Amazingly Coincidental Images Made at the Exact Same Instant! Is Lower Always Better? And I Can’t Do That … « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Amazingly Coincidental Images Made at the Exact Same Instant! Is Lower Always Better? And I Can't Do That ...

The 2023 Fort DeSoto New Cut Current Conditions e-Guide

Get your copy here for $25.00 in the BAA Online Store, or free with Fort DeSoto Site Guide proof-of-purchase.

The 2023 Fort DeSoto New Cut Current Conditions e-Guide: $25.00

The 2023 Fort DeSoto New Cut Current Conditions e-Guide details the photographic opportunities available at the New Far Bar and environs. It includes annotated maps, a safety warning, photography tips, recommended access, available subjects, updates on old locations, details on another new DeSoto hotspot, and a gallery. You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store. Folks who already own the Fort DeSoto Site Guide are entitled to a free copy. To receive yours, shoot me an e-mail that includes Fort DeSoto Site Guide proof-of-purchase with the words “New Cut Current Conditions e-Guide” cut and pasted into the subject line.

The Fact$ of Life

Right now, the market for editorial sales of natural history images has virtually disappeared. The incomes of the world’s top stock photographers are down by at least 90%. Like me, most depend on income from photo trips, the sale of educational materials, and income from this or that affiliate program.

In 2001, BAA sold the publication rights to images for nearly one-quarter million US dollars. That amount dropped to about $20,000 by 2011, and in 2017, to slightly more than $2,000.00. We’ve stopped counting. IPTs used to fill within days. Now I am happy to go with one or two folks, but I’d much rather have you along. And so it goes. In 2009, I turned to creating educational blog posts, now to the tune of 4009. Yes, 4009 educational blog posts. So, please remember to use either my B&H or Bedfords affiliate links for your major purposes. It does not cost you one cent to do either.

B&H

Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. When I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.

B&H Simplified

To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. Thanking me for the past 4000 educational blog posts could not be any easier and will not cost you one penny. Please shoot me your B&H receipt for major purchases.

Bedfords Simplified

Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.

Iceland

My decades-long dream of spending time on Grimsey Island, Iceland, with the puffins — 13 days in this case!, will be realized this coming July. I am doing back-to-back trips as a participant. If anyone would like information on the world’s greatest Iceland/Atlantic Puffin trip this coming July, please contact me via e-mail.

What’s Up?

I continue to be so busy that despite the beautiful weather in central Florida, I still have not gotten down to the lake since I got home from Bonaire. Perhaps that has to do with how much fun I had photographing the flamingoes. I am spending lots of time working on the world’s best flight photography e-guide with co-author Arash Hazeghi.

For late registration discount offer details for the third DeSoto IPT, please shoot me an e-mail.

Spring Fort DeSoto IPT #3: Tuesday 9 May through the morning session on 12 May 2023. 3 1/2 Days: $1899.00 includes three working brunches. Limit six photographers/Openings: 4.

Today is Friday 5 May 2023. This blog post took about two hours to prepare including the time spent on the two image optimizations. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so, works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

This image was created on 16 April 2023 by Anita North at the New Far Bar at Fort DeSoto in Pinellas County, FL. Seated in a foot of water, she used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640: 1/5000 sec. at f/3.2 (stopped down 1/3 stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:47:47am on a sunny morning.

Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #1: Reddish Egret landing while fishing
Image courtesy of and copyright 2023: Anita North

I Can’t Do That …

Anita North created Image #1 while seated in a foot of water in the channel between the New Near Bar and the New Far Bar. She was handholding the Sony 400mm f/2.8 with the Sony ⍺1. Being strong, thin, wiry, and agile, she is able to get up out the water time and time again when the frenetically fishing reddish moves far off sun angle. And she does that without having to use either hand. I cannot do that and could not have done it decades ago.

To get up after being seated in water, I need to place my right hand on bottom. I can do that, but then need to dry off my right hand before putting it back on the camera or risk saltwater damaging my ⍺1. When you throw in the risk of dumping the 400 f/2.8 GM lens in a foot of saltwater, my choice becomes very clear: as much as I love low perspectives, I need to stay on my feet when chasing after a Reddish Egret. When I ran all of this by Anita last week, she admitted that she was reconsidering her sitting-in-the-water strategy in fear of totaling her 400 2.8 along with her ⍺1.

Lower Is Usually Better

As a matter of general bird photography advice, I state often that lower is usually better. At DeSoto, getting down on the ground is often the ticket to success and is something that I strive to do whenever possible. Surely, there is a lot to love about Anita’s low perspective image above — the intimate view, the narrow strip of in-focus water, and the soft, dreamy, de-focused background. Now scroll down to Image #2.

This image was created on 16 April 2023 by yours truly at the New Far Bar at Fort DeSoto in Pinellas County, FL. Crouching down a bit, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640: 1/3200 sec. at f/2.8 (did open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:46:48am on a sunny morning.

Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #2: Reddish Egret landing while fishing
Image by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Amazingly Coincidental Images Made at the Exact Same Instant!

When going through my DeSoto images on Thursday I came across _A1G2083 Fort DeSoto Park — Tierra Verde — FL and thought, that looks a heck of a lot like one of Anita’s images that I had selected for the YouTube video featuring her work, the very popular Brain Surgeon Operates Successfully on Florida Birds at BIRDS AS ART Hotspots! . If you missed that one you can watch it here.

Anyhoo, I teed up the two images in Photo Mechanic and quickly realized that amazingly, they were created in the exact same instant. When I noted that even the side-to-side perspective was identical, I realized that I must have been shooting on the same line as Anita, right over the top of her head as she sat in the water, and I stood directly behind her.

This coincidence is a first for me.

I was not surprised that we each selected the same frame as best from a long series of images created at 30 frames per second by the Sony ⍺1.

Time Difference?

How do you explain the 59-second difference in the capture time of the two images?

Your Call?

Which of today’s two featured images, created in the same instant, do you like best? Why? Though there is a lot to love about eve

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

11 comments to Amazingly Coincidental Images Made at the Exact Same Instant! Is Lower Always Better? And I Can’t Do That …

  • avatar Steven Pumilia

    Both are great images, but I also love the low angle. I wish I was as flexible as Anita!

  • avatar David Pugsley

    You know I love low so Anita has to take this one.

    The cameras aren’t synced to the atomic clock. They can be set as correctly, or incorrectly, as one wishes.

  • Lower is always better. Also in this case.

  • Artie
    Time Difference?
    How do you explain the 59-second difference in the capture time of the two images?
    Anita’s sitting lower to the earth has a 59 second lapse of time being closer to the equator! 🙂
    Besides you 2 clicking like 2 peas in a pod!
    I love them both but give an edge to Anita. She get the edge because she’s much better looking!
    Always with love b

  • avatar Sue Jarrett

    Image #1 and #2 of Reddish Egret landing while fishing are interesting and well made and cute.

  • avatar Eugen J. Dolan

    Are your 2 cameras exactly in sync for the time – would explain the almost 1 minute time difference.

  • avatar Ryan Sanderson

    The angle is better in Anita’s, but the colors are better in yours. On my iPhone, hers has more of a golden hue.

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Thanks, Doc. My bad as I processed both images … Hers was actually shot 1 stop darker than mine. Mine had some slight over-exposure on the brightest whites on the far wing. What you are seeing might have to do with the difference in the way the sunlight was hitting the water. Or not 🙂 Not to mention that everyone’s perception of color is different. In any case, an interesting pair of images on many counts.

      with love, artie

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