This 3-frame in-camera HDR Art Vivid image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III . ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops yielded a base exposure of 1/30 sec. at f/11 in Av mode. (You need to add a lot more light than you normally would when creating in-camera Art Vivid HDRs.) 2-second timer.

Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF on the center of the bud. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version.

Hey Bud

I had a fun time co-leading Denise Ippolito’s Creative Photography Iris Workshop last Thursday. We were blessed with perfect flower photography weather: cloudy bright to cloudy with a few rain drops here and there and nearly dead calm conditions until the sun finally came out at 10:45am just before the end of the workshop. Everyone had fun and learned a ton. While the irises were beautiful (flower photos coming soon) I was really attracted to the buds. The 180 macro was just too wide so I grabbed the 300 II and went to work.

This 3-frame in-camera HDR Art Vivid image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III . ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop yielded a base exposure of 1/30 sec. at f/11 in Av mode. 2-second timer. Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF on the bottom of the flower part of the bud. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version. Iris bud #2

Aperture/Depth-of-Field Choice

Choosing intermediate apertures in the range of from f/8 to f/13 for the bud shots worked well. Anything smaller brought up the background too much by revealing distracting detail.

This 3-frame in-camera HDR Art Vivid image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III . ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop yielded a base exposure of 1/50 sec. at f/10 in Av mode. 2-second timer. Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF on the bottom of the flower part of the bud. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version. Iris bud #3

Choice of Perspective/Isolating the Subject

If you walked up to any old bud with your tripod and began making images all of your backgrounds would have included a plethora of distracting background elements, usually from the next row of flowers. To get the pure green backgrounds reminiscent of my BIRDS AS ART style I needed to lower the tripod and move from side to side so as to create a background of distant grass. Doing so was a bit easier said than done as there was all manner of trees and benches about. Denise’s group marveled at the images on the back of my 5D MIII. Several grabbed their longest lens and began flattering me…. Confused? What do they say about imitation?

This 3-frame in-camera HDR Art Vivid image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III . ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 stops yielded a base exposure of 1/20 sec. at f/8 in Av mode. Live View and 2-second timer. Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF on the bottom of the flower part of the bud. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version. Iris bud #4

Making Sharp Images At Slower Shutter Speeds

Once my shutter speeds fall below 1/30 sec. I use Live View to give me Mirror Lock. That along with the use of the 2-second timer will yield sharp images as long as there is no breeze.

This 3-frame in-camera HDR Art Vivid image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III . ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop yielded a base exposure of 1/125 sec. at f/13 in Av mode. 2-second timer. Note: I should have used more + compensation for all but the first image here as the Art Vivid JPEGs are always on the dark side. Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF on the bottom of the flower part of the bud. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version. Iris bud #5

Tough Call

Take a moment to leave a comment and let us know which is your favorite bud image and be sure to let us know why you like the one that you chose. They are numbered 1-5.

Canon EOS-5D Mark III User’s Guide

Learn everything that I know about the EOS-5D Mark III including how I set up my camera for in-camera HDRs in the 5D Mark III User’s Guide. This guide also includes info on the following: 5D III exposure fine points, handling the WHITEs, the top LCD and all camera control buttons, all 5D Mark III drive modes, how to manually select an AF sensor, choosing an AF Area Selection Mode/how and why (includes extensive detail), and Menu Item Access. Coverage of almost all Menu Items and Custom Functions including the following: Image Quality, Auto Lighting Optimizer, Highlight Tone Priority, AF Configuration Tool (includes details on the custom setting that I use), Acceleration/deceleration tracking, Tracking sensitivity, Lens drive when AF impossible, Orientation linked AF point (I love this feature on the 5D III!), Highlight alert, Histogram display, Auto rotate, Custom Shooting Mode set-up, Safety shift, using the Q button, and setting up rear focus. The guide is–of course–written in my informal, easy-to-follow style.

More Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, Small Group, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction with Arthur Morris. May 24,(am only), May 27 (am & pm), May 28 (am & pm), May 29 (am only), and May 30 (am only). All 2013 of course. Morning sessions: 5am sharp-9:30 am. Afternoon sessions: 4pm til whenever. These are priced so low that you need to e-mail for the rates. Limit 5/session.

If you e-mail, please include all phone numbers. Payment in full due immediately via credit card after calling the office on a weekday: 863-221-2372. If you would like to join me, please get in touch via e-mail. Breeding American Oystercatcher (chicks likely) and Piping Plover (chicks possible). Common Tern and Black Skimmer/courtship behaviors. Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Breeding plumage Sanderling and other shorebird species. Lots of flight photography when the wind is right. Learn digital exposure and creative image design. Learn to create pleasing blurs at 5am.

Nickerson Baby Beach-nesting Birds IPT: July 23-25, 2013: $1099. Introductory slide program: Monday, July 22, 2013. Limit 12/Openings: 1. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito.

This IPT is now a go. Conditions at Nickerson are excellent. Join Denise and me on Long Island, NY this coming summer to photograph Common Tern chicks, baby American Oystercatchers, and just-hatched Black Skimmer chicks along with the adults. The opportunities will include chances to photograph a variety of breeding behaviors including courtship feeding, display flight and combat, and copulations. Car-pooling is recommended; if we opt to return to the beach before 5pm there is a $30/vehicle parking fee that is not included so it is best to share that expense. Parking in the morning is free.

Now that the trip is a go–we had been worried about the effects of Hurricane Sandy–I fully expect that this IPT will fill almost instantly. Payment in full is due by check upon registration.

IPT Info

For complete IPT info including schedule, cancellation policies, and the registration and release forms, click here.

New York City–On Location with Denise Ippolito & Arthur Morris May 25 – 26, 2013, 2-day Workshop-$495

Just two slots open.

Join Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris for a two-day creative workshop in the Big Apple. This exciting adventure through the streets of NYC will begin with an informal get-together at our hotel on the evening of May 24th. This will give us all a chance to get to know each other before we hit the streets in the morning for our first exciting photo shoot. We will explore China Town, Little Italy, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station (tripod permit included) and much more during our two days together. The emphasis will be on street photography, seeing and capturing dynamic images, and expanding your creativity using a variety of in-camera techniques including HDR and Multiple Exposure.

Please contact me via e-mail for complete details and the itinerary.

Next Year In Holland

Despite a 100-year record cold spring with very few tulip fields in bloom this trip has been a spectacular success. The colors and variety of tulips at Keukenhof simply stun the mind and the senses. Denise and I are planning our Holland trip for next year: the Keukenhof Creative Tulip Photography IPT with a Touch of Holland. If you are a Happy Camper who is interested in joining Denise and me next spring, please shoot me an e-mail. Details will be announced soon.

We are currently fleshing out the details. The dates will be about the same, in mid April. In addition to the Keukenhof and the flower fields we will do an afternoon of windmills at Kinderdijk, a day in Amsterdam including a morning at the Rijks Museum and an afternoon visit to the Ann Frank House plus some street photography. We will do some street photography and fine dining in the little town of Edam. There will be about 7-9 days of photography in all. Those will include an afternoon option for a day or two of Purple Herons for those with long lenses.

Note: not surprisingly, early interest has been huge with several folks who want to sign up right now. The formal announcement of the dates and price is imminent.

Typos

On all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right.

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

If you e-mail, please include all phone numbers. Payment in full due immediately via credit card after calling the office on a weekday: 863-221-2372. If you would like to join me, please get in touch via e-mail. Breeding American Oystercatcher (chicks likely) and Piping Plover (chicks possible). Common Tern and Black Skimmer/courtship behaviors. Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Breeding plumage Sanderling and other shorebird species. Lots of flight photography when the wind is right. Learn digital exposure and creative image design. Learn to create pleasing blurs at 5am.

This Just In

Received via e-mail from Dirt Cheap 3 session participant Dennis Miller:

Thanks for a great time and excellent instruction. That, and the herring in cream sauce were the highlights of the trip! ) Best, D

This image was created at Nickerson Beach on Tuesday afternoon past with several Dirt Cheap folks right there with me, all of us seated behind our tripods. This image was created with the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/1250 sec. at f/10 in Manual Mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the lower rear part of the bird’s black hood active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

The Big Attractions Right Now

Right now, there are so many oystercatchers on eggs that they are hard to count. This nest hatched within the last day or two as I saw the pair with three tiny young this morning. More Common Terns are arriving every day and settling in to nest. Courtship feeding, pre-copulatory stands, and copulations are becoming more common every day. And there are large flocks of Sanderling about, many molting into their bright orange breeding plumage; they should be around until near the end of the month.

This image was created at Nickerson Beach with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/1000 sec. at f/10 in Manual Mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the bird’s eye active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Afternoon Dirt Cheap Dennis Miller was just to my right. We had set up for Sanderlings when a group of terns landed nearby to our left. We stayed seated while moving to our left and were well rewarded. Dennis was most kind as he treated denise and me to dinner at one of our favorite Rockville Center eateries: Prime Catch. Thanks again Dennis! Amazingly very little beach clean-up was needed for this one.

Loving What Is Including a Big Screw-Up

I woke this morning just before 3am with no alarm clock set. The beach was calling me…. I had planned to leave my Mom’s at 4:15am and be at Nickerson at 5am but I futzed around on the laptop after seeing the dark clouds above Holbrook. I finally left at 4:30 and realized that I needed to stop for gas. The credit card network was down but fortunately I was able to awaken the attendant and pay cash. But that episode cost me an extra ten minutes. As I crossed the last bridge on the Loop Parkway into Lido Beach I looked back over my left shoulder and was dismayed to see a spectacular sunrise very reminiscent of the best of Bosque…. By the time I got all of my gear together the color had faded almost completely and the sun was coming up. The moral: bend over and kick self in butt. To make matters worse large flocks of birds were blasting off almost continuously as I walked from the parking lot to the colony. You gotta love it.

This breeding plumage Sanderling image was created at Nickerson Beach with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/800 sec. at f/10 in Manual Mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the bird’s neck active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Dirt Cheap Dennis Miller enjoyed a private afternoon with me on Wednesday, April 15; just me and him. Denise Ippolito had friend/private client Jon Saperia for the day. John really opened my eyes to Michael Tapes Focus Tune software. I will be sharing what I learned when I get back to Florida. Old friend Ivan Rothman and newcomer Insu Nuzzi from San Diego were with us that morning. A good time was had by all.

The Coming Attractions

On the morning of May 15, I spotted the first two Black Skimmers of the season. This morning, there were several large flocks of skimmers at Nickerson. They will be setting in to begin nesting over the next week or two.

This backlit skimmer image was created at Nickerson Beach this morning with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 500. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/1250 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual Mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo/Rear Focus on closest skimmer (lower right) and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Imagine arriving well before sunrise only to find out that you were way too late. Image Optimization for this image was a bear.

Stuff

I was excited to see the large groups of skimmers as they are the early indicators of a great season at Nickerson. The funny thing is that few folks know how to shoot Nickerson…. There were two folks ahead of me this morning and all evidence showed that they were there well before I was. Yet they were totally in the wrong spot. They were joined by about a dozen folks most with big lenses. Pretty much not one of them had a clue as to how to approach the birds. They all stayed well back and made poor photographs.

Do consider joining me to learn the best morning and afternoon strategies at this treasure of a location.

Your Fave?

Take a moment to leave a comment and let us know which of the four images above is your favorite. And why.

Nickerson Baby Beach-nesting Birds IPT: July 23-25, 2013: $1099. Introductory slide program: Monday, July 22, 2013. Limit 12/Openings: 1. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito.

This IPT is now a go. Conditions at Nickerson are excellent. Join Denise and me on Long Island, NY this coming summer to photograph Common Tern chicks, baby American Oystercatchers, and just-hatched Black Skimmer chicks along with the adults. The opportunities will include chances to photograph a variety of breeding behaviors including courtship feeding, display flight and combat, and copulations. Car-pooling is recommended; if we opt to return to the beach before 5pm there is a $30/vehicle parking fee that is not included so it is best to share that expense. Parking in the morning is free.

Now that the trip is a go–we had been worried about the effects of Hurricane Sandy–I fully expect that this IPT will fill almost instantly. Payment in full is due by check upon registration.

IPT Info

For complete IPT info including schedule, cancellation policies, and the registration and release forms, click here.

New York City–On Location with Denise Ippolito & Arthur Morris May 25 – 26, 2013, 2-day Workshop-$495

Join Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris for a two-day creative workshop in the Big Apple. This exciting adventure through the streets of NYC will begin with an informal get-together at our hotel on the evening of May 24th. This will give us all a chance to get to know each other before we hit the streets in the morning for our first exciting photo shoot. We will explore China Town, Little Italy, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station (tripod permit included) and much more during our two days together. The emphasis will be on street photography, seeing and capturing dynamic images, and expanding your creativity using a variety of in-camera techniques including HDR and Multiple Exposure.

Please contact me via e-mail for complete details and the itinerary.

Next Year In Holland

Despite a 100-year record cold spring with very few tulip fields in bloom this trip has been a spectacular success. The colors and variety of tulips at Keukenhof simply stun the mind and the senses. Denise and I are planning our Holland trip for next year: the Keukenhof Creative Tulip Photography IPT with a Touch of Holland. If you are a Happy Camper who is interested in joining Denise and me next spring, please shoot me an e-mail. Details will be announced soon.

We are currently fleshing out the details. The dates will be about the same, in mid April. In addition to the Keukenhof and the flower fields we will do an afternoon of windmills at Kinderdijk, a day in Amsterdam including a morning at the Rijks Museum and an afternoon visit to the Ann Frank House plus some street photography. We will do some street photography and fine dining in the little town of Edam. There will be about 7-9 days of photography in all. Those will include an afternoon option for a day or two of Purple Herons for those with long lenses.

Note: not surprisingly, early interest has been huge with several folks who want to sign up right now. The formal announcement of the dates and price is imminent.

Typos

On all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right.

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

This image was created at Nickerson Beach on Wednesday morning past while seated behind my tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/10 in Manual Mode.

Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the side of the bird’s breast just below the neck active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

So What’ the Fatal Flaw?

Does this image have a fatal flaw? Is there something about it that spoils it for me? If you think that it’s perfect, leave a comment and let us know. If there is a fatal flaw, do the same and let us know.

See below for info on the image optimization process.

Image Optimization

After converting in DPP I did the background clean-up with the Clone Stamp Tool on a Layer (as taught to me by Denise Ippolito). You can clone with impunity, add a Regular Layer Mask, and then fine-tune the spots where you cloned onto the bird. Bill clean-up was done with the Patch Tool and the Clone Stamp Tool while working large. Note the Eye Doctor improvements in the animated GIF above. I ran a 20% layer of my 50/50 NIK Color Efex Pro Tonal Contrast/Detail Extractor Custom Filter on the bird’s black hood and the orange bill, selected with the Quick Selection Tool. Then I did the same to the chick at about 50%. Then a 40% layer of Linear Contrast with my f/4 action.

All of the steps in the image optimization process mentioned above (and tons more) are described in detail in our in Digital Basics File, an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. It includes my complete digital workflow, dozens of great Photoshop tips including Digital Eye Doctor techniques, several different ways to expand canvas, all of my time-saving Keyboard Shortcuts, and Quick Masking, Layer Masking, and NIK Color Efex Pro basics.

Nickerson Baby Beach-nesting Birds IPT: July 23-25, 2013: $1099. Introductory slide program: Monday, July 22, 2013. Limit 12/Openings: 1. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito.

This IPT is now a go. Conditions at Nickerson are excellent. Join Denise and me on Long Island, NY this coming summer to photograph Common Tern chicks, baby American Oystercatchers, and just-hatched Black Skimmer chicks along with the adults. The opportunities will include chances to photograph a variety of breeding behaviors including courtship feeding, display flight and combat, and copulations. Car-pooling is recommended; if we opt to return to the beach before 5pm there is a $30/vehicle parking fee that is not included so it is best to share that expense. Parking in the morning is free.

Now that the trip is a go–we had been worried about the effects of Hurricane Sandy–I fully expect that this IPT will fill almost instantly. Payment in full is due by check upon registration.

IPT Info

For complete IPT info including schedule, cancellation policies, and the registration and release forms, click here.

New York City–On Location with Denise Ippolito & Arthur Morris May 25 – 26, 2013, 2-day Workshop-$495

Join Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris for a two-day creative workshop in the Big Apple. This exciting adventure through the streets of NYC will begin with an informal get-together at our hotel on the evening of May 24th. This will give us all a chance to get to know each other before we hit the streets in the morning for our first exciting photo shoot. We will explore China Town, Little Italy, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station (tripod permit included) and much more during our two days together. The emphasis will be on street photography, seeing and capturing dynamic images, and expanding your creativity using a variety of in-camera techniques including HDR and Multiple Exposure.

Please contact me via e-mail for complete details and the itinerary.

Next Year In Holland

Despite a 100-year record cold spring with very few tulip fields in bloom this trip has been a spectacular success. The colors and variety of tulips at Keukenhof simply stun the mind and the senses. Denise and I are planning our Holland trip for next year: the Keukenhof Creative Tulip Photography IPT with a Touch of Holland. If you are a Happy Camper who is interested in joining Denise and me next spring, please shoot me an e-mail. Details will be announced soon.

We are currently fleshing out the details. The dates will be about the same, in mid April. In addition to the Keukenhof and the flower fields we will do an afternoon of windmills at Kinderdijk, a day in Amsterdam including a morning at the Rijks Museum and an afternoon visit to the Ann Frank House plus some street photography. We will do some street photography and fine dining in the little town of Edam. There will be about 7-9 days of photography in all. Those will include an afternoon option for a day or two of Purple Herons for those with long lenses.

Note: not surprisingly, early interest has been huge with several folks who want to sign up right now. The formal announcement of the dates and price is imminent.

Typos

On all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right.

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

I will be joining Denise Ippolito as a previously unannounced co-leader on her Iris Garden Flower Photography Workshop this coming Thursday, May 16, at the spectacular Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in Upper Montclair, NJ. I will be bringing my 600 II along so if you’d like to learn long lens flower photography techniques this one is perfect for you. I will also have my 180mm macro along. Rain date: May 17. Learn more and register here.

The MiniMag

Denise Ippolito and her skilled team of contributors put in an inordinate amount of work each month to bring you the MiniMag. This month’s edition is online and can be accessed here. Do not click on the preceding link unless you have at least an hour to be enthralled. This month’s articles include “Dramatic Flower Photos With Focus Stacking” by Steve Ellis, “Where the Buffalo Roam” by Nancy Bell, “Texas Hill Country” by Paul Lagasi, “Dare to Do Something Different” by Cheryl Slechta, “Shoot with a Purpose and Tell a Story” by Gaurav Mital, “When Mother Nature Goes OOTB” by Andrew McLachlan, “The Sponge Tool” by Anita Bower, “A Peek at Amsterdam” by Denise Ippolito, “Long Lens Flower Photography” by yours truly, “Creating Bubbles in Your Images” by David Woeller, “Recorded Bird Calls” by BPN Avian Moderator Daniel Cadieux, “Gear Up for Wildflowers” by Steve Adkins,”Start with the Light” by Mary Stamper, and “People Can Make a Difference” by Dennis Bishop. Best news? It’s free.

This Pied Avocet image was created at Texel, Holland with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 1600. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops as framed: 1/200 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual Mode. Central sensor Surround AI Servo/Rear Focus on the bird’s eye and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Here, I converted the image to Black and White using NiK SIlver Efex Pro’s High Structure pre-set. In addition, I eliminated some nasty dust spots that I missed the first time around and ran a heavy layer (6/10) of Filter/Blur/Surface Blur and erased the effect on the bird using a Regular Layer Mask.

Catching Up

In the “Not Just for Potato Chips” blog post here, most folks liked the second image a bit better than the first. I like them both but prefer the first image (above, in Black and White as suggested by Bill Griswold). The right hand bird is pretty much on the lower right rule of thirds point and the left hand bird is nicely placed on the lower left rule of thirds point. I remember moving to my left to open up space between the two birds and create what to my mind is a pleasing juxtaposition.

In his comment on the 2nd image David Pugsley wished for a bit more space between the foreground bird’s left leg and the nesting bird’s head. I would not disagree. I responded to each comment that was left.

Variety…

In the “Variety… blog post here, I must confess that when I posted the three images I thought that the last one was by far the strongest. But after reading all the comments and reconsidering the 3 images–make sure that you look at the large versions–I like all three almost equally well with just a small edge to the last one.

My Thoughts on the Creative Cloud

Wow, the “Photoshop Creative Cloud…. Confusion for Sure. But is it a Ripoff or a Boon?” here garnered lots of comments and even got a few folks pissed off. Interested folks might wish to see more on the topic here.

Here is my take on the whole thing:

1-As much as I have read on the subject, I am still quite confused.
2-I have long loved CS-5.
3-I have a copy of CS-6 installed on my main machine. I rarely use it. Why? Every time that I open it and start working I am beset by one glitch or another. Nothing major, just things that have been changed from CS-5. And these changes wreck my workflow and slow me down to a crawl at best. But that only happens 100% of the time…. Lots of folks on BPN have been helping me but the moment that I get over one hurdle another pops right up and grabs me by the neck….
4-For now I will continue using CS-5 but will make more of an effort to learn to co-exist peacefully with CS-6.
5-What no cloud? As for now, I have no interest in giving Adobe $20 a month for life for who-knows-what? after having paid several thousand dollars for various versions of Photoshop. Might I change my mind in the future? Of course.
6-As for Lightroom, my position remains the same: I have no clue as to why so many folks own and use Lightroom. Yes, it offers great cataloging and key-wording features but in today’s world where selling even a single image is cause for a bit party who needs a great catalog? The simple file drawer system that we have set up in BreezeBrowser has served us well for more than a decade. Not to mention the constant complaints that I hear: “I lost my library.” “I cannot find my images.” And the like. It is possible that my comments are in part made in ignorance as I have never used LR….

Short-Notice Dirt Cheap Nickerson

This sub-adult Lesser Black-back Gull was photographed at Nickerson Beach in June, 1012 with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV (now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X). ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/9 in Manual Mode. Central sensor (by neccesity)/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the bird’s eye and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. When I first began birding nearly 40 years ago this species was a mega-rarity. Today they are not at all uncommon all along the east coast of North America and even on the west coast of Florida.

Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction with Arthur Morris. May 14 (am/pm) & 15 (am), 2013. (Yes, that is soon.) 6-9:30 am/4-7:30pm. This one is priced so low that you need to e-mail for the rates. Limit 4/session. Only a few openings left.

Payment in full due immediately. If you would like to join me please get in touch via e-mail. Breeding American Oystercatcher and Piping Plover (small chicks possible). Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, Sanderling, and other shorebird species. Early-arriving Least and Common Terns, and breeding plumage Lesser Black-backed Gull likely. Courtship and mating behaviors; flight. Learn digital exposure and creative image design.

Amazingly, five folks have signed up for various sessions or combinations of sessions. But this still gives you a chance to take advantage of some practically private instruction with me at give-away prices.

Next Year In Holland

Despite a 100-year record cold spring with very few tulip fields in bloom this trip has been a spectacular success. The colors and variety of tulips at Keukenhof simply stun the mind and the senses. Denise and I are planning our Holland trip for next year: the Keukenhof Creative Tulip Photography IPT with a Touch of Holland. If you are a Happy Camper who is interested in joining Denise and me next spring, please shoot me an e-mail. Details will be announced soon.

We are currently fleshing out the details. The dates will be about the same, in mid April. In addition to the Keukenhof and the flower fields we will do an afternoon of windmills at Kinderdijk, a day in Amsterdam including a morning at the Rijks Museum and an afternoon visit to the Ann Frank House plus some street photography. We will do some street photography and fine dining in the little town of Edam. There will be about 7-9 days of photography in all. Those will include an afternoon option for a day or two of Purple Herons for those with long lenses.

Note: not surprisingly, early interest has been huge with several folks who want to sign up right now.

New York City–On Location with Denise Ippolito & Arthur Morris May 25 – 26, 2013, 2-day Workshop-$495

Join Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris for a two-day creative workshop in the Big Apple. This exciting adventure through the streets of NYC will begin with an informal get-together at our hotel on the evening of May 24th. This will give us all a chance to get to know each other before we hit the streets in the morning for our first exciting photo shoot. We will explore China Town, Little Italy, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station (tripod permit included) and much more during our two days together. The emphasis will be on street photography, seeing and capturing dynamic images, and expanding your creativity using a variety of in-camera techniques including HDR and Multiple Exposure.

Please contact me via e-mail for complete details and the itinerary.

Typos

On all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

BIRDS AS ART Bulletin #439 is online now. It can be accessed here. Seven never published images, each with our legendary BAA educational captions and lots of great features:

• Texel Holland IPT Report
• Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction with Arthur Morris
• Dynamic Nature Photography Teaching Team
• Japan in Winter
• New York City–On Location with Denise Ippolito & Arthur Morris
• Bosque del Apache 2013 IPT: “The Complete Bosque Experience
• Next Year In Holland
• Affiliate Links
• Canon EOS-5D Mark III User’s Guide
• Used Camera Gear
• IPT Highlights
• IPT Info

Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction with Arthur Morris

This American Oystercatcher chick was photographed on May 30, 2010 with the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV (now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X). ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/8 in Manual Mode. Central sensor/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the bird’s eye and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. There will be a good chance to find and photography tiny American Oystercatcher chicks on the Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction trips. See immediately below for details.

Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction with Arthur Morris. May 14 (am/pm) & 15 (am), 2013. (Yes, that is soon.) 6-9:30 am/4-7:30pm. This one is priced so low that you need to e-mail for the rates. Limit 4/session. 3 1/2 openings left.

Payment in full due immediately. If you would like to join me please get in touch via e-mail or call me at 863-692-0906. Breeding American Oystercatcher and Piping Plover (small chicks possible). Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, Sanderling, and other shorebird species. Early-arriving Least and Common Terns, and breeding plumage Lesser Black-backed Gull likely. Courtship and mating behaviors; flight. Learn digital exposure and creative image design.

With only one photographer signed up for Tuesday morning, and another for Tuesday afternoon, you have a great chance to take advantage of some private or practically private instruction with me this week at give-away prices.

Photoshop Creative Cloud…. Confusion for Sure. But is it a Ripoff or a Boon?

In a Photoshop.com blog post here, Maria Yap, Senior Director of Product Management, recently announced that–well, I am not sure exactly what they said. Something to the effect that soon you will not be able to purchase a Photoshop boxed set for a given price as we have been doing for quite some time. Folks are now invited to pay $19.99/month for Photoshop Creative Cloud ($9.99 for the first year for current CS-6 owners). Those payments need to be made forever.

Everyone is confused and there has been a firestorm of negative reaction on the web.

One question that I have not been able to find an answer for is “If I pay my $20 and get a copy of whatever Photoshop onto my computer, what stops me from stopping paying and continuing to use the program? I do understand from reading their frequently asked questions here, that you do not need to be online to use Photoshop Creative Cloud.

Questions are welcome but I am not sure that I will have any answers. And I am not totally sure that Creative Cloud is either a bad thing or a ripoff. But I am not sure that it is a good thing either. As always, time will tell.

Feel free to chime in with your opinion, or better yet, with facts.

Next Year In Holland

Despite a 100-year record cold spring with very few tulip fields in bloom this trip has been a spectacular success. The colors and variety of tulips at Keukenhof simply stun the mind and the senses. Denise and I are planning our Holland trip for next year: the Keukenhof Creative Tulip Photography IPT with a Touch of Holland. If you are a Happy Camper who is interested in joining Denise and me next spring, please shoot me an e-mail. Details will be announced soon.

New York City–On Location with Denise Ippolito & Arthur Morris May 25 – 26, 2013, 2-day Workshop-$495

Join Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris for a two-day creative workshop in the Big Apple. This exciting adventure through the streets of NYC will begin with an informal get-together at our hotel on the evening of May 24th. This will give us all a chance to get to know each other before we hit the streets in the morning for our first exciting photo shoot. We will explore China Town, Little Italy, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station (tripod permit included) and much more during our two days together. The emphasis will be on street photography, seeing and capturing dynamic images, and expanding your creativity using a variety of in-camera techniques including HDR and Multiple Exposure.

Please contact me via e-mail for complete details and the itinerary.

Bosque del Apache 2013 IPT: “The Complete Bosque Experience.” NOV 26-DEC 2, 2013. 7-FULL DAYS: $3399. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 6:30 pm on 11/25. Limit: 12.

Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks including point-blank American Wigeon and Wood Duck, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world’s premier photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. This will make 19 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for me. Nobody knows the place better than I do. 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 applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable. Includes all lunches and the Thanksgiving Buffet at the Crowne Plaza in Albuquerque. I hope that you can join me for what will be an unparalleled learning experience.

Click here for registration info and the complete IPT schedule. Scroll down for complete Bosque IPT info.

Typos

On all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right.

This image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS zoom lens (at 100mm) and the EOS-5D Mark II (now replaced by the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body). ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops as framed: 1/200 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. With 10-second timer.

Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the gentleman in the tan vest and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

This Could Be You!

Why is everyone above smiling? They just completed a great 3-DAY BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour at Nickerson Beach.

The artie and denise show

Below are several opportunities to learn from two great photographic instructors. Arthur Morris, the grizzled veteran with a demanding teaching style. Denise Ippolito, with a kinder, gentler teaching style. Yet neither will rest until you fully understand the concept at hand. Both are blessed with an amazing ability to see the image in the field and to teach you to do the same. Both lead by example. Both can teach you how to design a pleasing image. Both are highly skilled Photoshop instructors. Artie’s image optimization skills are driven by a desire for speed and quality, Denise’s by creativity and innovation. Each is driven by an inner desire to share everything they know about nature photography. And be it birds or flowers they will always put you on some great subjects.

This Snow Monkey image, Three of a Kind, was one of the most popular ever published on the blog so I am republishing it here for all to enjoy. It was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV (now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X . ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/60 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Click here to learn what others thought of this image. Click on the image above to enlarge it.

Japan in Winter FEB 12-26/27, 2014. Snow Monkey, Red-crowned Crane, Stellers and White-tailed Sea Eagles, and Whooper Swan: $12,999. Limit: 7/Openings: 1

This previously unannounced trip is a nearly sold out from the BAA Friends List. We have assembled a great group of 6 very happy campers and have room for one more. Three great leaders: Arthur Morris, Denise Ippolito, and multiple BBC and Nature’s Best honoree Paul Mckenzie,

Included: all lodging including Tokyo hotel, all breakfasts and dinners, ground transport and transfers, four eagle boat trips (ice conditions permitting), all entrance fees, and in-country flights. Not included: international flights, alcoholic beverages, lunches, bottled water, and snacks.

Seriously interested Happy Campers are invited to e-mail for the complete itinerary.

This image of an adult American Oystercatcher dining on a surf clam was created at Nickerson Beach, Long Island, NY with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV (now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X ). ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity) on the bird’s neck/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version. With the long effective focal length being seated behind my lowered tripod made it seem as if I were right on the ground. Click here to learn about the optimization and image clean-up for the photo above.

Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction with Arthur Morris. May 14 (am/pm) & 15 (am), 2013. (Yes, that is soon.) 6-9:30 am/4-7:30pm. This one is priced so low that you need to e-mail for the rates. Limit 4/session.

Payment in full due immediately. If you would like to join me please get in touch via e-mail or call me at 863-692-0906. Breeding American Oystercatcher and Piping Plover (small chicks possible). Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, Sanderling, and other shorebird species. Early-arriving Least and Common Terns, and breeding plumage Lesser Black-backed Gull likely. Courtship and mating behaviors; flight. Learn digital exposure and creative image design.

This image 3-frame Art Vivid HDR image was created in Edam, Holland with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II (hand held at 70mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body). ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops; the base exposure was 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on street photographer and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Both denise and artie are skilled street photographers. The principles in street photography and in nature and wildlife photography are pretty much the same. The street photographer in the photo above is Steve Leimberg who along with wife Jo-Ann joined denise and me for both legs of the Holland trip. We had lots of fun in the streets of Edam. Next year’s Holland trip will include two street photography sessions in addition to the tulips. Details will be announced soon.

New York City–On Location with Denise Ippolito & Arthur Morris May 25 – 26, 2013, 2-day Workshop-$495

Join Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris for a two-day creative workshop in the Big Apple. This exciting adventure through the streets of NYC will begin with an informal get-together at our hotel on the evening of May 24th. This will give us all a chance to get to know each other before we hit the streets in the morning for our first exciting photo shoot. We will explore China Town, Little Italy, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station (tripod permit included) and much more during our two days together. The emphasis will be on street photography, seeing and capturing dynamic images, and expanding your creativity using a variety of in-camera techniques including HDR and Multiple Exposure.

Please contact me via e-mail for complete details and the itinerary.

Sandhill Crane composite, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM. Click on the image for a larger version.

BOSQUE del APACHE 2013 IPT: “The Complete Bosque Experience.” NOV 26-DEC 2, 2013. 7-FULL DAYS: $3399. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 6:30 pm on 11/25. Limit: 12.

Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks including point-blank American Wigeon and Wood Duck, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world’s premier photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. This will make 19 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for me. Nobody knows the place better than I do. 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 applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable. Includes all lunches and the Thanksgiving Buffet at the Crowne Plaza in Albuquerque. I hope that you can join me for what will be an unparalleled learning experience.

Click here for registration info and the complete IPT schedule. Scroll down for complete Bosque IPT info.

Next Year In Holland

Despite a 100-year record cold spring with very few tulip fields in bloom this trip has been a spectacular success. The colors and variety of tulips at Keukenhof simply stun the mind and the senses. Denise and I are planning our Holland trip for next year: the Keukenhof Creative Tulip Photography IPT with a Touch of Holland. If you are a Happy Camper who is interested in joining Denise and me next spring, please shoot me an e-mail. Details will be announced soon.

EOS-5D Mark III

For more on this great camera check out “It Ain’t Just Birds; Why I Love My EOS-5D Mark III.” To learn how I set up my 5D Mark III for in-camera HDR check out the 5D Mark III User’s Guide. Learn more about this great camera in “A Dozen Fun and Funky Reasons.”

Typos

On all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right.