Your Call: BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition/Small in the Frame Category: A Very Strong Collection of Images « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Your Call: BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition/Small in the Frame Category: A Very Strong Collection of Images

IPT and I-T-F Updates

There are only 4 slots left on the UK Puffins and Gannets IPT and on the NOV 29-DEC Bosque IPT. The Fort DeSoto Short Notice, Nickerson Beach, and the Bosque Creative IPTs all have lots of room though the latter is filling nicely as Muriel McClellan and her daughter-in-law signed up yesterday. Scroll down for updated info & details on the St. Augustine In-the-Field days and the Fort DeSoto IPT. Click here for info on the others and for complete IPT details.

Used Canon and Nikon Gear for Sale

There are some great buys available on a variety of super-telephotos lenses as well as a few camera bodies. Scroll down for details. Kitty Kono’s Nikon 500 sold yesterday. Her 400 f/2.8 is still there for the taking at a great price.

The Streak Continues: 157

Denise Ippolito and I spent a great day yesterday with our single participant, Catherine Costolo who drove down on Sunday from Atlanta, GA: chalk up another happy camper. With two leaders and just one client–it’s just Catherine–it is not too late to join us for some practically private instruction on an In-the-Field day on Wednesday. e-mail or better yet, call my cell as below if you are interested in 1 or 2 days of instruction. We visited the Alligator Farm yesterday afternoon in bright sun and as at Gatorland, most folks, including many with $15,000 or more of great gear clearly indicated by their actions that they have no clue as to how to create a good image in difficult lighting conditions.

This post marks 157 consecutive days with a new educational blog post. With so many folks getting in the habit of using our B&H links and our Amazon logo-links why quit now? April was a record month! To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we do ask that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, and the like. We sell only what I used, tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know the tools that you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

You can find the following items in the store: Gitzo tripods, Mongoose M3.6 and Wimberley heads, plates, low feet, and accessories, flash brackets, , Delkin e-film Pro Compact Flash Cards, LensCoat products, and our unique line-up of educational materials including ABP I & II, Digital Basics, Site and Set-up e-Guides, Canon and Nikon Camera Users and AF e-Guides, and MP-4 Photoshop video tutorials among others.

I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and visiting the BAA Online store as well.

This post took 1 1/2 hours to put together. Enjoy!


small_dave_klein_snow_geese_missouri_dwk8530

Snow Goose Fire

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

The judging of the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition has been complete for about ten days. Thanks a stack to our panel of judges: Sandesh Kadur, Scott Elowitz, Lou Coetzer, Mary Ann McDonald, Michael Frye, Peter Kes, Denise Ippolito, and yours truly. You can learn more about the guest judges here.

From 5 to 18 images in the 8 categories were selected to be sent to the judges’ panel. Each judge voted on each image on a 0-5 scale. The votes were tallied and the results are now final. Two categories down, six to go.

Your Call

The images that were presented to the panel of judges in the Small in the Frame category are presented to you today here. This was one of the three strongest categories. Do understand that many very strong images were eliminated in the early rounds because of poor image processing, technical issues including over- or under-exposure, image sharpness, and the failure of folks to take advantage of our lenient digital guidelines that allow for removing distracting elements from an image.

After clicking on each image to view the larger size, we ask that each of you pick your five favorite images and vote them 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 with 5 being the strongest, 4 being your second favorite, and so on down to 1. You can click on each image to view a larger size. Additional comments are welcome as long as they appear below your selections that should look something like this:

Icicle Adelie: 5
Snow Goose Fire: 4
Follow Us: 3
Heavenly: 2
Wall to Wall: 1

The image composition in Icicle Adelie is superb, as are the icicles!

The selections above are of course arbitrary and should not at all influence your votes. Please read the directions carefully as comments that do not follow the format above exactly will be deleted without notice. The three winning images in this category along with the 5 runner up images and the names of the photographers will be announced here on Wednesday morning along with a tally of the public vote.

The Grand Prize winning image, the image that secured the highest total of judge’s votes, will be revealed when the results of the final category are announced.


small_paul-mckenzie-thousandsoflesserflamingos-lakelogipikenya

Wall to Wall

Wall to Wall


small_clemens-vanderwerf-adelie-penguin-on-iceberg-with-icecles_e7t1693-detaille-lsland-antarctica

Icicle Adelie

Icicle Adelie


small_eveturekgullnc2510

Heavenly

Heavenly


small_clemens-vanderwerf-gentoo-penguins-marching-in-the-snow_e7t7502-cuverville-island-antarctica

Follow Us!

Follow Us!


small_paul-mckenzie-lesserflamingosonandoveralgaeslick-lakelogipikenya

Flamingo Algae Slick

Flamingo Algae Slick


small_clemens-vanderwerf-kittiwakes-on-ice-berg-with-glacier-in-bkgd_b8r5647-lilliehookbreen-svalbard-arctic

Kittiwake Berg

Kittiwake Berg


small_paul-mckenzie-lesserflamingosandtrails-lakenatrontanzania

Flamingo Trails

Flamingo Trails


small_clemens-vanderwerf-gentoo-penguins-resting-for-the-night_s6a0096-petermann-island-antarctica

Earth Shadow Gentoos

Earth Shadow Gentoos


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Black-faced Spoonbill Rock

Black-faced Spoonbill Rock


this-one-small_paul-mckenzie-whooperswanslanding-hokkaidojapan

Landing Whooper Swans

Landing Whooper Swans


small_clemens-vanderwerf-march-of-the-penguins_stiched-pano_e7t6755-lemaire-channel-gerlache-strait-antarctica

March of the Penguins

March of the Penguins


small_paul-mckenzie-lesserflamingosandsshapedalgaeslick-lakelogipikenya

Flamingo Abstract

Flamingo Abstract

Used Nikon Super-Telephoto Lens for Sale

A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART friend Kitto Kono sold her Nikon 500 yesterday to a Blog subscriber!

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8G ED VR AF Lens

The first is a used Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8G ED VR AF lens for $5999.00. This lens sells new from B&H for $8999.00. The price includes UPS insured Ground shipping to the continental US. The lens comes with just about everything that came with the original purchase including the lens trunk, monopod collar, front lens cover, rear lens cap, slip on HK 33 Lens Hood, Slip-in Filter Holder, 52mm screw-in NC Filter, and LN – 1 Strap. The lens is in excellent condition with some minor blemishes and scratches on the exterior body and lens hood. Photos upon request. Potential buyers can contact Kitty via e-mail or by phone: 610-995-2339. Your check must clear before the lens is shipped.

The 400 f/2.8 is superb for large mammals, for birds at close range, and for work at bird feeders. Priced at $3,000 less than new this one should sell quickly.

Used Canon Gear for Sale

Denise Ippolito’s 100-400 and her 100 macro sold in one day.

Used Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Lens for Sale

Multiple IPT veteran Bill Wingfield is offering a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $1425. The glass is clean and the lens is in perfect working condition. The sale includes the lens hood, the fabric case, and insured shipping by UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped after your check clears.

For more than a decade I used the 100-400 to create hundreds of sharp, sale-able image. It is a very versatile lens.

You can reach Bill via e-mail or by phone at 843-729-6670.

Used Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS Lens for Sale

Multiple IPT veteran, the too-kind Jim Bicket, is offering a Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $8750. The lens is like new except for some wear on the bottom of the lens hood near the forward edge when the hood is reversed. The sales includes the LensCoat that has protected the lens since day 1, the leather hood, the original hard case and key, and insured shipping via UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped only after your check clears.

This great lens, my favorite for 3 years, sells new at B&H for $13,999.00. A month ago B&H was offering one in mint condition for a ridiculous $10,249.90; it sold overnight. Go figure. Jim’s lens will save you a ton of dough and you will have a great lens with lots of reach.

Interested folks can contact Jim via e-mail or try him at 501-915-9336.

Used Canon 400mm f/4L IS DO Lens for Sale

Friend and BAA webmaster Peter Kes is offering is offering a Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens in excellent condition for $4699. The sale includes the lens trunk, the leather lens hood, a Forest Green LensCoat, and insured shipping by UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped after your check clears. I owned and used a 400 DO for years; at 4.28 pounds it is a great lens for folks wishing to gain extra reach without having to carry around excessively heavy gear…. I used it often with both TCs and made sharp images. It currently retails new for $6,469 at B&H.

This sale will be made through BAA. Please call Jim at 863-221-2372 (weekdays) or shoot me an if you have any questions.

Used EOS-5D Mark II for Sale/Price Reduced $100!

Doug Bolt’s 400 DO sold early last week. Doug is offering a used EOS-5D Mark II in very good to excellent condition for $1099! There is a shallow scratch on the body and a faint smudge on the top LCD. The sale includes a RRS L-plate, an off-brand vertical grip, and the original box and all the stuff that came in it. The seller will pay shipping to US addresses only. This one is a great body for flowers and landscapes. Mine saved me on a Southern Oceans cruise when I trashed two EOS-1D Mark IV bodies in a rainstorm; it was a great back-up camera body. The item will ship only when the check clears.

Please contact Doug for a link to photos of the camera and for additional info via e-mail or try him by phone at home: at 301-937-3112 or on his cell at 301-537-8073.

Used Canon EOS-7D for Sale

Doug Bolt loves his 5D Mark III so much that he is also offering a used EOS-7D camera body for $799. The sale includes a RRS camera body plate. The seller will pay shipping to US addresses only. This one is a great starter body. The item will ship only when the check clears.

Please contact Doug for additional info via e-mail or try him by phone at home: at 301-937-3112 or on his cell at 301-537-8073.

Used Canon EOS-7D for Sale

Janet Horton is offering a used Canon EOS-7D in excellent condition for $725. The sale includes a RRS model B7D-L L plate, all items that were in the original box (including instruction manual) and the cost of insured shipping to US addresses only. Your check must clear before the item ships.

Please contact Janet via e-mail or try her at by phone at home: at 425-313-3060


st-augustine-card

All of the images created at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and copyright Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

From top left clockwise to center: Snowy Egret pair in breeding plumage, breeding plumage Cattle Egret with fill flash, large Great Egret chicks in the nest, killer breeding plumage Snowy Egret displaying, flash-as-main light Great Egret chick happy to see mom, Little Blue Heron chicks, Cattle Egret breeding plumage head portrait, flash flight Wood Stork with nesting material, Great Egret landing at the nest, large Snowy Egret chicks.

Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Short-Notice In-the-Field Workshops: Early entry/late stay. May 7, 2014.

Call my cell at 863-221-2372 for Late Registration Discount or Single Day info. Please leave a message if I do not pick up.

Breeding herons, egrets, and Wood Storks. Eggs and chicks in the nest. Some fledged young possible. Breeding behaviors including displaying and copulation. Flight and flash flight. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, Tricolored Heron, Wood Stork. Early May rocks at the Farm as the weather is usually gorgeous and there should be lots of both small and large chicks in the nest. And you avoid the possibly oppressive heat of June and July.

Includes in-the-field instruction, early entry, late stay, $5/person late-stay gratuity, informal, small group Photoshop and image review sessions. Three lunches.

Not included: your lodging, your St. Augustine Alligator Farm photographer’s pass ($79.95 for the year); we will be more than glad to pre-order your pass for you. Please let us know when you register.

What you will learn:

How to see the good situations.
How to best avoid the clutter of a rookery by choosing the very best perspective.
How to properly evaluate the histogram and come up with the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure
How to see and understand the light.
How to to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
Why you must work in Manual mode 95% of the time when photographing at a rookery and how to do it.
How to evaluate and process your images.
Via intensive instruction how to use fill flash flash as main light, and Manual flash.
Flash flight techniques including the necessary use of high speed sync.
And tons more.

Please call Jim or Jen at 863-692-0906 to hold your spot with your non-refundable $299 credit card deposit and then put your check in the mail along with your signed registration form; you can find the form here.

Suitable airports: Jacksonville (JAX), Daytona Beach (DAB), Orlando MCO).

We look forward to seeing you in the nation’s oldest city for three days of fun and learning.


fort-desoto-card

Fort DeSoto in spring is rich with tame birds. With many in breeding plumage it is a photographer’s paradise. I hope that you can join me there in mid-May.

Short Notice Fort DeSoto IPT/In-the-Field Workshops: May 9, 10, & 11, 2014

IPT–3 FULL DAYs: $1099. In-the-Field Workshops: $399/day

Call the office, e-mail, or my cell at 863-221-2372 for Late Registration Discount or Single Day info. Please leave a message if I do not answer.

Fort DeSoto in spring is so good that I needed to create two cards in order to give folks an idea of what is possible. Even then I have barely scratched the surface. If you are coming from out of town you will surely want to do all 3 days, the entire IPT. Local folks may wish to join me for one or more full days.

There will Lots of tame birds including breeding plumage Laughing Gull and Royal and Sandwich Terns courting and copulating. American Oystercatcher plus lots of sandpipers and plovers, some in breeding plumage. Red Knot in breeding plumage likely. Lots of wading birds including Great and Snowy Egrets, both color morphs of Reddish Egret, Great Blue, Tricolored and Little Blue Heron, and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. Roseate Spoonbill and WOod Stork between possible and likely…. Lots of flight photography with the gulls and terns and with Brown Pelican.

You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. And you will learn learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you are scared of it).

At lunch we will review my images–folks learn a ton watching me edit–why keep this one and delete that one. If you opt to bring your laptop, we will take a look at five of your best images from the morning session. We will process a few of my images in Photoshop after converting them in DPP. That followed by Instructor Nap Time.

This is the IPT hotel: Comfort Inn St. Petersburg, FL. 2260 54th Ave N., St. Petersburg, FL 33714. tel: 1-727-362-0075. The best airport is Tampa (TPA).

Payment in full via credit card is due upon registering. Please call Jim or Jennifer at 863-692-0906 to register.


fort-desoto-card-b

Fort DeSoto in spring is rich with tame birds. With many in breeding plumage it is a photographer’s paradise. I hope that you can join me there in mid-May.

Fort DeSoto Site Guide

Can’t make it in mid-May? Get yourself a copy of the Fort DeSoto Site Guide. Learn the best spots, where to be when in what season in what weather. Learn the best wind directions for the various locations. BAA Site Guides are the next best thing to being on an IPT. You can see all of them here.

Shorebirds/Beautiful Beachcombers

If the shorebirds in the ID quiz gave you pause, get yourself a copy of my Shorebirds/Beautiful Beachcombers. Includes ID tips, shorebird biology, migration, and tons more. All in my simple-to-read easy-to-read style.

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

….. …..

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. đŸ™‚

33 comments to Your Call: BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition/Small in the Frame Category: A Very Strong Collection of Images

  • Snow Goose Fire: 5
    Wall to Wall: 4
    Icicle Adelie: 3
    Follow Us: 2
    Earth Shadow Gentoos 1

  • Flamingo Abstract: 5
    Flamingo Trails: 4
    Flamingo Algae Slick: 3
    Landing Whooper Swans: 2
    Snow Goose Fire: 1

    These are all incredible! I wish I had more votes.

  • Icicle Adelie: 5
    Flamingo Algae Slick: 4
    Heavenly: 3
    Landing Whooper Swans: 2
    Flamingo Abstract: 1

    All amazing images. Very hard to choose.

  • avatar Minhaj Qazi

    1. Snow Goose Fire
    2. Penduin March.
    3. Flamingo Trails

  • avatar Mark A Jordan

    Snow Goose Fire: 5
    March of the Penguins: 4
    Icicle Adelie: 3
    Heavenly: 2
    Wall to Wall: 1

  • avatar David Policansky

    Hi, Artie.I’m driving across the country; in Music City USA right now. Those are all glorious images and I’m too tired to figure out which I like best; posting so I get the comments and the results. Congratulations to all those wonderful photographers.

  • Snow Goose Fire: 5
    March of the Penquins: 4
    Flamingo Abstract: 3
    Landing Whooper Swans: 2
    Flamingo Trails: 1

    Really hard choices. Each of the images are outstanding.

  • avatar Ted Willcox

    #5 Icicle Adelie
    #4 Snow Goose Fire
    #3 Kittiwake Berg
    #2 Landing Whooper Swans
    #1 Black-faced Spoonbill Rock

  • avatar Gretchen

    5 Snow Goose Fire
    4 Icicle Adelie
    3 Follow Us
    2 Kittiwake Berg
    1 March of the Penguins

  • avatar Marina Scarr

    5 Flamingo Trails
    4. Snow Goose Fire
    3. Heavenly
    2. Earth Shadow Gentoos
    1. Killiwake Berg

  • avatar Geoff

    Kittiwake Berg: 5
    Icicle Adelie: 4
    Snow Goose Fire: 3
    Follow Us: 2
    March of the Penguins: 1

    I guess I really like Antarctica images and I believe all of these except the snow goose were shot by the same photographer as is given away by the filenames of the images. Therefore an early congrats to Clemens as he will likely take the top prize with one of these four images.

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Could be. Or not. What about Paul??? Just for the record books, the judging ia 100% anonymous; the judges do not see the names of the photographers.

  • Earth Shadow Gentoos, 5
    March of the Penguins, 4
    Snow Goose Fire, 3
    Flamingo Abstract, 2
    Icicle Adelie, 1

    Love the composition and sense of place in Earth Shadow Gentoos; the combo of dusk and moonlight upped the ante for me here.
    I love the sense of scale in March of the Penguins and in Snow Goose Fire both.
    Well-seen on the Flamingo Abstract; love the color harmony and the placement of algae line in the frame
    Great exposure on Icicle Adelie; love the detail in both ice and feathers.
    Side note (if allowed): Did not feel right voting for my own image here.

  • avatar Greg Payne

    5. March of the penguins
    4. Snow goose fire
    3. Flamingo trails
    2. Kittiwake berg
    1. Flamingo abstract

  • avatar Greg

    Flamingo Trails,5
    Snow Goose Fire,4
    Flamingo Algae Slick,3
    Black-faced Spoonbill Rock,2
    March of the Penguins,1

  • avatar Chris Houston

    March of the Penguins: 5
    Wall to Wall: 4
    Snow Goose Fire: 3
    Follow Us: 2
    Flamingo Trails: 1

  • avatar Kylie Jones

    Snow Goose Fire: 5
    March of the Penguins: 4
    Icicle Adelie: 3
    Heavenly: 2
    Landing Whooper Swans: 1

  • Flamingo Trails-5
    Follow Us-4
    Heavenly-3
    Icicle Adelie-2
    Landing Whooper Swans-1

  • Wall to Wall, 5
    Kittiwake Berg, 4
    March of the Penguines, 3
    Black Faced Spoonbill Rock, 2
    Flamingo Algae Stick, 1

    This was a harder call. I could be happy with any of my top three as #1, and certainly not disappointed of others win.

  • avatar Pat Fishburne

    5 Icicle Adelie
    4 Earth Shadow Gentoos
    3 Black-Faced Spoonbill Rock
    2 Snow Goose Fire
    1 Landing Whooper Swans

  • Icicle Adelie 5
    Flamingo Trails 4
    March of the Penguins 3
    Landing Whooper Swans 2
    Follow Us 1

    All are outstanding!

  • avatar Kathleen Hanika

    Heavenly: 5
    Icicle Adelie: 4
    Snow Goose Fire: 3
    Flamingo Trails: 2
    Kittiwake Berg: 1

  • Earth Shadow Gentoos 5
    Snow goose fire 4
    Follow Us 3
    Landing whooper swans 2
    March of the penguins 1

    Tough group to judge but I really liked the Earth Shadow photo

  • Snow goose fire 5
    Icicle Adelie 4
    Follow up 3
    Earth shadow Gentos 2
    Black faced Spoonbills 1

  • Snow Goose Fire: 5
    Flamingo Trails: 4
    March of the Penguins: 3
    Flamingo Algae Slick: 2
    Landing Whooper Swans: 1

    All are very strong. Snow Goose Fire is other-worldly. Flamingo Trails makes the water a canvas and works as art for me.

  • avatar Eddy Vaes

    Icicle Adelie 5
    Spoonbill Rock 4
    March of the penguins 3
    Snow goose fire 2
    Flamingo trails 1

  • avatar Sarah Mayhew

    March of the Penguins: 5
    Flamingo Algae Slick: 4
    Flamingo Trails: 3
    Snow Goose Fire: 2
    Icicle Adelie: 1

  • Flamingo Trails – 5
    March O The Penguins – 4
    Flamingo Abstract – 3
    Landing Whooper Swans -2
    Kittiwake Berg – 1

  • Icicle Adelie: 5
    Heavenly: 4
    Snow Goose Fire: 3
    Kittiwake Berg 2
    Earth Shadow Gentoos 1

    iIcicle Adelie–The image composition has great diagonal lines. The icicle straight lines balance the straight Adelie. Lovely blues.
    Heavenly–the crepuscular rays are a nice balance to the cloud towers. The frigate bird? in the rays has nice diagonal wing placement.
    Snow Goose Fire–Spectacular and unique. The pano makes perfect composition. Maybe I would have cloned out the two ducks in the foreground, but not sure.
    Kittiwakes–super composition leading the eye to the top bird, and all the birds have head angles that are good poses with none turned away. Ice in the berg is exposed beautifully.
    Earth Shadow Gentoos–The moon, pink sky, red bills, diagonal line of birds all make this a great photo

  • avatar bob martin

    5 march of the penguins
    4 heavenly
    3 icicle adelie
    2 kittiwake berg
    1 flamingo abstrack

    march of penguins is outstanding

  • avatar Gary Axten

    Tough call today, though the March was an easy winner for me, especially viewed larger.

    March of the Penguins: 5
    Flamingo Trails: 4
    Landing Whooper Swans: 3
    Wall to Wall: 2
    Heavenly: 1

  • avatar Jay

    Kittiwake Berg, 5
    Icile Adelie, 4
    Wall to wall, 3
    Black Faced Spoonbill Rock, 2
    Landing Whooper Swans, 1.