At ILE on Tuesday morning, I did some nice stuff on adult cranes on the South Peninsula while the sun was out early (and briefly). I got back home very early, did my cardio-bursts, swam my 60 lengths, packed the Sequoia, and drove the two hours fifteen minutes to my Gulfport AirBNB. It was a bit strange being on the road again. I left my place a bit after 5pm. Despite having left the windows open a good six inches, the temperature in the car read 110 degrees F. Yikes. It was cool at the beach with a south wind.
The forecast for the morning of Wednesday, 27 MAY 2020, was not good for flight photography: sun turning to partly cloudy with gentle southwest winds. NG! The birds will be flying, landing, taking off, and facing directly away from the sun … Nonetheless, I headed to the park at 6:20am.
DeSoto
If you would like a guided tour of the Least Tern colony and are interested in some inexpensive In-the-Field Instruction (with social distancing), please get in touch with me ASAP via e-mail. The weather forecast for Thursday morning is perfect …
76 sold to rave reviews.
The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris
Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.
Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera
BAA Record-low price
Patrick Hogue is offering a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $998.00. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, the dual battery charger upgrade, a UV filter, the front 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 Patrick via e-mail or by phone at 1-760-898-6770 (Pacific time zone).
This is a versatile, do-everything, travel, sports, and wildlife camera with a built-in 24-600mm lens. The AF system, borrowed from a9 series bodies, is a huge improvement from the AF system in the previous version, the Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III Digital Camera. AF with the IV tracks perfectly at 24 frames per second (silent shooting!) The 4.5 stop stabilization is amazingly effective at the long end of the focal length range. The video capabilities of this camera are equally amazing. It sells new for $1,598 so you can save $600.00 by grabbing Patrick’s camera. Click here to learn more about this amazing camera and be sure to scroll down and watch the video. artie
A good friend started posting incredible photos of beautiful scenes and awesome closeups, and we had to inquire about what camera he was using. And it was the RX10 IV! From the moment we opened the box we knew that we made a great purchase! It is easy to use and not to have to change lenses to get the shot that we want. We look forward to continuing to learning how to use more of its amazing features! Online Review by Paul
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
SONY 200-600 Update
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as immediately below to save $50.00.
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.
357 RAW files plus one optmized image
357 RAW files + plus one optimized image …
There were few birds at DeSoto. And lots of people on the sandbar. I did not find any Red Knot — I had figured that most would be gone by very late May. I did find some Royal Terns doing the nasty but was too lazy to sit in the muck. Then I came upon a treasure: a large, roped-off Least Tern colony. With the wind from the south and the sun going down in the west conditions were good but not perfect. I was having trouble acquiring and holding focus on the small, erratically-flying speedsters. Out of desperation, I tried something new; it worked like a charm. But Least Terns in flight are such challenging subjects that I managed only 35 keepers out of 357 tries. But those included eight green-tagged family jewels.
Even though the thumbnails are tiny, you can see how many wings I clipped. Not to mention images with no bird at all in the frame. It was a tough situation, but my new technique helped me create a few very good ones. Do understand that all of the clipped wings and total whiffs a result of operator error …
Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed beyond perfection (even as seen here with backgrounds other than sky).
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Image Least Tern returning to nest
My Favorite?
Above is one of the eight green-tagged family jewels images. I had a hard time picking the best one … I added just a bit of canvas above.
My New Least Tern AF-Trick!
My new trick will likely work well only in very limited situations: when photographing small, fast-flying birds in flight at close range. It will likely work well only with the 600mm f/4 lenses. It killed with the SONY 600 GM at 840mm and at 600mm. I am not sure how much it would improve things with either the Canon or the Nikon 600s, but it will likely work …
If you already own the SONY e-Guide that I did with Patrick Sparkman, click here and I will send the tip along via e-mail.
If you own a 600 f/4 — SONY or otherwise — and would like to learn what I did, please send a Paypal for $10.00 to e-mail and then send a copy of the transaction to me here. Please include the words Least Tern AF Trick in your Paypal.
If you would like to learn the exact location of the DeSoto Least Tern colony, please send a Paypal for $8.00 to e-mail and then send a copy of the transaction to me here. Please include the words Least Tern Colony Info in your Paypal. Note: At times, Least Tern colonies suffer catastrophic failure.
An unsharpened 100% crop of today’s featured imagee
a9 ii AF at 840mm
What can I say about SONY AF? The keepers (and nearly all of those that I deleted), were razor-sharp on the eye. I would call this frame astoundingly sharp.
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 🙂
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 regularly visit 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 :).
Monday was rain, rain, and more rain followed at times by heavy rain with brief periods of drizzle. I started the day by setting up a new perch along the lakeshore and quickly realized that it is much too tall and thin. As I was working on erecting it, I felt several bites on my right hand. They felt like ant bites but I did not see any ants on my hand. Nonetheless, my hand was red and terribly itchy for the rest of the day. And night. On Tuesday morning I can clearly see two bites on my still-itchy hand. From now on, I will wear gloves!
Next were the crane babies, now about 16 days old and getting bigger every day. Then I drove around exploring and looking for wildflowers. I found one nice new one but it was raining too hard to photograph so I continued exploring. When it let up a bit, I returned to the site and spent about 30 minutes with the Sigma 150 macro (for Nikon)/Vello Adapter rig and was able to create one that I liked. I am not sure of the species. I find wildflower identification to be as challenging as photographing them. I have an excellent book but comparing the photos in the book to my images is not working well, and in many cases, I am 100% sure that the flower I am looking for is not in the book. It does not help that I have zero knowledge of wildflower basics, but I am studying …
The weather forecast for this morning is mostly cloudy. I will be headed down to the lake for a short drive-around before packing up for my drive across the state this afternoon.
Since yesterday was Memorial Day, some might enjoy the tribute to my Dad that I mention in the V-log video. You can access it in the blog post here.
DeSoto
I am heading over to Fort DeSoto this afternoon and will be returning home after a morning photo session on Saturday 30 MAY. I am hoping to find some Red Knots in full breeding plumage, and some nice Royal and Sandwich Terns doing the nasty. And I am excited about finding some nice beach wildflowers that I have never noticed before. If you are interested in some inexpensive In-the-Field Instruction (with social distancing), please get in touch with me ASAP via e-mail.
76 sold to rave reviews.
The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris
Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.
Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera
BAA Record-low price
Patrick Hogue is offering a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $998.00. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, the dual battery charger upgrade, a UV filter, the front 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 Patrick via e-mail or by phone at 1-760-898-6770 (Pacific time zone).
This is a versatile, do-everything, travel, sports, and wildlife camera with a built-in 24-600mm lens. The AF system, borrowed from a9 series bodies, is a huge improvement from the AF system in the previous version, the Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III Digital Camera. AF with the IV tracks perfectly at 24 frames per second (silent shooting!) The 4.5 stop stabilization is amazingly effective at the long end of the focal length range. The video capabilities of this camera are equally amazing. It sells new for $1,598 so you can save $600.00 by grabbing Patrick’s camera. Click here to learn more about this amazing camera and be sure to scroll down and watch the video. artie
A good friend started posting incredible photos of beautiful scenes and awesome closeups, and we had to inquire about what camera he was using. And it was the RX10 IV! From the moment we opened the box we knew that we made a great purchase! It is easy to use and not to have to change lenses to get the shot that we want. We look forward to continuing to learning how to use more of its amazing features! Online Review by Paul
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
SONY 200-600 Update
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as below to save $50.00.
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.
Bored of Crane Chicks? V-log Video
As regular readers know, I was blessed by the arrival of two tiny tame Sandhill Cranes chicks that hatched right around Mother’s Day. I was getting a bit bored at one point, but — as you will see in the video — that can change quickly … I wound up sitting on the ground behind my tripod and having a ton of fun. Best of all? There is plenty to learn about bird photography in this 11-minute 43- second video. The video shows several examples of operator error when using Tracking FLlexible Spot (M) …
I keep forgetting to mention that when I am creating horizontal images of one of the adults brooding the two chicks, the adult will often stand up without warning startling the two chicks; they have a what-just-happened? look on their faces. Instinctively, I rotate the lens barrel to vertical but am always too close to fit the adult in the frame with my fixed lens, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM. As I need the speed (at f/4) in low light, the only solution would be to move farther away from the birds …
Your Pick?
Of the 36 images in the video, a single one stands out as clearly best to me. I would love to hear which one is your favorite. And why you like it. I recommend that you do not view the video full screen as the quality is not there. When you see an image that you like, you can pause the video, go to full screen, and jot down the last four digits of the file number. Then go back to the smaller view.
When you are finished, you can rewind to compare your favorites, decide on your absolute favorite, and leave a comment. The first person to pick my favorite as their favorite will receive a Photoshop MP.4 video of their choosing.
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 🙂
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 regularly visit 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 :).
On Saturday morning I photographed the two-week-old crane chicks for a bit in the early morning light. I had a few good chances on a pair of caracaras, but struck out. Then I did some Black Vulture heads against green (grass) and gray (mud) backgrounds. It clouded over and the wind dropped to nothing so I went looking for wildflowers. I found one nice Florida Sensitive Brier blossom. I worked hard but wound up making one simple mistake that ruined all of the images. The funny thing is that there is a parallel when photographing groups of birds. In any case, I simply blew my chance.
Sunday morning dawned still and cloudy-dark. I visited the crane family but never even got my gear together. Instead, I went looking for wildflowers on Lakeview, a side street two blocks from my home. Most easy breezes are blocked on the sidestreets as they are wooded on each side. I found seven nice wildflower species to photograph. I find that finding new and different flowers is tremendously exciting A photographing them well is tremendously challenging. Again, I found some very nice Florida Sensitive Brier blossoms. This time I was able to correct the previous errors I had made when photographing these beautiful, pink, ball-shaped flowers. Image and mistake revelation here soon.
I spent an hour on the phone with Patrick Sparkman on Saturday discussing the fine points of checking your exposures with RawDigger. Man oh man, my eyes were opened and I learned a ton … Can you say RawDigger e-Guide?
It is raining here at ILE early this morning — Monday 25 MAY 2020. And the forecast is for rain all day followed by thunderstorms this afternoon … Nonetheless, I will likely get out to do some photography at some point. I’ve recently upped my swim to 60 lengths (88 to the mile) and will try to get in the pool earlier than usual to avoid getting fried. I’ve missed only two swims during the last two months.
DeSoto
I am heading over to Fort DeSoto on Tuesday afternoon and will be returning home after a morning session on Saturday 30 MAY. I am hoping to find some Red Knots in full breeding plumage, and some nice Royal and Sandwich Terns doing the nasty. And I am excited about finding some nice beach wildflowers that I have never noticed before … If you are interested in some inexpensive In-the-Field Instruction (with social distancing), please get in touch with me ASAP via e-mail.
Free Sandhill Crane Chick Grass Blade Removal Video Offer
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
SONY 200-600 Update
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as below to save $50.00.
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.
I surely drove right past these beautiful flowers many dozens of times over the past 18 years without noticing them. I finally noticed them a few days ago right on the edge of the marsh in Old Gnarly’s neck of the woods. As it was a fairly still morning, I picked a single blossom and used a Plamp attached to a spare tripod to secure it and positioned it so that I could enjoy a distant green background. In this exact situation, I had no qualms about picking one blossom as with the lake level so low, I knew that the guys who cut the fields would be mowing the edge of the wetlands as always.
I was quite lucky to create one sharp image of this flower at 1/13 sec. as there was a breeze. And as I have worked with my new macro set-up, I have come to realize that I will need to keep the flowers completely still. I will be sharing many more Plamp Tips with you here in future blog posts.
My Macro Plan …
A month ago, I knew that I was getting interested in photographing wildflowers. The SONY 100-400 with or without the 1.4X TC is fine for larger flowers and I still use it often for the bigger blossoms. But I needed a lens for small flowers. The longest SONY macro lens is 100mm (at 1:1). Laowa makes a 100mm macro for SONY that gets down to 2:1. But I like the longer focal lengths — 180 and 200mm — with macro as they provide narrow angles a view. At some point, I mentioned to Mr.Sparkman that I still had the Sigma APO Macro 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens for Nikon F. He suggested that I get the Vello Select Nikon F Lens to Sony E-Mount Camera Auto Lens Adapter (Firmware Ver. 6) and see if that would work.
So I started trying to create some images with that set-up. As the adapter acts in part as an extension tube, the effective aperture varies with the focusing distance and that is noted by the camera. With distant subjects, the wide-open aperture is f/3.5. As you focus on closer subjects, that changes to f/4, f/4.5, f/5.0, and f/5.6 (at or close to 1:1). When you are working wide open the electronics are fine and Zebras are accurate. After that, things start to get very strange. Let’s say for example that you are wide open at 1/200 sec. at f/5.0 and you stop down three clicks to f/7.1. You would expect that slowing the shutter speed three clicks to 1/100 sec. would yield a perfect exposure. Not. The image will be two stops too dark … Then you need to raise the ISO
At first, I was pretty much ready to quit. But with practice and experimentation, I am beginning to learn to make some decent images as long as there is little or no wind or I can somehow keep the flower completely still. I have been in touch with the folks at GradusGroup and they are getting in touch with the developers. In all fairness, the Sigma 150 for Nikon is not on the compatible list. In general I do not recommend using adapters with Nikon or Canon lenses as AF suffers badly. But I’ve made an exception for macro as everything is manual focus.
Free-to-all SONY e-Guide Update: Focus Magnification. Time
Here is a free update for those using Manual Focus Toggle and Focus Magnifier (as detailed in the SONY Camera User’s e-Guide). I had been confused when the Focus Magnifier turned off while I was focusing. I thought that it might be happening because I touched the focusing ring. Then I had a thought: could there be a timer when using Focus Magnifier? Bingo. On the 7r iv, on Focus Assist Menu (14/15), the second item is Focus Magnif. Time. After I set that to No Limit, Focus Magnifier stays on until you re-press the center button, With everything now down pat, I am able to focus with extreme accuracy. Every time. Now I am a macro machine!
70 sold with rave reviews.
The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris
Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.
Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.
The Art of Flower Photography by Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris
You can learn everything e about this e-book here, or order your copy here.
Video: The Art of Flower Photography
In this B&H Event Space video, two of the world’s premier photographers of flora and fauna — Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito — share the techniques they use to create dramatic, sharp, well-composed, properly exposed images of flowers and flower fields. Denise does great things with the Canon 100mm f/2.8 L IS lens, while artie often goes to longer focal lengths—he has been seen photographing tulips at Keukenhoff Gardens, Holland, with a 600mm lens and a teleconverter. In addition to standard techniques, the video ends with Ippolito and Morris showing a wide range of abstract floral images and describing a variety of creative artistic effects such as multiple exposures, sharp/soft blending, texture overlays, warping a flower, creating zoom/twirls, in-camera blurs, and many others.
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 🙂
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 regularly visit 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 :).
