One Business You Do Not Want to Get Into; What to Do With a Fizzle? « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

One Business You Do Not Want to Get Into; What to Do With a Fizzle?

Another Gatorland Short Notice Saturday Full-Day In-the-Field Workshop: Saturday May 3, 2014

Announced Here for the First Time

Please scroll down for details.

The Streak Continues: 137

It is 5:42 am. Though I leave for the airport at 10:30am for my flights to Amsterdam for the Holland Tulip IPT, I still have not begun packing my two checked bags…. My Think Tank rolling bag is packed. I decided to take the 300 II and leave the 200-400 at home and to leave one of my two 1D X bodies at home since we will be doing only a few birds at most and I will be depending on my 5D Mark III for the tulips and the flower fields.

This post marks 137 straight days with a new educational blog post. With so many folks getting in the habit of using our B&H links and our Amazon logo-links why quit now? To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we do ask that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, and the like. We sell only what I used, 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 we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

You can find the following items in the store: Gitzo tripods, Mongoose M3.6 and Wimberley heads, plates, low feet, and accessories, flash brackets, , Delkin e-film Pro Compact Flash Cards, LensCoat products, and our unique line-up of educational materials including ABP I & II, Digital Basics, Site and Set-up e-Guides, Canon and Nikon Camera Users and AF e-Guides, and MP-4 Photoshop video tutorials among others.

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This blog post took 3 hours to put together. Enjoy!


clouds-at-sunset-_a1c2794-lake-blue-cyrpess-indian-river-county-fl

This image was created at 7:23pm on Saturday April 12, 2014 aboard Jim Neiger’s customized pontoon boat with the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens (hand held at 24mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop as framed: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 in Av mode. Color temperature: 10,000K.

Central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF on the horizon line and re-compose. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #1:It’s All About the Clouds

One Business You Do Not Want to Get Into

We first noticed the swirly clouds at about 5pm. By 7:30, most were–going by the gorgeous patterns of the light clouds on the eastern horizon, predicting a killer colorful sunset. Though I agreed, I did caution: “One business that you do not want to get into is predicting sunset color….”

Within 20 minutes, my caution rang true.

Image Optimization Note

I wanted to try adding a reduced opacity later of Auto Contrast (ALT-SHIFT-CNTRL L) as taught to me by Denise Ippolito) but I accidentally hit SHIFT-CNTRL L. Wow, that really popped the BLUEs, similar to what White Neutralizer does in NIK but a lot faster. A bit of searching showed that I had hit the default keyboard shortcut for Auto Tone. I reduced the opacity to 80% and was thrilled with my new discovery. I shall not forget it.


cypress-trees-at-sunset-_a1c2838-lake-blue-cyrpess-indian-river-county-fl

This image was created at 7:45pm on Saturday April 12, 2014 aboard Jim Neiger’s customized pontoon boat with the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens (hand held at 26mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/640 sec. at f/4 in Av mode. Color temperature: 10,000K.

Three sensors to the left of the central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF as framed active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #2: Cypress Trees Straight Up

Straight Up

Once Jim positioned the boat grabbing the 24-70 and going wide with it was the obvious choice. With a bit of color above the horizon I went with the traditional approach by creating a sharp image.

Image Question

What 2 species of birds can be identified in this photo? Note: clicking on the image to enlarge it will help.


cypress-tree-art-vivid-hdr-funky-_a1c2849-lake-blue-cyrpess-indian-river-county-fl

This 3-frame in-camera HDR Art Vivid image was created at 7:46pm on Saturday April 12, 2014 aboard Jim Neiger’s customized pontoon boat with the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens (hand held at 24mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/125 sec. at f/4 in Av mode. Color temperature: 10,000K.

Three sensors to the left of the central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF as framed were active at the moment of each exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #3: Cypress Trees HDR Art Vivid Funky Outlines

What to Do With a Fizzle?

In-camera Art Vivid HDR

My first thought was to boost the color by going in-camera HDR Art Vivid, offered only in the Canon EOS-D Mark III. I know that with the boat rocking that both the horizon line and the trees would feature funky black outlining. I was right.


cypress-trees-mutliple-exposure-_a1c2879-lake-blue-cypress-indian-river-county-fl

This 5-frame in-camera multiple exposure was created at 7:53pm on Saturday April 12, 2014 aboard Jim Neiger’s customized pontoon boat with the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens (hand held at 26mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/125 sec. at f/4 in Av mode. Color temperature: 10,000K.

Three sensors to the left of the central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF as framed active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #4: Ghost Cypress Trees

What to Do With a Fizzle?

In-camera Multiple Exposure

Just for the heck of it I decided to try an in-camera Multiple Exposure. The first one looked quite ghostly so I created 5 more. This one is my favorite.

Your Favorite

After enlarging each image, please take a moment to let us know which one you like best and why.

The Feather Button

I access both the in-camera HDR feature and the in-camera Multiple Exposure feature via the Artist’s Brush button on the back of the 5D Mark III. Learn everything that there is to know about these 2 great features, everything that there is to know about the 5D III’s great new AF system, and pretty much everything that there is to know about this great camera in our 5D MK III User’s Guide.

Get a Free Copy of Our 5D Mark III User’s Guide

Purchase a Canon EOS-5D Mark III using one of our product-specific B&H affiliate links above or by clicking on the logo link below and shoot me your B&H receipt via e-mail. Once and if the purchase appears in my account–it should unless you screwed up somehow and did not use the link :), I will be glad to have Jim send you a free copy of our 5D Mark III User’s Guide.

gatorland-card

Join me at Gatorland for a ton of learning. If you want to learn to use your flash, you will not want to miss this one. Click on the composite image to enjoy a larger version. Click on the composite to enjoy the larger size.

Another Gatorland Short Notice Saturday Full-Day In-the-Field Workshop

Saturday May 3, 2014. 7:15am till 10:15am & 4:00pm till dusk. Lunch, image review, and Photoshop session included. Limit 6. A very small group is again likely: $399.

The cost of your Gatorland Photographer’s Pass is not included.

Chicks in nests likely. Breeding plumage Cattle and Snowy Egrets. And tons more. You will learn to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. A big part of the above is that you will learn how and why you must work in Manual mode 90% of the time at Gatorland.

At lunch we will review my images, take a look at five of your best images from the morning session (for those who opt to bring their laptops), and process a few of my images in Photoshop after converting them in DPP. That followed by Instructor Nap Time. Last Saturday all 3 folks had a great time and learned a ton. And the weather for this coming Saturday is looking good.

Payment in full via credit card is due upon registering. Please call Jim or Jennifer at 863-692-0906 to register.

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We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. πŸ™‚

11 comments to One Business You Do Not Want to Get Into; What to Do With a Fizzle?

  • avatar David Policansky

    My favorite is image 2. By the way, predicting sunset colors works both ways. I recently left what looked to be a fizzle a few minutes too early and missed a biblical sunset. My consolation was that the one the previous evening, which I didn’t leave, was every bit as good.

  • Absolutely love images 1, 2, and 3. Beautiful work!!!

  • avatar colin bradshaw

    difficult to be sure about the species as the images are so small but I’d go for Osprey on left and Anhinga on right [but it could be DC Cormorant]

  • avatar Ted Willcox

    When I first looked at Image #1, I said Wow!!, This is one beautiful, beautiful image!! ted

  • avatar Pat Fishburne

    Art: I loved the landscapes (waterscapes?) that you created on Jim Neiger’s boat! Have a great time in Holland!

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Thanks on all counts Pat. I am doing two more days on Jim’s boat on May 23 & 24. Details to be announced soon. You and Stokes should come up for those. You can stay in my guest bedroom no charge :).

  • avatar Jim Kranick

    “Purchase a 5D Mark III User’s Guide using one of our product-specific B&H affiliate links above or by clicking on the logo link below and shoot me your B&H receipt via e-mail.”

    Isn’t that “Purchase a 5D Mark III CAMERA BODY” and get the free Users Guide?

    BTW, I really like your 5D III user guide and I paid full price for it πŸ™‚

    Enjoy Holland.

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Thanks for catching my brain typo and for the Holland good wishes.

      I must ask, did you use my B&H affiliate link? πŸ™‚

      • avatar Jim Kranick

        Yes, I did use your B&H link and wrote you that after using the link I did not see any notice that I was doing anything different from just going into their website. You wrote that it would be OK. I was nervous about that because my wife went for a nice “landscape kit” (5D III, 24-105 & 24mm TSE) for my birthday and I wanted you to get something from my purchase.