April 26th, 2018 Lots of Interesting Stuff
I saw Dr. Howard early on Wednesday morning and told him about the blowtorch-like pain that had been keeping my up on Monday and Tuesday nights, that pain centered below and to my left of the incision. Good friend Doctor Anita North (retired neurosurgeon) felt that the pain was likely nerve pain from the Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve that might have been irritated during or more likely after the surgery, a condition called Meralgia Parasthetica. Doctor Howard agreed, saying that he had heard of but never run into this complication of hernia repair surgery. He injected a mix of lidocaine and steroid in hopes of alleviating the pain. He and Anita are 99.9% sure that the condition will clear up in one to two weeks.
Otherwise he was quite happy with the hernia repair and gave me permission to do the previously cancelled Gatorland IPT. I connected with multiple IPT veteran John Dupps on Wednesday evening. 2 1/2 day participant James Dolgin arrives on Thursday afternoon.
When I got to the hotel just after 6:45pm on Wednesday, I was able to arrange a 30-minute on-the-spot session with Cliff. He is a huge believer of something called EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique Tapping). I have tried the tapping before without any great results. I tease him by saying, “I need to tap on why tapping does not work for me.” During the session I tapped on a variety of meridians (acupuncture or energy points) on the head and torso while stating a varying sort of mantra. We began with “I choose to be in pain so I can be a crybaby and have people worry about me.” After several rounds of tapping and lots of tears that evolved — through lots of tears — to “I choose to suffer so that friends will worry about me and love me …” As I continued tapping we discussed the many times over the past five or six decades that I had employed these strategies, most importantly the seven years I had chosen to suffer after losing Elaine to breast cancer in 1994. The strange thing is that the nerve pain in my groin area was a lot better when we got off FaceTime. And though it took me a while to fall asleep, when I did, I slept for 4 1/2 solid hours, the biggest chunks of sleep that I have enjoyed in the past several weeks. I finished updating this blog post at 3:56am on Thursday. I will try to rest a bit more.
The Streak
Today makes two hundred seventy days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one about two hours to prepare including the time spent on creating the composite IPT cards. With all of my upcoming free time (or not…), the plan right now is to try to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.
Thanks to the Patient
With the injured shoulder, the recently concluded DeSoto IPT, and the hernia surgery, I have gotten more than a bit behind on e-mails, especially some Used Gear Sales business. Many thanks for your patience. I have had lots of time to rest lately and am almost caught up.
Dark-siders: Please Do Not Take This Personally
I have been saying this for a while: after many years in the business of brokering used gear sales, one pattern that I have seen is that most Nikon folks think that their stuff is worth a lot more than it actually is. That especially with the potential sales of the older 600mm lenses, some of which weigh in the 12-14 pound range. If you can shed any light as to why this might be the case, I’d love to hear from you.
Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D and 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
New Listing
Nikon Gear/Priced to Sell!
Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G IF ED Lens
Massive Price Drop of $845.00!
Multiple IPT veteran Sam Hogue who was on the last Japan IPT is offering a used Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G IF ED lens in excellent condition for the BAA record low price by far of $1850 (was $2695). The sale includes a LensCoat, a RRS mounting plate, the front cover, the rear cap, the original felt lined, padded lens bag, and insured shipping via UPS Priority. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Sam via e-mail.
This versatile lens is now priced to sell instantly. artie
Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS Lens (the original version)
Gary Meyer is also offering a Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS Lens (the original version) in mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $447.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the soft lens pouch, and insured ground shipping via UPS. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Gary via e-mail.
When I shot Canon, I rarely made a trip or headed out to the beach without my 24-105 in my Xtra-hand vest. Whenever I’d leave this amazingly versatile B-roll lens behind, I’d wind up regretting it. I use it for bird-scapes, photographer-scapes, landscapes, mini-macro scenes that included bird feathers, dead birds, and nests with eggs (the latter only when and if the nest can be photographed without jeopardizing it), and just about anything else that catches my eye. While I am nowhere near as good as Denise Ippolito is with this lens, I have made lots of good and saleable images with mine, the old version. artie
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!
Booking.Com
Several folks on the DeSoto IPT used the Booking.Com link below, got great rates, and saved a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.
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.
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This image was created on the 2nd San Diego IPT on the morning of January 28 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 400. Matrix metering -1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. AUTO0 WB at 8:46am on a clear day.
One up from the center, Group (grp)/Shutter Button/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The array was pretty much centered on the sea lion’s chin, right on the same plane as its eye. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: California Sea Lion, pup on mom
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The Situation
For the past several years, it has been relatively easy to make good images of the California Sea Lions in La Jolla. But like everything else, the more things seem to stay the same the more things change. By keeping my eyes open while thinking about the tidal levels I decided to try a new spot in 2018. And that move paid off with many excellent images. I kept six images of a subject that is often difficult to photograph.
Varying Your Image Designs
When photographing in the field it is always important to keep your eyes and your mind open and to vary your compositions either by zooming in and out with a zoom lens or by human zooming with a fixed focal length lens, that is moving either closer or farther away from the subject. Getting higher or lower or moving slightly left of right while working at the same focal length can often pay big dividends in terms of varying image designs.
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This image was also created on the 2nd San Diego IPT on the morning of January 28 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (this one at 380mm) and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 400. Matrix metering -1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. AUTO0 WB at 8:47am on a clear day.
One up from the center, Group (grp)/Shutter Button/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The array was pretty much centered on the sea lion’s eye. just below and forward of the bird’s eye. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #2: California Sea Lion, pup on mom, much wider view
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What I was thinking when creating Images #1 & #2
With Image #1, I went long and wanted to fill the frame with the young sea lion’s face even though it was obvious that the youngster was resting on its mom. With Image #2, I zoomed out so as to include the mother’s flipper in the frame. In addition, I got a bit lower to include a nice chunk of sweet blue water at the top of the frame.
Your Call?
Which of today’s two featured images do you think would be the strongest after the images are optimized? If you would do anything different with the image of your choice (in terms of the image optimization), please let us know that too.
Help Support the Blog
Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack.
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 :).
April 25th, 2018 Stuff
As I worked on the two new composite cards for the 2019 San Diego IPT I could not help but think about the fact that even if you took the spectacular breeding plumage Pacific race Brown Pelicans completely out of the picture that San Diego would still be a great place to photograph in winter. I can’t wait to get back. If you are considering the San Diego IPT please be sure to see the Dancing Grebe Add-On Morning Info near the bottom of this blog post.
I was glad to learn that the sale of all but one of Gary Meyer’s listed Canon items became pending on the first day of listing. He was thrilled. Only his 24-105mm remains. (See below for that.)
I am glad that I am seeing Dr. Howard — the hernia surgeon — this morning, as we have a few things to discuss. That said I did not sleep well last night.
I got some 2017 tax stuff done yesterday. Today I will continue to get lots of image off of my laptop in preparation for my upcoming Norway/Puffins IPT 7-week trip.
The Streak
Today makes two hundred sixty-nine days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one about two hours to prepare including the time spent on creating the composite IPT cards. With all of my upcoming free time (or not…), the plan right now is to try to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.
Thanks to the Patient
With the injured shoulder, the recently concluded DeSoto IPT, and the hernia surgery, I have gotten more than a bit behind on e-mails, especially some Used Gear Sales business. Many thanks for your patience. I have had lots of time to rest lately and am almost caught up.
Dark-siders: Please Do Not Take This Personally
I have been saying this for a while: after many years in the business of brokering used gear sales, one pattern that I have seen is that most Nikon folks think that their stuff is worth a lot more than it actually is. That especially with the potential sales of the older 600mm lenses, some of which weigh in the 12-14 pound range. If you can shed any light as to why this might be the case, I’d love to hear from you.
Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D and 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
New Listing
Nikon Gear/Priced to Sell!
Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G IF ED Lens
Massive Price Drop of $845.00!
Multiple IPT veteran Sam Hogue who was on the last Japan IPT is offering a used Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G IF ED lens in excellent condition for the BAA record low price by far of $1850 (was $2695). The sale includes a LensCoat, a RRS mounting plate, the front cover, the rear cap, the original felt lined, padded lens bag, and insured shipping via UPS Priority. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Sam via e-mail.
This versatile lens is now priced to sell instantly. artie
Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS Lens (the original version)
Gary Meyer is also offering a Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS Lens (the original version) in mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $447.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the soft lens pouch, and insured ground shipping via UPS. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Gary via e-mail.
When I shot Canon, I rarely made a trip or headed out to the beach without my 24-105 in my Xtra-hand vest. Whenever I’d leave this amazingly versatile B-roll lens behind, I’d wind up regretting it. I use it for bird-scapes, photographer-scapes, landscapes, mini-macro scenes that included bird feathers, dead birds, and nests with eggs (the latter only when and if the nest can be photographed without jeopardizing it), and just about anything else that catches my eye. While I am nowhere near as good as Denise Ippolito is with this lens, I have made lots of good and saleable images with mine, the old version. artie
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!
Booking.Com
Several folks on the DeSoto IPT used the Booking.Com link below, got great rates, and saved a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.
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.
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San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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2019 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) SUN JAN 20, 2019 thru and including the morning session on THURS JAN 24: 4 1/2 days: $2099.
(Limit: 10)
Introductory Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; SAT JAN 19, 2019.
Please see the Dancing Grebe Morning Add-On Info below
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 will be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains and healthy breads.
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 take-aways on every IPT.
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Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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It Ain’t Just Pelicans
With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography 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.
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Did I mention that there are wealth of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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The San Diego Details
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. An 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.
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Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.
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Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late
On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the land/sea scape opportunities.
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This image was created in San Diego, CA with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the simply amazing, astounding, mega mega-pixel Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 500. Evaluative metering -2/3 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Av mode. AWB.
61-Point (Automatic selection)/AI Servo/Shutter Button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when photographing moving subjects). Though the optimized image above was a healthy crop from the original the result was a high quality 148+ MB 16-bit file. Click on the image to see a larger version. The AF system selected two AF points, one above the other, between the two birds;the eye of the bird on our right is razor sharp.
Clarke’s X Western Grebe courtship rush
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The Dancing Grebe Add-On. FRI JAN 25, 2019: $399.
Those registering for the 2019 San Diego IPT might wish to join me for the Dancing Grebe Add-On Morning as above. Please read the details carefully. You will need to wade at least mid-thigh deep with your tripod over an uneven bottom. Lightweight chest waders are advised. Long lenses are needed; a 100-400 will not cut it at this spot, even with a TC. Chances at this location (easily accessible from the IPT hotel), vary from day to day so there will be no guarantees. But when those grebes dance, it can be an amazing rush. We may also enjoy chances to photograph both species, Western and Clarke’s Grebes, at fairly close range.
AF Notes
If I were still shooting Canon, I would go with Center Large Zone in this situation. With my Nikon gear, my first choice would be Group (grp) AF. Next year, I anticipate using my Nikon 600 most likely with the TC-E14 teleconverter …
Help Support the Blog
Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack.
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 :).
April 24th, 2018 Stuff
I slept pretty well for almost ten hours on Sunday night. The hernia repair felt pretty good when I woke but as I got dressed to go to town it began to hurt quite a bit … Dr. Holmes thought that they incision was healing well. So did I. After that appointment I had a red laster treatment on my left shoulder to help with the healing. Or not. 🙂 After my nap the pain was greatly reduced as long as I was staying still.
The Streak
Today makes two hundred sixty-eight days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one about an hour to prepare including the time spent on the image optimization. With all of my upcoming free time (or not…), the plan right now is to try to break the current record streak of 480 … Good health and good internet connections and my continuing insanity willing.
Thanks to the Patient
With the injured shoulder, the recently concluded DeSoto IPT, and the hernia surgery, I have gotten more than a bit behind on e-mails, especially some Used Gear Sales business. Many thanks for your patience. I have had lots of time to rest lately and am almost caught up.
Dark-siders: Please Do Not Take This Personally
I have been saying this for a while: after many years in the business of brokering used gear sales, one pattern that I have seen is that most Nikon folks think that their stuff is worth a lot more than it actually is. That especially with the potential sales of the older 600mm lenses, some of which weigh in the 12-14 pound range. If you can shed any light as to why this might be the case, I’d love to hear from you.
Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D and 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.
New Listings
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV dSLR
Sale Pending First Day of Listing
Gary Meyer is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV dSLR in mint condition with only 3115 shutter actuations for the very low price of $2599. The sale includes the front lens cap, all the manuals, the cords, the strap, the original box, and insured ground shipping via UPS. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Gary via e-mail.
What can I say. The 5D IV was my favorite-ever Canon dSLR. I owned and use three of them while my 1DX II sat on the shelf in my garage. If you have been dreaming of a 5D IV, grab Gary’s practically new copy right now and save a cool $700.artie artie
Canon EF 100-400 IS-II USM Zoom Lens
Sale Pending First Day of Listing
Gary Meyer is also offering a Canon EF 100-400 IS-II USM Zoom Lens in mint condition for the very low price of $1699.00. The sale includes a 77mm B&W UV Filter, the tough fabric soft case, and the front and rear lens caps, the lens hood, and insured ground shipping via UPS. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Gary via e-mail.
Y’all know how much I used and loved and miss my 100-400II for its incredible sharpness (even with the 1.4X TC), it’s amazing versatility, and its hard-to-believe close focus. artie
artie
Canon EF 1.4X III Extender (teleconverter)
Sale Pending First Day of Listing
Gary Meyer is also offering a Canon EF 1.4X III Extender (teleconverter) for a very low $299. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the soft lens pouch, and insured ground shipping via UPS. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Gary via e-mail.
The 1.4X teleconverters were so important to what I do in the field that I routinely traveled with three of them! And each had to be micro-adjusted with all lens and body combinations as well as at the long and short ends of zoom lenses … artie
Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS Lens (the original version)
Gary Meyer is also offering a Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS Lens (the original version) in mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $447.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the soft lens pouch, and insured ground shipping via UPS. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Gary via e-mail.
When I shot Canon, I rarely made a trip or headed out to the beach without my 24-105 in my Xtra-hand vest. Whenever I’d leave this amazingly versatile B-roll lens behind, I’d wind up regretting it. I use it for bird-scapes, photographer-scapes, landscapes, mini-macro scenes that included bird feathers, dead birds, and nests with eggs (the latter only when and if the nest can be photographed without jeopardizing it), and just about anything else that catches my eye. While I am nowhere near as good as Denise Ippolito is with this lens, I have made lots of good and saleable images with mine, the old version. artie
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens
Sale Pending First Day of Listing
Gary Meyer is also offering a Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens in mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $349.00. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the soft lens pouch, the original box, and insured ground shipping via UPS.
Please contact Gary via e-mail.
As I was not a very good landscape photographer, the f/4 versions of the 16-35 and the 17-40 were always more attractive to me than the larger, heavier f/2.8 versions. The IS feature with this lens makes it a snap to hand hold. artie
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Money Saving Reminder
If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!
Booking.Com
Several folks on the DeSoto IPT used the Booking.Com link below, got great rates, and saved a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.
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.
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This image was created on the 1st San Diego IPT on the morning of January 14, 2018 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III — at 299mmm — and the blazingly fast Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. ISO 1250. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/1600 sec. at f/9. AWB at 8:10am on a foggy, overcast morning at 7:56am.
Center Large Zone/Shutter Button/AI Servo (Continuous in Nikon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The system activated an L-shaped array of three points on base of the the distended bill pouch, right on the same plane as the pelican’s eye.
Brown Pelican, Pacific race in breeding plumage, head throw
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Super San Diego AF Tip for Canon and Nikon
When attempting to create vertical head throw images, the tendency is to select an upper AF point. But, except when working wide for full body vertical head throws, it is far better to select an array of AF points near the center of the frame. Why? It is too easy for AF to lose the (too skinny) bill tip at the peak of the action. By choosing an array near the center of the frame the system it is much easier for the system to acquire and hold AF on the much broader, fully distended bill pouch.
For Canon …
For Canon I would recommend Large Center Zone to get broad AF coverage that will be on the same plane as the bird’s eye.
For Nikon …
For Nikon I would recommend center (or one up from the center) d-25 or d-72 to get broad AF coverage on the distended bill pouch that will be on the same plane as the bird’s eye.
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Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie
If In Doubt …
If in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.
Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.
As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.
I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.
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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 :).
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