Much Appreciated: Important Stuff/Please Read

2nd Palouse IPT Added By Popular Demand

Please scroll down for details.

The Streak Continues: 199

It is just before 10:00am here in Indian Lake Estates, FL as I finish up today’s blog post. Including the time that I spent on the 3 images in this post it took me about 2 1/2 hours to put this one together.

This post marks 199 consecutive days with a new 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, May and June have been fantastic as lots of folks are getting the message; using my affiliate links does not cost you a penny and helps support my efforts here. To show your appreciation, I 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 have used and tested, and know that you 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 three-frame Art Vivid HDR image was created on the morning of June 11, 2014 on our Palouse scouting with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM lens with Internal 1.4x Extender (with the internal extender in place at 461mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III . ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop +/- two stops around the base exposure of 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 in Av mode. Color temperature 4500K to tone down the YELLOWs. Central Sensor/Surround/AI Servo-Rear Focus AF on the top of the support and recompose. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. What is it?

Lots of Stuff

On our Palouse scouting trip I enjoyed photographing detail extracted from the grand scene with relatively long lenses. What looks like some sort of pump was on the lawn of a working ranch. It caught my eye so I photographed it. The inscribed oval plate includes the words “Little Scratch” and “Old Scratch, Amarillo, TX.” A web search came up 100% empty. If you have a clue as to exactly what the object in the photograph is, please leave a comment.

If Dave Alexander (see more below) uses our link to buy his EOS-5D Mark III he will earn a free copy of my EOS-5D Mark III User’s Guide. And if he joins us on one of the Palouse IPTs next spring, he will learn a ton and have a chance to make images like the one above. And tons more exciting images like those you have been seeing here lately.

Image Question

You have been looking at images created with small to very small apertures of between f//11 and f/22 for a week now. Why did I choose to go wide open at f/5.6 for this one?

Much Appreciated

I received the following e-mail last night from blog subscriber Dave Alexander:

Artie, I’ve bought your books, camera guides, a Gitzo tripod and Mongoose M3.6 head, and several other items from your BAA store. I follow the blog religiously, and am a big fan. Now I want to buy an EOS-5D Mark III from B&H through BAA, but can’t find the combination of accessories that I want among those listed when I go to B&H from the BAA blog. On the B&H site they list B&H # CAE5D3K2, which they call “Canon EOS 5D Camera (Body Only) Deluxe Accessory Kit” for $3499. This item isn’t listed among the options when I go to B&H through the link on your blog. What can I do to make this purchase through you?

By the way, your blog lists a similar item, but with video accessories. I want the particular accessory set listed on the B&H site because it contains the grip and an extra battery, as well as an SD card , all for $100 more than the body only. I have the vertical grip on my 7D and definitely want to put one on the 5D. I’d like to show my appreciation for the work you do on the blog. Suggestions?

Dave Alexander

Though unrelated to the main thrust of today’s blog post, the white search box on each blog page (shown above inside the red rectangular box), can help folks to find what they’re looking for quickly and efficiently. Simply type a or or a short phrase into the white search box and then click on Search. In less than a few seconds a box with links will pop up. If you click on one of the links, the new page will open in a separate tab.

My Response to Dave

Hey Dave, Thanks a stack for your willingness to help support my efforts here on the blog. While I will freely admit that I love helping folks and love being the center of attention, the income derived from folks choosing to use our affiliate links is quite helpful and quite appreciated. As you well know, using our links will not cost folks one penny.

As far as BAA getting credit for each item, the solution is a simple one. If you click on the B&H logo link on the right side of all blog pages (you can see the logo link next to the right-facing arrow in the screen capture above), anything that you search for and purchase will be tracked to our affiliate account (even though you will NOT see our tracking code in the web address. See more below the next image to learn how I found the exact package you are looking for.

Thanks also for your purchases from the BAA Online Store. The B&H # CAE5D3K2 package is a great value. I love the battery grip on my 5D III. Be sure to send me your B&H receipt via e-mail so that we can get you your free copy of the 5D III User’s Guide.

Use the B&H Search box to find what you are looking for. Be sure to access the B&H site with one of our affiliate links. Tanks!

Finding Exactly What You Want on the B&H Site

Once you click on our generic B&H logo link on the right side of the blog you will wind up on the B&H website as shown above. As you can see in the screen capture above, there is a convenient search box just below the B&H symbol. The red arrow is pointing to is. I simply cut and pasted “B&H # CAE5D3K2” into the B&H search box and hit go. Voila. The package that you were looking for popped right up. And if you wish to continue shopping once the item is in your shopping cart, all subsequent items will be tracked to our affiliate account. And will of course be greatly appreciated.

One fine point that many folks fail to realize: when folks purchase an item that we carry, a Gitzo tripod or a Wimberley head for example, from B&H, they are actually hurting us. We derive only 3.5% from all B&H sales. This pales in comparison to the standard 25% mark-up for most of the products that we buy from our valued suppliers. If folks are in the market for photographic accessories they need to remember to purchase the items that we carry in the BAA Online Store from us rather than from B&H :).

Again, thanks a stack for your more than kind words and for your past and continuing support.

later and love, artie

Hope that you can join us 🙂 Card and design by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

The Palouse A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT)/Eastern Washington State. May 29-June 2, 2015/5 Full Days: $1699/Limit 12 photographers/Sold Out

As the trip above is now sold out, we have decided–in response to popular demand, to run a second trip after giving ourselves 2 days to recover from the first one. We have already sold two slots for the 2nd trip so please do not tarry if you wish to join us. There will not be a third trip. 🙂 See the details immediately below.

The Palouse A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT)/Eastern Washington State. June 5-9, 2015/5 Full Days: $1699/Limit 12 photographers/Openings 10; this trip needs 6 to run. That is almost a certainty.

Rolling farmlands provide a magical patchwork of textures and colors, especially when viewed from the top of Steptoe Butte where we will likely enjoy spectacular sunrises and possibly a nice sunset or two. We will photograph grand landscapes and mini-scenics of the rolling hills and farm fields. We will take you to some really neat old abandoned barns and farmhouses in idyllic settings. There is no better way to improve your compositional and image design skills and to develop your creativity than to join us for this trip. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Photoshop and image sharing sessions when we have the time and energy…. We get up early and stay out late and the days are long.

After 6 days of back-breaking scouting work in early June 2014 we found all of the iconic locations and, in addition, lots of spectacular new old barns and breath-taking landforms and views. We will teach you what makes one situation prime and another seemingly similar one a waste of your time.
What’s included: In-the-field instruction, guidance, lessons, and inspiration, our newfound but very extensive knowledge of the area, all lunches, motel lobby breakfasts, and Photoshop and image sharing sessions when possible.

You will learn and hone both basic and advanced compositional and image design skills. You will learn to get the right exposure every time. You will learn to develop your creative eye. You will learn the basics of HDR (high dynamic range) photography. You will learn a variety of in-camera creative techniques; Canon 5D Mark III bodies are a plus. And most importantly you will learn to see the situation and to create a variety of top-notch images. Do see both of our blogs for lots more on that in the coming weeks. You will learn how the quality and direction of light combine to determine the success of your images. And–please don’t gasp–we will be working quite a bit with sidelight when creating landscapes. Lastly, we will be touching on infrared photography.

A non-refundable $699 deposit is due now. The balance will be due on January 29, 2015. With the unpredictable nature of the photography business, I have not said this often lately, but it seems quite likely that this one will fill up very quickly. Please let me know via e-mail that you will be joining us. Then you can either call Jim or Jennifer at 863-692-0906 during business hours or send us a check; the latter is preferred.

Please send your deposit check made out to “Arthur Morris” to us at Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail. You can also contact denise via e-mail here

Card and design by Denise Ippolito. Scroll down here to see lots more of Denise’s Palouse images.

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!

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Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, ay, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

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. 🙂