Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

I am busy packing for Long Island. Bringing some of my SONY gear for the Event Space “Birds in Flight” program on Wednesday. And I may get out a bit with good friend Tom Pfeiffer the week of 15 DEC … Wednesdat evening I will be seeing Billy Joel at the Garden for the third time, the fourth time total. Lord, they love him in the Big Apple.

B&H Event Space Programs This Week

Photographing Birds in Flight

Wednesday, December 11, 2019 1:00 PM ET – 3:00 PM ET. Speaker: Arthur Morris. Skill Levels: Basic, Intermediate, Advance. Location: B&H Event Space: Second Floor of B&H NYC SuperStore at 420 9th Avenue, New York NY 10001.

This slide-illustrated lecture will feature more than two hundred of Artie’s spectacular photographs of birds in flight. As he shares images from his favorite locations around the globe, he will teach us everything we need to know in order to create striking images of flying avian subjects. The topics to be covered include: gear (lenses, camera bodies, tripods, and heads), understanding the importance of wind direction and sky conditions, ideal wing positions, shooting strategies, the best AF modes to use for flight photography with Canon, Nikon, and SONY, the importance of using a good stance, post-processing, getting the right exposure, and image design.

To register to attend or to stream live online, click here.

Photographing Nature in the Galapagos Archipelago

Thursday, December 12, 2019 11:00 AM ET – 1:00 PM ET. Speaker: Arthur Morris. Skill Levels: Basic, Intermediate, Advance. Location: B&H Event Space: Second Floor of B&H NYC SuperStore at 420 9th Avenue, New York NY 10001.

This slide-illustrated program will feature more than two hundred of Artie’s spectacular photographs of birds, pinnipeds and reptiles created on fourteen BIRDS AS ART Photo-Cruises around the Galapagos. You will learn about the best landings and locations, the great variety of photographic subjects, gear choices, getting the right exposure, image design, and post processing.

To register to attend or to stream live online, click here.

Canon 600mm f/4L IS USM III Lens (with $200 + in extras!)

Sale Pending 40 minutes after listing!

BAA friend and multiple IPT veteran Paul Reinstein is offering a Canon 600mm f/4L IS III lens in absolutely like-new condition (with extras) for $11,499.00. The sale includes the lens hood, the front lens cover, the rear cap, the soft carrying case, the original product box, the instruction manual, the warranty card, the strap, a Realtree Max4 LensCoat, a RRS lens replacement foot, the factory warranty (good until 3/14/20), 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 Paul via e-mail or by phone at 1-310-946-9031 (Pacific time zone).

The 600 III is the latest Canon version of my favorite weapon of mass destruction for bird photography. With its super balance, light weight, incredible sharpness, and a five-stop Image Stabilization system, the 600 III is a technological marvel. The lens tips the scale at a relatively svelte 6.71 lb — about one ounce heavier than the SONY 600mm f/4GM OSS lens. It is a fraction under two pounds lighter than the 600 II. Thus, it is eminently hand-holdable for many folks. As this lens sells new for $12,999.00, you can save a neat $1500.00 by being the one to grab Paul’s pretty much new lens. Did I mention that unlike me, Paul is fastidious when it comes to caring for his gear? This lens is super-sharp with either TC, one of the great advantages of Canon over Nikon … artie

A Capture One Pro 20 Note from Arash Hazeghi

BPN Avian and Super-moderator Arash Hazeghi passed this along:

I just finished evaluating CaptureOne Pro 20. I did not spot any differences in the output files compared to Capture One Pro 12 so there really isn’t any reason to upgrade. There is nothing that adds value for bird and wildlife photographers so my recommendation is to skip the update and save the money.

What’s Up?

Bosque must have tired me out. I slept nine hours each of the last two nights. On Thursday got back in the pool for the first time in two weeks. Seventy-three degrees is quite chilly but with my snorkeling booties and two neoprene hats I was not cold until I got out.

I lucked out in hitting Bosque at just the right time — November 19th with the six inches of fresh snow and of November 20ieth with thick fog were both spectacular with the geese relatively close to the road and blastoff after blastoff. By the time I left on December 4th the birds were far from the tour loop road and geese numbers seemed well down …

Kudos to the incredible Steve Elkins at Bedford Camera; he secured two SONY 600 f/4GM lenses for BIRDS AS ART folks this past week.

This blog post took nearly four hours to prepare. Please remember to use a BIRDS AS ART affiliate link when purchasing new gear 🙂 Many thanks for that.

Please leave a comment and let us know which of today’s two featured images you like best. And why.

IPT Updates

• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

Click here for complete IPT info and details.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the EOS-1DX, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

The Used Gear page has been hot for the past two months with the continuing price drops on Canon and Nikon gear. There are still lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page. In addition to the recent sales below, there are many pending sales.

Recent Sales

Blog-regular Anthony Ardito sold a Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E ED AF-S VR Zoom lens in like-new condition for the very low price of $799.95 (was $899.95) in early December 2019.
Ken Siegel sold a Sony A9 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body in mint condition for $2598.00 (was $2698.00) ten days after it was listed.
Josh Anon (son of noted photographer and Photoshop expert Ellen Anon) sold a SONY a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body in like-new condition for only $2998.00.
Joe Randle sold his Canon 400mm f4L IS DO USM Telephoto lens (the original 400 DO) in near-mint condition for $1999.00 and a Canon Extender EF @x teleconverter in near-mint condition for $229.00 on the second day of listing.
Joe Randle sold a used Canon Extender EF 1.4X teleconverter in near-mint condition for $229.00 moments after it was listed in late November 2019.
Ken Siegel sold a Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in near-mint condition for $3299.00 in mid-November soon after listing.
Jerry Barrack sold a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Digital Camera Body in near-mint condition for $ 1,999.00, a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in near-mint condition for $5,799.00, a Canon EOS 7D Mark II camera body in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $648.00 in early November 2019.
BAA friend and multiple IPT veteran Paul Reinstein sold his Canon EOS-1D X Mark II body with a shutter count of 40,759 in near-mint condition for $3,599.00 and his Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L S II USM lens in excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $1195.00 both in mid-November 2019.
I sold my SONY a9 in near-mint condition for $2,597.00 on November 11, 2019.
Jerry Barrack sold his Canon Extender EF 1.4X III teleconverter in near-mint condition and his Canon Extender EF 2X III teleconverter also in near-mint condition, both for a very low $224.00 in early November.
Jerry Barrack also sold a Wimberley WH-101 Gimbal Head w/QR C-30 clamp (the original) and a heavy-duty Gitzo 410 tripod for the silly low price of $399.00.
Peter Noyes sold his Sony Alpha A7R III Mirrorless Digital Camera body in like-new condition with a shutter count of less than 1,000 for $1998.00 the first day it was listed in early November.

Huge Price Drops on Big Glass and a Telephoto Zoom!

FE Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens

BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price
Price reduced $400 on 5 DEC 2019

William Schneider is offering an FE Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens in mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $10,697.00. This immaculate lens has seen little use. The sale includes the lens hood, the lens trunk, the front lens cover, the rear lens cap, the lens strap, and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Bill via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-(262) 269-8628 (Eastern time zone).

This super-fast lens is amazingly light at 6.4 lbs, the same weight as the Nikon 300mm f/2.8. Patrick made lots of great images at St. Paul in the Pribilof Islands last July with the lens alone and with either the 1.4x and 2x teleconverters. He really enjoyed the 8.86 ft close-focusing capability and the beautiful bokeh that the lens produces. As this lens sells new right now for $$12,998.00, you can save a cool $2,701.00 by grabbing his virtually new lens asap. artie

ps: at the time of publication this lens is very hard to get; it is not in stock at B&H or at Bedfords.

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II Lens

BAA record-low Price!
Price Reduced $400.00 on 5 DEC 2019!

David Ramirez is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II lens in Excellent Plus condition for the BAA Record-low price-by far of $5299.00 (was $5699.00). It would be near-mint but for the wear on the knob of the lens hood. Otherwise there are no blemishes. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the original tough front lens cover, the lens strap, the manual the original product box, a 4th Generation Design CRX-5 lens plate (that’s what I used) a Realtree Advantage Max4 HD LensCoat, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Photos are available upon request. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact David via e-mail or by phone at 1-541-892-3726 Pacific Time.

The 500mm f/4 super-telephoto lenses have long been the world’s most popular for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. Canon’s Series II version is light, fast, super-sharp, and, in competent hands, produces amazing images with both the 1.4X and 2X III TCs. The 500 II is relatively small, easily hand-holdable for some folks, and is much easier to travel with, focuses closer than, and costs a lot less than the 600 II. The lighter 600 III costs an astounding $12,999.00. Lastly, and you might find this amazing, the magnification for the 500 II is the same as it is for the 600 II: .15X. How is that possible? Magnification is calculated at the minimum focusing distance of the lens — 12.14 feet (3.7 meters) for the 500 II and 14.77 feet (4.5 meters) for the 600 II. Simply put, the 500 II focuses more than two feet closer than the 600 II. The seller for the last one that sold here had five calls the first day; the first four folks quibbled on price. The fifth one jumped right on it … Please do not tarry if you are seriously interested in David’s lens as it too should sell quite quickly. Or not. As the 500 II goes for $8999.00 new, you will be getting a great copy and saving a very nice $3,300.00. I loved my 500 II. artie

This image was created on Day 1 — October 24, 2018 — on my bucket-list trip to the Snow Hill Island Emperor Penguin colony. While sitting on the snow and ice, I used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens (at 195mm) with my Nikon D850. ISO 400. Matrix metering plus about 2 stops off the snow: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Auto 1 WB at 2:43pm on a cloudy-bright afternoon. I selected a Single AF point two up and two to the right of the center/Shutter button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the penguin’s neck very close to the being on the same plane as the penguin’s eye. I kept my 80-400 rig on my shoulder via an RS-7 Curve Breathe Strap so that it was instantly accessible when I was working with the tripod-mounted 500 PF (that often with the TC-E14 or the TC-E17). Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +5. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Emperor Penguin/adult stretching

Nikon 80-400 AFS Nikkor f/4.5-5.6 G ED N VR Lens

BAA record-low Price!
Price Reduced $200.00 on 5 DEC 2019!

Errol Bellon is offering an Nikon 80-400 AFS Nikkor f/4.5-5.6 G ED N VR lens in mint condition for a BAA record-low $1196.95 (was $1396.95). The sale includes a LensCoat, the rear lens cap, the soft lens case with strap, the front lens cap, a Kirk lens foot NC-80-400GN, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only.Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Errol via e-mail.

My Nikon 80-400 was my most-valuable lens on my bucket-list trip to an Emperor Penguin colony in Antarctica. The 80-400 pairs perfectly with the following Nikon VR lenses: the 500 PF, the 500 f/4, and the 600 f/4. Right after I sold mine back in February, 2019 I had seller’s remorse. This lens sell new right now for $2,096.95; you can save $900 by grabbing Errol’s lens now. artie

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created on December 2, 2019 on my busman’s holiday after the 2019 Bosque IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/60sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 6:37am in the pre-dawn. Image #1: Great-tailed Grackles on the eagle perch tree

SONY Artisan David Burdett on Seeing …

It’s amazing to see how camera technology has advanced at such an amazing pace. I witnessed the launch of Apollo XI (the first moon landing mission) in 1969. These 50 years in many ways bookend so much of my work and how I see my role as a photojournalist. Back then it was with basic 35mm reflex cameras (no motors, no meters – everything manual) and now today, the ability to take great pictures has arrived with the astonishing advances in camera technology. But the thing that hasn’t changed is seeing. You still have to see. No matter what camera you use to try to capture what you see, the seeing itself remains the key. And looking, seeing, regarding that ever-changing world around me, is what keeps me interested and excited about photography.

David Burnett says he feels as if he never had to grow up. He began shooting pictures for the yearbook in high school in his hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. While in college, he started working for TIME Magazine and for 50 years has had a great time documenting his world, the 20ieth and 21st centuries. His work has mainly been published in weekly and monthly magazines.

Do check out David’s “Old Folks in Sports” (my title …) SONY Artisan Gallery here or surf his eclectic work in the various photo-journalistic galleries on his website at www.davidburnett.com. As you might expect, David obviously has a great eye; he knows how to see! Two of my very favorite of his galleries are Classics Old & New and Encounters. . Remember, the more great images you look at and study (regardless of genre), the more your photography will improve.

To learn more about other SONY Artisans of Imagery click here.. One of my very favorite-ever photographers there is Neil Leifer who work has appeared most often in Sports Illustrated. He has created many iconic sports image over the last 50 years; his well-known image is the one of a triumphant Muhammad Ali standing over a flattened Sonny Liston in Lewsiton, Maine in 1965.

This image was created on December 4, 2019 on my very last 2019 morning at Bosque. Moments after creating this image I headed up to the Albuquerque airport. Again, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 318mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/60 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 6:37am in the pre-dawn. Image #2: Great-tailed Grackles on the dead tree

The SONY 200-600 at Bosque

The SONY 200-600 was surely my most-used and most valuable lens at Bosque. As you can see with today’s two featured images, the 2-6 is extremely versatile. I used it hand held and more often mounted on the Induro GIT 404 topped by my FlexShooter Pro. By a small margin, I favor the FlexShooter Pro over the FlexShooter Mini for the 2-6. The 2-6 was my first choice for the pre-dawn fly-ins and the blast-off blurs. The latter often with either the Singh-Ray 95mm George Lepp Solid 3-stop Neutral Density filter or the 95mm Singh-Ray Mor-Slo 5-stop ND. When it was cloudy I’d go with the 3-stop and in full sun with the 5-stop. Do understand one thing: if you can make a great sharp photo of a big snow-goose blast-off in full sun I will buy you a nice steak at Bodega Burger. As far as I am concerned, blurs are the only way to go with sunny day blast-offs. You’ll need the same NDs in 77mm for most of the popular intermediate telephoto zoom lenses like the 80- and 100-400s and the 70-200s. If you wish to save some money on either the 77mm or the 95mm filters, you can go with a single George Lepp Solid 4-stop Neutral Density filter. To save 10% when purchasing your Singh-Ray filters, click here and be sure to enter and apply the discount code ARTIE10 at checkout.

Yours Truly on Seeing

As regular readers know, I have been saying for years that it ain’t the lens and it ain’t the camera. That it’s what is in the heart and the mind of the person holding the lens and their ability to see the shot.

More than a few cars drove by as I was making Image #1 and the same was true when I was making Image #2. For the second image, there was a guy standing and photographing something else — I had no clue as to what. When I shared what too me was the obvioous image with him, he opted too pass on it. Go figure.

Consider joining me on the San Diego IPT to learn to see the shot.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

Introductory Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; WED JAN 7, 2020.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and the subject of blinkies. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant. And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well. And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The San Diego Details

This IPT will include five 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, four lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 3385, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 10/11//2018. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for both big international trips and US-based IPTs is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality travel insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

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

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Typos

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

What’s Up?

The morning of Monday December 2, 2019 was my least productive morning at Bosque this year. The sky was dead-clear and the bulk of the fly-in was late so I hightailed it to the crane pool. The winds were light from the NNW and the birds were taking off every-which-way. I moved and moved and moved — often several hundred yards. But every time the birds would wind up flying right to the spot that I just left. In short, the cranes outsmarted me …

IPT Updates

• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

Click here for complete IPT info and details.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the EOS-1DX, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

The Used Gear page has been hot for the past two months with the continuing price drops on Canon and Nikon gear. There are still lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page. In addition to the recent sales below, there are many pending sales.

New Listing

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6L IS lens

BPN friend Ravi Hirekatur is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6L IS lens (the original 1-4) in excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $499.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, lens hood, the original carrying bag, and insured ground shipping via UPS to lower-48 US addresses only. The lens was cleaned and checked and the image stabilizer mechanism was replaced two months ago by Canon. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Ravi via e-mail or by phone at 1-608-217-9593 central time.

The original 1-4 is a sharp, amazingly versatile telephoto zoom lens. When I used Canon, I made hundreds of great images and saleable with this lens (including the front cover of Scott Weidensaul’s “Return to Wild America. And it was Denise Ippolito’s favorite Canon lens. Ravi’s lens would make a great starter lens for a beginning bird oor nature photographer, especially when paired with a 7D Mark II. artie

Canon EF Extender 1.4X II

BPN friend Ravi Hirekatur is also offering a Canon EF Extender 1.4X II (the 1.4X II teleconverter) in excellent condition for the very low price of $179.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the lens pouch, and insured ground shipping via UPS to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Ravi via e-mail or by phone at 1-608-217-9593 central time.

The 1.4X II TC is every bit as sharp when used with older lenses such as the original 100-400 above and the original 500 and 600mm f/4 lenses. The series III TCs provide advantages only when paired with the series II and III lenses. I used this item more than quite often when I was using Canon, often with great success. artie

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Multiple IPT veteran Jake Levin is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II in excellent plus condition for $648.00. The sale includes the Canon battery grip, an extra Canon battery, two 32GB Lexar cards, the front lens cap, the strap, and insured UPS ground shipping to both Canadian and lower-48 US addresses. Your item will not ship until your check clears, unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Jake via e-mail or by phone at 1-514-601-9544 (Eastern time zone).

Both Patrick Sparkman and I used and loved the 7D Mark II for many years when we both used Canon. We both made some truly great images with it. Two of my three 2016 Nature’s Best honored entries were created with the 7D II, one still, and one video. One thing is for sure: the 7D Mark II is the greatest value ever in a digital camera body. Jake’s Body would match perfectly with the two items above. artie

Price Drop!

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $100.00 on 12-3-19

Regular Used Gear page seller John Bowden is offering a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lnes in excellent-plus condition for a BIRDS AS ART record-low $498.00 (was $598.00). The sale includes the rear lens cap, the front lens cap, the lens pouch, the lens shade (hood), the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US-addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John Bowden via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-919-358-5717 EST.

The 24-105mm focal length is my all-time favorite for B-roll stuff: bird-scapes, quasi-macros, photographers and people, scenics, and just about everything else on the planet. Whenever I would decide to leave it in the car I would not get far before I was wishing that I had taken it along for the ride. artie

This image was created in Ochopee, FL by IPT veteran Juan Tolentino with the hand held Nikon 500mm PF lens and the D500. ISO 400: 1/4000 second at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Red-shouldered Hawk top shot with arced wings and flared primaries Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

A Dramatic Flight Shot

When I saw this image here in the Avian Gallery at BirdPhotographer’s.Net, I said, “Whoa! This one is very special.” You can follow the link to the original post to see what others in the BPN community had to say about Juan’s fine image.

I got in touch with Juan and he kindly allowed me to share his wonderful image with you here.

Ihe Nikon Lens I Miss the Most

Without a doubt, the Nikon lens I miss the most is the Nikon 500 PF. It is a great flight lens, it is eminently hand-holdable by most folks, it does pretty well with the TC-E14, and is a fabulous walk around lens when you are working around tame birds.

How to Get Your Dream Gear Soon

As much as I love my afiliate friends at B&H many folks have been frustrated by the long wait list for the hottest items. IPT veterans Carl Kling and my great friend Anita North have both been waiting for a Nikon 500 PF from B&H for more than a year. Yes, for moroe than a year. Total insanity. Thus, I have directed many folks to Steve Elkins at Bedfords (see the contact info above) and he has been doing an awesome job of getting the latest great stuff for BIRDS AS ART folks in relatively short order. He has consistently delivered on the following items:

• Canon 600mm f/4 L IS III
• Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF
• Nikon 600mm f/4 VR
• SONY a7R IV
• SONY a9 II
• SONY 200-600
• SONY 600 gm

If you have been on a too-long waiting list for the great gear that you want, it makes absolute sense to to get in touch with Steve Elkins at Bedfords asap. If he comes through, you can simply cancel your existing order. And I almost forgot, use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout to save $50 on oorders over $1,000.00.

Here’s what Juan Tolentino had to say aboout Bedford’s: I contacted Steve Elkins with Bedfords in mid-September and placed an order for the 500PF. I thought it was going to be a long wait, but to my surprise somebody called me from Bedfords on October 31st to let me know that they have received my lens and it was ready to be shipped. I got the lens on the next day with the FREE overnight delivery and I also got a $50 discount when I used the BirdsAsArt code at checkouot. I am really happy with this lens; it is a joy to use.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

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

Facebook

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

With the unsettled weather and tons of geese, Bosque has been great. The other day I was standing below the tour loop road at a barrier gate to a maintainece road. We had been there several times as it got us a bit out of the wind and a bit closer to the geese and cranes. We had seen a roadrunner on each ocassion; it was both bold and shy. It would practically walk between our tripod legs and then run like the dickens. I was photographing geese and cranes in flight with first-timer Dennis Carlson when suddenly the roadrunner darted into view at point blank range. I rotated the lens in the barrel to vertical and quickly moved the Limit Range switch from Not Full to Full. I spun the shutter speed dial five clicks slower for what I guessed would be a good exposure.

The roadrunner faced us for about two seconds. I had Wide AF set on vertical. As the lens focused I could see that the active points were on the bird’s breast. Not ideal, but I knew that if I tried to change to an upper AF point the opportunity would be lost. So I fired off one frame just an instant before the bird took off.

When we were done for the day and parked behind the hotel, I placed my Delkin 128GB UHS-II Power card in the left-hand pocket of my jeans as I do everyday. Along with the battery. (I had only used one body that afternoon.) When I got to my room, I reached confidently into the left-hand pocket to extract the card. The pocket was empty. The battery was inexplicably in my right-hand pocket, but the card was gone. I checked and re-checked all of my pants and coat pockets, refusing too believe that I had lost a card with images on it, never to be found again. I had never done that before. (I had “lost” many cards before but always managed to find them.)

I went back to the car to see if I had mistakenly left the card in the camera. I had not. Using the flashlight on my i-Phone, I carefully searched around the driver’s seat and in the trunk without success. So I fired up the car and headed back to Brooks where I had purchased some skin cream on the way home thinking that the card might have fallen out when I grabbed my wallet. The card was not on the floor near the check-out counter. And nobody had turned it in.

I went back to the room and re-checked all the pockets again. No card. I was resigned to the fact that the card was gone, and with it, a single good image of the Greater Roadrunner. That night, I dreamed that I had myseriously found the card and was quite happy, at least until I woke up. IAC, I was hopeful, heck, strangely confident that it would turn up.

With six inches of fresh snow on the pavement and atop my rental Mazda, the chances of finding the card on the ground where we had parked near the gate the night before, were non-existant. Thanks to first-timer Doug Jackson who helped my clear the snow off my car that morning. IAC, I continued to have hope. Continued below …

IPT Updates

• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

Click here for complete IPT info and details.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the EOS-1DX, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

The Used Gear page has been hot for the past two months with the continuing price drops on Canon and Nikon gear. There are still lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page. In addition to the recent sales below, there are many pending sales.

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens

BAA record-low Price!

IPT veteran Joe Randle is offering a Canon 500mm f4L IS USM Super Telephoto lens (the “old five”) in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $2499.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk with keys, a Realtee LensCoat, a Don Zeck lens cap, the front front lens cover, Wimberley P-40 Arca-Swiss compatible lens plate (a $58 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 Joe via e-mail or by phone at 1-620.353.8398 (Central time zone).

The 500mm f/4 lenses have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. If you use Canon and don’t have the cash for a 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds, then this is your best super-telephoto option. Most everyone can produce sharp images with this lens and a 1.4X TC. Folks with good to excellent sharpness techniques can do the same with a 2X TC. A new 500 II sells right now for $8,999.00; you can save a big bundle by grabbing Joe’s lens right now. artie

Canon EOS-1D X Professional Digital Camera Body/with Extras!

Joe Randle is also offering a used EOS 1D-X camera body in excellent condition for only $2,199.00. The sale includes an extra LP-E4M battery, three Delkin Devices CF1000X UDMA 7 64GB cards, four Delkin Devices CF1000X UDMA 7 32 GB cards (all in a nice Pelican CF card case), the front cap, a wide neck strap,Z the interface and stereo AV cables with cable protector, the EOS Digital Solution Disk and Software, instructions Manuals. Insured ground shipping via major courier lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Joe via e-mail or by phone at 1-620.353.8398 (Central time zone).

Two fast, rugged 1D X bodies served as my workhorse cameras for more than four years. I used them to create hundreds of family-jewels-type images.I actually like the 1D X more than I liked my 1D X IIs … artie

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Zoom Lens

Joe Randle is also offering a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II Zoom Lens in excellent plus condition for $999.99. The sale includes the rear lens cap, at Realtree Lens Coat, the lens hood, a Tiffen circular polarizer, the tripod collar, the tough fabric carrying case, the front lens cap, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Joe via e-mail or by phone at 1-620.353.8398 (Central time zone).

The amazingly versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses are the world’s most popular mid-range telephoto, I made zillions of great images with my Canon 70-200 f/2.8 lenses. It works well with both the 1.4X and the 2X teleconverters, even with a crop factor body. They are easily hand-holdable and are great for tame birds, landscapes, urbex, indoor stuff like concerts and recitals, and just about anything you want to photograph. As new one sells for $1,799.00 you can save $800 by grabbing Joe’s lens right now. artie

Canon EF 400mm f/4L IS DO USM Telephoto Lens

Joe Randle is offering a Canon 400mm f4L IS DO USM Super Telephoto lens in near-mint condition for $1999.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk & keys, the lens hood, a Digital Camo LensCoat, a Don Zeck Lens Cap, the front lens cover, a Desmond DPL-100 QR Lens Plate Quick Release Arca-Swiss compatible lens plate, 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 Joe via e-mail or by phone at 1-620.353.8398 (Central time zone).

I used my original 400 DO lens to make hundreds of family jewels-type images. It is great for flight with and without the 1.4X TC and I used it often for close work with the 2X TC. It is easily hand-holdable for most folks. Best of all, it is a great buy. This lens cost about $7K when it was first introduced. artie

Canon EF 24-70 f2.8L II USM Lens

Joe Randle is offering a used Canon EF 24-70 f2.8L II USM lens in near-mint condition for the very low price of $899.00. The sale includes the front lens cover and rear lens cap, the original box, the Canon EW-88C lens hood, an 82mm circular polarizer, the instruction manual, the lens pouch, 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 Joe via e-mail or by phone at 1-620.353.8398 (Central time zone).

The 24-70II is the serious landscape photographer’s dream lens. artie

Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM Lens

Joe Randle is offering a used Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM lens in excellent condition for $149.00. The sale includes front lens cover and rear lens cap, the original box, the lens hood, a K&F 58mm Concept UV filter, 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 Joe via e-mail or by phone at 1-620.353.8398 (Central time zone).

This super-sharp lens is a favorite of portrait photographers. It sells new for $269.00. artie

Canon Extender EF1.4X III

Joe Randle is offering a used Canon Extender EF 1.4X teleconverter in near mint condition for $229.00. The sale includes front lens cover and rear lens cap, 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 Joe via e-mail or by phone at 1-620.353.8398 (Central time zone).

As teleconverters are an integral part of my photographic style, I always travel with spares. This sells new for $449.00. artie

Canon Extender EF2x III

Joe Randle is offering a used Canon Extender EF 1.4x lens in near mint condition for $229.00. The sale includes front lens cover and rear lens cap, original box, bag. 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 Joe via e-mail or by phone at 1-620.353.8398 (Central time zone).

As teleconverters are an integral part of my photographic style, I always travel with spares. This sells new for $449.00. artie

Canon Speedlite 430EX II

Joe Randle is offering a used Canon Speedlite 430EX II in near mint condition for $75.00. The sale includes the soft case, the original box, the instruction manual, 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 Joe via e-mail or by phone at 1-620.353.8398 (Central time zone).

If you want to get started with flash, this is a great buy. artie

Canon Fisheye Zoom Lens EF 8-15 1:4 L USM

Joe Randle is offering a used Canon Fisheye EF 8-15 1:4 L USM zoom lens in near-mint condition for $749.00. The sale includes the front lens cap, the rear lens cap, the original box, the manual, the lens hood, the lens pouch, 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 Joe via e-mail or by phone at 1-620.353.8398 (Central time zone).

I loved the circle lens. If you are creative and know to use it, it is super-fun. artie

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

The Lost Card!

The Thanksgiving Miracle …

I stopped the car while heading north to the farm fields to photograph some winter wonderland trees heavily laden with snow. When I popped the trunk I looked down at the bumper where most of the snow and ice had fallen off. There sitting as peacefully as could be on the thankfully flat bumper was the missing card, sort of plastered in place by the wet and a bit of mud. I jumped foor joy. And then looked up to the heavens to thank my beloved late-wife Elaine. She has pulled me out of many of a jam, including some life-threatening ones. It is extermely hard to believe that on November 20ieth just past, she has been gone for 25 years. IAC, the card downloaded quickly and easily just before lunch.

Had it not snowed, the card would surely have blown off the bumper somewere on I-25 …

This image was created on November 27, 2019 on the 2019 Bosque IPT. I used the Induro GIT 404/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital Camera body. ISO 2000. Exposure determined by educated guess: 1/250 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 3:49pm on a cloudy dark afternoon. Greater Roadrunner

One-Frame Wonder …

It is not often with bird photography that you get everything right in a pressure-filled situation, but I was thrilled that I did just that. Dennis was amazed that I got the shot. And so was I, along with being terrribly thankful that the card found itself 🙂

How About You?

If you’ve ever lost a flash card with some great images on it only to find it, please leave a comment and share your story.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

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

Facebook

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

With the somewhat unstable weather (that is getting worse at the moment), Bosque has been quite excellent. The group is at least tied for the best-ever group. They are all eager to learn, attentive, and they ask tons of questions. Happy campers all. Today our morning session lasted six hours. I have been very, very busy and need to catch up on e-mails and Used Gear Page business …

Please take a moment to leave a comment and let us know which of today’s three featured images is your favorite. And why. Enjoy the holiday and don’t eat too, too much.

IPT Updates

• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

Click here for complete IPT info and details.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was also created on November 25, 2019 on my last Bosque IPT scouting morning. For this one I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Mini-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 158mm) and the 61-megapixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 640. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/15 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 6:25am on a slightly cloudy morning. Snow Geese, Sandhill Cranes, and ?

Snow Geese, Sandhill Cranes, and ?

How well do you know Bosque? What are the blurred birds in flight?

This image was created on November 26, 2019, the first morning of the 2019 Bosque IPT. For this one I used the Induro GIT 404/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the blazingly fast and accurate AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital Camera body. ISO 320. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/13 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:07am on a cloudy morning. Snow Goose blast-off

The Best of Both Worlds

There were two large groups of geese primed to blast-off. I brought the group to a spot where we could work both blast-offs as long as they did not go at the same time. My planned worked to beyond perfection …

This image was created on November 27, 2019, the second morning of the 2019 Bosque IPT. Again I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Mini-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 100mm) and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 250. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/8 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 6:421am on an overcast morning. Snow Geese, Sandhill Cranes, and ?

Image Proocessing on a Blah Day …

It was a greyer than grey morning. Exposing to the right left the images looked totally washed out on the laptop. They looked a bit better after the RAW conversion in Capture One. But the magic happened in Photoshop where I ran an 80% layer of Image> > Auto Contrast and topped that off with a 60% opacity layer of Image > Auto Tone. I often use one or both of those on 10 to 20% opacity.

A Guide to Pleasing Blurs

Learn everything there is to know about creating pleasingly blurred images in A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito and yours truly. This 20,585 word, 271 page PDF is illustrated with 144 different, exciting, and artistic images. The guide covers the basics of creating pleasingly blurred images, the factors that influence the degree of blurring, the use of filters in creating pleasing blurs, and a great variety of both in-the-field and Photoshop techniques that can be used to create pleasingly blurred images.

Artie and Denise teach you many different ways to move your lens during the exposure to create a variety of pleasingly blurred images of flowers and trees and water and landscapes. They will teach you to recognize situations where subject movement can be used to your advantage to create pan blurs, wind blurs, and moving water blurs. They will teach you to create zoom-blurs both in the field and during post-processing. Artie shares the techniques that he has used and developed for making blurred images of flocks of geese in flight at his beloved Bosque del Apache and Denise shares her flower blur magic as well as a variety of creative Photoshop techniques that she has developed.

With the advent of digital capture creating blurred images has become a great and inexpensive way to go out with your camera and have fun. And while many folks think that making successful blurred images is the result of being a sloppy photographer, nothing could be further from the truth. In “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” Artie and Denise will help you to unleash your creative self.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

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

Facebook

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

On Thurdsay morning, November 21, I headed down to the lake before I even started packing for Bosque. Though the wind waswest of north, I did quite well with Black Vultures in flight with the a9 II/600 f/4 GM combination. It took Jim about 3 hours to get us up to Orlando because of horrific traffic. We enjoyed a nice dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse and then Jim dropped me off at my Ramada. I was on the 4:30am shuttle, arrived in Dallas at 8:10am Central time, and landed at Albequerque before 11am Mountain time.

I picked up first-timer Bill Schneider and after a few stops, we made the crane pool for some late-in-the day photography. With the Festival of the Cranes in progress there are about 250 photographers lined up at the crane pool. When we arrived, two of them were in the right place, while 248 of them were totally out of position … Once we joined them there are four folks in the right place. General rule: move so as to place the birds between you and the brightest sky color ..

Saturday morning at Bosque did not suck. There were more cranes than geese and lots to photograph …

You Guessed It …

Please leave a comment and let us know which of today’s three Bosque First Blood images is your favorite. And why. I have a very clear favorite.

IPT Updates

• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

Click here for complete IPT info and details.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the EOS-1DX, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

The Used Gear page has been hot for the past two months with the continuing price drops on Canon and Nikon gear. There are still lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page. In addition to the recent sales below, there are many pending sales.

Recent Sales

Ken Siegel sold a Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in near-mint condition for $3299.00 in mid-November soon after listing.
Jerry Barrack sold a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Digital Camera Body in near-mint condition for $ 1,999.00, a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in near-mint condition for $5,799.00, a Canon EOS 7D Mark II camera body in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $648.00 in early November, 2019.
BAA friend and multiple IPT veteran Paul Reinstein sold his Canon EOS-1D X Mark II body with a shutter count of 40,759 in near-mint condition for $3,599.00 in mid-November 2019.
I sold my SONY a9 in near-mint condition for $2,597.00 on November 11, 2019.
Jerry Barrack sold his Canon Extender EF 1.4X III teleconverter in near-mint condition and his Canon Extender EF 2X III teleconverter also in near-mint condition, both for a very low $224.00 in early Novemeber.
Jerry Barrack also sold a Wimberley WH-101 Gimbal Head w/QR C-30 clamp (the original) and a heavy-duty Gitzo 410 tripod for the silly low price of $399.00.
Peter Noyes sold his Sony Alpha A7R III Mirrorless Digital Camera body in like-new condition with a shutter count of less than 1,000 for $1998.00 the first day it was listed in early November.

Canon EOS-1D X Professional Digital Camera Body & Canon 24-105mm Kit

IPT veteran Dane Johnson is offering a Canon EOS-1D X in like-new condition (with a low shutter count of < 7,100) along with a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens in mint condition for the crazy low price of only $2,599.00 (with extras!). The sale includes the front body cap, a RRS B1DX-L L-plate (a $250 value), an extra LP-E4N battery (a $165 value), the charger, the original product box with user documents and all cables, the front and rear caps, the original box for the lens along with the EW-83H lens hood, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US lower 48 addresses only. Please contact Dane via e-mail.

Several rugged 1D X bodies served as my workhorse cameras for about four years. I made many hundreds of family jewels in all types of weather all around the world. And the Canon 24-105mm was great for B-roll stuff: bird-scapes, quasi-macros, photographers and people, scenics, and just about everything else on the planet. Whenever I would decide to leave it in the car I would not get far before I was wishing that I had taken it along for the ride. Joe’s kit is a great value for the money. artie

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Multiple IPT veteran Jake Levin is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II in excellent plus condition for $648.00. The sale includes the Canon battery grip, an extra Canon battery, two 32GB Lexar cards, the front lens cap, the strap, and insured UPS ground shipping to both Canadian and lower-48 US addresses. Your item will not ship until your check clears, unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Jake via e-mail or by phone at 1-514-601-9544 (Eastern time zone).

Both Patrick Sparkman and I used and loved the 7D Mark II for many years when we both used Canon. We both made some truly great images with it. Two of my three 2016 Nature’s Best honored entries were created with the 7D II, one still, and one video. One thing is for sure: the 7D Mark II is the greatest value ever in a digital camera body. artie

Price Drops!

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Price Reduced $150 on 11-21-19!

BAA friend and multiple IPT veteran Paul Reinstein is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV in near-mint condition (shutter count 40,054) for the lowest-ever-by-a mile priceof $1749.00 (was $1899.00). The camera recently underwent the 18-point digital dSLR maintenance service (clean and check) at a Canon factory service center. There are a very few tiny scuffs/paint chips. Photos are available upon request. The sale includes two batteries, the battery charger, the front cap, a 64GB compact flash card, the camera strap, the USB-C cable and cable protector, the instruction manuals, the CDs, the warranty card, the original product box, an extra eye cup, a Hoodman eye hood, 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 Paul via e-mail or by phone at 1-310-946-9031 (Pacific time zone).

The high-megapixel 5D Mark IV was my favorite Canon camera body. The AF system was superb and the files large, detailed and luscious. I used mine with all of my favorite Canon lenses including the 100-400 II, the 500 f/4L IS II, and the 600 f/4L IS II. With the two super-telephotos, I consistently made sharp images with both the 1.4X III and the 2X III TCs. A new 5D IV currently sells for $2,799.00; you can save a very nice $900.00 by grabbing this one. artie

Sony Alpha a9 (ILCE 9) Mirrorless Digital Camera Body

Price Reduced $100.00 on 11-21-19

Ken Siegel is offering a Sony A9 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body in mint condition for $2598.00 (was $2698.00). Photos are available upon request. The sale includes the original product box and everything that came in it, a SONY A9 Modular Plate (L-bracket — a $200 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 Ken via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-(864) 680-5921 (Eastern time zone).

Simply put, the SONY a9 has the best AF system of any camera that I have ever used. And Patrick Sparkman agrees 100%. SONY is getting hotter every day. The a9 sells for $3,498.00 and the new a9 II sells for $4498.00. Either way, you can do the math as far as how much you will be saving. artie

Sony Alpha a7r III Mirrorless Digital Camera Body

Price Reduced $100.00 on 11-21-19

Ken Siegel is also offering a Sony a7r III in mint condition for only $1949.00 (was $2049.00). Photos are available upon request. The sale includes the original product box and everything that came in it, a SONY A7r III Modular Plate (L-bracket — a $200 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 Ken via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-(864) 680-5921 (Eastern time zone).

You’ve seen my great Galapagos images … I made tons of great stuff with the 7r III and the SONY 100-400 with and without the 1.4X TC. Simply put, the a7r iii is a great camera body. It is selling new right now at B&H for $2498.0 and the new a7r iv is going for $3,498.00! You can save a very cool $500.00 by grabbing Ken’s a7r III right now. artie

Please contact Ken via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-(864) 680-5921 (Eastern time zone).

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

My Bosque Gear Bag

The Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens will be my workhorse lens at Bosque. I will use it often with both the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter and the Sony FE 2.0x teleconverter. I will do lots of flight photography with the a9 II but will use the a7R IV for pre-dawn and sunset blurs and possibly for geese and cranes on the ground and in the ponds. In addition, I hope to do some flight with the 600 GM/a7r IV combo.

At times, I will have either the 100-400 or the 200-600 on the iduro GIT 304L with the

If the flocks are relatively close, I will have the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens on my shoulder via a Black Rapid Curve Breathe Strap. If the flocks are more distant, I will replace that with the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens. If I have a situation where the birds are point-blank and the wind is behind me, I will go to the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 lens , again with the rig on the Black Rapid Curve Breathe Strap.

I thought about getting one of the SONY 70-200s for this trip, but with the lenses that I have in my kit, all focal lengths from 24mm to 600mm are covered. That said, you can do great things with a 70-200mm focal at Bosque. The faster, heavier Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens (77mm filter size) offers an additional stop of light, while the one-stop slower, smaller (72mm filter size), slightly lighter (3.02 lbs. vs. 3.3 lbs.) Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS lens is a bit easier to handle.

Xtrahand Magnum Vest

I always take my Xtrahand vest when I may need to carry small lenses or other accessories into the field. Most often at Bosque that is a 24-105mm in a woolen watch cap. I can easily swap that with the 100-400 when I need to get wide. Vested Interest gave up the ghost a few years ago. There are great buys on two smaller sized Xtrahand Vests below.

Camera Bodies

I am of course, taking both of my SONY bodies. I will be using the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera in all flight situations when I wish to create sharp images (as opposed to pleasing blurs. I am planning to use the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only) for everything else.

The ossibilities at Bosque are so varied that while I’m getting ready to head out for my first morning, I am already wishing that I had a third SONY body … I have often run three rigs at once at Bosque; one on the tripod, one on my shoulder, and one on the ground — usually a short zoom or a fish-eye — resting on an extra coat or sweatshirt. For experienced photographer’s sky conditons and wind strength and direction will always be the deciding factors when choosing lens for a given situation.

Induro Tripods

On some mornings in some situations I love setting up two tripods at the refuge while waiting for a big blast off. Ninety-nine percent of the time I will be set up for blurs. I thought about taking the GIT 304L and the lighter GIT 204 for either the tripod-mounted 100-400 or the 200-600. But then I realized the danger with that scenario: it would be very easy for the 204 to get knocked over … I decided, therefore, to take the larger, taller, heavier and sturdier GIT 404 and the 304L. I’ll put the FlexShooter Pro on the 404 and the Mini on the 304L using the latter with one of the two intermediate telephotos. As there is not much walking involved when photographing at Bosque del Apache NWR, I will have no problems with the extra weight of the 404.

Important request: please use this link and only this link to order your Induro tripod after e-mailing me your height and your big lens info. Before ordering your tripod using my B&H link please consider two things:

1-I am only pennies on you B&H tripod order and do much much better with your OPG order. And Chris often has the Induros on sale.

2- This blog post took more than five hours to prepare.

FYI, here are the weights of the three tripods:

Induro GIT 204 — 4lbs, 0.1 oz..

Induro 304L — 4lbs, 10.7 oz.

Induro 404 — 5lbs, 12.2 oz

Singh-Ray Filters

I took the 77mm Warming Circular Polarizer, the 77mm 5-stop ND, and my brand-new 95mm George Lepp Solid 3-stop Neutral Density filter. The polarizer in hopes of a rainbow or two and the NDs so that I can create pleasing blurs in full sun. To save 10% when purhcasing your Singh-Ray filters click here and be sure to enter and apply the discount code ARTIE10 at checkout.

Think Tank Rolling Bags

All of my SONY lenses, camera bodies, and TCs noted above along with my fileters and spare batteries and my Delkin CF Memory tote fit easily into the larger of my two Think Tank rolling bags, the Airport Security. Fully packed the bag weighed in at a relatively svelte 35 1/4 pounds, well below the US legal carry-on limit of 40 pounds. When traveling first with my Canon and then with mt Nikon gear,

When I travel without my 600 f/4, the smaller, lighter Airport International suffices.

lenses, camera bodies, and TCs noted above along with spare batteries and my Delkin CF Memory tote fit easily into the smaller of my two Think Tank rolling bags, the Airport International™ V3.0. Fully packed the bag weighed a relatively svelte 32 1/4 pounds, well below the US legal carry-on limit of 40 pounds. When I travel with the 600, I need the larger of my two Think Tank bags, the Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag.

Please click on my Think Tank affiliate link here or on the Think Tank logo-link in the right column of each blog post page to earn a free gift when you purchase any Think Tank product.

Think Tank Urban Disguise Laptop Shoulder Bag

I love this amazing bag as it has tons of room and enables me to pack tons of extra stuff (including and especially my laptop, all the cords, my insulin and frozen gel packs, and my blood sugar meter.

Please click on my Think Tank affiliate link here or on the Think Tank logo-link in the right column of each blog post page to earn a free gift when you purchase any Think Tank product.

Relevant Used Gear Re-runs

Sony FE 70-200 f/4 G OSS Lens

Price dropped $150 on 17 MAR 2018

Joel Williams is also offering a Sony FE 70-200 f/4 G OSS lens in like-new condition for only $829 (was $979). The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it and insured ground shipping via UPS to US addresses only. The lens will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Joel via e-mail.

Capture more distant subjects while keeping your kit lightweight with the FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS Lens from Sony. This full-frame lens is designed for use with mirrorless E-mount cameras where it delivers an excellent telephoto zoom range. It also uses a maximum aperture of f/4 to keep size and weight down. Incorporated into the optical design are a series of specialized elements to ensure aberrations are suppressed, this includes two extra-low dispersion elements, one super extra-low dispersion element, two advanced aspherical elements, and one aspherical element. Along with these capabilities, a Nano AR coating will help minimize the appearance of flare and ghosting. The lens sells new for $1498.00 B&H

Navy blue (woman’s small) Xtrahand Magnum Vest

John Lowin is offering a navy blue (woman’s small) Xtrahand Magnum vest by Vested Interest for $199.00. The vest is in like-new condition. The sale also includes insured ground shipping by major courier to mainland US addresses only (unless other shipping arrangements are made). Please contact John via e-mail or by phone at 1-262-242-3559. Central time.

As most of you know, I use and depend on my (Magnum) Xtrahand Vest extensively both in the field and for air travel; it has saved my butt many times when traveling on small planes and puddle jumpers when they want to check or gate-check your roll aboard. At spots in the Southern Ocean and in the Galapagos archipelago, it is absolutely indispensable as it allows me to carry the extra lenses that I might need, along with water, food, and extra clothing. Without a backpack! As Vested Interest has gone out of business, this represents a rare chance to get yourself an Xtrahand Vest at a greatly reduced price. artie

Xtrahand Vest, by Vested Interest: Size Small/Medium

Kevin Hice is offering a green Xtrahand Vest, size Small/Medium, for $250. The vest is in like-new condition with the thick shoulder pads, two large and two small front pockets, the large rear pocket, the rear tripod pocket, and insured ground shipping via UPS or FEDEX to U.S. addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Please contact Kevin via e-mail or by phone at 701- 460- 6112 (Central time).

As most of you know, I use and depend on my (Magnum) Xtrahand Vest extensively both in the field and for air travel; it has saved my butt many times when traveling on small planes and puddle jumpers when they want to check or gate-check your roll aboard. At spots in the Southern Ocean and in the Galapagos archipelago, it is absolutely indispensable as it allows me to carry the extra lenses that I might need, along with water, food, and extra clothing. Without a backpack! As Vested Interest has gone out of business, this represents a rare chance to get yourself an Xtrahand Vest at a greatly reduced price. artie

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $50.00 11-15-19

Regular Used Gear page seller John Bowden is offering a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lnes in excellent-plus condition for a BIRDS AS ART record-low $548.00 (was $598.00). The sale includes the rear lens cap, the front lens cap, the lens pouch, the lens shade (hood), the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US-addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John Bowden via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-919-358-5717 EST.

The 24-105mm focal length is my all-time favorite for B-roll stuff: bird-scapes, quasi-macros, photographers and people, scenics, and just about everything else on the planet. Whenever I would decide to leave it in the car I would not get far before I was wishing that I had taken it along for the ride. artie

This image was created on November 23, 2019 on my first Bosque IPT Scouting Morning. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens at 600mm with the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera body. . ISO 500. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/15 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 6:21am on a clear day in the pre-dawn. Snow Geese pre-dawn fly-in

Bosque First Blood

I was thrilled to visit an old favorite pre-dawn spot and enjoy a half-way decent goose fly-in in the pre-dawn. Right after I made this image I was in the car and on the move. Though lots of things have changed over the years the advice in the Bosque Site Guide is still right on target.

This image was also created on November 23, 2019 on my first Bosque IPT Scouting Morning. For this one I used the Induro GIT 404/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital Camera body. ISO 1000. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:07am on a clear morning. Ross’ Goose Trio in Flight

The a9 II

Considering my successful vulutre flight session at ILE and my limited time work with it at 840mm this morning, it is looking as if the a9 II will more than live up to its high expectations. Stay tuned.

One negative with the SONY bodies is that it is difficult working with them with gloves on due to their small size …

This image was also created on November 23, 2019 on my first Bosque IPT Scouting Morning. Again, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens at 600mm with the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera body. . A 95mm George Lepp Solid 3-stop Neutral Density Singh-Ray filter was screwed to the front element of the 200-600 so that I could get to a relatively slow shutter speed without having to stop down to f/32 … ISO 160. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/15 sec. at f/14 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:19am on a clear day. Fall Blackbird Flock Blur

The SONY 200-600 at Bosque

It was quite evident that the relatively new 200-600 will prove to be incredibly useful at Bosque. By adding the 95mm George Lepp Solid 3-stop Neutral Density Singh-Ray filter I am able to create pleasing blurs in full sun. And I am pretty sure that when the right situation arises I will be able to make some great images with the 200-600 a9 II combination.

A Guide to Pleasing Blurs

Learn everything there is to know about creating pleasingly blurred images in A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito and yours truly. This 20,585 word, 271 page PDF is illustrated with 144 different, exciting, and artistic images. The guide covers the basics of creating pleasingly blurred images, the factors that influence the degree of blurring, the use of filters in creating pleasing blurs, and a great variety of both in-the-field and Photoshop techniques that can be used to create pleasingly blurred images.

Artie and Denise teach you many different ways to move your lens during the exposure to create a variety of pleasingly blurred images of flowers and trees and water and landscapes. They will teach you to recognize situations where subject movement can be used to your advantage to create pan blurs, wind blurs, and moving water blurs. They will teach you to create zoom-blurs both in the field and during post-processing. Artie shares the techniques that he has used and developed for making blurred images of flocks of geese in flight at his beloved Bosque del Apache and Denise shares her flower blur magic as well as a variety of creative Photoshop techniques that she has developed.

With the advent of digital capture creating blurred images has become a great and inexpensive way to go out with your camera and have fun. And while many folks think that making successful blurred images is the result of being a sloppy photographer, nothing could be further from the truth. In “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” Artie and Denise will help you to unleash your creative self.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

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

Facebook

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I finally got down to the lake with my brand-new SONY a9 II this moorning. I loved that the ergonomics and controls are virtually idenitcal to the a7TR IV. There was no flight and not much around besides the cooperative Black Vultures. So those are what I photographed. Learn more below.

The overnight low was 48 degrees and the pool is down to 76 degrees this morning, Tuesday November 19, 2019. The pool had been at 86 degrees ten days ago. I will swim twice today …

I’ve been intending to conduct a garage sale for several years now and finally have gotten around to it. Do check out each item below as you just might find something on your wish list with a ridiculous low price. As always, I price my stuff to sell immediately …

IPT Updates

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 2. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

Click here for complete IPT info and details.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

BIRDS AS ART Garage/Yard Sale

If you would like your stuff shipped today you can call Jim at 863-692-0906 and pay by credit card + 4%. Otherwise e-mail first and arragne to send a check; Your item or items will not ship until your check clears.

Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite

Sold

I am offering a lightly used Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite in like-new condition for only $499.00. This sells new for $989.00! The sale includes the storage case and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only.

Please contact artie via e-mail

BG-E20 Battery Grip for Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Sold

I am offering a new-in-the-unopened-box BG-E20 Battery Grip for Canon EOS 5D Mark IV for only $149.00. When I shot Canon, I used a battery grip with all of my 5D Mark IV bodies. This sells new for $199.00. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Canon EF 1.4X III Extender (teleconverter)

Sold

I am offering a Canon 1.4X III: teleconverter in better than excellent plus condition but for one pinpoint and one very small scratch on the rear element for a silly-low $129.00. These tiny scratches will not affect your images unless you point at the sun and stop down. Includes front and rear caps and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Canon EF 1.4X III Extender (teleconverter)

Sold

I am also offering a Canon 1.4X III teleconverter (sn/0660000060) in excellent condition for $129.00. No caps are included. The glass is clean. The sale does include insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Canon EF 1.4X II Extender (teleconverter)

Sold

I am also offering a Canon 1.4X II teleconverter (sn/117093) in excellent condition for $99.00. No caps are included. The glass is clean. The sale does include insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Canon EF 2X II Extender (teleconverter)

Sold

I am also offering a Canon 2X II teleconverter in excellent condition for $99.00. No caps are included. The glass is clean. The sale does include insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Canon 2X II: Very good to excellent condition. Both caps. Glass is clean. $119 includes shipping.

Vello Auto Extension Tube Set for Canon EF/EF-S Mounts and Lenses

Sold

I am offering a Vello Auto Extension Tube Set for Canon EF/EF-S Mounts and Lenses for only $30.00. The electrical contacts work fine and since there is no glass they function just fine. This sells new for $79.95. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Great for macro or for reducing the effective Minimum Focusing Distance of your big lenses.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Vello Auto Extension Tube Set for Nikon F Mount

Sold

I am also a new-in-the-box Vello Auto Extension Tube Set for Nikon F Mount for only $35.00. The electrical contacts work fine and since there is no glass they function perfectly. This sells new for $79.95. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Great for macro or for reducing the effective Minimum Focusing Distance of your big lenses.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Kenko Auto Extension Tube Set DG for Nikon Lens

Sold

I am offering a never-used Kenko Auto Extension Tube Set DG for Nikon Lens for only $50.00. The electrical contacts work fine and since there is no glass they function perfectly. This sells new for $129.90. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Great for macro or for reducing the effective Minimum Focusing Distance of your big lenses.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Though they are light and have much plastic in their construction, these Vello extension tubes are quite adequately engineered to work with Nikon cameras and lenses. They mount to my D7000 and D750 smoothly, without roughness or needing excessive force. The same goes for the lenses I use; 24-120, 70-200 and 200-500, plus a DX 16-85. The lens release tabs dont inspire great confidence in their appearance, but I find that they do operate well. Macro work is sensitive to focus, so although these tubes transmit focus information from lens to camera, as well as exposure and VR, it is probably better to focus manually in some cases. For anyone on a budget and wanting to try macro-photography inexpensively, these tubes are a great way to do so before sinking many hundreds of dollars into a macro lens. Keith

Wimberley WH-200-S Sidemount Wimberley Head

Wimberley WH-200-S Sidemount Wimberley Head

Sold Immediately

I am offering a never-used Wimberley WH-200-S Sidemount Wimberley Head for only $199.00. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Great for macro or for reducing the effective Minimum Focusing Distance of your big lenses. This sturdy side-mounting gimbal head sells new for $445.00.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Wimberley F-9 Flash Bracket (for Wimberley Head Version II)

Sold

I am offering a Wimberley F-9 Flash Bracket in excellent plus condition for the very low price of $89.00. This bracket attaches directly to the Arca-Swiss style dovetail on the swinging arm of the Wimberley Head Version II. Since it is attached to the head and not to your lens, it remains in place when you switch lenses. It folds flat for easy storage. The F-9 bracket has been designed to clamp to both the swing arm of the V-2 Wimberley and to the lens plates so it can be used when working on the ground or from the car. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Giotto Tiny Ballhead

Sold

I am offering a Giottos MH 1302-655 ballhead in very good to excellent condition for the silly low price of $40.00. It sells new for $99.00. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. I used this often at Bosque and in Holland for putting a short lens on the tripod via a Wimberley P-5 camera body plate (add $35 for this plate that sells for $52.00 new).

Please contact artie via e-mail.

Induro BHM-1 Ballhead

Sold

I am offering an Induro BHM-1 Ballhead in like-new condition for the very low price of $79.00. Slightly larger and sturdier than the item above, this too can be used with short lens or intermediate telephotos. Add the Wimberley P-5 camera body plate to mount the camera on the ballhead. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. This sells new right now for $179.00.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

SanDisk Extreme SDXC UHS-I 32GB Card

Sold

I am offering brand new SanDisk Extreme SDXC UHS-I 32GB Cards for only $5.00 each. I have six for sale. Buy all six for $25.00. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. These sell new right now for $12.66.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-I 64GB Cards

Sold

I am offering brand new SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-I 64GB Cards for only $8.00 each. I have two for sale. Buy both for only $15.00. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. These sell new right now for $18.99.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

SONY 64GB G Series XQD Card

Sold

I am offering a lightly used (looks like new) SONY 64GB G Series XQD Card for only $49.00. These sell new for $139.00. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. I used these with my Nikon gear.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

SONY 128GB G Series XQD Card

Sold

I am offering a lightly used (looks like new) SONY 128GB G Series XQD Card for only $69.00. These sell new for $199.00. The sale includes insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. I used these with my Nikon gear.

Please contact artie via e-mail.

This image was created this morning from my SUV with the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.X teleconverter, and the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only). ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/125 sec. at f/13 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:49am on cloudy-bright morning. Flexible Spot (S) Continuous/tracking AF was active at the moment of exposure. I selected an AF point that fell right on the bird’s eye. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Black Vulture head and neck portrait

My First SONY a9 II Experience

As noted above, I finally got down to the lake this morning. Before I get on the plane to Bosque this Friday, I wanted to make sure that the new a9 II functioned properly. It did. Handling and ergonomics are virtually identical to the a7R IV so that is a big plus. As expected, sharp a9 image files pale in comparison to sharp a7R IV files, especially in terms of fine detail. It is likely that I will not get the chance to see if the a9 II’s vaunted AF system lives up to everyone’s very high expectations until I get to Bosque … It will be interesting to compare AF performance of the a9 II and the a7R IV with both the 600 GM and the 200-600 G. Time will tell.

I was lucky with this one to get a still blue water background. I did, however, need to update Capture One so that I could see the a9 II images.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

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

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Typos

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

What’s Up?

Thursday morning dawned cold and grey — at 9:00am the sky looked like snow (depsite the fact that it was 58 degrees). The pool is down five degrees in just a few days but swimming still feels balmy as compared to the air temps. It is looking like mostly cloudy here this morning, Friday November 15 so it is likely that I still will not have a chance to play with my a9 II.

I fly to Bosque in one week and have begun thinking about packing. There is still time for you to join the small IPT group.

If you have long-dreamed of visiting the Galapagos, please scroll down.

IPT Updates

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 3. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

Click here for complete IPT info and details.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the EOS-1DX, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

The Used Gear page has been hot for the past two months with the continuing price drops on Canon and Nikon gear. There are still lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page. In addition to the recent sales below, there are many pending sales.

Recent Sales

BAA friend and multiple IPT veteran Paul Reinstein sold his Canon EOS-1D X Mark II body with a shutter count of 40,759 in near-mint condition for $3,599.00 in mid-November 2019.
I sold my SONY a9 in near-mint condition for $2,597.00 on November 11, 2019.
Jerry Barrack sold his Canon Extender EF 1.4X III teleconverter in near-mint condition and his Canon Extender EF 2X III teleconverter also in near-mint condition, both for a very low $224.00 in early Novemeber.
Jerry Barrack also sold a Wimberley WH-101 Gimbal Head w/QR C-30 clamp (the original) and a heavy-duty Gitzo 410 tripod for the silly low price of $399.00.
Peter Noyes sold his Sony Alpha A7R III Mirrorless Digital Camera body in like-new condition with a shutter count of less than 1,000 for $1998.00 the first day it was listed in early November.
Top Used Gear page seller Anthony Ardito sold his gripped Nikon D850 in like-new condition for only $2,399.00, his Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in like-new condition for only $3,396.95, his Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens in like-new condition for $1,796.95, and his Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF lens in like-new condition for only $1,196.95, all during October 2019.
I sold my lightly used Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in Excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $9796.95 in late October, 2019.
John Nelson sold his Canon 500mm f/4 IS USM lens (the “old five”) in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $2749.00 in mid-October 2019.
Multiple IPT participant Larry Master sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4.0L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $5,989.00 and his Canon EOS 5D Mark IV in like-new condition for $2099.00.
BAA friend and multiple IPT veteran Paul Reinstein sold a Canon Extender EF 2X III teleconverter in excellent condition for only $229.00 the first day it was listed in mid-October.
Top BAA Used Gear page seller Jim Keener sold his Canon mount Zeiss Distagon T 15mm f/2.8 ZE lens in like-new condition for the crazy low price of $799.00 (was $949.00) in early October 2019.
Allen Dale sold a Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $3399.00 in early October,2019.
IPT veteran and dear friend Patrick Sparkman sold his SONY FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens in like-new condition for $10,698.00.
Sheldon Goldstein sold his Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens in like-new condition for $750.00 in September 2019.
BIRDS AS ART friend Don Carter sold his a7r III in near-mint condition for $2099.00 in early October.
I sold my SONY a7r III in excellent plus condition for $1974.00 in early October.
I sold my gripped Nikon D850 in excellent condition for $2,186.96 and my Nikon 500PF lens for $3,246.95, both in early October 2019.
Multiple IPT participant Larry Master sold a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for the BAA record-low price of $899.00 the first day it was listed in mid-October 2019.

Sony Alpha a9 (ILCE 9) Mirrorless Digital Camera Body

Ken Siegel is offering a Sony A9 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body in mint condition for $2698.00. Photos are available upon request. The sale includes the original product box and everything that came in it, a SONY A9 Modular Plate (L-bracket — a $200 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 Ken via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-(864) 680-5921 (Eastern time zone).

Simply put, the SONY a9 has the best AF system of any camera that I have ever used. And Patrick Sparkman agrees 100%. SONY is getting hotter every day. The a9 sells for $3,498.00 and the new a9 II sells for $4498.00. Either way, you can do the math as far as how much you will be saving. artie

Sony Alpha a7r III Mirrorless Digital Camera Body

Ken Siegel is also offering a Sony a7r III in mint condition for only $2049.00. Photos are available upon request. The sale includes the original product box and everything that came in it, a SONY A7r III Modular Plate (L-bracket — a $200 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 Ken via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-(864) 680-5921 (Eastern time zone).

You’ve seen my great Galapagos images … I made tons of great stuff with the 7r III and the SONY 100-400 with and without the 1.4X TC. Simply put, the a7r iii is a great camera body. It is selling new right now at B&H for $2498.0 and the new a7r iv is going for $3,498.00! You can save a very cool $500.00 by grabbing Ken’s a7r III right now. artie

Please contact Ken via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-(864) 680-5921 (Eastern time zone).

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

Ken Siegel is also offering a Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in near-mint condition for $3299.00. The sale includes the original product box and everything that came in it, a RRS replacement low-foot, the original Canon foot, a Realtree Max4LensCoat (without the adhesive sections), the lens trunk, the original tough front lens cover, the lens strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Photos are available upon request. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Ken via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-(864) 680-5921 (Eastern time zone).

The 300mm f/2.8 autofocus lenses have long been the first choice of the world’s best hawks-in-flight photographers with and without a 1.4X TC. When teamed up with either the 1.4X or 2X TC, it makes a great hand holdable walk-around lens. For folks with a 7D Mark II, the 300 II would make a great workhorse lens for bird photogrpahy. Grabbing Ken’s lens will save you an incredible $2,100.00 as new ones are going for $6099.00 from B&H. I owned and used several versions of the 300 f/2.8 lens for many years until finally replacing my 300 f/2.8 II with the 400 DO II several years ago. That said, the 300 f/2.8 II represents a great value as the 400 DO II sells new for $6,899.00. artie

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $50.00 11-15-19

Regular Used Gear page seller John Bowden is offering a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lnes in excellent-plus condition for a BIRDS AS ART record-low $548.00 (was $598.00). The sale includes the rear lens cap, the front lens cap, the lens pouch, the lens shade (hood), the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US-addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John Bowden via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-919-358-5717 EST.

The 24-105mm focal length is my all-time favorite for B-roll stuff: bird-scapes, quasi-macros, photographers and people, scenics, and just about everything else on the planet. Whenever I would decide to leave it in the car I would not get far before I was wishing that I had taken it along for the ride. artie

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created on August 3, 2019 on the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 400mm) and the beyond remarkable AF KIng, the Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera. ISO 1000: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. The exposure was determined using the Zebra feature with ISO on the rar wheel. AWB at 2:15pm on a cloudy afternoon. Image #1: Galapagos Shearwater, dorsal view of adult in flight

The Tall Cliffs at South Plaza

Since 2005, I have made about 15 photographic trips to the Galapagos Archipelago. On every trip, I have made an afternoon landing at South Plaza. It’s a great stop loaded with handsome Land Iguanas, lots of Sally Lightfoot Crabs, and large numbers of handsome adult and young Swallow-tailed Gulls. There is some great flight phortography from the high cliffs. The most desirable subjects there have always been the Red-billed Tropicbirds. But there are lots of frigatebirds and the afore-mentioned Swallow-tailed Gulls flying by, along with an ocassional Nazca Booby. The trick for flight photography at this location is to study the patterns of the birds in flight so that you can anticipate the good chances. Always remember that the tropicbirds will be most active earlier in the afternoon rather than later.

Yikes, I almost forgot to mention that there are always hundreds if not thousands of Galapagos Shearwaters in flight …

This image was created on August 3, 2019 on the Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 400mm) and the beyond remarkable AF KIng, the Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera. ISO 1250: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. The exposure was determined using the Zebra feature with ISO on the rar wheel. AWB at 2:21pm on a cloudy afternoon. Image #2: Galapagos Shearwater, dorsal view of juvenile in flight

The SONY a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Does the Impossible …

Though there are zillions of Galapagos Shearwaters flying right up to the top of the cliff edge, they had always been impossible to photograph. Nobody in my 15 years had ever been able to create a decent sharp image. Why? These little shearwaters are fast flyers, they turn and dart and rise and fall in an instant. Getting them anywhere in the frame is a hug challenge. Acuiring and holding focus with an ocean background had proven impossible over the years first with my Canon gear. I had my Nikon 500 PF/D850 with me on the 2019 trip but opted to go with the a9/100-400 because of faster initial focusing acquisition and surer AF.

On my 2019 trip, armed with my SONY a9, I felt for the first time that I had a chance. I studied the bird’s flight patterns very carefully and was able to anticipate when they would circle and fly up toward the top of the cliff. At times, they actually land near the top of the cliff where they make their nests but only on rare ocassion do you get even a glimpse of them on a rock.

I worked very hard for more than an hour and was pleased to come up with today’s two featured images. It is important, however, to remember that I am not a very good flight photographer, often succeeding more as a result of relentless determination than skill. But last August I had the advantage of the SONY a9 …

Galapagos 2019 Highlights

Bucket List Decision Time …

In the same vein, I am betting that most folks reading this have either dreamed about photographing in the Galapagos or have been there already. I had such an amazing time on the last Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT last July/August, that I decided to see if I could round up some folks for a trip as follows: September 29-October 13, 2020 on the boat. The travel dates would be September 27 to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 October 14. Do note that late SEPT/early OCT is part of the cloudy season in the archipelago, just what you want for great photography. And as always, only my trips visit the three best landings twice each.

Depsite an increase in the cost of the charter, the price of this trip will remain the same: $14,449.00 all inclusive to and from Guayaquil. You will need to bring $700 in US cash for the crew and guide tip, and you will be responsible for your meals in Guayaquil. Everything else — including two hotel nights in Guayaquil — is included. If you would like to commit at this time plesqe contact me via immediately e-mail or call my cell at 863-221-2372 (Eastern time Zone).

Here’s the Rub!

I will need at least eight commitments/deposits by December 8, 2019 in order to confirm the charter while not risking losing my home. I have two folks already committed. If you are considering this trip, please remember, you only live once …

The 2020 GALAPAGOS Photo Cruise of a Lifetime IPT/The Complete Galapagos Photographic Experience

September 29-October 13, 2020. 13 FULL and two half-days of photography: $14,499. Limit: 12 or 13 photographers plus the leader. I need ten committments by December 8, 2019. This trip needs ten clients to run. No deposit checks will be cashed until early Decemeber. All deposits and payments will be returned if the trip does not run.

This trip is THE best Galapagos Photo-Cruise in the world. By far. No one else offers a trip that visits the top three world-class landings twice each. What does this trip offer? The world’s best Galapagos guide, a killer itinerary, a great boat (the Samba), a great crew, and me, with ten Galapagos Photo-cruises under my belt. Pre-trip gear suggestions and advice and twice-daily, pre-landing, location-specific briefings. In-the-field photo instruction and guidance. Jeez, I almost forgot: fine dining at sea! Do know that there are one-week Galapagos trips (six full and two half- days on the boat “from $9995”! (If you think I am exaggerating, click here.) Thus, this trip represents a tremendous value; why go all that way and miss half of the great photographic locations? And why not visit the three very best spots twice each?

The great spots that we will visit include Tower Island — including Darwin Bay (almost surely twice!) and Prince Phillips Steps, Hood Island (including Punta Suarez, the world’s only nesting site of Waved Albatross (almost surely twice!), and Gardner Bay — each of the preceding are world class wildlife photography designations that rank right up there with Antarctica, Africa, and Midway. We will also visit Fernandina, Puerto Ayora for the tortoises and Darwin’s Finches, Puerto Egas—James Bay, and North Seymour (almost surely twice) for nesting Blue-footed Boobies and both frigatebird species in most years, South Plaza for Land Iguanas and seabirds, Floreana for Greater Flamingoes, and Urbina Bay, all spectacular in their own right. We visit every great spot on a single trip. Plus lots more.

There will be lots of opportunities to snorkel on sunny middays for those like me who wish to partake. (The park service does not approve our second visits to the same great locations until right before the trip; we have never been turned down. We will be the first boat on each island in the morning and the last boat to leave each island every afternoon. If we are blessed with overcast skies, we will often spend 5+ hours at the best sites. And as noted above, mid-day snorkeling is an option on most sunny days depending on location and conditions. On the 2015 trip most snorkeled with many thousands dolphins. I eased off the zodiac to find hundreds of dolphins swimming just below me.

Note that some of the walks are on the difficult side. Great images are possible on all landings with either a hand held 70-200mm lens and a 1.4X teleconverter or an 80- or 100-400mm lens. In the past, I have taken a longer lens ashore on most landings as they better fit my style. In 2017 I took the then brand-new Canon 400mm DO lens and the Canon 500mm f/4 L IS II lens (with both teleconverters). In 2019 I took my Nikon 500 PF and my SONY 100-400 GM lens. I only rarely used my Nikon rig …

The Logistics

September 27 to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 October 14.

SUN SEPT 27, 2020: Arrive in Guayaquil a day early to ensure that you do not miss the boat.

MON SEPT 28, 2020: Introductory session at the Iguana Park.

TUES SEPT 29, 2020. We fly to the archipelago and board the Samba. Heck, on the 2019 trip some folks made great images at the dock in Baltra while our luggage was being loaded!

TUES OCT 14, 2020. We disembark the Samba in mid-morning and fly back to Guayaquil midday; some will overnight there. Others will continue homeward on a red-eye flight.

$14,499 includes just about everything: all transfers, guide and park fees, all food on the boat, transfers and ground transportation, your flights to the archipelago, and two or three nights (double occupancy) in a top notch hotel in Guayaquil. If you are good to go, a non-refundable deposit of $5,000 per person is due immediately. Please e-mail before mailing your deposit check. The second payment of $5,000 will be due on March 1, 2020. The final payment of $4,499 per person will be due on June 1, 2020.

Again, this trip needs ten participants to run so please do not book your flights until you learn that we are good to go: I will commit to the trip once I have eight deposits. Purchasing travel insurance within two weeks of our cashing your deposit check is strongly recommended. On the last trip, two couples were forced to cancel less than ten days prior to departure. My family and I use Travel Insurance Services and strongly recommend that you do the same. One couple used a discount outfit; they are still tryng to get remimbursed …

Not included: your round trip airfare from your home to and from Guayaquil, beverages on the boat, phone calls, your meals in Guayaquil, personal items, and an $700/person cash tip for the crew and the guide to be shared by our guide and the 7 folks who will be waiting on us hand and foot every day for two weeks. The service is so wonderful that many folks choose to tip extra.

The Itinerary

Sunday, September 27, 2020: Fly to Guayaquil arriving a day early to ensure that you do not miss the boat.

Monday, September 28, 2020: Introductory session at the Iguana Park.

Tuesday, September 29, 2020: We fly to the archipelago and board the Samba. Heck, on the 2019 trip some folks made great images at the dock in Baltra while our luggage was being loaded!

On the Boat

Day 1: Tuesday, September 29: PM North Seymour

Day 2: Wednesday, Septmber 30: Genovesa: AM Darwin Bay, PM Prince Phillips´ Steps

Day 3: Thursday, October 1: Marchena: AM Playa Negra, PM Navigation to Isabela

Day 4: Friday, October 2: Isabela: AM Punta Albemarle, PM Punta Vicente Roca

Day 5: Saturday, October 3: AM Fernandina: Punta Espinoza, PM Isabela: Bahía Urbina

Day 6: Sunday, October 4: Isabela: AM Elizabeth Bay, PM Punta Moreno

Day 7: Monday, October 5: Floreana: AM Post Office Bay, PM Punta Cormorant

Day 8: Tuesday, October 6: Santa Cruz: AM Highlands and Lunch, PM free time in the city with internet access.

Day 9: Wednesday, October 7: Española: AM Gardner Bay, PM Punta Suárez

Day 10: Thursday, October 8: Española: AM Punta Suarez, PM Navigation to San Cristóbal

Day 11: Friday, October 9: San Cristóbal. AM Isa Lobos (only until 9 am), PM Punta Pitt

Day 12: Saturday, October 10: AM Santa Fe, PM South Plaza

Day 13: Sunday, October 11: Genovesa: AM Darwin Bay, Navigation to Santiago

Day 14: Monday, October 12: AM James Bay, PM Rábida

Day 15: Tuesday, October 13: North Seymour from 6 to 9am. Everyone must make this landing. We disembark late morning and fly back to Guayaquil midday; some wil will overnight there. Others will catch a redeye and fly home.

Wednesday, October 14, 2020: The folks who stayed in Guayaquil will fly home most likely very early in the day.

The itinerary above is subject to National Park apporoval.

I hope that you can join me on what will surely be a rich and rewarding photographic experience.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

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

Facebook

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

Typos

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

My Dad at basic training in a rare photo of him with two arms

Honoring My Dad, Private First-Class Robert Edward Morris

I’ve told parts of this story here before, but what the hey, it’s Veteran’s Day. My Dad had had both my kindergarten and first grade teachers — sisters Mrs. Wood and Miss Wilson, when he attended PS 207. He went on to letter in three sports at Madison High School in Brooklyn –baseball, football, and basketball. And I believe that he played some ice hockey too. My Mom was an orphan and they married young. My Dad was working as a delivery boy at a luggage store in Manhattan — Roebling Luggage, when he was drafted. He said, “They gave us a rifle, trained us for two weeks, and sent us off to kill Japs.” He was injured early on in the Aleutians and earned his first Purple Heart. They patched him up and sent him back.

Soon after he went to war, my Mom, Hazel Morris, lost baby Carla at age ten days to infantile diarrhea. I did not get to read my Dad’s love letters to my Mom (written from overseas), until after his death. All of his beautifully written love notes were signed “Your ever-loving hubby, Bobby.” So changed was he by the war, I felt as if the letters were from a man I never knew.

Late in the war he took part in the invasion of Okinawa. He was on a truck headed out to pick up US soldiers from his unit who had been killed by friendly fire the day before. Friendly fire deaths were quite common in WWII. He was in the truck with his back against the cab when a guy walked up and said to him, “Hey, Morris, do you have my canteen?” It was one of those you-get-it no-I’ll get–it moments and the guy wound up in the seat my Dad had been in and my Dad wound up in the last seat on the left in the back of the truck.

An American Corsair, believed to have been captured and piloted by Japanese, swooped in and fired. My Dad was hit thirteen times with 70mm machine gun fire. Everyone but my Dad and the guy next to him was hit in the head and killed instantly. My Dad rolled out of the truck onto the ground fearing an explosion. His best friend, a medic, had been in a second truck. He approached my Dad and removed his heavy jacket. My Dad’s right arm came off with the coat. His friend started crying and ran away. (Lot of folks might question that, but I can understand it completely …)

Another soldier approached my Dad said to him, “Take my f _ _ _ -ing shoelace out and make a tourniquet. The guy did.

As it turned out, my Dad had been hit in the left arm too; his elbow joint was destroyed. (Purple Heart #2.) Many of the folks in charge wanted to amputate that arm, but a young Filipino surgeon fought to save it. And he did. Three weeks later my Dad was flown to San Francisco; he met an injured comrade from his unit. The man said, “Morris, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be dead.” He explained to my Dad that he was supposed to have been sent home on a hospital ship but that the doctors had all agreed, “This guy is gonna die anyway so it’s dumb to waste a spot on the ship on him.” It would not be the last time that my Dad was written off for dead …

Now get this: the ship my Dad would have been on was the USS Comfort (AH-6). On April 23, the ship was struck in the Coral Sea by a Japanese suicide plane that crashed through three decks and exploded in the surgery ward that was filled with medical personnel and severely wounded patients. Twenty-eight were killed (including six nurses) and 48 were wounded, with considerable damage to the ship. The story that I had heard from my Dad did not mesh exactly with the dates and numbers (89 dead) in the history books, but Bob Morris had dodged another bullet.

My Dad spent 19 months in the hospital near Washington DC in 1945 and 46. They performed surgery on his left arm without anesthesia to try to re-connected damaged nerves. BTW, you’ve heard of “The World According to Garp”? I was conceived in the hospital.

My Dad returned to work at Roebling Luggage despite his handicap and by the time he retired in 1969, he was the store manager. The store was located at 121 Liberty Street; they built the World Trade Center right on top of it. Just before he retired, he was honored as Man of the Year by the (now long-defunct) Greater New York Retail Luggage Dealer’s Association.

In 1964 — I was eighteen and we were still living in Brooklyn at 2046 East 38th Street, my Dad almost died during gall bladder surgery. In 1969, my folks left Brooklyn for San Diego. I should have mentioned that my Dad began smoking during the war in an effort to stay warm as they were often under-dressed in the northern Pacific. He was a 4-pack a day Lucky Strike man. Sometime in the 1970s, he developed an unexplained hoarseness. A young VA doctor discovered his throat cancer. He had a new type of laryngectomy. It was a struggle for him to cover his trach tube with his left thumb, but by doing so, he was able to count to 30 in a loud but froggy voice when he woke from his surgery.

Don’t quote me on the years but he had a major heart attack sometime in the 80s I believe. That was followed by a bout of lung cancer; he underwent surgery and they removed 2/3 of his left lung. He came out stronger than ever. You might say that my Dad was one of the very few to beat the Smoker’s Daily Double: throat cancer and lung cancer.

In the late 1990s he came down with a horrific case of pneumonia. On that Monday evening they told my Mom, “Hazel, go in and kiss Bobby goodbye. His white blood cell count is so high that he cannot survive the night. Wrong again. That Wednesday they said to my Mom, “Hazel, please go in and kiss Bobby goodbye. As per his living will we are taking him off life support. He will not survive the night. Two weeks later he as home, busting my mother’s balls (as usual). A second bout of pneumonia finally felled him in 2001.

A few years before he died, I asked my Dad, considering that all you he and Mom ever did was bicker and fight, “Why did you stay together? In his froggy voice he answered, “I want to tell you, I laid in that bed for 19 months and saw dozens of beautiful young brides come to the door of that room, take one look at their husbands with no arms and no legs, and turn around. And never come back.” My Mom was there for that conversation. It was my Dad’s way of saying, “Thanks, Hazel. I love you.” He could never say that out loud to anyone.

My Dad sweated all the time. Many of my fondest childhood memories involves me kissing him on the face or neck to taste the salt. And I can remember him coming down early on a Sunday morning to cook me French toast, not burned please! I can see him holding the frying pan gently with his left hand over a low flame for minutes on end to get it just the way I liked it … He took the Brighton Beach (BMT) line to work for more than 20 years. He used to say that it ran on time only at room temperature. In winter, we worried that he might slip and fall on the snow and ice on the way to the bus or the train. With no left elbow to speak of — the bones were free floating — that would have been disastrous.

I gloried at the (too-little?) time we spent together. I thrilled each year in December when he would take me to work to help out in the store. I’d go for two or three weekends running, and the boss, a Ruby Keeler — I think — would give me a hundred-dollar bill for helping out. Two young Black men, Wilber and Nat, worked as stockmen and I grew to adore them; both had boxed in the Golden Gloves. On Saturday afternoons they would send out for ham and cheese on rye sandwiches from a local deli. No mayo! Along with an ice-cold Coke, those were some of the best meals I ever ate.

When my parents went to San Diego, my Dad of course visited the VA (Veteran’s Administration) and the DAV (Disabled American Veterans). One of the first things that he learned was that he had, for twenty-plus years — while raising three children in Brooklyn — been entitled to commissary privileges. Wow, that would have made a difference of tens of thousands of dollars in the lives of my parents …Who knew?

I remember handing my Dad a copy of The Art of Bird Photography a few years before his death. While looking through the book, he covered his trach tube and croaked, “I guess you did OK for yourself.” From Bob Morris that was a supreme compliment.

I can remember saying to him at some point, “Dad. You were blasted by machine gun fire from a plane, had throat cancer, a heart attack, lung cancer, and a vicious case of pneumonia. We always thought that you are gonna die. How come you never do? ” His reply, “I’m too mean to die.”

In about 1995 or so I sent him “the letter.” I wrote in part, “Dad, I want to thank you for being a mean son of a bitch and never saying one nice thing about me. I’ve spent my life trying to be the best bowler, the best golfer, the best elementary school teacher, and the best bird photographer I could be. All in an effort to make you proud of me and get folks to say the nice things that you never said. My late baby sister Arna read him the letter. She told me that he cried tears of happiness.

I did not learn until after my Father’s death that he had been awarded a Bronze Star. That medal is awarded for heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. I read that letter with amazement. My Dad, along with a friend from Brooklyn, climbed a hill with just their rifles and took out a Japanese machine gun nest. Bob Morris worked full time for 20 years after his injury despite being 100% disabled. He took great care of his family. He was a brave man and a good man. And a great father.

And the Rest

Thanks to my Dad and the tens and tens of thousands of young American men and women who have served their country or died serving their country. All that so that we could enjoy the freedom that we know today. God bless them all and their families as well.

My Dad with his Christmas present

Uneeda Biscuits

My Dad loved these salty, dry crackers made by Nabisco and was dismayed when he got to San Diego and learned that they were not available. So every year that I visited at holiday time, I would bring a carton of his favortie biscuits. He was happy.

My Mom and Dad

Mom and Dad

At times I think that the only times that my parents were not bickering was when they were smiling for the camera or sleeping. My Mom died 2 1/2 years ago at age 94. She had spent most of her life taking care of others, including and especially my Dad.

What’s Up

Yesterday morning the lakefront at ILE was crawling with more than one hundred vultures spread out over several of their favorite areas. So I went down to the lake early, today, Friday November 8,2019. For 45 minutes, I stood on the edge of a canal, eye level with a pile of fish heads, a half-eaten snake, and a small Florida Gar. All long-dead of course. Not a single vulture even flew by for a sniff …

I set up in the car, drove around slowly, and wound up at the small boat ramp adjacent to the North Field. The Black Vultures were über-tame. I worked them and a tame Anhinga for about 45 minutes until a fisherman with a trailered boat drove up to launch his bass boat. For the most part I was doing head-portaits of the vultures at 1200mm with the SONY 600 f/4GM, the 2X TC, and the a7R IV, learning more every minute. While I will readily admit that Black Vultures are ugly, I am fascinated by the many differences that can be discerned when photographing them at point-blank range; they look rather like handsome, helmeted soldiers … Photos soon; lord knows, I have enough!

The BAA Photofolio Galleries

The BAA Photofolio Galleries have finally come to fruition. All are invited to visit the Galapagos Gallery by clicking here. If you have a decent internet connection, viewing should be easy. If like us here at ILE, you have a slow connection, give the page a few minutes to load before clicking on the first image to enlarge it. To continue, click on the right-facing cursor arrow. The title that includes the name of the subject and the location appears below each full-sized image.

Win a $20 Off Discount

Leave a comment letting us know which are your three favorite images in the Galapagos Gallery and we will enter you into a drawing. The winner will receive a $20 discount good on any item in the BAA Online Store (phone orders only).

Fine Art Prints

To purchase a print of any image in the BAA Photofolio Galleries, click here.

Need System or Upgrade Advice?

These are certainly exciting and volatile times in bird and nature photography: Canon, Nikon, SONY? Upgrade or switch systems? Yikes! If you are thinking about switching or upgrading and have questions, feel free to call me on my cell at 863-221-2372 for a free ten-minute consultation. Thew last thing that you want to do is sscrew up and waste several thousand dollars by purchasing the wrong camera or lens. The only thing that I ask in return, is that you make a firm commitment to use my B&H affiliate links or to buy from Bedford using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout if you decide to go forward. Remember that Steve Elkins at Bedford can save you a few additional bucks on lens/camera/accessories packages. See the blog for his contact details. Either way, it will not cost you one penny more.

Be sure to leave a message if I do not pick up and I will get back to you. And please follow that up with an e-mail or a text stating your name and a good time for me to call you back. I spend lots of time each day walking, swimming, and watching football and baseball 🙂 And napping.

IPT Updates

• The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8/Openings: 4. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00/day.
• The 2020 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8/Openings: 5)

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

Galapagos 2019 Highlights

Should I ?

I get several e-mails each week asking should I buy this? Should I buy that? Would it be worth it to me? I don’t have that much money.

My answer is always the same. We only get one ride on the merry-go-round. Life is short. When you die, do you think that you will have $x,000 in the bank? I am not encouranging folks to neglect their families or to be financially irrepsonsible, but if it’s a close call, go for it and enrich your life. Furthermore, I can never tell what’s worth it for you or for anyone else.

Above are some of the reasons that I am selling my a9 and looking forward to unboxing my brand-new a9 II this weekend …

Bucket List Decision Time …

In the same vein, I am betting that most folks reading this have either dreamed about photographing in the Galapagos or have been there already. I had such an amazing time on the last Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime IPT last July/August, that I decided to see if I could round up some folks for a trip as follows: September 29-October 13, 2020 on the boat. The travel dates would be September 27 to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 October 14. Do note that late SEPT/early OCT is part of the cloudy season in the archipelago, just what you want for great photography. And as always, only my trips visit the three best landings twice each.

Depsite an increase in the cost of the charter, the price of this trip will remain the same: $14,449.00 all inclusive to and from Guayaquil. You will need to bring $700 in US cash for the crew and guide tip, and you will be responsible for your meals in Guayaquil. Everything else — including two hotel nights in Guayaquil — is included. If you would like to commit at this time plesqe contact me via immediately e-mail or call my cell at 863-221-2372 (Eastern time Zone).

Here’s the Rub!

I will need at least eight commitments/deposits by December 8, 2019 in order to confirm the charter while not risking losing my home. I have two folks already committed. If you are considering this trip, please remember, you only live once …

The 2020 GALAPAGOS Photo Cruise of a Lifetime IPT/The Complete Galapagos Photographic Experience

September 29-October 13, 2020. 13 FULL and two half-days of photography: $14,499. Limit: 12 or 13 photographers plus the leader. I need ten committments by December 8, 2019. This trip needs ten clients to run. No deposit checks will be cashed until early Decemeber. All deposits and payments will be returned if the trip does not run.

This trip is THE best Galapagos Photo-Cruise in the world. By far. No one else offers a trip that visits the top three world-class landings twice each. What does this trip offer? The world’s best Galapagos guide, a killer itinerary, a great boat (the Samba), a great crew, and me, with ten Galapagos Photo-cruises under my belt. Pre-trip gear suggestions and advice and twice-daily, pre-landing, location-specific briefings. In-the-field photo instruction and guidance. Jeez, I almost forgot: fine dining at sea! Do know that there are one-week Galapagos trips (six full and two half- days on the boat “from $9995”! (If you think I am exaggerating, click here.) Thus, this trip represents a tremendous value; why go all that way and miss half of the great photographic locations? And why not visit the three very best spots twice each?

The great spots that we will visit include Tower Island — including Darwin Bay (almost surely twice!) and Prince Phillips Steps, Hood Island (including Punta Suarez, the world’s only nesting site of Waved Albatross (almost surely twice!), and Gardner Bay — each of the preceding are world class wildlife photography designations that rank right up there with Antarctica, Africa, and Midway. We will also visit Fernandina, Puerto Ayora for the tortoises and Darwin’s Finches, Puerto Egas—James Bay, and North Seymour (almost surely twice) for nesting Blue-footed Boobies and both frigatebird species in most years, South Plaza for Land Iguanas and seabirds, Floreana for Greater Flamingoes, and Urbina Bay, all spectacular in their own right. We visit every great spot on a single trip. Plus lots more.

There will be lots of opportunities to snorkel on sunny middays for those like me who wish to partake. (The park service does not approve our second visits to the same great locations until right before the trip; we have never been turned down. We will be the first boat on each island in the morning and the last boat to leave each island every afternoon. If we are blessed with overcast skies, we will often spend 5+ hours at the best sites. And as noted above, mid-day snorkeling is an option on most sunny days depending on location and conditions. On the 2015 trip most snorkeled with many thousands dolphins. I eased off the zodiac to find hundreds of dolphins swimming just below me.

Note that some of the walks are on the difficult side. Great images are possible on all landings with either a hand held 70-200mm lens and a 1.4X teleconverter or an 80- or 100-400mm lens. In the past, I have taken a longer lens ashore on most landings as they better fit my style. In 2017 I took the then brand-new Canon 400mm DO lens and the Canon 500mm f/4 L IS II lens (with both teleconverters). In 2019 I took my Nikon 500 PF and my SONY 100-400 GM lens. I only rarely used my Nikon rig …

The Logistics

September 27 to Guayaquil and fly home on 14 October 14.

SUN SEPT 27, 2020: Arrive in Guayaquil a day early to ensure that you do not miss the boat.

MON SEPT 28, 2020: Introductory session at the Iguana Park.

TUES SEPT 29, 2020. We fly to the archipelago and board the Samba. Heck, on the 2019 trip some folks made great images at the dock in Baltra while our luggage was being loaded!

TUES OCT 14, 2020. We disembark the Samba in mid-morning and fly back to Guayaquil midday; some will overnight there. Others will continue homeward on a red-eye flight.

$14,499 includes just about everything: all transfers, guide and park fees, all food on the boat, transfers and ground transportation, your flights to the archipelago, and two or three nights (double occupancy) in a top notch hotel in Guayaquil. If you are good to go, a non-refundable deposit of $5,000 per person is due immediately. Please e-mail before mailing your deposit check. The second payment of $5,000 will be due on March 1, 2020. The final payment of $4,499 per person will be due on June 1, 2020.

Again, this trip needs ten participants to run so please do not book your flights until you learn that we are good to go: I will commit to the trip once I have eight deposits. Purchasing travel insurance within two weeks of our cashing your deposit check is strongly recommended. On the last trip, two couples were forced to cancel less than ten days prior to departure. My family and I use Travel Insurance Services and strongly recommend that you do the same. One couple used a discount outfit; they are still tryng to get remimbursed …

Not included: your round trip airfare from your home to and from Guayaquil, beverages on the boat, phone calls, your meals in Guayaquil, personal items, and an $700/person cash tip for the crew and the guide to be shared by our guide and the 7 folks who will be waiting on us hand and foot every day for two weeks. The service is so wonderful that many folks choose to tip extra.

The Itinerary

Sunday, September 27, 2020: Fly to Guayaquil arriving a day early to ensure that you do not miss the boat.

Monday, September 28, 2020: Introductory session at the Iguana Park.

Tuesday, September 29, 2020: We fly to the archipelago and board the Samba. Heck, on the 2019 trip some folks made great images at the dock in Baltra while our luggage was being loaded!

On the Boat

Day 1: Tuesday, September 29: PM North Seymour

Day 2: Wednesday, Septmber 30: Genovesa: AM Darwin Bay, PM Prince Phillips´ Steps

Day 3: Thursday, October 1: Marchena: AM Playa Negra, PM Navigation to Isabela

Day 4: Friday, October 2: Isabela: AM Punta Albemarle, PM Punta Vicente Roca

Day 5: Saturday, October 3: AM Fernandina: Punta Espinoza, PM Isabela: Bahía Urbina

Day 6: Sunday, October 4: Isabela: AM Elizabeth Bay, PM Punta Moreno

Day 7: Monday, October 5: Floreana: AM Post Office Bay, PM Punta Cormorant

Day 8: Tuesday, October 6: Santa Cruz: AM Highlands and Lunch, PM free time in the city with internet access.

Day 9: Wednesday, October 7: Española: AM Gardner Bay, PM Punta Suárez

Day 10: Thursday, October 8: Española: AM Punta Suarez, PM Navigation to San Cristóbal

Day 11: Friday, October 9: San Cristóbal. AM Isa Lobos (only until 9 am), PM Punta Pitt

Day 12: Saturday, October 10: AM Santa Fe, PM South Plaza

Day 13: Sunday, October 11: Genovesa: AM Darwin Bay, Navigation to Santiago

Day 14: Monday, October 12: AM James Bay, PM Rábida

Day 15: Tuesday, October 13: North Seymour from 6 to 9am. Everyone must make this landing. We disembark late morning and fly back to Guayaquil midday; some wil will overnight there. Others will catch a redeye and fly home.

Wednesday, October 14, 2020: The folks who stayed in Guayaquil will fly home most likely very early in the day.

The itinerary above is subject to National Park apporoval.

I hope that you can join me on what will surely be a rich and rewarding photographic experience.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

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

Facebook

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

Typos

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