Developing Sunset Silhouette Addiction/Never Hesitate… « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Developing Sunset Silhouette Addiction/Never Hesitate...

Stuff

We enjoyed a cloudy, drizzly morning on the first full day of the current IPT. With occasional deluges. All in all it was a great but wet morning and I got to use my flash quite a bit. Flash images and stories coming soon.

This blog post, the 118th in a row, took about an hour to prepare. It is scheduled to be published automatically at 2am on Wednesday morning.


sandhill-crane-landing-silh-_36a3346-indian-lake-estates-fl

This image was created at Indian Lake Estates late on Sunday with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 227mm) and the amazing Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 in Av mode. K8000.

Center AF point AI Servo/Surround/Shutter Button AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding and for flight photography). The AF system selected a single AF point two AF points above and one to the left of the center AF point. See the DPP 4 screen capture below to see how Zone AF performed.

Sandhill Crane turning to land

Never Hesitate

I was creating more head and head and shoulders crane silhouettes down by the lake on Sunday evening past when I noticed a crane flying right at me and right into the rather significant color. Rather than thinking of changing the exposure I finally learned the lesson I have been teaching for decades: shoot now, ask questions later. I had thought that -1 would be less than ideal but it turned out be prefect as the RED RGB numbers were in the high 240s. If I had taken even a half second to try to fix the exposure I would have missed the opportunity.

Exposure Question

Why do you think I was at -1 stop EC in the first place?

Image Critiquing Questions

What are the positives? What are the negatives? How do you feel about this image overall?


bosque-2014-a-card

In 2015, we are offering a 3-DAY IPT before Thanksgiving and a 4-DAY IPT after the holiday. You can attend either and spend Thanksgiving Day with your family. Sign up for both and we will be glad to apply a $100 discount to your balance. We know that there are lots of less costly workshops being offered these days. Many of them are downright cheap. Please remember that you get exactly what you pay for. With us you will have two full time pros there for you every minute we are in the field. Together they have more than 28 seasons of experience at the refuge. If you want the finest in photographic instruction and want to be assured of being in the right spot at exactly the right time every day, do join us.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 3-FULL DAY IPT: NOV 22-24, 2015. $1149. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet and introductory slide program after dinner on your own at 7:00pm on SAT NOV 21.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 3 morning and 3 afternoon photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/21, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $449 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. 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. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. 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.


bosque-cardlarger

In 2015, we are offering a 3-DAY IPT before Thanksgiving and a 4-DAY IPT after the holiday. You can attend either and spend Thanksgiving Day with your family. Sign up for both and we will be glad to apply a $100 discount to your balance.

We know that there are lots of less costly workshops being offered these days. Please remember that you get exactly what you pay for. If you want the finest in photographic instruction and want to be assured of being in the right spot at exactly the right time, do join us.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 4-DAY IPT: (three full and two 1/2 DAYS) NOV 28-DEC 2, 2015. $1499. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet at 3pm on SAT NOV 28 followed by an afternoon photo session at the crane pools and the introductory slide program after dinner on your own.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 4 afternoon (11/28through 12/1), 4 morning (11/29 to 12/2) photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/28, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. 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. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. 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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11 comments to Developing Sunset Silhouette Addiction/Never Hesitate…

  • avatar David Peake

    Hi Artie,
    You are at minus 1 ec to juice up the colour a bit along with the K8000 setting.
    I like the legs on this bird. Hope that doesn’t sound too weird.
    The image is about the colour and the bird shape sets it off. It’s a Jaffa.
    Browny black and orange. Perfect.
    As always
    Love
    D

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Underexposing to juice up the colors is a poor technique. Here I got lucky…. a

      • avatar David Peake

        Ok. Minus one is because the camera meter is giving you an exposure to far to the right.
        I’ve heard you say it’s ok to clip the red Chanel just a bit in this situation , however it’s likely with evaluative metering that you were getting some smaller highlights too far over exposed. Hence the minus one.
        Final answer.
        As always.
        Love
        D

  • avatar Mike Poole

    I’m guessing that you were at -1 EC because you were taking head and shoulders shots where a bigger area of the image would be the black silhouette and the camera would over expose the background if left to its own calculations

  • avatar Ted Willcox

    Beautiful Image!! Wonderful Colours!!

  • avatar Craig Wesson

    I believe you were-1 EC to keep the sun from over exposing and to keep the bird
    In silhouette.
    I like the image very much. Maybe a little crop on the left?
    That kelvin trick you taught us is golden !
    Thanks
    Craig

  • avatar Stu

    Thanks very much for both posting and explaining your excellent sandhill crane image.
    Because of the angle, I would be temped to crop from either the left or the riight.

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      With incoming flight I am fine with the bird dead centered. artie

  • avatar Elinor Osborn

    I wish the bill tip were separated from the wing (which of course you couldn’t control). However, beautiful composition with the wings making a diagonal line and beautiful color. Thanks for these teaching blogs !