Post Notification Problems
Last spring we had a BIRDS AS ART blog nightmare — the post notification plug-in that had been working for two decades simply quit. Since then, the Word Press “Newsletter” plug-in had been working well for more than 15 months. Unbeknownst to me at first, post notifications were not sent for the last two blog posts (links below)..
We are aware of the current problem and despite our best efforts, we have been unable to set things straight with Newsletter. Webmaster Peter Kes and I are working hard to find a solution.
Halo Removed. Shooting Action Tips. Why a Monopod?
Digital Basics IV Video Series/Vol. I. ISOs 16,000 & 25,600!
If you happened upon today’s post (or perhaps received some sort of notification e-mail), you will likely want to check the two posts using the active links above.
It may take a few days to either patch things up with Newsletter or to get a new solution in place. Best advice: bookmark the blog post and visit every two or three days.
What’s Up?
Multiple IPT veteran and good friend Eugen Dolan arrived at the AirBnb in Vero Lake Estates on Friday afternoon. We have been out twice a day since then. There are schools of Mullet in and around the inlet but for the most part, the birds have not yet found the fish. I did see an Osprey dive and grab a fish on Saturday morning so we should enjoy some fishing action soon. There has been lots to photograph including Great Egret, Snowy Egret, juvenile Little Blue Heron, Reddish Egret, Great Blue Heron, Royal Tern, Sanderling, and Ruddy Turnstone. Not to mention some nice sunrises and cloud-scapes.
Today is Sunday 27 September and we will be heading to the Inlet at about 6:15am. The forecast is calling for a gentle breeze from the northeast and scattered thundershowers. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a great day.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or reader, a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, or a Wimberley lens plate or low foot — 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 or beat any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedford 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.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BirdPhotographer’s.Net, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on the Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025), in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), or for Roseate Spoonbills at Stick Marsh (March 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Some offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and meals. Ground transportation during your stay is a possibility at times.
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Click on the screen capture to enlarge and check out the amazing noise reduction with this ISO 16000 image. The Digital Basics IV Video Series/Volume I by Arthur Morris/Birds as ArtYou can purchase Volume I by clicking here. Or save $50.00 by purchasing the entire 5 volume series by clicking here. |
Digital Basics IV Video Series/Volume I
Learn more in the blog post here.
Most importantly, DB IV/Volume I eliminates the confusion that resulted from the changes to AI Noise Reduction (under the Details tab) in the latest update (17.5) to Adobe Camera Raw (in both Photoshop 2025 Release 26.10.0 and the latest version of Lightroom). As you will see below and in the Volume I video, the new interface represents a significant improvement on the results obtained with the Enhance dialogue box in previous versions of ACR. And, as mentioned here recently, I have some fabulous new image optimization tips, techniques, and tricks to share with you. As the Digital Basics III Video Series proved to be so popular, I have decided to run it back in the form of the Digital Basics IV Video Series (Those who have complete faith in the information that I provide may wish to use the preceding link to save $50.00 by ordering the whole series on a pre-publication basis; you will receive Volume I as soon as you order. The rest will follow upon publication.
My new workflow includes the use of the masking feature in Adobe Camera Raw (thanks to Anita North), the use of the Point Color eye dropper to tame super-saturated colors during raw conversions (discovered in tandem with Anita), a fabulous new Remove Tool trick that makes my favorite Photoshop Tool even more powerful than before -— that one discovered by me. In addition, I have recently begun doing some Curves work during my ACR raw conversions.
My basic workflow remains much the same as is detailed in both DB II and in the DB III Video Series:
1- Setting the Color Temperature (when and if needed).
2- Setting the White and Black Points and adjusting the Highlights and Shadows sliders.
3- Setting the Clarity and Dehaze sliders.
4- Fine-tuning color using the Hue/Saturation/Luminance Targeted Adjustment Tool, a huge step up from the Color Mixer Tool.
5- My 2-step noise reduction technique (with most images).
Once I have the .TIF file in Photoshop, I still use my usual cadre of clean-up tools and techniques including the Remove Tool, the Clone Stamp (only rarely), Divide and Conquer, Quick Masking, Layer Masking, Gaussian Blurs, an expanded array of personalized keyboard shortcuts, and tons of other image optimization strategies and methods adapted from previous versions of Digital Basics. I also demonstrate the selective use of Topaz Sharpen AI utilizing the masking feature. And last but not least, I share my JPEG creation methodology.
Volume I of Digital Basics IV details the image optimizations of six images. Most everything above but for the use of the Point Color eye dropper to tame super-saturated colors during raw conversions is at least touched upon in Volume I. Most of it is covered in great detail.
Volume I of Digital Basics IV details the image optimizations of today’s six featured images. Most everything above but for the use of the Point Color eye dropper to tame super-saturated colors during raw conversions is at least touched upon in Volume I. Most of it is covered in detail.
You can purchase your copy of this all new 1 hour, two minute video for $49.00 here in the BAA Online Store. There will be five volumes in DB IV each featuring 5 or 6 complete image optimizations. If you purchase the first four volumes, you will receive the fifth volume for free.
Or, you can save $50.00 by purchasing all five volumes now for only $146.00 by clicking here. I hope to complete Volume II this week.
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This image was created on 24 September down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates. Seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 1250: 1/1000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:15:14am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Great Blue Heron backlit head portrait |
Please Be Honest
Please be honest and let me know your thoughts on the image above. Do you find the large specular highlight balls to be distracting or do you think that they add to the image?
Stiched Pano
The up and down stitched pano was created from two frames. After creating the image of the GBH’s head, I turned off autofocus, pointed the lens up, and made an image of the specular highlights that overlapped After expanding canvas on the original image, combining the two was easy peasy.
An Exposure Note
The trick with rim-lit images like this is to push the exposure of the backlit white feathers as far to the right as possible to maximize the exposure of the shaded side of the subject. As always, Sony’s Zebra technology makes getting these exposures perfect child’s play (as long as your Zebra values are set up correctly (as detailed in the various BIRDS AS ART Camera User’s Guides). I dialed the ISO down until the Zebras disappeared and then increased it by two clicks.
Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) Masking
Huge thanks again to Anita North for teaching me to use the masking feature in Adobe Camera Raw. I use it often to brighten selected areas of an image. I used it twice on today’s featured image to increase the brightness of the shaded side of the heron. It is far, far superior than anything else I have ever tried. It will be featured in a future volume of the Digital Basics IV Video series.
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This image was created on 24 September down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates. Seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 1250: 1/1000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:15:14am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: Great Blue Heron backlit head portrait |
A Pano Version Without Specular Highlights
After I cropped the square version down to a pano, it took a bit of work to eliminate the sliver of specular highlights that remained at the top of the frame.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
I like the specular highlights–picks up the white of the bird’s throat and gives the impression of a fashion runway with the bird against a line of flash photographers. I have two spider images with 8-sided highlights behind the spider that really accentuate the subject. Agree about selections and masking in ACR–you’ve pointed out in the past that you can often have both a silhouetted and a normal version from the same file, and using ACR makes it easier. I’m often adding exposure to bring out a little identifying detail in a silhouetted subject.