Cell Phone Bird Photography Trick/Tip: $5.00 via e-mail « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Cell Phone Bird Photography Trick/Tip: $5.00 via e-mail

What’s Up?

I headed down to the lake early on Tuesday morning in search of birds. My first perched young Great Egret had a filthy neck so after a few frames I headed south on the South Peninsula to scope out another perched Great Egret. Read on to see what happened.

The forecast for this morning — Wednesday 5 AUGUST — is for sunny and still. My plan is to do some flowers very early and then head down to the lake in search of birds …

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Via e-Mail from Multiple IPT veteran and good friend, Donna Bourdon

Donna is a long-time Canon shooter who is dipping her toes into the SONY waters. After purchasing her a9 ii and 200-600 from Steve Elkins at Bedfords, she enjoyed a healthy discount on the SONY guide. She sent me this last night:

I never could have set my new a9 ii without the video. It is amazing that you and Patrick were able to figure out this complex camera so quickly and then develop and shar the guide and the videos with us. Donna

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

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Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

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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.

This image was created from the driver’s seat of my new SUV with my i-Phone 11+ using two tips that I learned from the iPhone Photography e-Guide by Dr. Cliff Oliver.

Image #1: Great Egret, juvenile perched atop large bush

The Situation A

I had been photographing this young egret at 1200mm from my new SUV. From the get-go, with that lovely cloud, I knew that there was a nice bird-scape there for the taking. But both my Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM and my Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 lens were out of reach in the back of the X5. So I grabbed my cell phone and went to work.

This image was created on 4 AUG 2020 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my new SUV, I used the Induro GIT 204/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and the 61-MP Monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO: 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with exposure compensation on the rear wheel: 1/640 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. The exposure was confirmed as perfect in RawDigger. AWB at 7:41am on a mostly sunny morning.

Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C performed spectacularly well as it tracked the bird’s eye as it leaned forward to call (all while I was constantly re-framing).

Image #2: Great Egret, juvenile calling

Lots of Boring Portraits …

Along with Sandhill Crane, Osprey, and an occasional group of Wild Turkey, Great Egret can often be counted upon as one of the few dependable subjects down by the lake at ILE in summer. I often find them preening atop The Perch or atop this or that bush or small tree. In those situations, I create a few portraits and then hope that bird executes one of those gorgeous stretched underwing preening pose. They rarely do.

Yesterday, since my cell phone was right on the passenger side front seat, I decided to try an old trick. While this trick does not always work, the results can be spectacular. See also Image #3 below where the same trick paid huge dividends.

To learn this cell phone trick, send a PayPal for $5.00 to BIRDSASART@verizon.net. You will receive a short e-mail outlining this easily-implemented technique, the one that only works sometimes … See another example below.

This image was created on the miracle morning of April 9, 2018 at the Riparian Preserve at the Gilbert Water Ranch in Phoenix, AZ. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the Nikon D850. ISO 400. Matrix metering about +2/3 stops as framed: 1/1250 sec. at f/7.1. AUTO1 WB at 7:18am on a sunny morning.

Center Group (grp) AF point/Shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. The left hand AF point in the array was right on the bird’s face.

If you do not click on the image to see the larger version you are missing something very special.

Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +4.

Image #3: Cinnamon Teal drake flying right at us

The Situation B

This was adapted from the April 11, 2018 Miraculous Monday Morning at the Gilbert Water Ranch blog post here.

I was scoping out three gorgeous but distant drake Cinnamon Teal at the Gilbert Water Ranch. I had the Group AF array on the one in the middle. I had been photographing avocets hoping for flight so I was at 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1/ISO 400. Instinctively while watching the teal displaying — there was a female in the group — I went two clicks slower on the shutter speed to allow for the darker subject. Then, the drake in the middle jumped off the water and flew right at me looking something like an apparition. I followed and focused and created five quick images. I was thrilled to see that on my laptop every one of them was tack sharp on those amazing red eyes.

Incredibly, this series of images was made possible using the same cell phone trick mentioned above. To learn this technique, send a PayPal for $5.00 to BIRDSASART@verizon.net. You will receive a short e-mail outlining this easily-implemented technique. Please remember that this technique works only a small percentage of the time. But when it does, the resulting images can be very different and very special.

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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 or Bedfords, 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.

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Typos

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3 comments to Cell Phone Bird Photography Trick/Tip: $5.00 via e-mail

  • avatar Maggi Fuller

    Hahaha! Thanks Artie….. Confused by your comment under Image 1… “… using two tips I learned from….”

    Useful to know about the close up lenses for Sony… I shall certainly be trying a pair of the cheap ones as I cannot afford a decent macro lens at the moment! They are even cheaper if you go for pink or blue!!

  • avatar Maggi Fuller

    As I already have the iPhone Photography e-Guide….. Are these tips obvious?

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