January 17th, 2012
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Harlequin Ducks, two pair on the rocks. Barnegat Jetty, Barnegat Light, NJ. DEC 12, 2011. With the the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop (was still well underexposed): 1/25 sec. at f/18 in Av mode. 1/25 sec. is not a typo.
Central Sensor Rear Focus/AI Servo AF and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Lens/TC/camera body Micro-adjustment: +2. For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. Then click on the enlarged version to close it.
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Just Duckie: Two Depth-of-field Questions
In the two images here you see two very different approaches. For the image above, I moved way back–sun angle was irrelevant as the birds were in the shade. For the image below I got low and used a few other professional tricks to get close enough to the group for a head portrait; this species can be quite skittish.
I write and teach: work wide open unless you can verbalize a reason for stopping down.
For the group image above, why f/18? (Wide open would have been f/5.6.)
For the head portrait below, why f/11? (Wide open with the TC would have been f/8.)
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Harlequin Duck, drake head portrait. Barnegat Jetty, Barnegat Light, NJ. DEC 12, 2011. With the the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 500. Evaluative metering -1 stop: 1/60 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode.
Central Sensor (by necessity) Rear Focus/AI Servo AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Lens/TC/camera body Micro-adjustment: +4. For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. Then click on the enlarged version to close it.
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Just Duckie: Additional Lessons
In view of the fact that I have long believed that the best way to teach is to ask, I continue:
For the group image why did I hold the shutter button down?
For the head portrait, why did I hold the shutter button down? Why was I actively focusing at the moment of exposure?
Why did I need to add light for the group image but subtract light for the head portrait? (The subjects and the backgrounds are the same….)
Barnegat Jetty Site Guide
Whenever I visit the Barnegat Jetty (which is every time that I come to Long Island in the winter), I follow Denise Ippolito’s excellent suggestions as detailed in her Barnegat Jetty Site Guide. Yesterday I was following Denise Ippolito and she was on the one who spotted the harlequins. Folks visit from many states and whether you are a local or are flying driving to New Jersey just to visit this famed locale, you will learn a ton of valuable lessons. My tips on getting really close to the Harlequins are included in the guide. See more great images and learn about the guide here.
artie is gone 
artie is traveling in the Southern Ocean (Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctica) and will unable to respond to your questions and comments until after his return on 26 January 2012.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the images talked about in his blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon 1.4X III Teleconverter. Designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My two Mark IVs are my workhorse digital camera bodies.
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
Gitzo GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
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.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
Be sure to check out our camera body User’s Guides here.
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.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV User’s Guide. Learn to use your Mark IV the way that I use mine. Also available for the 7D and the Mark III here.
January 15th, 2012
Pushing the Shutter Speed Envelope
I have been amazed by the new 4-stop Image Stabilization on the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS lens from the get-go. While spending two afternoons on the Barnegat Jetty recently with Denise Ippolito I decided to push the envelope and see what is actually possible with good sharpness techniques…. Here I was working with just about 30X magnification. I started making images at 1/60 sec. and then dropped down to 1/30 sec. With the duck just sitting there in lousy, lousy light I dropped that down to 1/15 sec. and finally made a half-dozen images at the ridiculously slow shutter speed of 1/8 sec. About half of all the images were sharp. The soft images were a result of either the bird moving during the exposure or having turned its head away just before I released the shutter.
Not sure why but I went back to my old-style sharpness techniques with my left hand pressing down on the base of the lens hood. After I focused and the bird held its position I held the shutter button down for 5-6 images at a time. (All with IS Mode 2.) From where I sit, this image is at least acceptably sharp. Do note that the near shoulder is totally out of focus due to lack of depth-of-field. Depth-of-field at 18 feet at f/14 with this set-up is about 1/10 of one inch. Or not much!
Do consider that there are many folks who feel that the Mongoose M3.6 does not offer enough support as good support as the Wimberley V2 with the 800 and a TC…. (Both are great heads for big glass. I prefer the lighter Mongoose while other prefer to stay away from side-mounting gimbal heads.
Why did I do it? I had nothing better to do and I am always looking to learn more about my gear. My only regret: I should have tried 1/4 second!
4-stop IS combined with amazing weight reduction are just two of the reasons that I am looking forward to the eventual release of the 500 and 600mm f/4L IS II super-telephoto lenses…. Learn more on these two lenses here.
Earn Free Contest Entries and Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.
More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.
artie is traveling
artie is traveling in the Southern Ocean (Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctica) and will unable to respond to your questions and comments until after his return on 26 January 2012.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the image in this blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon 1.4X III Teleconverter. Designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
25mm Extension Tube. An extension tube allows you to focus closer than the minimum focusing distance of your lens.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My two Mark IVs are my workhorse digital camera bodies.
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
Gitzo GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
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.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
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.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV User’s Guide. Learn to use your Mark IV the way that I use mine. Also available for the 7D and the Mark III here.
January 13th, 2012
My Comments on: For Your Critique/Image #8
On September 25, 2011 I posted For Your Critique: Image #8. This Dalmatian Pelican image was entered in the Animal Portraits category of the 2011 WPOTY competition. I love the hairdo and the bird’s expression.The image caused more than a few folks to chuckle. Many folks liked the image and many had some suggestions. Many folks liked the tight crop while others–including my first and only photography teacher, Milton Heiberg, did not like it that the end of the bill was missing. I very much like tight crops on the face when you want to show important details, in this case the colorful eye and the snazzy hairdo. Some complained that the lower part of the bill was out-of-focus. It surely is, but I have been focusing on the eye and working at wide apertures for several decades so it is not likely that I will change soon as I have enjoyed a modicum of success employing that style.
Some folks like the white on white look, others suggested darkening the background.
The oft-asked question popped up again: why did you have the 1.4X TC on the 70-200 if you made the image at 145mm? Setting up with the 1.4X left me holding a 98-280mm lens which I thought would be best for the situation as some of the birds were more distant. And I do not worry at all about sharpness with the 1.4TC in place. Many folks commented that the image was very sharp. Steve Stadler wrote my favorite comment: “I Love it!! It really captures the personification of a grumpy old man who just woke up, and it looks like something Pixar would use as a character in one of their movies.”
This image did not make the final round of judging. Thanks to all who took the time to comment.
artie is traveling
artie is traveling in the Southern Ocean (Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctica) and will unable to respond to your questions and comments until after his return on 26 January 2012.
Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.
Remember: you can earn free contest entries with your B & H purchases. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here for details.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the image in today’s blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. Man, I am loving this lens on my shoulder with the 2X III teleconverter. I also use it a lot with the 1.4X III TC.
Canon 1.4X III Teleconverter. Designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My two Mark IVs are my workhorse digital camera bodies.
And from the BAA On-line Store:
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.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV User’s Guide. Learn to use your Mark IV the way that I use mine. Also available for the 7D and the Mark III here.
January 11th, 2012
COMPOSITION MAPS: VISUAL DESIGN AIDS FOR NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS
BIRDS AS ART Books is proud to announce the release of “Composition Maps: Visual Design Aids for Nature Photographers” a brand new e-book by Gloria Hopkins (with photographs by Arthur Morris). Several months ago we released Gloria’s first BAA e-book, Natural Design: Image Design for Nature Photographers. The book received positive reviews from many happy customers and everyone (including me) raved about her composition maps. I still have no clue as to how she knows exactly what is going on in my brain when I press the shutter button and optimize my images. But she does and shares that ingeniously in her latest offering, “Composition Maps.”
Click here to order your copy now.
The E-book features more than 80 BIRDS AS ART IMAGES and 61 composition maps–some of the maps deal with two or more images. In the e-book you simply click on the map and hold the cursor down: the image is revealed! Give the animated GIF below a few moments to play and you will get the idea.
The simplest and fastest way to order your copy of “Composition Maps: Visual Design Aids for Nature Photographers” is through the BAA On-line Store by clicking here. Or, you can order your copy by sending a check for $30 made out to “Arthur Morris” to us at BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Be sure to include your e-mail address (written legibly). If you prefer PayPal you can send $30 to us via e-mail; be sure to include the title of the book.
Click here to order your copy now.
artie is traveling
artie is traveling in the Southern Ocean (Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctica) and will unable to respond to your questions and comments until after his return on 26 January 2012.
Earn Free Contest Entries and Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.
More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the image in today’s blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
January 8th, 2012
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Wandel Peak, Booth Island, Lamaire Channel, Antarctica. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Paul Mckenzie
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Antarctic Inspiration from Paul Mckenzie
On Thursday, December 22–just 6 days before I fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina and continue on to Ushuaia, I received the e-mail below with the following Subject Line:
Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica trip report.
Hi there, This is a much longer blog report than normal, but you’ll see why. Click here and enjoy! Best regards, Paul Mckenzie
Paul is a helluva nice guy and one of my favorite nature photographers. I have photographed with him twice on Midway and he will be joining Robert O’Toole and me for our (post-)Japan IPT songbird trip. I knew that I would leave out some great folks in the Inspirational Photography Websites post here. When I received Paul’s e-mail I realized that I had left him out of that post so I went back and added this:
Paul Mckenzie (website). Paul (along with wife Paveena) are aspiring professionals who travel extensively. Paul is equally skilled above and below the water. You will marvel at the images in his galleries and on his blog.
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Imperial Shag breaking egg shell, New Island, Falkland Islands. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Paul Mckenzie
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With my big trip coming up I spent a good half hour studying Paul’s images to get some inspiration.
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Blue Ice Hole, Antarctic Peninsula. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Paul Mckenzie
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I asked Paul how the heck he made this image. I know that he is a very good underwater photographer but doubted that he had been in the water on his last trip. He wrote back:
The blue hole image was taken shooting blind. The entrance of the hole was small and right at the water’s edge. I lowered the camera (5D MK 2) with a 15mm fish-eye lens attached into the hole; it barely fit in. I could not even use Live View to see what the camera was seeing. I guessed at the composition and tilted the camera slightly upwards, fired off a few shots, checked the histogram, made some adjustments, and took some more. The sun was so bright that I really couldn’t see what I was getting on the back of the camera so was pretty pleased when I saw this on the computer monitor.
When I replied to thank him I asked if knew that the hole was there before he made the first image.
He sent back a one word e-mail:
No!
Note: creativity is–in part–about getting the right lens in place where there has never been a lens before….
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Adult King Penguin feeding chick, St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Paul Mckenzie
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Thanks!
Thanks Paul for permitting me to share your images here and for the inspiration. Reminder: you can see the entire blog post here.
artie is traveling
artie is traveling in the Southern Ocean (Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctica) and will unable to respond to your questions and comments until after his return on 26 January 2012.
Earn Free Contest Entries and Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.
More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.
Shopper’s Guide
Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
January 6th, 2012
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Brown Pelican in Peach Heaven, La Jolla, CA. This image was created was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens, the 2X III teleconverter (hand held at 400mm) with the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops: 1/60 sec. at f/6.3 in Tv Mode (to maintain a minimum shutter speed). I used the Canon 580 EX II Speedlight mounted on the camera and set at zero.
Central Sensor/Rear Focus/AI Servo AF and re-compose with my elbows braced on a rock. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial.
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My Comments on: For Your Critique/Image #6
On September 6, 2011 I posted For Your Critique: Image #6. It was entered in the 2011 WPOTY competition in the Animal Portraits category. I really love this image especially because of its fresh, new look. I used lots of flash to light up the rock in the foreground giving the bird the appearance of being somewhere ethereal. It takes some work to create new types of images especially when you return to the same location year after year. The BBC requested the RAW file for this image (and for six others that I submitted) as they were selected for the final round of judging. Alas…
Some folks loved the image. Some suggested that they would have liked seeing the end of the bill. I agree. And I did create a variety of compositions. But as I worked from a higher perspective so as to include the bill I lost some of the “in heaven” look. (See more below.) Others suggested a crop from the bottom. I was totally against that as it destroyed the compositional balance (2/3 top, 1/3 bottom with a nice diagonal thrown in). My favorite comment was from Lorraine who wrote, “I would have mistaken this for a painting in any other venue. It is amazing what a camera in the right hands can do! I love this.”
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Brown Pelican in Peach Heaven, La Jolla, CA. This image was created was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens, the 2X III teleconverter (hand held at 400mm) with the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops: 1/60 sec. at f/6.3 in Tv Mode (to maintain a minimum shutter speed). No flash.
Central Sensor/Rear Focus/AI Servo AF and re-compose with my elbows braced on a rock. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial.
Here I turned off the flash. I wish that I had not. I did not have any images with the flash turned on that included the whole bill. (Note: the blue in the sky is the pre-dawn shadow of the earth.)
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Which Image Do You Like Best?
Please take a moment to leave a comment and let us know which of the two images above you liked best, flash (above) or no flash (below). And do let us know why you made your choice.
Earn Free Contest Entries and Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.
More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.
Earn Free Contest Entries and Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.
More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the image in today’s blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear that I used to create the images above. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our recently revised Shopper’s Guide.
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. Man, I am loving this lens on my shoulder with the 2X III teleconverter. I also use it a lot with the 1.4X III TC.
2X III teleconverter. This new TC is noticeably sharper than the 2X II TC.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My workhorse professional digital camera body. I own two.
Canon 580 EX II Speedlight. This is Canon’s most powerful, top of the line flash.
Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack. Powers the flash. Allows more consecutive flashes and faster recharging times.
January 4th, 2012
Visit Arctic Norway with Jasper Doest–Exclusive to BAA Folks
Two Trips: Svalbard 2012/second trip (birds and landscapes) and Svalbard 2013/first trip (prime time for birds). Be sure to see the image collection below.
In June of 2011, I traveled to Svalbard with Patrick Sparkman and his wife Robin during prime time for birds. Jasper Doest was our guide. It was an astounding trip: we had two ponds full of courting Common Eiders, lots of breeding shorebirds including Purple Sandpiper and Red Phalarope (Grey Phalarope on the other side of the pond), Ivory Gull, nesting Pacific Loon, Barnacle Goose, Pink-footed Goose, Parastic Jeager, King Eider–a lucky find, Svalbard Ptarmigan, Svalbard Reindeer, and the impossibly cute little Dovekies among others. The Dovekies are relatively easy but for the climb. Plus gorgeous scenery including ice-scapes and ice macros and killer wildflowers. To see my images that were featured on the blog, click here, here, and here. To see my images featured in the Bulletin click here and here.
The absolute maximum group size is three. It is impossible visit Spitzbergen by yourself. Why? A guide with a rifle to protect against polar bears is a necessity. (We never saw or heard of a bear….) Jasper is already taking three BAA folks this coming June on the best dates for birds–the time frame for the drake Common Eiders is very narrow. The three folks inquired before I had time to make any announcements….. Jasper has agreed to put together a second trip this June, June 2012 as below, and another trip during the prime for birds dates in June 2013.
Svalbard – Arctic bird & landscape photography/Limit: 3. Date:June 21 – June 26, 2012. Price: €3300. Arrive Longyearbyen June 20, 2012, fly home, June 27, 2012. Join wildlife photographer Jasper Doest on an amazing wildlife adventure to Spitzbergen (Svalbard) in the high arctic.
Note: the trip above, the “second 2012 trip,” will most likely not feature large numbers of drake Common Eiders in the kennel ponds. On the other hand the female Common Eiders will be very cooperative and give you plenty of opportunities to make interesting compositions. Also you may get some images of nesting shorebirds and if you are very lucky, of shorebird chicks. Most of the rest of the subjects should be the same as they were for me on my trip: fantastic. Before you sign up for the second 2012 trip, do check out the info below on the first June 2013 trip….
Svalbard – Arctic bird photography/Limit 3/Openings 2. Date: June 15 – June 20, 2013. Price: €3300. Arrive Longyearbyen June 14, 2013, fly home, June 21, 2013. Join wildlife photographer Jasper Doest on an amazing wildlife adventure to Spitzbergen (Svalbard) in the high arctic.
To save yourself a spot on either trip please contact Jasper directly via e-mail and copy me as well here.
Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. Located north of mainland Europe, it is about midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude (and thus inside the Arctic Circle), and actually about twice as close to the North Pole as Barrow, AK.
Spitzbergen is the largest island with the administrative center being Longyearbyen. The archipelago is administered by the Governor of Svalbard. The archipelago features an Arctic climate, although with significantly higher temperatures than other areas at the same latitude. The flora takes advantage of the long period of midnight sun to compensate for the polar night. Svalbard is a breeding ground for many seabirds, and also features polar bears, reindeer and marine mammals. Seven national parks and twenty-three nature reserves cover two-thirds of the archipelago, protecting the largely untouched, yet fragile, nature. Sixty percent of the archipelago is glacier, and the islands feature many mountains and fjords.
During this time the archipelago turns into a bird paradise with approximately 30 species of birds breeding throughout the summer, including King Eider, Ivory Gull, Long-tailed duck, Parasitic Jaegers, Dovekies and the only endemic species, the Svalbard Ptarmigan. Svalbard is home to millions of Dovekies and we will be able to witness and photograph large flocks nesting and flying to and from their feeding grounds at sea as well as individual birds. As the arctic summer is really short, some birds will be on their nests. Parasitic Jaegers are to be found at several places on the tundra and they will allow us to photograph at VERY close distance. The Arctic Terns will be a little more challenging, as they tend to attack everything that moves. However, as soon as they find out that you have no bad intentions they will continue their normal behavior, allowing us to photograph them up close and personal. Every year Red-Throated Loons, Long-tailed Ducks and King Eiders are to be found in the area. And usually we will have some good opportunities with some of these amazing birds. The opportunities with most other birds, especially Common Eider –will be plentiful. And the aim of these trips is to make most of the opportunities offered with some of the arctic specialties and to nail those special images out of what might seem common. Besides birds, the tour will cover all aspects of nature photography including dramatic landscapes, the abundant arctic flora (which you will see develop throughout the week) and wildlife photography (including encounters with the native Svalbard Reindeer).
Although the Red-Throated Loons, Long-tailed Duck and both eiders will likely have moved farther out on the tundra or to the open sea during the second trip, the opportunities with most other birds will be plentiful. And we may find some shorebird nests with or without tiny chicks. Besides birds, both tours will cover all aspects of nature photography including dramatic landscapes, the abundant arctic flora (which will be at its best during the second trip) and wildlife photography (including encounters with the native Svalbard Reindeer). The cost of the trip includes a boat trip to an island where Barnacle Geese are common nesters.
As all of the birds and mammals rarely see humans, most of them will only give you a glance and then continue with their daily routines, allowing you to make most of the photo opportunities. Although overcast situations are most common, when the midnight sun comes through it will provide plenty of sweet warm light. Unlike many other tours to this destination, the main focus will not be the Polar bear. We will not tour around Svalbard on a sea-going vessel; we will focus on a rather small but diverse area on the main island of Spitzbergen. Over the years Jasper has spend over 6 months in this area and is very familiar with the animal species and photographic opportunities.
Accommodations
With modern comfort in historic surroundings Spitsbergen Hotel offers a unique Svalbard experience. Situated on the “Hill” it has great views of Longyearbyen, the Lars glacier and the Longyear glacier. The hotel was originally built as accommodation/dining area for employees at Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani. It was also the company’s official representational building, and its interior and architecture made it Longyearbyen’s grandest construction. Great effort has been placed in preserving its special history and it is well worth a cultural stroll along the hotel corridors and public areas where you’ll find historic photographs, old maps and newspaper clippings.
Your Favorite?
The images below were created by two photographers: Jasper Doest and yours truly. Take a moment and let us know which two images below are your favorites and let us know why.
artie is traveling
artie is traveling in the Southern Ocean (Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctica) and will be unable to respond to your questions and comments until after his return on 26 January 2012.
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Common Eider, drake head portrait. Image copyright 2011: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.
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Dovekie Flock Silhouette, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Red-throated Loon on nest, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Barnacle Goose on nest, Diabas, Norway. Image copyright 2011: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.
Both trips include a boat trip to an island with tame nesting Barnacle Geese.
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Common Eider hen on nest, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Dovekie with wings raised. Image copyright 2011: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.
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Parasitic Jaeger attacking Arctic Fox, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
Jasper did much better with the foxes in 2011 on the second trip than we did on the first.
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Dovekie in flight, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
Spitzbergen is the best place in the world to photograph the world’s smallest auk. It was my primary reason for making the trip.
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Geese on the ridge, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Dunlin, male singing on territory, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Shorebird chick, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
The second trip will offer the best chance for photographing shorebird chicks.
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Glacier, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Svalbard Reindeer, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Arctic Tern screaming, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Hillsides, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Barnacle Goose in flight, Diabas, Norway. Image copyright 2011: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.
Both trips include a boat trip to an island with tame nesting Barnacle Geese. Photographing this species was one of the highlights of the trip for me.
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King Eider, drake, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Ivory Gull, head portrait. Image copyright 2011: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.
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Common Eider, drake. Image copyright 2011: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.
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Parasitic Jaeger, copulating pair, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Arctic Tern calling, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Dovekie, flight silhouette, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image courtesy of and copyright 2011: Jasper Doest.
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Arctic wildflowers, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image copyright 2011: Arthur Morris.
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Derelict coal mine HDR, Spitzbergen, Norway. Image copyright 2011: Arthur Morris.
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January 2nd, 2012
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This image was created in Starr County, TX with the the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 160 sec. at f/11 in Av Mode.
Lens/TC/Camera Body Micro-Adjustment: +10. For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. Then click on the enlarged version to close it.
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My Comments on: For Your Critique: Image #5
On August 8, 2011 I posted For Your Critique: Image #5. This image was entered in the WPOTY category: In Praise of Plants. Though this is not my all time favorite image, I do like it a lot. And I needed to fill a few more categories. (You can enter no more than 3 images in any one category for your single entry fee.) Many folks commented that the image was simply not sharp and even more folks commented on the need for more depth of field. All of those comments left me baffled as the image looks very sharp to me and at f/11–with a large flower pretty darned far from me, the d-o-f seems more than sufficient. Some folks loved the color, others saw it as too bland. I processed it so that the colors looked as they did that morning. I like the colors. Some criticized the image design while others praised it. I love the composition. It is my firm belief that in critiquing situations that there is what I call “the bandwagon effect.” When an early poster makes a comment many of those who follow tend to agree….
Martine Guay posted my favorite comment: Van Gogh. Thanks to all who commented.
artie is out
artie is traveling in the Southern Ocean (Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctica) and will unable to respond to your questions and comments until after his return on 26 January 2012.
Earn Free Contest Entries and Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.
More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the image above. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon 1.4X III TC. This new TC is designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My two Mark IVs are my workhorse digital camera bodies.
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
Gitzo GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
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.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
Be sure to check out our camera body User’s Guides here.
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.
December 31st, 2011
See Ya Later!
It is the last day of 2011. I am sitting on a tour bus with my photo gear and 1/3 of the group that will be boarding the Ortelius this afternoon for 26 days of touring the Southern Ocean. We will spend several days in the Falklands, six or seven days at South Georgia, and then head to the South Orkneys and the Antarctic Peninsula before heading north through the famed and feared Drake Passage. We will wind up back in Ushuaia, Argentina on the early morning of January 25th to catch our flights home later in the day. I am looking forward to a great adventure and to sharing my favorite images with you when I get home.
My plan is to post this from the hotel lobby after our whirlwind tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park. Old friends Rod and Marlene Planck are leading the trip today. Attending a seminar that Rod did in Philadelphia in 1990 or 1991 was a life-changing event for me as it served as motivation for me to leave teaching and pursue my current career. Seeing his great images in Birder’s World magazine had inspired me year’s before that.
My trip from Orlando to Ushuaia was a long one. I left my home at 12:30 on January 28th, flew to Miami at 3:35 pm, and continued on to Buenos Aires, Argentina arriving at about 7:30am the next day at the international airport, EZE. An hour cab ride brought me to AEP, the domestic airport for my 3:40pm flight to Ushuaia. I was in my room at the Albatros Hotel by 9pm. Fighting a cold, I rested for most of the day on the thirtieth. At about 4pm, finally succumbing to feeling a bit better, I grabbed my 300mm f/2.8L IS lens, both teleconverters, and my Gitzo my 3530 LS tripod with the Mongoose M3.6 on it and headed down to the causeway road alongside the harbor to try for some gulls. As luck would have it, someone had dumped a huge load of bread on the rocks that attracted a big assemblage of gulls including both Dolphin and Kelp Gulls of varying ages.
Surprisingly, the birds were somewhat skittish so I sat near the pile of bread and waited with some success for them to come to me. It was a good chance to work with the long lens that I will be using as big glass for the trip. I am used to working with extremely long effective focal lengths in the 1040 to 1456mm. With the 300 f/2.8L IS II and the 2X III TC my maximum effective focal length will be 780mm. Considering that the size of the bird in the frame is a function of the square of the focal length (rather than the focal length itself), I am sure at times that I will be wishing that I had my 800. But I am equally sure that I will make a few very good images. And by working wider rather than tighter I will have a better chance of creating images that depict interesting behavior.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the image above. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II lens. The new version of the 300 f/2.8L IS lens is only a bit lighter than its predecessor but it is insanely sharp and features four-stop Image Stabilization. I will be using it with both Series III teleconvters.
2X III teleconverter. This new version of the 2X TC is noticeably sharper than the previous model, the EF 2X II.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My two Mark IVs are my workhorse digital camera bodies.
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
Gitzo GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
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.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
Be sure to check out our camera body User’s Guides here.
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.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV User’s Guide. Learn to use your Mark IV the way that I use mine. Also available for the 7D and the Mark III here.
December 30th, 2011
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Predawn ducks in the mist, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM. NOV 30, 2011. With the the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 4000. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/6 sec. at f/5.6 in Tv mode.
Central Sensor Rear Focus/AI Servo AF and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Lens/TC/camera body Micro-adjustment: +2. For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. Then click on the enlarged version to close it.
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ISO 4000 at 1/6th of a Second…
Folks often ask, “What is the highest ISO that you will use?” I always answer: “I have no set limit: I will use what I need to get the image. The image above was created at 6:20 am about 45 minutes before the sun would peek over the distant mountains to the east. I figured that at 1/6 sec. I had a chance of getting the ducks sharp enough so that the image would work. And at ISO 4000 the image would show a bit of a grainy look that would add some character the way that film grain did.
Does this image work for you? What do you like about it? Why don’t you like? What is the highest ISO that you normally use? Do you go higher on occasion? If yes, then why?
When I am presented with some fire in the mist, even just a bit as here, I will always go for the gusto whatever it takes…
artie is gone
artie is traveling in the Southern Ocean (Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctica) and will unable to respond to your questions and comments until after his return on 26 January 2012.
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The Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II is my very favorite intermediate telephoto zoom lens. I use it often with both the 1.4 and 2X III teleconverters. It will be on my shoulder via the Black Rapid RS-7 Strap for pretty much all of my Southern Oceans trip.
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B&H Killer Special
You can save $400 on one of my two favorite lenses from now through January 7, 2012 by clicking here. You can learn lots more about this great lens in dozens of blog posts especially here.. And you can save $400.00 off the regular price of $2374.00. It can be yours for only $1974.00 from now until 12/31/2011. (I learned today, 12/30/2011, that this deal will be good only through tomorrow and not through 7 January as I was originally told by my B&H contact. I apologize for any inconvenience.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the image above. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My two Mark IVs are my workhorse digital camera bodies.
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
Gitzo GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
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.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
Be sure to check out our camera body User’s Guides here.
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.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV User’s Guide. Learn to use your Mark IV the way that I use mine. Also available for the 7D and the Mark III here.
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