What’s Up?
My flight from Orlando to JFK is delayed 2 1/2 hours. If that is the end of it, I should still make the flight to Helsinki. Time will tell. With love to all and at peace, artie
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks 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.
Please Don’t Forget …
As always–and folks have been doing a really great job for a long time now–please remember to use our B&H links for your major and minor gear purchases. For best results, use one of our many product-specific links; after clicking on one of those you can continue shopping with all subsequent purchases invisibly tracked to BAA. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. Please remember: web orders only. And please remember also that if you are shopping for items that we carry in the BAA Online Store (as noted in red at the close of this post below) we would of course appreciate your business.
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These two images were created down by the lake near my home on afternoon of April 17, 2017 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 560mm) and my favorite bird photography camera body, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/400 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. WB: 7900K. LensAlign/FocusTune micro-adjustment: 0. Left Large Zone/AI Servo/Shutter Button AF was active at the moment of exposure. In image 6579 (on the left) the AF system activated a point on the bird’s neck, in 6580 (on the right) the AF system activated two AF points near the back of the bird’s head. For a better comparison of the two images, click on the composite to view a larger version. Sandhill Crane colt at sunset: two-frame sequence. |
Your Call
Would you keep one, both, or neither? Image #6579 is the one on the left, #6580 is on the right. Be sure to click on the image to enlarge the two photos and be sure to state your reasons clearly. Do you see one or the other as sharper? Which image design is stronger?
100-400II, 1.4X III TC, 5D IV Combo …
I continue to be amazed by the versatility and usefulness of this combo for bird photography. On my Gatorland afternoon visits and during several Fort DeSoto IPT sessions, I left the big glass in the car and enjoyed a very relaxing and strain-free hand holding session. And that with a full frame camera body … I enjoy the freedom that hand holding brings, the great 280 to 560mm zoom range, the amazing 4-stop Image Stabilizer system, the incredible sharpness (even with the TC), and the fabulous close focus of less than one meter (about 39 inches).
Hey Arthur,
I had a great time at the DeSoto meet-up. Even though there was not as many birds as there were on most mornings, I still got some good images of the Great Blue Heron and the Laughing Gulls mating. I believe I learned more in those three hours than I have in a year. Thanks again for everything.
Sincerely, John
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This flash as main light image was created a few years back with the old 400 DO, the 2X III TC, and the 1D Mark IV. We should have some good chances with chicks getting fed on the Gatorland weekend. The details follow immediately. |
BIRDS AS ART May 13-14 Gatorland In-the Field Instructional Meet-Up Sessions
Join me in Kissimmee, FL for all or part of the weekend of May 13-14, 2017. We should get to photograph several species of nesting herons and egrets as well as Wood Stork, American Alligator (captive), and more. We should get to make lots of head portraits of all the bird species and to photograph chicks and fledged young. Learn to see, find, and make the shot in cluttered settings. Learn exposure and how to handle WHITEs. Learn fill flash and flash as main light. All of the birds are free and wild. These inexpensive sessions are designed to give folks a taste of the level and the quality of instruction that is provided on BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-tours. I hope to see you there.
May 13-14, 2017 Schedule
- Saturday May 13 Meet-up Morning (early entry): 7:30 till 10:30am: $99.
- Lunch and Image Review: $99.
- Saturday afternoon till closing (late stay): $99.
- Sunday May 14 Meet-up Morning, (early entry): 7:30 till 10am: $80.
Cheap Canon lens rentals available: 600 II, 500 II, 400 DO II, or 200-400.
To pay for one or more sessions in full via credit card, call Jim or Jen in the office weekdays at 863-692-0906. You will be responsible for the cost of your Gatorland Photographer’s pass or passes. Please shoot me an e-mail with questions.
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DeSoto in spring is rife with tame and attractive birds. From upper left clockwise to center: breeding plumage Dunlin, dark morph breeding plumage Reddish Egret displaying, breeding plumage Laughing Gull/front end vertical portrait, breeding plumage Laughing Gull with prey item, Laughing Gull on head of Brown Pelican, screaming Royal Tern in breeding plumage, Royal Terns/pre-copulatory stand, Laughing Gulls copulating, breeding plumage Laughing Gull/tight horizontal portrait, Sandwich Tern with fish, and a really rare one, White-rumped Sandpiper in breeding plumage, photographed at DeSoto in early May. |
BIRDS AS ART May 20-21 Fort DeSoto In-the Field Instructional Meet-Up Sessions
Join me in Tierra Verde, FL for all or part of the weekend of May 20-21, 2017. Beginners are welcome. Lenses of 300mm or longer are recommended but even those with 70-200s should get to make some nice images. Teleconverters are always a plus. You will learn the basics of digital exposure and image design, autofocus basics, and how to get close to free and wild birds. We should get to photograph a variety of wading birds, shorebirds, terns, and gulls. These inexpensive sessions are designed to give folks a taste of the level and the quality of instruction that is provided on BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-tours. I hope to meet you there.
May 20-21, 2017 Schedule
- Saturday May 20 Meet-up Morning: 6:30 till 10:00am: $99.
- Lunch and Image Review: $99.
- Saturday afternoon: 4pm till sunset: $99.
- Sunday May 21 Meet-up Morning, Meet-up Morning: 6:30 till 10:00am: $99.
Cheap Canon lens rentals available: 600 II, 500 II, 400 DO II, or 200-400.
To pay for one or more sessions in full via credit card, call Jim or Jen in the office weekdays at 863-692-0906. You will be responsible for the cost of your Gatorland Photographer’s pass or passes. Please shoot me an e-mail with questions.
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.
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 :).
After 1 1/2 days, I can say that Finland has been amazing. Image #1, 79, is making a comeback …
with love, artie
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Why?
with love, artie
I’m for 5879 because of the impression of the bird’s body position and the (slight) difference in tonal scale from the lower / front section of the image. OOF sun does not bother me in either shot. Both birds seem acceptably sharp at this magnification. I’d keep both.
I like the sense that the bird is “moving through” in 79 whilst it is stopped and bending to feed in 80. Moving shot – tremendous framing and composition. Stationary shot bending to feed – not so difficult. However both could be moving or both could be stationary. ???? Whatever – I still prefer the image balance and sense of vast space in 79 – and the “moving on through” feel.
I’m apparently in disagreement with most of the commenters because I would only keep #6579, the one on the left. Both are interesting and I like the fact that sun is blurry. My problem with the other picture is that it just seems too cutesy or contrived. The bird on the left seems to have an attitude which gives that picture some character.
I prefer 6580 also. I think both are equally sharp but I believe 6580 looks sharper. I like the beak overlaying the sun and feel this makes a stronger image than the other image.
Hi, Artie. Safe travels to Helsinki. On the images; I’d have kept both of them but I wouldn’t enter either into any photo contest. In other words, they don’t rock me. First, on sharpness: the sun is not sharp in either image. 🙂 The birds are both more than sharp enough. Which do I prefer? Well, I prefer the bird’s attitude in 79 (left image) but I like that the sun is right behind the bill in 80 (right image). I guess I prefer 79 overall; I like how the bird’s neck and head frame the sun better than I like the sun behind the bill in 80.
6580, I like the interaction between the subject (bird) and the sun. The depth or relationship of sun being behind vs beside keeps my attention.
Good Morning Art,
I am new to your blog and I just love it!! You have inspired me to attempt one of my own.
Image # 2 because The setting sun draws your eye in and the bird and the sun overlap making the subject very obvious. The other image my eye is not sure which subject to look at. The bird also appears to be a little sharper in image #2.
I would keep both, but I agree that 6580 has superior composition.
I like 6580 better by far. They both appear tack sharp but sharpness is accentuated by the sun thru the nostril bringing attention to the sharpness of the beak especially. The sun thru the nostril is also a more unique image. The subjects–sun and beak– are stacked together making a strong composition pulling my eye right to that spot.
I’m with Pierre on this one for the very same reason.. Gary
I like 580 with the connection between the sun and the beak, including the sun through the nostril.