The Two Best Out of 3460 Images? Photo Mechanic Rocks!

Amazon

In it’s infinite wisdom, the Amazon affiliate program recently eliminated all types of generic and logo links as well as product-specific links such as those formerly featured on the Great (Photographic Accessory) Stuff tab here (and above on the orange-yellow menu bar).

On this and most future blog posts, I will post an item that contains my Amazon Affiliate link. If you do not wish to purchase the item, you can help support the work that I do here by clicking on the link and then continuing to shop. Please consider making it a habit to visit the blog before you do your Amazon shopping online. Great news: it will not cost you a penny more, works great with your Amazon Prime or Amazon Business accounts, and will be gratefully appreciated.

Clean Screen Wizard

Designed to prevent keyboard imprints and oil transfers onto MacBook screens. Ultra-Soft, lint free, reusable, washable, non-abrasive, anti-scratch, absorbent and washable, eco-friendly material, durable microfiber fabric, lint free, anti-static, safe for screens, camera lens, and laptop screens. This micro fiber is designed in Denmark specifically for laptop protection. Click on the logo link above or here, to order one for your MacBook or continue shopping for a similar item or for your household or electronic needs. My M1 laptop had the entire keyboard etched onto the screen and I needed to fight with Apple but eventually they replaced it as a warranty item. Using a Clean Screen Wizard eliminates the problem completely (as long as you make it a habit.

What’s Up?

Thursday morning at La Jolla was beyond spectacular. Things began slowly. I set up in a spot all alone, pretty sure that the birds would come to me. The sun was just coming over the hill and most of the pelicans were behind me. But, I held true to my convictions. After about twenty minutes, a single gorgeous pelican landed on my favorite perch. I worked that bird with the bare 400mm f/2.8 wide open. I even did some vertical videos of the bird preening. And then more pelicans flew in to the gentle northeast breeze. I got some really sweet flight shots. At about 9:00am, a message popped up on the back of my a-1, “Card full.” I had not filled a card in so long that I was confused at first. I changed cards and experimented doing flight with the 400mm f/2.8 and the 2X TC. In the sweet, sweet light, I created 3460 images. After my nap, I kept 177 images. Today’s featured images were two of the very best. At some point, I will get down to less than 50.

In yesterday’s post, I preferred Image #2 for the same reasons that everyone else did — the incredible colors of the distended bill pouch. Not to mention razor sharp, and clean, tight, and graphic.

Today is Friday 19 January 2024. My late Mom would not be shocked to learn that I am again heading out early tomorrow morning to photograph pelicans! Wherever you are and whatever you choose to do, I hope that you too have a great day.

If you are interested in joining me for an In-the-Field Instructional Session in San Diego this month, please get in touch ASAP either via e-mail or by calling or texting my cell at 863-221-2372. I was thrilled to learn recently that two folks signed up for San Diego #2. Both are first timers: Jeanette LaPorte and Tom Baker. It is not too late to sign up for either IPT and be ensured of almost private instruction. Get in touch as above to learn of the couples or late registration discounts.

Please remember to use the B&H 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!

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.

Photo Mechanic Rocks!

If it is taking a few seconds for each raw file to render and taking you hours to edit a few thousand images, you need to check out Photo Mechanic. Editing yesterday morning’s day folder took me exactly 27 minutes. There were lots of similars and lots of really bad photos. If you are new and use my link to purchase from the BAA Online Store (thank you very much!), shoot me an e-mail and I will send you set-up info and direct you to additional helpful materials.

Click on the composite to see a larger version. Composite: the two originals for today’s featured images

The Two Originals

Before you continue or scroll down, take a minute to plan how you would optimize each of the two images.

Optimizing the head throw image was relatively straightforward. Eliminating the rock (it was a mess) from the second image was a lot more difficult; I did not have much water on the same plane to work with. So, I came up with a unique solution to the problem. If you own the Digital Basics III Video series and would like to see how I did it, shoot me an
e-mail and I will include it in Volume I/#5.

The Digital Basics III Video Series

The Digital Basics III Video Series

I realized about a year ago that my digital workflow had changed significantly and was toying with the idea of writing a Digital Basics III. More recently, I have learned and begun working with two great new Photoshop Tools, the Remove Tool and the Luminance Targeted Adjustment Tool. The former is like a smarter Spot Healing Brush Tool on steroids and the latter is a huge step up from the fabulous Color Mixer Tool. During that same time frame, I came up with a new and improved 2-step noise reduction technique. I still use Divide and Conquer, Quick Masks, Layer Masks, an expanded array of personalized keyboard shortcuts, and tons of other stuff from both versions of Digital Basics.

As soon as I realized that I did not want to take on another large writing project, I realized that by creating a series of videos I could much more easily share all the details of my current digital workflow and much more easily incorporate additional new tips, techniques, and tools as I went. And so, The Digital Basics III Video Series was born. You can check out Volume I/#1 here.

You might opt to purchase single videos or to subscribe to Volume I and save $26 by ordering the first five videos in one fell swoop. You can purchase the five videos in Volume I by clicking here. The videos will be most valuable for folks using the latest version of Photoshop (2024) or Lightroom along with Topaz DeNoise AI and Topaz Sharpen AI.

Retroactive Discount Savings

If you have previously purchased a single video and learned a lot, you can upgrade to the complete DB III Volume I series and save $26.00 by calling Jim at 863-692-0906 weekdays, Monday through Friday at noon.

This image was created on 18 January 2024 on the cliffs at La Jolla. Seated on the dirt cliff, I used the Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 320. 1/4000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect (ho hum). AWB at 8:11:10 on a clear sunny morning. Tracking: center 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: Brown Pelican Pacific race adult head throw

The Optimization

Working wide, this image was created from a horizontal original that had the wing of a second pelican in the lower right of the frame. I expanded canvas above using Content-Aware Crop. All as in the Digital Basics III Video series. I hope to be working on Volume I/#4 very soon. You can see the original below.

If …

If you have any questions or opinions regarding this image, please leave a comment.

This image was created on 18 January 2024 on the cliffs at La Jolla. Seated on the dirt cliff, I used the Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted 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 250. 1/4000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect (ho hum). AWB at 8:33:02am on a clear 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: Brown Pelican breeding plumage Pacific race taking flight

The Situation

There were about fifty pelicans packed onto the far low shelf. All at once, for no apparent reason, they got very nervous and began taking flight. There might have been someone on the upper cliff who scared them, or perhaps they heard the dinner bell ring as they all headed towards Scripps Pier. I got on the bird on my favorite perch and got lucky by isolating that bird in what was a chaotic situation. You can see the original below.

If …

If you have a question about this image, please leave a comment.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning, there is usually some excellent flight photography, at times with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego. Each IPT will include one or two duck sessions.

Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The San Diego Details

These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon shoot. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.

Deposit Info

A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2024 San Diego IPT. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.

Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

Typos

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