothing. I saw a “vulture” on the ground on the South Peninsula but as I drove past it realized that it was the young eagle! Oops! It flew off, of course. I had a few more chances with the eaglet as the morning progressed but did not get anything great. I spent a bit of time at the vulture tree and made a few very nice images of a dramatically side-lit TV (Turkey Vulture) flying toward me in the canal to my left. Just before heading home, I spent some time with a pair of Sandhill Cranes on the rise behind the small building that sits near the base of the pier. Birds on any type of hill or elevated ground will usually offer distant backgrounds that can be rendered soft and out-of-focus. And that was indeed the case.

Be sure to click on today’s featured image to view the larger, high-res version.

I was glad to learn that BAA friend Greg Gulbransen sold his Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens in near-mint condition (with extras) for a very low $7996.95 (was $8496.95) in mid-March 2022 and that Used Gear Page regular Karen McCormick sold her Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in excellent condition a very low $5750.00 (was $6750.00) immediately after the price drop.

Today is Tuesday 22 March. The forecast for the morning is really a good one for bird photography: clear with a southeast breeze. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too had a great day. This blog post took a bit more than an hour to prepare and makes twelve days in a row with a new one.

If you are headed to Gatorland this Sunday and would like to learn to be a better photographer, please get in touch via e-mail ASAP.

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. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn …

And Please Remember

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.

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

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 immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

Please Remember Also

Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

This image was created on 20 March 2022 down by the lake at Indian Lake Estates. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600: 1/2000 second at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 8:07:12Am on a bright sunny morning. Tracking: Zone with Bird/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Turkey Vulture in flight — dramatically side-lit

Different Usually Works Very Well …

I had seen several Turkey and Black Vultures flying in as I pulled up to the Vulture Trees. I parked on the grass, got out of my SUV, and set the exposure for the incoming birds. First, I set 1/2000 sec. wide open and then aimed the lens at the light toned bark at the top of the left-most vulture tree. I know that raising the ISO until I see Zebras on the highlights of the bark will yield a workable if not perfect exposure for the dark birds that have some highlights on them. I had several decent chances with birds flying right at me right down sun angle but none of those excited me. After a few minutes of nothing, I looked to my left and saw a Turkey Vulture flying east down the canal. The woods on the south side of the canal were completed shaded, but the bird was lit by the sun, albeit more than 30 degrees of sun angle.

My mind processed the situation as follows:

• 1- Since the bird is lit by full sun, the manually-set exposure should be pretty good.
• 2- Since TVs have super-bright white bill-tips, there was absolutely no reason to try and lighten the exposure.
• 3- Though I often rail against using sidelight when photographing birds, I thought that the sunlit bird flying against a very dark background might look pretty neat.
• 4- I thought that I should practice what I preach: when something unexpected happens, try not to think too much, acquire focus, and press the shutter button.
• 5- Different in bird photography is almost always a good thing. Especially when you are photographing a common subject that you photograph often.

I fired off about 15 frames and kept five good ones. Today’s featured image was the best of the lot. Since there was a sunlit moss-covered tree trunk on the right side of each frame, I executed a healthy crop from the right and from below. Image #1 contains about 70% of the original pixels. The crop left a few sunlit stalks of weeds in the bottom right; those cleaned up nicely with the Patch Tool and Content-Aware Fill.

The Lessons

• #1: Trying for something different is always an excellent option, even if you fail.
• #2: When something unexpected happens, press the shutter button.

And finally, a realization:

• #3: Like backlight, sidelight works best against dark backgrounds.

Sony 200-600 Versatility

Check out the amazing versatility of the Sony 200-600 G lens by comparing today’s featured image with the feautured image in the The Handoff. Gatorland Update blog post here.

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.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Photoshop Question

If you see any evidence of significant Photoshop clean-up work, please leave a comment and state your case clearly. All are invited to share their thoughts on today’s featured image, be they good or bad.

What’s Up?

Keep reading to learn about my Gatorland morning. On Saturday afternoon, Peter Dominowski returned to ILE for some Sony A1 lessons. He recently purchased two a1 bodies, the 200-600, the 70-200 f/2.8 II, and the 1.4X TC — all from Bedfords — God bless him, and wants to learn to use his new gear before heading to Africa this summer. I taught him the basics that afternoon even though we did not have any really good situations. Sunday morning dawned cloudy with a breeze from the NW and the sun came out at about 8:15am. We did well with the crane colts and Peter quickly got the hang of my super-simple a1 AF set-up, the hang of getting the right exposure (even in changing light) using Zebra technology, and the hang of working with a 200-600 zoom lens.

When we got back to my house at about 9:15am, I noticed that my glasses were missing. For a change. I searched the whole car using the light from my cell phone. No luck. We took a ride back to our last location — we had been sitting while photographing two adult cranes in a field of yellow tickseed blossoms. I thought that I had dropped them very close to the road, so we parked so as to avoid running over the glasses. We walked slowly north for two or three minutes. I gave up. Peter said, “I am gonna go on for just a bit.” A moment later he said, “I got em!”

That was a great moment, but not as great as seeing the young eagle fly around for the first time, that in the low light of early morning. First it flew from the nest tree to the next tree just to the south. I felt like a proud poppa. I marveled as it flew around the nest tree in the wind and landed safely. And when it flew across the canal and landed atop a small palm, I kvelled. I said to Peter, “I feel like a dad watching their child ride a bike for the first time without falling.”

Kvell (verb): to experience pride and satisfaction from seeing others (particularly one’s children and grandchildren) excel. From Yiddish, and most often used by American Jews.

Today is Sunday 20 March 2022. I will be doing some more work on my first GNPA keynote and watching first and second round Men’s March Madness (NCAA basketball) games on TIVO. I have already watched nine first round games and have seven more of those to watch along with the eight second round games from Saturday. Eight more second round games are set to record today. In addition, I am taping all the Women’s NCAA tournament games as well!

The highlight so far has been the incredible 15th-seeded St. Peter’s stunning upset of number-2 ranked Kentucky. To give you an idea of the immensity of this upset, consider these two facts: St. Peter’s men’s basketball coach Shaheen Holloway made $266,344 in 2019; Kentucky head coach John Calipari’s base salary is $8.5 million. St. Peter’s basketball revenue was $1.6 million in 2019-20, while Kentucky’s was $29.3 million. I give Calipari credit for being a gracious loser; he gave lots of credit to the scrappy St. Peter’s team.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes ten days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on most blog pages and always in the right column or to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn …

This image was created on 19 March 2022 at Gatorland. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 456mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 500: 1/1000 second at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 8:20:22Am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone with Bird/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Great Egret — Male passing twig to female

Sony 200-600 Gatorland Versatility

As it is on the cliffs of La Jolla, the Sony 200-600mm G lens is very effective at Gatorland. It is great for flight on sunny mornings, and its less than 8-foot MFD (minimum Focusing Distance) makes it deadly on nests that are close to the boardwalk, all the while yielding plenty of much-needed magnification. As the gate opened promptly at 7am, as sunrise was not until 7:29, and as the day began completely overcast and foggy, I spent the first half hour trying to create some nice pleasing blurs with the 200-600. I failed. There was lots of action, mostly with Great Egrets, and I created more than 200 images. But only two — of a Snowy Egret flying right at me with a green background were kept. And neither of those is very good … Creating excellent pleasing blurs is a lot like playing the lottery!

Gatorland Update

There are probably ten times as many Great Egret nests this year as there were last season. As always, photographing from boardwalks at the gator rookeries is extremely challenging and difficult. Here is an excerpt from The BAA Middle of Florida Site Guide:

Many photographers who know anything about Gatorland would say, “Who needs a guide or photographic instruction at an alligator farm tourist zoo rookery? The birds are right there; all you need to do is push the button. “My answer – based on many, many visits – would be, “Just about everybody.” Rookeries are great places to make hundreds of really lousy images in short order. They are busy places with zillions of branches, cluttered backgrounds, other nests, other birds, whitewash, and blocking vegetation, all of which make it difficult to create artistically pleasing images. To get you on the right track I will start by commenting on the various locations along and above the boardwalk and then offering some general tips …

My Gatorland visit yesterday was no exception. At about 9am, I counted more than 60 photographers. There was a busload of folks (about 35) from The Villages, a large active adult retirement community located in Lake and Marion counties northwest of Orlando. They were 100% beginners. Of the other 30 or so folks, most had zero clue as to how to photograph birds. None, zero, nada. There were perhaps half a dozen folks with decent gear, and I doubt that any of them made a decent image. At least not while I was looking.

Though there are more than a half dozen Great Egret nests close to the boardwalk, there was exactly one decent situation. The male in today’s featured image was very active, bringing in sticks every minute or so — sounds like a piece of cake, no? Actually “No.” When the bird landed, its head was in the shade. When he leaned down to pass the twig to his mate, the heads of both birds were fully lit by the sun, but only for a moment. After it handed off the stick, it would turn to the north, to my left, and take flight almost instantaneously. As I said, not easy. I was the only one who worked that bird. There were lots of folks very close to me trying to make photographs in an impossible situation — there were two tiny Great Egret chicks in a higher nest that was completely blocked by twigs. Despite of that, many folks persisted.

When it clouded over briefly at about 9:15am, I switched to the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 II with the 2X TC to gain even closer focus along with an extra 1/3 stop of light. I kept one image of the female egret tending the eggs and several others of a gator head. All with perfect exposures, thanks to Sony’s Zebra technology.

Folks who own The BAA Middle of Florida Site Guide are invited to e-mail proof-of-purchase and the words “Gatorland 19 March 2022 Short Update Please” cut and pasted into the subject line.

The Lesson

When working the gator wading bird rookeries, do not settle for cluttered shots. Keep searching for at least one good situation. And then hammer it.

Gatorland In-the-Field Sessions

I will be at Gatorland on the next two Photographer’s Pass mornings, Sunday 27 March and Saturday 2 April. If you are interested in learning to make good photographs in difficult situations, please shoot me an e-mail. Remember that you will need — as noted below — to purchase you pass or passes well in advance.

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.

30 Good Reasons to Visit Gatorland

In this short (3:48) video, you can check out the variety of wading bird species that can be easily photographed at Gatorland in Kissimmee, FL in most years. Keep reading for info on the 2022 Gatorland Photographer’s Pass Program.

2022 Gatorland Photographer’s Pass Program

Though the 2022 Gatorland Photographer’s Pass Program (GPPP) is much improved from last year’s program, it falls well short of the great program that was in effect BC (Before Covid). I am hoping that the program will be restored to its former greatness next year. This year’s program includes ten scheduled days. The first is on 19 March, and the last is 21 May 2022. And it gives photographers the opportunity to get into the park at 7:00 am instead of the normal 10:00 am entry time.

Reservations are required two days before your visit. For example, if you wish to visit on 27 March, you need to make your reservation on March 25th. You can make reservations here on the Gatorland website, or by calling 407-855-5496 ext. 226 during business hours with your credit card in hand. There is no late stay option this year. The price is $25.00 + tax per visit and includes early entry at 7:00 AM at the SOUTH ENTRANCE. All tickets are date specific and non-transferable. You will not be able to leave until 10:00am when Gatorland opens.

Choose from the following 2022 dates:

March 27, 2022
April 2, 2022
April 10, 2022
April 17, 2022
April 22, 2022
April 30, 2022
May 8, 2022
May 13, 2022
May 21, 2022

A far better deal for folks who live in the area is the Birding Seasonal pass for $125.00 per person. That includes visits on all ten dates. And best of all, you can never be shut out. If, like me, you are on the list for the Birding Seasonal pass, you can show up on any of the GPPP days, have your name checked off the list, and enjoy a great morning of photography.

If you have a party of 15 or more folks and would like to book a Private Group early entry, Gatorland is able to offer additional dates of your choice (subject to availability and pending approval). Please contact: JoIndomenico@gatorland.com.

The famous Gatorland Bird Rookery was created in 1991 as an alligator breeding marsh. While the birds lose an occasional chick to the gators, they gain pretty much complete protection from ground predators. This unique habitat has grown into one of the largest and most accessible wading bird rookeries in Florida. Today, this area provides protected nesting, foraging, and roosting area to more than 20 different species of birds, many of which are listed as Endangered or Species of Special Concern. Gatorland’s boardwalks provide birders and photographers with access to these incredible birds, their nests, and their young, allowing people to safely observe them while capturing stunning photographs.

You can learn exactly how to make the best possible photographs at Gatorland in here ; details on that above.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

What’s Up?

Despite the cloudy forecast, Thursday morning dawned still and clear with a light mist in the air that cleared quickly. The crane in the North Marsh sat steadfastly on her nest with two eggs and the branched eaglet remained branched. The crane family on the South Peninsula was MIA. Despite the perfect conditions, I almost made it home without making a single image. Then I stopped to try for some Cattle Egrets in a low-growing, purple flower setting. When I checked on the eagle nest the young bird was jumping around from its perch to the nest and back again. I was thrilled to see it make a ten foot “flight” from the nest to its perch to the south. Then one of the adults flew in with a big silver fish and the eaglet returned to the nest for breakfast. And I returned home to prepare brunch. As I left, I saw that the crane family had crossed to the North Field (but ignored them to head home and get to work).

All day yesterday I thought that it was Friday … Anyhoo, I got a ton of work done on Thursday. I now have 368 images in the first of my two GNPA Keynote programs. About half the slides are arranged properly, the other half are not. And I need to get down to less than 350 photos. I worked on lots of images from my two Jacksonville visits last year in preparation for announcing two Jacksonville IPTs this summer. I sent 44 work-related e-mails — about par for the course, and I did a gear consult by phone. Lastly, I began work on today’s blog post.

Today is Friday 18 March 2022. The morning forecast is again calling for still and partly cloudy … Such forecasts at ILE often mean “still and sunny.” Time will tell. IAC, I will head down to the lake for a bit. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too had a great day. This blog post took a bit more than three hours to prepare and makes eight days in a row with a new one.

I will be heading to Gatorland on Saturday and Stick Marsh on Sunday to check things out. If you are on the list for Gatorland early entry for this Saturday and would like to learn to be a better photographer, please get in touch via e-mail ASAP.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on most blog pages and always in the right column and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn …

Used Gear Kudos via e-Mail from Tom Muilhern

Good afternoon, Artie,

Just a fast word of thanks. I just completed second purchase of equipment using your site. I am retired on SS my fun budget — let’s just say it is tight, leading me to the used equipment market. FIRST TIME (March 2021). You went out of your way to find me what I was looking for (a Canon 100-400 II lens). The lens was not listed yet, but you found one for me. I got a great deal/price, in better condition than posted. SECOND TIME (March 2022). I grabbed the 7d MK II package that was listed on your Used Gear Page by Steve Zarate. Again, the process was easy, the price was great, the equipment in very good condition, and packed and delivered as stated.

Thanks again! I have recommended your site to others and will continue to do so.

Tom Muilhern

This image was created on 24 February 2022 by Clemens Van der Werf at Lake Blue Cypress, FL. He used the hand held Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM lens with the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R and the Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless camera body.. The exposure was determined via histogram evaluation. ISO 640. 1/4000 sec. at f/5 (stopped down 2/3 stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:25am on a sunny morning. Image courtesy of and Copyright 2022: Clemens Van der Werf Image #1: Osprey squabble

Clemens Van der Werf

Clemens is a longtime friend. After attending 13 IPTS in the early 2000-teens, he is surely my most accomplished student. Anita North is a very close second. I am often envious of Clemens’ (and of Anita’s) work. Clemens’s five images are indeed beyond spectacular. His photos have been featured here on the blog many times. If you would like to see some of those blog posts, type his name into the little white search box at the top right of each blog post and hit Return. That will quickly yield ten pages of links! And, you can see more of his work in his virtual print gallery at Shop.clemensvanderwerf.com. Be especially sure to check out his Bald Eagles Gallery. Equally spectacular are Ice, Penguins, and Yellowstone in Winter. Clemens apparently likes cold weather; he will surely need to add a Snowy Owl gallery ASAP!

This image was created on 2 March 2022 by Clemens Van der Werf in Michigan. He used the hand held Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM lens with the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R and the Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless camera body. The exposure was determined via histogram evaluation. ISO 500. 1/4000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 11:37am on a cloudy-bright morning. Image courtesy of and Copyright 2022: Clemens Van der Werf Image #2: Snowy Owl in flight

Clemens Van der Werf and the Canon R3

After his first visit to Lake Blue Cypress Clemens called to tell me that the R3 was a lot better than the R5 for photographing birds in flight and in action. “Why?,” I asked. “The autofocus is a lot stickier” he replied. After the second Snowy Owl trip he expanded his thoughts by saying that R3 AF was much better than R5 AF as far as AF tracking accuracy was concerned, especially in low light situations. In addition, he said that the smaller R3 raw files were beautiful and that they stood up nicely to healthy crops. He will be using his R5 for landscapes and his R3 for all of his bird photography, especially when shooting flight and action.

This image was created on 2 March 2022 by Clemens Van der Werf in Michigan. He used the hand held Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM lens with the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R and the Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless camera body. The exposure was determined via histogram evaluation. ISO 500. 1/5000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 11:43am on a cloudy-bright morning. Image courtesy of and Copyright 2022: Clemens Van der Werf Image #3: Snowy Owl in flight

Clemens and Greg and the Snowy Owl Trips

Clemens traveled twice to Michigan this winter to photograph the Snowy Owls. Our mutual friend, Greg Gulbransen, accompanied him on both trips. The first trip was OK at best, but they persisted and did a lot better on the second trip. And the second trip was a lot warmer. It only got down to -20° F. Greg was using the Nikon Z9 and he also produced many fine images with his hand held 400mm f/2.8 lens. I will be sharing some of those with you here soon. As the pious and corrupt Warden Samuel Norton in “The Shawshank Redemption” said often, “I see you two all the time, you’re thick as thieves, you are.”

Shawshank Redemption

Shawshank Redemption is my favorite movie of all time, by miles. I have seen it dozens of times and always enjoy it. If you don’t have the time to relive the movie right now, you can visit the list of great quotes here on the IMDB website for a quick Shawshank fix (along with a few tears).

This image was created on 4 March 2022 by Clemens Van der Werf in Michigan. He used the hand held Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM lens with the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R and the Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless camera body. The exposure was determined via histogram evaluation. ISO 1600. 1/2000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 6:02 on a then very cloudy afternoon. Image courtesy of and Copyright 2022: Clemens Van der Werf Image #4: Snowy Owl striking with talons extended

Impressed By the R3?

I you shoot Canon and were impressed enough by what you saw and learned here today to want to buy one, please use the B&H link (Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless camera body) or purchase from Bedfords and receive 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second day FedEx shipping. Then send Clemens a thank you note for sharing his R3 images and comments.

This image was created on 4 March 2022 by Clemens Van der Werf in Michigan. He used the hand held Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens (at 300mm) and the Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless camera body. The exposure was determined via histogram evaluation. ISO 640. 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open for 300mm) in Manual mode. AWB at 4:40pm on a cloudy afternoon. Image courtesy of and Copyright 2022: Clemens Van der Werf Image #5: Snowy Owl midair squabble

Your Assignments for Today

• 1- As you surely expected, all are invited to leave a comment stating their pick as today’s best image along with the reasons that they made their choice.
• 2- Advanced students can leave a comment detailing the one or two thing(s) that they liked best about each image. Undertaking this exercise will surely help you become a better photographer.
• 3- The most advanced folks can take a crack at this one: considering all five images, what one thing in a single image bugs me?

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Horizontal or Vertical?

Both of today’s featured images were created from the same Nancy Thornblad raw file. Which do you like best, the horizontal or the vertical? Why?

What’s Up?

Tuesday morning dawned sunny and still. I did a pre-dawn silhouette of the eagle nest and was surprised that I did not see the young bird in the nest. I learned later that it had already branched and had been perched about 10 feet above and to the north of the nest when I created the silhouette. Later in the morning, when it clouded over, I was able to make a few nice images of the eaglet. I checked on the two-egg crane nest in the North Marsh and was pleased to see the female sitting peacefully on her eggs. The two-colt crane family was in the marsh, so I passed on them and headed home early to get to work.

Today is Wednesday 16 March 2022. The forecast is calling for overnight thunderstorms, mostly cloudy early, and rain for the rest of the day. I will head down to the lake in a few minutes just because. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too had a great day. This blog post took a bit more than an hour to prepare and makes seven days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn …

SONY FE 4.5-5.6/70-300mm f2.8 G OSS Lens

Multiple IPT veteran Larry Master is offering a SONY FE 4.5-5.6/70-300mm f2.8 G OSS lens in like-new condition for $599.00. The lens was never used. The sale includes the original product box, the rear lens cap, the lens case, the front lens cover, the lens strap, 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 Larry via e-mail at lawrencemaster@gmail.com or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 EDT.

This very small, incredibly versatile, lightweight lens will fit all Sony e-Mount mirrorless camera bodies like the a7R III and IV, the a9 and the a9 II, and the Alpha 1. It is also compatible with APS-C sensor bodies like the Sony Alpha a6000 and the a6400. I would make an ideal travel lens as well as a great mid-range telephoto for nature photographers. For bird photographers, it would complement the 200-600 G lens almost perfectly. Best of all? It is priced to sell; a new one would cost you $1273.00. Grab Larry’s lens today and save a handsome $674.00! artie

This image was created on 5 October 2021 on the Fall Fort DeSoto IPT by participant Nancy Thornblad. She used the hand held Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 463mm and the very affordable Canon EOS R6 Mirrorless camera body. The exposure was determined via histogram review.ISO 2000: 1/4000 second at f8 (stopped down 1/3 stop). AWB at 8:18:42am on a partly cloudy morning. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Photo courtesy of and Copyright 2021: Nancy Thornblad. Image #1: Marbled Godwit preening

Pre-IPT Gear Help

Nancy called in mid-September to learn about the 2021 Fall Fort DeSoto IPT. In our follow-up e-mails, we reviewed her current gear. I suggested that she purchase the Canon RF 100–500 lens. She was thrilled that Steve Elkins of Bedfords was able to get one for her in short order. She also mentioned that she could not make any good photos with her Canon R6 and that she preferred her 1DX. We sent her the Canon EOS R5/R6 Camera User’s Guide and she was good to go.

I am always glad to help folks upgrade their gear to best suit their individual needs. And that is true for everyone, not just folks who are signing up for an IPT.

The IPT Experience

Via e-mail from Nancy Thornblad

Hello Artie,

I appreciate all the work you did on the IPT helping me with everything from choosing the right equipment, travel and lodging, getting the right exposure, improving my compositions, and simply creating getting better photographs. The IPT was a wonderful experience, and it was great to learn from such an experienced and knowledgeable photographer. With all the individual attention, I came away from the IPT a better photographer and will continue to use what I learned every time I go out to photograph. Thanks for the ten critiques. I am looking forward to the next time. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me. Nancy

With fewer folks signing up for IPTs over the past few years (for reasons unbeknownst to me), everyone who attends an IPT will receive a ton of individual instruction both in the field and at the computer.

Today’s Featured Images

Thanks to Nancy for letting me share her preening Marbled Godwit image here today. Image #1 is a small crop from the horizontal original, and Image #2 is a vertical crop from that. The R6 image held up well to the cropping.

This is the same image cropped to a vertical. As above, it was created on 5 October 2021 on the Fall Fort DeSoto IPT by participant Nancy Thornblad. She used the hand held Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 463mm and the very affordable Canon EOS R6 Mirrorless camera body. The exposure was determined via histogram review. ISO 2000: 1/4000 second at f8 (stopped down 1/3 stop). AWB at 8:18:42am on a partly cloudy morning. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Photo courtesy of and Copyright 2021: Nancy Thornblad. Image #2: Marbled Godwit preening

Don’t Take This Lightly

Many photo tour leaders are more than glad to get rid of their group at lunch. Each promotion of a BAA IPT includes this:

There will be a Photoshop/image review session after lunch (included) each day.

These sessions are hugely popular. On Day One I will usually pick my keepers from the morning session while explaining the fine differences that make one or two images the best from 5 to 30 frame bursts of the same subject/situation. That is almost always followed by an image optimization or two. Those are recorded and a link to the video is sent to the group.

On the following days, we will look at participants’ images. I will pick a strong one to optimize from the raw conversion to the JPEG creation. And again, the whole process is recorded and a link to the video sent to the group.

These sessions are amazingly valuable, not only for the group but for me as well. Why the latter? Many of my best Photoshop tricks and techniques are a result of someone saying, “Why are you doing it that way? There is a much easier way to do it.”

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

The 2022 DeSoto Spring IPT/April 26 through the morning session on April 29, 2020. 3 1/2 DAYS: $2099.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings 4

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for breeding terns and gulls and wading birds in spring. Migrant shorebirds are in abundance, and many are exceedingly tame. We should have great chances on Royal and Sandwich Terns and both white- and dark-morph Reddish Egrets. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two along with some American Oystercatchers. We will enjoy lots of great flight photography.

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

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

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

On the IPT you will learn:

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

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

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

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

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. After you leave the 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 a month before the trip. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Your Fave?

Which is the stronger of today’s two featured images? All are invited to leave a comment and explain why they made their choice.

What’s Up?

Peter Dominowski and I greatly enjoyed our time together this weekend. And we both ate too much, especially me. Tomorrow I will get back on the wagon.

Today is Monday 14 March 2022. The forecast for this morning is for mostly sunny with a gentle northeast breeze. You know where I will be. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too had a great day. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes five days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn …

March Indian Lake Estates In-the-Field Sessions

Two hours of intensive instruction: $200.00 (Add $100.00 if we are blessed with very small chicks). Add a working brunch with image review: $100.00. Sunny mornings with east winds are best. Likely subjects include ridiculously tame Sandhill Cranes and colts, a young Bald Eagle in the nest, Black and Turkey Vultures, Crested Caracara, Limpkin, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, and more. Small crane chicks will hopefully be coming soon.

If you’d like to join me, please get in touch via e-mail or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

And Please Remember

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.

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

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 immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

Please Remember Also

Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

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. 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.

This image was created on 12 March 2022 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 334mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1000: 1/500 second at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 7:49:38am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly by nailing and tracking the eye of the colt in the front. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane with two small colts

In Memoriam: Not!

On Saturday morning past, I spent a quality hour with the two-small-colt crane family. I worked from the edge of a canal. As seen in Image #1, That put me at eye level with the family as they foraged. I headed back down to the lake at about 11am to create some crane-in-the-rain images. I was not surprised when I did not see the family. When Peter Dominowski arrived, we headed down to the lake. I was thrilled to see the two adults on the peninsula to the east, ready to swim across with the small colts. I was aghast when I noted that the small colts were not present. The two adults flew across the canal and foraged their way into the marsh. We watched them from my SUV hoping that the two young ones would appear. They did not.

I was sure that the two colts had perished. It brought to mind an event from last year when two colts of similar size perished overnight. A Bobcat had been seen in the area … I decided not to share the story of the disappearance of the two colts in yesterday’s blog post in hopes that Peter and I would find them on Sunday morning.

With a strong wind from the north we got down to the lake early in hopes of creating some pleasing blurs of the wading birds leaving their roost. But as is usual on cold mornings (I wore my lined jeans and wished that I had brought my heated gloves along), the birds did not take flight until well after the sun was up. We checked out the young eagle. It was huddled against the nest tree in an effort to stay out of the wind. I set up the step ladder for Peter who made some images of the adult and the eaglet.

With some trepidation, we drove to the marsh at the end of the South Peninsula. I spotted the adults. And then I spotted a single colt with each adult. I was thrilled. The parents must have bedded them down in the marsh on Saturday because of the high winds and the rain. Though the family stayed in the marsh and photographic conditions were close to impossible with the wind-against-sun conditions, it was turned out to be a great morning. And Peter was thrilled to see and photograph the colts in the marsh grasses.

This image was also created on Saturday 12 March 2022, the morning of the day that the colts had vanished. Again I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 400mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1000: 1/250 second at f/8 (stopped down one stop). AWB at 8:04:45am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane colt: folded wing detail

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Lens

The hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II was my most valuable lens with the eagles in Homer, most often with the 1.4X TC in place. With the 2X TC in place it has proven to be very valuable here at ILE as well. As I explained in detail in the New Kid on the Block: Versatile, & Deadlier Than Ever blog post here, the new version of the 70-200 GM has obsoleted the Sony 100-400 GM lens.

Aside from lightning fast and accurate AF, its incredibly light weight, the amazingly smooth and fast zoom mechanism, the lens, with the 2X TC at 400mm, focuses to less than 34 inches — substantially closer than the closest-focusing of the 100-400 lenses. That makes it ideal for all manner of medium-sized and large flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, and just about all subjects about 2 inches or larger. And for really tight work with tame subjects. As in Image #2.

When to Stop Down

As stated here often, the only time that I even think of stopping down is when working close to a lens’s minimum focusing distance. At a given aperture, the closer you are to the subject, the shallower the depth of field. As the young crane fed on the slope right in front of me, I decided to try for the folded-wing-shot, so I stopped down one full stop. I was worried that working at f/8 would bring up unwanted background detail, but I was so close to the bird that the grasses on the slope were rendered pleasingly out of focus. That as discussed in detail in the hugely educational My Thoughts on Background Softness (Bokeh?) Simplified blog post here.

I had tried to make this image many times over the years; this was my most successful attempt.

70-200 Versatility

In today’s blog post we again see the incredible versatility of the 70-200 lenses, more specifically today, the brand-new Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM II, a huge improvement in virtually all areas from the previous version. Both of today’s totally different featured images were created in a 15-minute period. If you are inspired by what you read above, please purchase your copy using either my B&H affiliate link or from Bedfords, using the BIRDS AS ART code at checkout. Doing so will not cost you a penny more and helps me to keep all the great educational stuff coming. And please consider selling your Sony 100-400 and/or your version one Sony 70-200 via the Used Gear Page. Click here to learn how to do that.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Your Fave?

Which is the stronger of today’s two featured images? All are invited to leave a comment and explain why they made their choice. If you would like to create images like this, do consider joining me in Homer in early 2023.

What’s Up?

Conditions for photography were pretty good on Friday morning but I was less than inspired and did not do much … That evening was another busted sunset. I just got back from a pretty successful ride-around the lakeshore. With a brisk southwest wind and cloudy-very-bright conditions, I worked the crane family at eye level from the edge of the canal with the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens, the 2X TC and the a1. I am pretty sure that I got some decent stuff.

Today is Saturday 12 March 2022. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too had a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes three days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn …

This image was created on 26 February 2022, day one of the second 2022 Homer/Kachemak Bay IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640: 1/1000 second at f/10 (stopped down 1 1/3 stops). AWB at 10:05:49am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S with Bird/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Bald Eagle head portrait with distant blue water background

Pure BIRDS AS ART

Image #1 is created in the pure BIRDS AS ART style: clean, tight, and graphic, with a soft, soft, dreamy background. Note that though I stopped down 1 1/3 stops for a bit of extra depth of field on the subject, the background is completely de-focused, i.e., smooth and creamy. Why? See #3 below.

Background Softness (Bokeh?) Simplified

The simplification of my thoughts on the principles that determine the quality of out-of-focus backgrounds in a photograph — bokeh, by some definitions — came to me early this morning while I was in a dream-like state sometime between 3:30 and 5:30am. Note: I slept 10 hours!

• 1-To produce soft, buttery backgrounds, telephoto lenses are better than wide angle lenses because they effectively place you “closer” to the subject and offer narrower angles of view.
• 2-The closer you are to the subject, the more the background detail is reduced.
• 3-The greater the distance from the subject to the background, the more the background detail is reduced.
• 4-With everything above being equal, the wider the aperture, the softer the background detail. Note that #2 & #3 supersede #4. For example, if you are working relatively close to a subject with a telephoto lens at f/16, and the background is literally one-half mile away — a distant forest, for example, the background will be soft and creamy despite the small aperture. Conversely, if a bird is perched on a leafy branch, the leaves will be well-defined even if you are working at f/2.8.
• 5-When you are close to a subject with a telephoto lens and the distance-to-the-subject is not too great, say in the range of ten to twenty feet, stopping down will often bring up unwanted background detail.

This image was created on 19 February 2022, the scouting day for the 2022 Homer/Kachemak Bay IPTs. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800: 1/2000 second at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 9:51:06am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S with Bird/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Bald Eagle head portrait with background grasses

A Big Sony 200-600 Misconception

Many folks assume that the Sony 200-600 f/6.3 G lens (and the Canon RF 100-500 f/7.1 lens as well), are not capable of producing soft, smooth, dreamy, creamy, defocused backgrounds as they are relatively “slow” at f/6.3 and f/7.1 respectively. As you can see in image #2, this is a big misconception. Why? As stated in #2 above, the closer you are to the subject, the more the background detail is reduced. The trick here was to get ACAP (as close as possible) to the subject and to work at the wide open aperture, in this case, f/6.3. The result: the potentially distracting yellow grasses were rendered almost completely out of focus. Note: I was about eight feet from the bird, and the grasses were about eight feet beyond the eagle.

On Bokeh

There are almost as many different definitions of bokeh (as it pertains to photography) as there are pronunciations. This one, from Wikipedia, works well for me:

Bokeh (from the Japanese: [boke]), is the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in out-of-focus parts of an image.

Some tighter definitions, like the one below from Adobe, do not work for me (in this instance), as they refer only to the qualities of out-of-focus points of light (AKA specular highlights).

Bokeh is a word with Japanese origins, defined as “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light.”

How to Pronounce Bokeh

This short (2:48) video is a bit humorous. You can skip the funny stuff and get to the “right answer” at the 1:37 mark, but be sure to watch to the end for the very fine points.

From BPN-friend Kevin Hice via unsolicited e-mail

Again artie, that was a great trip. I was more than pleased. For me, I could see right away that you knew how to get us and the boat in great position for the best eagle photography. You took into consideration all the factors including the sky conditions, and wind and sun angles. It was a real pleasure to meet the captain. His knowledge of the wind and the currents helped to put us in great position all the time and he did his very best to help on all fronts.

One of the most important factors for me is timeliness. We never had to wait on the captain or on you, artie, and that made the trip a huge success. We got after it every day and had countless great photography opportunities. The other eagle photography tours never got out as early as we did, nor did they pursue the birds as relentlessly as we did.

One can never say that Arthur Morris doesn’t have the passion to get after the Bald Eagles. I have never shot as many photos as I did on this trip even with my poor hand eye coordination. I got plenty of keepers and enjoyed meeting the others in the group and learned a few things from them as well.

Thanks again, Kevin

Homer 2022 Bald Eagle Highlights and Handholding Compositional Tips by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Enjoy and be inspired by just a few Homer Bald Eagle highlight images. Hand holding intermediate telephoto lens will always yield slightly different compositions. Learn more about that topic in this short (3:14) video.

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

2023 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs

IPT #1: MON 20 FEB 2023 through the full day on FRI 24 FEB 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers

IPT #2: SAT 25 FEB 2023 through the full day on THURS 2 MAR 2023. Six full days/24 hours on the boat: $6600.00. Limit 5 photographers

IPT #3: FRI 3 MAR 2023 through the full day on TUES 7 MAR 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers.

Save $1,000.00 by doing back-to-back trips. Save $1500.00 by doing all three.

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 a ton of 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 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, who 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 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 images from tens of thousands of images.

You will enjoy working with the two best and most creative boat captains on their sturdy, photography-spacious, seaworthy, open-deck crafts.

The second and third IPTs are the only Bald Eagle workshops that feature an incredibly helpful first mate.

Only five photographers (not the usual six), plus the leader.

Small group Photoshop, Image Review, and Image Critiquing sessions.

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

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, or 24 hours for the second trip, the group will share the additional expense at a rate of $225/hour.

Some folks may wish to rent their own vehicle to take advantage of local photographic opportunities around Homer.

Deposit Information

A $3000 non-refundable deposit/trip is required. You may pay your deposit with credit card or by personal check (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 the three 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, two, or all three 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.

The Strongest Image?

Which is the strongest image in the video below? All are invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choice. I have a somewhat surprising but clear favorite. I will share it with you here soon.

Markus and artie/i-phone photo by Andrea

What’s Up?

The large Bald Eagle chick has been cavorting around in the nest like a Mexican jumping bean. As a result of exercising its wings strenuously, the eaglet is now strong enough to jump into the air. I would guess that it will be leaving the nest in several weeks and will almost surely be flying within a month, if not sooner. On Tuesday morning I had the pleasure of photographing with Markus Leinberger, a friend from Germany. We did great on the eagle chick, and just missed the baby cranes swimming across the canal. Markus was amazed at how tame the little ones are. After our morning session, Markus and his girlfriend Andrea came by for a pool deck brunch. We spent a great deal of time discussing the state of bird photography in Europe and the US and the state of various photo contests the world over. A great time was had by all.

Wednesday morning was even better. After I did the flapping and jumping baby eagle, I was just in time to photograph the baby cranes swimming across the canal. And on the way home I had a nice Osprey with a half-eaten fish on an in-the-clear branch in its nest tree. Evenings have been a bust with clouds and Wednesday afternoon looked promising at first until the clouds took over.

Today is Thursday 10 March 2022. The forecast is for mostly cloudy with a south wind — not bad for the eagle nest. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too had a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare (over the course of several days) and makes one day in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on this page and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT.

And Please Remember

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.

Brand New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

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 immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

Please Remember Also

Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

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. 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.

30 Good Reasons to Visit Gatorland

In this short (3:48) video, you can check out the variety of wading bird species that can be easily photographed at Gatorland in Kissimmee, FL in most years. Keep reading for info on the 2022 Gatorland Photographer’s Pass Program.

2022 Gatorland Photographer’s Pass Program

Though the 2022 Gatorland Photographer’s Pass Program (GPPP) is much improved from last year’s program, it falls well short of the great program that was in effect BC (Before Covid). I am hoping that the program will be restored to its former greatness next year. This year’s program includes ten scheduled days. The first is on 19 March, and the last is 21 May 2022. And it gives photographers the opportunity to get into the park at 7:00 am instead of the normal 10:00 am entry time.

Reservations are required two days before your visit. For example, if you wish to visit on 27 March, you need to make your reservation on March 25th. You can make reservations here on the Gatorland website, or by calling 407-855-5496 ext. 226 during business hours with your credit card in hand. There is no late stay option this year. The price is $25.00 + tax per visit and includes early entry at 7:00 AM at the SOUTH ENTRANCE. All tickets are date specific and non-transferable. You will not be able to leave until 10:00am when Gatorland opens.

Choose from the following 2022 dates:

March 19, 2022 (Sold out but keep reading …)
March 27, 2022
April 2, 2022
April 10, 2022
April 17, 2022
April 22, 2022
April 30, 2022
May 8, 2022
May 13, 2022
May 21, 2022

A far better deal for folks who live in the area is the Birding Seasonal pass for $125.00 per person. That includes visits on all ten dates. And best of all, you can never be shut out. If, like me, you are on the list for the Birding Seasonal pass, you can show up on any of the GPPP days, have your name checked off the list, and enjoy a great morning of photography.

If you have a party of 15 or more folks and would like to book a Private Group early entry, Gatorland is able to offer additional dates of your choice (subject to availability and pending approval). Please contact: JoIndomenico@gatorland.com.

The famous Gatorland Bird Rookery was created in 1991 as an alligator breeding marsh. While the birds lose an occasional chick to the gators, they gain pretty much complete protection from ground predators. This unique habitat has grown into one of the largest and most accessible wading bird rookeries in Florida. Today, this area provides protected nesting, foraging, and roosting area to more than 20 different species of birds, many of which are listed as Endangered or Species of Special Concern. Gatorland’s boardwalks provide birders and photographers with access to these incredible birds, their nests, and their young, allowing people to safely observe them while capturing stunning photographs.

You can learn exactly how to make the best possible photographs at Gatorland in here ; details below.

Gatorland In-the-Field Instruction

Gatorland In-the-Field Instruction with me will be available on most of the scheduled dates. If you are interested in setting something up, please shoot me an e-mail for rates and details.

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.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens (with Extras)

Price Dropped $500.00 on 5 MAR 2022

BAA friend Greg Gulbransen is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens in near-mint condition (with extras) for a very low $7996.95.00 (was $8496.95) Payment by teller’s check or Long Island, NY — cash pick-up only. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the front lens cover, a RRS low foot (a $110.00 value), the original lens foot, the LensCoat (a roughly $100.00 value) that has protected the lens since Day 1, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until the money is in the bank.

Please contact Greg via e-mail.

The 400mm f/2.8 lenses are the fastest big lenses in production. This, the newest Nikon version available, is super-sharp. It is a very versatile lens for wildlife photographers, especially those doing Africa, big game, and birds in low light situation. It creates incredibly sharp images with the TC-E14. It is currently backordered at B&H where it sells new for $11,196.95. You can save a very handsome $2700.00 by grabbing Greg’s pretty much new lens right now. artie

SONY FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM OSS Lens

BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price
Price Reduced $150.00 on 26 February 2022

Anthony Ardito is offering a SONY FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM OSS lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1197.00 (was $1,347.00). Included are the original box and everything that came in it along with a RealTree MAX5 LensCoat (a $94 value) 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 Anthony e-mail.

The versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses have long been big favorites of many nature photographers. They are great for landscapes. I have used this lens with Canon and Nikon and SONY. I used my Canon version to photograph granddaughter Maya’s dance recitals and to create bird-scapes and pre-dawn blast-off blurs at Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico. They are fast and sharp and have 1,000 uses. The 70-200 f/2.8 lenses are a specialty lens for bird photographers. Like the bad little child, when they are good, they are really, really good! I’ve used mine mostly for flight photography at point blank range where their performance is unmatched, especially in low light. I’ve killed with these lenses on the gannet boat in the UK, in Homer for eagles, for pre-dawn and blizzard blastoffs at Bosque, and at Merritt Island on single birds from huge feeding sprees right next to the road.

This super-fast lens weighs only 3.26 pounds and is easily hand holdable by just about everyone. As it sells new right now for $2,298.00, you can save a cool $1001.00 by grabbing Anthony’s lens ASAP. artie

ps: To see what the 70-200 zoom lenses can do, see below, and also see the images in the blog post here. artie

What’s Up?

I was awarded 20,000 free miles when Alaska Airlines’ “20-minute baggage guarantee” failed miserably on Friday evening. It took about an hour to get my two checked bags. Traffic on the way home was horrific; we got to ILE just before 9:00pm after landing early at 5:30!

I spent some time down by the lake on Saturday morning. The eagle chick is doing fine, and I did find a pair of 2-week-old Sandhill Crane chicks. I created 359 flight images of Purple Martins and kept just one — today’s featured image. I spent most of the rest of the day listening and crying to the music of John Prine, whom I had never heard of before the eagle boat captain said “John Prine.” Learn more below.

Had you ever heard of John Prine before reading today’s blog post?

Today is Sunday 6 March 2022. With a perfect forecast — sunny with an east wind. I woke early and headed to Stick Marsh. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too had a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes one day in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on this page and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT.

John Prine

I loved almost all of the music on the eagle boat captain’s playlist and recognized most of the artists. But every time I head great gravelly voice backed by wicked guitars, I’d say, “That guy’s great. Who is it?” “John Prine” was always the answer. So, on Sunday, I did a lot of YouTube surfing and was totally amazed both by the music and by Prine’s life story. He died recently.

The accompanying photographs in the video above are incredibly moving. Bring tissues.

I first heard Bette Middler’s cover of “Hello in There” about 40 years ago when I purchased her CD album, “The Divine Miss M.” The lyrics had and continue to have a huge impact on my life, especially these two stanzas:

You know that old trees just grow stronger,
and old rivers grow wilder every day,
ah, but, but old people, they just grow lonesome
waiting for someone to say,
“Hello in There. Hello.”

So if you’re walking down the street sometime
and you should spot some hollow ancient eyes,
don’t you pass them by and stare
as if you didn’t care.
Say, “Hello in there. Hello.”

For four decades, I have never passed by an elderly person without thinking of those words. Nine times out of ten, I will offer a big smile or stop for a short (always appreciated) chat. When I began doing research on Prine, one of the first things I learned was that he wrote “Hello in There.” When he was 25 years old. How is that possible? When I mentioned Prine to my younger daughter Alissa, she said, “Every one of the ten musical artists that I love worshipped John Prine.” The Rolling Stone article here was revelatory.

Here are a few excerpts from that April 7, 2020 article:

John Prine, who for five decades wrote rich, plain-spoken songs that chronicled the struggles and stories of everyday working people and changed the face of modern American roots music, died Tuesday at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He was 73.

As a songwriter, Prine was admired by Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, and others, known for his ability to mine seemingly ordinary experiences — he wrote many of his classics as a mailman in Maywood, Illinois — for revelatory songs that covered the full spectrum of the human experience. There’s “Hello in There,” about the devastating loneliness of an elderly couple; “Sam Stone,” a portrait of a drug-addicted Vietnam soldier suffering from PTSD; and “Paradise,” an ode to his parents’ strip-mined hometown of Paradise, Kentucky, which became an environmental anthem. Prine tackled these subjects with empathy and humor, with an eye for “the in-between spaces,” the moments people don’t talk about, he told Rolling Stone in 2017. “Prine’s stuff is pure Proustian existentialism,” Bob Dylan said in 2009. “Midwestern mind-trips to the nth degree.

Prine was also an author, actor, record-label owner, two-time Grammy winner, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the recipient of the 2016 PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award, a honor previously given to Leonard Cohen and Chuck Berry. Prine helped shape the Americana genre that has gained popularity in recent years, with the success of Prine fans such as Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Brandi Carilie, to name a few. His music was covered by Bonnie Raitt (who popularized “Angel From Montgomery,” his soulful ballad about a woman stuck in a hopeless marriage), George Strait, Carly Simon, Johnny Cash, Don Williams, Maura O’Connell, the Everly Brothers, Joan Baez, Todd Snider, Carl Perkins, Bette Midler, Gail Davies, and dozens of others.

How I could have been ignorant of John Prine for the last five decades is hard to understand. His sense of humor is obvious in his “In Spite of Ourselves” sung as a duet above with Iris Dement.

[Verse 1: John Prine]

She don’t like her eggs all runny
She thinks crossin’ her legs is funny
She looks down her nose at money
She gets it on like the Easter Bunny
She’s my baby, I’m her honey
I’m never gonna let her go

[Verse 2: Iris Dement]

He ain’t got laid in a month of Sundays
I caught him once and he was sniffin’ my undies
He ain’t too sharp, but he gets things done
Drinks his beer like it’s oxygen
He’s my baby and I’m his honey
I’m never gonna let him go

[Chorus: Both]

In spite of ourselves, we’ll end up a-sittin’ on a rainbow
Against all odds, honey, we’re the big door prize
We’re gonna spite our noses right off of our faces
There won’t be nothin’ but big old hearts dancin’ in our eyes

[Verse 3: John Prine]

She thinks all my jokes are corny
Convict movies make her horny
She likes ketchup on her scrambled eggs
Swears like a sailor when she shaves her legs
She takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’
I’m never gonna let her go

[Verse 4: Iris Dement]

He’s got more balls than a big brass monkey
He’s a whacked-out weirdo and a lovebug junkie
Sly as a fox and crazy as a loon
Payday comes and he’s howlin’ at the moon
He’s my baby, I don’t mean maybe
Never gonna let him go

[Chorus: Both]

In spite of ourselves, we’ll end up a-sittin’ on a rainbow
Against all odds, honey, we’re the big door prize
We’re gonna spite our noses right off of our faces
There won’t be nothin’ but big old hearts dancin’ in our eyes

In spite of ourselves, we’ll end up a-sittin’ on a rainbow
Against all odds, honey, we’re the big door prize
We’re gonna spite our noses right off of our faces
There won’t be nothin’ but big old hearts dancin’ in our eyes

[Outro: John Prine]
In spite of ourselves

This image was created on 5 March 2022 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 400mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600: 1/3200 second at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 8:07:17am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Purple Martin female in flight

Purple Martin Perfection

Folks often ask, what is your goal for today? I always respond, I am hoping to get one good one. On Saturday, that is exactly what I got. Why just one? Purple Martins are fast and erratic fliers. Even with the lightweight Sony 70-200 f/2.8 II lens, it was a huge challenge for me to get one anywhere near the center of the frame. One, however, is a lot better than none.

Image #1A: RawDigger screen capture for the Purple Martin female in flight image

Dead-Solid Perfect!

Images where the G channel gets 2/3rds of the way from the 8000 to the 16000 line are perfect exposures. Images where the G channel gets right up to the line are dead-solid perfect. With 86 OvExp pixels out of 51,000,000 this is a dead-solid perfect exposure. As seen in the screen capture above, those 86 OvExp pixels are all in the specular highlight in the catchlight in the bird’s eye.

RawDigger — not for the faint of heart …

Nothing has ever helped me learn to create perfect exposures to the degree that RawDigger has. I think that many folks are reluctant to learn that most of their images are underexposed by one or more full stops and that highlight warnings in Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One, and your in-camera histogram are completely bogus as they are based on the embedded JPEGs. Only your raw files tell the truth all the time. Heck, I resisted RawDigger for several years … Once you get over that feeling, RawDigger can become your very best exposure friend no matter what system you are using. On the recent IPTs and In-the-Field sessions, we have demonstrated that fact. Convincingly.

The RawDigger (pink) Adapted Histogram

In the RawDigger e-Guide, you will learn exactly how to set up the Adapted “pink” RawDigger Histogram and how to use it to quickly and easily evaluate the exposure or raw file brightness of images from all digital cameras currently in use. RawDigger was especially helpful to me when I struggled with R5 exposures and when learned my new camera body, the Sony Alpha a1.

RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

The RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

by Arthur Morris with Patrick Sparkman

The RawDigger e-Guide was created only for serious photographers who wish to get the absolute most out of their raw files.

Patrick and I began work on the guide in July 2020. At first we struggled. We asked questions. We learned about Max-G values. We could not figure out why the Max G values varied by camera system. IPT veteran Bart Deamer asked lots of questions that we could not answer. We got help from RawDigger creator Iliah Borg. We learned. In December, Patrick came up with an Adapted Histogram that allows us to evaluate the exposures and raw file brightness for all images created with all digital camera bodies from the last two decades. What we learned each time prompted three complete beginning to end re-writes.

The point of the guide is to teach you to truly expose to the mega-Expose-to-the-Right so that you will minimize noise, maximize image quality, best utilize your camera’s dynamic range, and attain the highest possible level of shadow detail in your RAW files in every situation. In addition, your properly exposed RAW files will contain more tonal information and feature the smoothest possible transitions between tones. And your optimized images will feature rich, accurate color.

We teach you why the GREEN channel is almost always the first to over-expose. We save you money by advising you which version of RawDigger you need. We teach you how to interpret the Max G values for your Canon, Nikon, and SONY camera bodies. It is very likely that the Shock-your-World section will shock you. And lastly — thanks to the technical and practical brilliance of Patrick Sparkman — we teach you a simple way to quickly and easily evaluate your exposures and raw file brightness using an Adapted RawDigger histogram.

The flower video takes you through a session where artie edits a folder of images in Capture One while checking the exposures and Max-G values in RawDigger. The Adapted Histogram video examines a series of recent images with the pink histograms and covers lots of fine points including and especially how to deal with specular highlights. The directions for setting up the Adapted Histogram are in the text.

If we priced this guide based on how much effort we put into it, it would sell it for $999.00. But as this guide will be purchased only by a limited number of serious photographers, we have priced it at $51.00. You can order yours here in the BAA Online Store.

Image #1B: Sony Imaging Edge screen capture for the Purple Martin female in flight image

SONY and artie

First off, note the incredible crop-ability of sharp a1 images.

Switching to SONY, first with the a9 and the a9 II, and then to the remarkable a1, has enabled me (and others, like Mike De Rosa as seen a while ago in the blog post here), to create images of birds in flight and in action that I could not have even dreamed of when using Canon for 33 years and then Nikon for more than two. Right now I am using one of two AF methods that together, cover about 99% of the commonly-encountered bird photography situations. Learn more by joining (or by earning your way into) the group!

From Long-ago IPT veteran Keith Kennedy via e-mail

Absolutely great information. I am calling Jim in a few minutes to order a couple of Delkin 128GB UHS-II cards. Your timely email has saved me a ton of money! Many thanks

In the same vein, via e-mail from John LeClair

Well, e-mail #21 alone was worth the price of admission!

From Pamela Viale, after receiving artie’s a1 settings along with detailed instructions on how to copy them to her SONY a1 via e-mail

This e-mail group has been an incredible boon to me! Thank you so much!

From Joe Barranco via e-Mail

Thanks for your great ideas on the A1 set up. I have been getting MANY more keepers doing things your way!

From Barbara White via e-Mail

Wow, I just gotta say – I learn so much from the SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info group! My camera is on my desk, and I’m always picking it up and changing something that I’ve read about in the e-mails.

Thanks, Barbara

From Janet Horton via e-Mail

Hi Artie, Mystery solved. Yes, I was able to replicate what you did. I forgot that you have to set self-timer using the upper dial. I am used to that being a MENU selection.

Thanks much, Janet

SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up 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. The group is now up to an astounding 111 lucky and blessed folks. 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 all who wish, can request 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. I finally finished the consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE and distributed it yesterday. New a1 folks will now receive three e-mails instead of the previous 28! It is a lot easier on me and is an incredible resource for folks new to the a1.

All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info & Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Your Fave?

Which of today’s two featured images is your favorite? All are invited to leave a comment and let us know why they made their choice.

What’s Up?

Photography on the 2nd Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle continues to be excellent. On Tuesday afternoon, we got to photograph in a heavy snow squall. It has been so spectacular up here, that I will be doing three Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagles IPTs next season. Dates to be announced in about a week. We have not missed a single day due to bad weather. Even though I have been on the boat for ten straight days already, I am super-excited about going out today. I am planning on driving back to Anchorage on Thursday, but we may move that up because of the weather forecast.

Keep reading to learn how and why I am creating fewer flight images than anyone else on this trip. Even if you never make it to Homer, what you learn will help you become a much better flight photographer.

Today is Wednesday 2 March 2022 and the forecast is calling for temperatures just below freezing with light winds. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes 1 day in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on this page and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-gCoypNdvU

Ja Morant

If you are in any way a sports fan, and even if you’re not, you’ve just got to check out the antics of Ja Morant. Temetrius Jamel “Ja” Morant plays in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies. He played college basketball for the Murray State Racers, where he was a consensus first-team All-American as a sophomore in 2019. At 6′ 3″ and 174 pounds, he is relatively tiny as a professional basketball player, yet he is the most sensational, most athletic, and most explosive player I have ever seen. And he has a wicked cool hair-do that make his high-flying exploits even more dramatic.

This image was created on 20 February 2022, the first day of the Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb wheel. ISO 1600: 1/1600 second at f/2.8 (wide open). AWB at 4:38.23pm on a then-cloudy bright afternoon. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Bald Eagle landing

How (and Why) I Shoot the Fewest Eagle Flight Images

During most of our 3-4 hours sessions, the IPT crew of five creates 30,000 or 40,000 (or more!) Bald eagle images. As usual, I am always low hook, averaging about 3000 images (with a single day high of more than 7,000). Why so few? as I try to anticipate the good situations. On most fly-bys I created only from three to ten images while others are pounding the shutter button and creating 30 or 40 or 50 images. These are some of the principles that guide me:

• 1- I get on the bird early and wait until it fills one-third to one-half the frame before firing.
• 2- I only photograph eagles that are either banking or wheeling or upside down or those that are flying towards you.
• 3- I never make an image when the bird’s tail is closer to me than its head. I’ve yet to see a great or even very good eagle image where the bird is flying away from you.
• 4- Since we are feeding the birds cut-up, partially thawed herring, my personal decision is to never make images of birds carrying or eating chunks of fish.
• 5- When I know that the backgrounds will be butt-ugly, I do not even raise my lens.

In short, I am being selective.

This image was created on 24 February 2022, the fourth day of the Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 244mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. Multi-Metering +2 1/3 stops in Shutter Priority Mode with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 2500: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 4:15:59pm on a very cloudy afternoon. Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Bald Eagle beginning dive

Z9 Shooter Warren Hatch

Long-ago IPT veteran Warren Hatch, like all diehard Nikon shooters, is thrilled — as they should be — with the AF performance of the Z9. He really loves the camera, and though he has had it for only two months, he has made many stunning images with it. On Monday, he sat with me as I went through some eagle flight images and was pretty much amazed by both the sharpness of the images and the seemingly perfect exposures frame after frame after frame (can you say Zebras?). And when I reviewed the images in A7INFO, he was stunned by what he saw with regards to the performance of Sony’s Bird-Eye/Face Detection autofocus.

I hope to be sharing some of Warren’s very fine images with you here soon.

The Amazing Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Lens

The hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with one of my three a1 bodies has been my workhorse rig in Homer. In extreme low light situations, I’ve been going with the lens alone unless I am attempting to create pleasing blurs in which case, I add the 1.4X TC. Why? When I am using slow shutter speeds I do not need to be concerned about using unduly high ISOs. In cloudy-bright conditions, I almost always go to the 1.4X to get some extra reach while keeping the ISO relatively low — usually below 1600 and almost always no greater than 3200. On sunny days I often go with “just” the 1.4x, but I always have the option of putting the 2X on the 70-200. I was forced to do that one day when I accidentally left all three of my 1.4X TCs in the room.

SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up 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. The group is now up to an astounding 111 lucky and blessed folks. 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 all who wish, can request 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. I finally finished the consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE and distributed it yesterday. New a1 folks will now receive three e-mails instead of the previous 28! It is a lot easier on me and is an incredible resource for folks new to the a1.

All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info & Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

What’s Up?

On Friday morning I met the group in the hotel restaurant just before 8:00am. The forecast was grim: rain with east winds at 21 gusting to 35mph. Looking out the large picture windows did not offer much hope. Except to me. The group met me with a unanimous “We are not going out today for sure!” I said, “Not so fast. There is one large cloud on the eastern horizon and in 45 minutes, the sun is gonna come out.” Everyone scoffed at me. A few minutes later our boat captain called and said, “I am heading down the hill and it looks pretty good. There are no whitecaps in the bay. Crossing will be on the rough side but once we get into China Poot, the photography will be spectacular with wind and sun together.” One of the participants decided to drive back to Anchorage a day early to look for Moose. The three remaining folks agreed to go out. I told the captain that we would be at the dock ready to go by 9:15. When we pulled into the lot and exited the GMC Yukon, one of the participants (who shall remain nameless), pointed to the clouds to the east and said, “It’s coming” (meaning bad weather), and decided to walk back to the hotel.

Crossing Kachemak Bay was a bit nasty, but I have sailed in a lot worse conditions on the same boat. Once in Poot Bay, the wind was so strong that we needed to break out the heavy anchor and use lots of scope. The sun shined and the wind roared right out of the east. It turned out to be one of the best days ever on an eagle boat. How good was it? Between the three of us, we created exactly 24,475 photographs in about 2 1/2 hours. If my math is correct, that averages to more than 55 images/minute for each of the three photographers. I was low hook at 3634 (plus nine flight videos) and BPN-friend Kevin Hice was top gun with 11,320 R5 raw files. He created more than 75 images every minute. The action literally was non-stop. Did I mention that eagles love the wind? Or that all but one of the other eagle boat trips cancelled? Or that we were the only boat out there for more than a solid hour?

Today is Saturday 25 February 2022. The forecast is for cloudy all day with very little wind. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes 1 day in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on this page and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT.

The Eagle-Over-the-Mountain Photo Contest

In Thursday’s The Eagle-Over-the-Mountain Photo Contest blog post here, Image #2 was created by Anita North. This very fine image garnered seven votes as best. I created Image #2 as stated emphatically by IPT veteran Sandra Calderbank (though I am not quite sure how she knew …) With nine votes, it has been declared the winner in this friendly competition. I love Anita’s very fine image a ton and would have preferred it over mine but for the areas of dirt on the mountain near the tail (that several folks thought were shadows). Thanks to Anita for allowing me to use her image in the contest, and special thanks to all who voted.

Your questions or comments on the two new RF super telephoto lenses are of course welcome.

SONY FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM OSS Lens

BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price
Price Reduced $150.00 on 26 February 2022

Anthony Ardito is offering a SONY FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM OSS lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1197.00 (was $1,347.00). Included are the original box and everything that came in it along with a RealTree MAX5 LensCoat (a $94 value) 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 Anthony e-mail.

The versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses have long been big favorites of many nature photographers. They are great for landscapes. I have used this lens with Canon and Nikon and SONY. I used my Canon version to photograph granddaughter Maya’s dance recitals and to create bird-scapes and pre-dawn blast-off blurs at Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico. They are fast and sharp and have 1,000 uses. The 70-200 f/2.8 lenses are a specialty lens for bird photographers. Like the bad little child, when they are good, they are really, really good! I’ve used mine mostly for flight photography at point blank range where their performance is unmatched, especially in low light. I’ve killed with these lenses on the gannet boat in the UK, in Homer for eagles, for pre-dawn and blizzard blast-offs at Bosque, and at Merritt Island on single birds from huge feeding sprees right next to the road.

Two New RF Super Telephoto Prime Lenses

Canon recently announced the introduction of two new super telephoto prime lenses for the EOS R mirrorless system. Further advancing lens design and capability, these L-series lenses are intended for the professional user looking for ultimate reach, performance and operability. The RF 800mm f5.6L IS USM lens and RF 1200mm f8L IS USM lens both offer extreme magnification, optical image stabilization (4.5- and 4-stops respectively), two focus presets as well as full AF compatibility with the 1.4x and 2x RF Extenders (teleconverters).

Relatively lightweight and compact, the RF 800mm f/5.6 lens weighs 6.9 pounds and measures only 17″long making it realistic to use atop a monopod or even handheld for short periods of time. The Minimum Focus Distance (MFD) is 8.5 feet. The list price is $16,999.00. Similarly, the RF 1200mm f/8 is relatively lightweight and compact, weighs 7.4 pounds, and measures 21.1″ long making it realistic to use atop a monopod or even handheld for short periods of time. The Minimum Focus Distance is 14.1 feet. The list price is $19,999.00.

My Thoughts

Several friends wrote this week asking me what I thought about the recent Canon announcement. I checked them out. Their small size and relatively light weight are impressive, as are the seemingly remarkable MFDs. At 6.9 pounds, the RF 800 weighs just a bit more than the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens (6.71 pounds). Speaking of 600mm f/4 lenses, the RF 600 III is nothing more than an EF 600 III with an RF adapter stuck onto the back of the lens. It is not a lens that was redesigned for mirrorless. As far as I understand, neither of the two new lenses were specifically engineered for Canon RF mirrorless. The 800 RF uses the lens elements from the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM lens, and the RF 1200mm uses the lens elements from the EF 600mm f/4L IS III. The elements from the RF 2X are at the rear of each of the new lenses. The latter explains the seemingly remarkable MFDs … Thanks to Indranil Sircar for his explanations of several of the fine points above; he gleaned from the Canon Japan website.

Practically speaking, I am thinking that Canon will not sell very many of either of these new lenses. While each lens accepts both RF teleconverters, working at extreme focal lengths such as 1120mm, 1600mm, 1680mm, 2400mm is a huge challenge for most folks. At such huge magnifications, hand holding or working on a monopod does not seem feasible to me. Many folks will have big problems even finding the bird in the viewfinder. Unsharpness caused by gear shake is multiplied by the square of the focal length. Another problem that comes with working at extreme focal lengths is the negative effect of heat shimmer (AKA atmospheric interference). The more air between you and the subject the more problems you will encounter.

Oh, did I forget to mention the price tags?

The 600mm III with an RF Adaptor and the RF 600mm, both in combination with the two TCs, offer much greater versatility than either of the two new RF super telephotos. That said, Canon did a great job of reducing the size and weight of the two new lenses. In the right hands, in the right situations, both lenses will surely prove to be extremely sharp and will be used to create some stellar images.

If you plan on pre-ordering one of the new lenses, please get in touch via e-mail before placing your order as I may be able to help you out.

One final thought here: while Canon has had and will continue to offer the strongest lens line-up in the game, the continuing massive superiority of the SONY Alpha 1 makes choosing the best system for photographing birds in flight an easy one. Why? The a1 offers Zebra technology for stills, gorgeous 51 MP files, and the world’s best AF system. During our great session yesterday morning, the light changed often as light clouds occasionally covered the sun. Kevin Hice complained rightly of the difficulty of getting the right exposure with his R5 while John Carelli and I simply spun the rear dial to change the ISO until we saw Zebras on the eagle’s while heads. Until Nikon or Canon mirrorless bodies offer Zebra technology for stills, the a1 is the no-contest choice when it comes to photographing birds, especially flying birds.

This image was created on 25 February 2022, the last day of the first Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 189mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras. ISO 1600. 1/4000 second at f/4 (wide open). Raw Digger showed the exposure to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 10:57:55am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Bald Eagles in tandem flight

Two For the Price of One!

As stressed here often, one of the keys to creating very good or great images is to strive for something different. Over the six days of the first IPT we enjoyed banking, diving, and upside-down eagles. We all captured many dozens of excellent flight images depicting a great variety of poses and wing positions. Until yesterday morning’s amazing session, I had never seen two eagles flying in perfect tandem. I saw the two eagles, raised my lens to the left — to about one o’clock, fired off an eight-frame burst, and exclaimed, “Wow. I got two birds in flight on the same plane!”

I kept four very excellent images with today’s featured image being my favorite by a small margin.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.