Coming Tomorrow
Tomorrow’s blog post will outline my thoughts on which of my three (actually 5 on this trip) camera bodies I will be using in various situations at Bosque.
The Streak Continues: 348
On Wednesday I finished and sent BAA Bulletin #469. I enjoyed an easy 60-length swim in the sunshine and took a short nap. Late in the day, I started packing. This blog post, the 348th in a row, took about 1 1/2 hours to prepare. It was published from my home at Indian Lake Estates at about 5:15am. Today I fly to DC. I will be home for only 3 full days between tomorrow and January 13, 2015. 🙂
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This image was created at Bosque del Apache NWR on a clear, bright, sunny November 26, 2006 at 10:31am with the hand held Canon 100-400mm IS L lens (now replaced by the brand new Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens) and the EOS-1D Mark II N (now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 50. Evaluative metering at zero as framed: 1/8 sec. at f/32 in Manual mode. Central sensor/AI Servo Shutter Button AF was active at the moment of exposure. The warming polarizer that I used allowed me to work 3 stops slower than if I had not been using one. See the short tutorial below to learn how to set a circular polarizer to dark. Without the polarizer I could have only gotten down to 1/60 sec. (at f/32) in the bright sun. The geese would barely have been blurred…. In addition the warming filter added some really sweet color tones to the image. |
Singh-Ray Filters
Singh-Ray filters have been used by the world’s top photographers for many decades. Who? Art Wolfe, Tony Sweet, John Barclay, my new friend Ian Plant, my BFF and oft-business partner, Denise Ippolito, Nevada Weir, Brenda Tharp, Cole Thompson, Chuck Kimmerle, and the late Galen Rowell among others. Singh-Ray has been and is the name in quality filters. I often use a 77mm warming polarizer set to dark at Bosque to get to a slower shutter speed in too-bright conditions. Toward that end, BIRDS AS ART is working with Singh-Ray to produce a 5-stop Neutral Density filter to to fit the filter drawers of Canon Super-telephoto lenses. Stayed tuned for info on that.
No other filter manufacturer comes close to matching the quality of Singh-Ray’s optical glass that is comparable to that used by NASA. And they continue to pioneer the most innovative products on the market like their ColorCombo polarizer, Vari-ND variable and Mor-Slo 15-stop neutral density filters. When you use their filters, you’ll create better, more dramatic images and, unlike other filters, with absolutely no sacrifice in image quality. All Singh-Ray filters are handcrafted in the USA.
Best News: 10% Discount/Code at checkout: artie10
To shop for a Singh-Ray warming polarizer (for example), click on the logo link below, click on Polarizers/color enhancing on the menu bar, choose LB Warming Polarizer, choose the size and model, add to cart, and then checkout. At checkout, type artie10 into the “Have a coupon? Click here to enter your code” box, and a healthy 10% discount will be applied to your total. In addition to enjoying the world’s best filter at 10% off you will be supporting my efforts here on the blog.
How to Set A Circular Polarizer to Dark
Mount the polarizer. Put the camera in Av mode at zero EC. Point the lens at the sky 90 degrees off sun angle. Turn the polarizer slowly while noting the shutter speed as you rotate the polarizer. You will want to quit turning it when you find the slowest shutter speed. Now you can work right down sun angle several stops slower than if you were not using a polarizer set to dark.
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Learn the secrets of creating contest winning images in our “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs.” |
A Guide to Pleasing Blurs
While lying in bed in the middle of last night and thinking of finishing this blog post, I realized that the two oof bird images were actually de-focused blurs, one of the many categories that we discuss and detail in our great eGuide, A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito and yours truly.
Pleasing Blurs are not accidents. Learn pretty much everything that there is about creating them in this instructive (as always) guide.
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Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).
WOW, 2006…that was my very first IPT. I was part of #1, which was
held during my birthday. The best part was when Linda surprised me
with a cake.
That was always so special for me since I was always alone on my
birthday, but being with you, Linda and the other 12 or so other
photographers made that one of my best weeks ever.
Then I had to return home to Cleveland 🙂
Doug
Thanks, Artie. Your images inspire and depress me. Inspire for obvious reasons, depress because I see images you made 8 years ago and I can’t tell that they are any less wonderful than ones you make today with 8 years’ worth of newer equipment. I’m only half-serious.
By the way, in the caption to the image, did you mean “without the polarizer” in this sentence?
“With the polarizer I could have only gotten down to 1/60 sec. (at f/32) in the bright sun.”
Thanks for catching my typo. It has been fixed :). And thanks for your kind words.
artie
I have both the Singh Ray Vari Neutral Density filter and I just got the Color Combo filter and will have them at Bosque del Apache. Looking forward to it. See you soon at Nature Visions too.
Hey Jack, Artie is not going to Nature Visions-just me 🙂 See you soon! I’ll have to try out your Color Combo filter. I’m bringing my Singh Ray 8-stop Vari to Bosque!
YAW and thank you Stu. I will post my favorite of the three egret images soon 🙂
artie
Thanks very much for another informative post.
By the way, did I miss your entry on which image you prefer of your three frames of the egret and reeds? I think they were in consecutive post 343.
And as a longtime Mac user, best wishes for pleasant experiences with your new equipment and software. When I occasionally seek help, online resources and people in the local Mac users group have been very helpful.
Best wishes.